hold lands under certain restrictions; also, on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts; were read, and postponed until to-morrow.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26.

A bill for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, books, and other writings, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Wednesday next.

The House proceeded to consider the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the petition of Francis Bailey: Whereupon,

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in for securing to the said Francis Bailey an exclusive privilege to the use of his invention; and that Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Sedgwick, and Mr. White, do prepare and bring in the same.

Ordered, That the several petitions of William Mumford and Samuel Armstrong, and of the Weighers, Measurers, and Gaugers, of the district of Portland and Falmouth, in the State of Massachusetts, which were presented yesterday, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

Ordered, That the petition of David S. Franks, which was presented on Wednesday last, be referred to Mr. Hartley, Mr. Wadsworth, and Mr. Van Rensselaer; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of David Poole, of New London, in Connecticut, was presented to the House, and read, praying relief in consideration of the loss of his left arm in the service of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table.

Mr. Gerry, from the committee to whom was referred the letter from the Board of Commissioners for settling Accounts, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The members from South Carolina presented the copies of two acts of that State, one, entitled "An act for ceding to, and vesting in, the United States, the light-house on Middle Bay Island, within the bar of Charleston Harbor;" the other, "For ratifying, on the part of that State, the several Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, proposed by Congress;" which were read, and ordered to lie on the

table.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provi sion for the support of the public credit.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said report under consideration, and made a farther progress therein.

Resolved, That this House will, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to Establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization, and to enable aliens to hold lands under certain restrictions.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made a farther progress therein.

Resolved, That this House will, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill.

Mr. Boudinot, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill to vest in Francis Bailey the exclusive privilege of making, using, and vending to others, punches for stamping the matrices of types, and impressing marks on plates, or any other substance, to prevent counterfeits, upon a principle by him invented, for a term of years; which was received, and read the first time.

The order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts was read, and postponed until Monday next.

And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock.

MONDAY, MARCH 1.

Another member, to wit, Thomas Sunpter, from South Carolina, appeared and took his seat.

A message was received from the President of the United States, by the Secretary of War, who delivered in several letters and papers, being a further communication on the subject of the Southwestern Frontier and of the Indian Department. And then he withdrew.

The said letters and papers were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

A petition of Richard Wells and Josiah Hart, of the city of Philadelphia, was presented to the House and read, praying that effectual provision may be made by Congress for rendering to the petitioners, and all other creditors of the United States in a similar situation, full payment for the paper bills of credit heretofore issued by Congress, and now in the hands of the said creditors.

Also, a petition of James Delaplaine, late a Lieutenant in the first Virginia regiment, praying relief, in consideration of wounds and injuries received whilst in the service of the United States.

Also, a petition of Thomas Leiper, of the city of Philadelphia, praying that duplicates may be granted him of six loan office certificates, of one thousand dollars each, which were issued to him by the Commissioner of Loans in the State of Pennsylvania, and casually lost some time in the year 1779.

Ordered, That the said petitions do lie on the table.

Ordered, That the petitions of James Derry and David Poole be referred to the Se. cretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon

to the House.

A bill to vest in Francis Bailey the exclusive privilege of making, using, and vending to others, punches for stamping the matrices of types, and impressing marks on plates, or any other substance, to prevent counterfeits, upon a principle by him invented, for a term of years; was read the second time, and ordered to be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provision for the support of the public credit.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said report under consideration, and made a farther progress therein.

Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report.

A message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, notifying that the President approves of the act "providing for the Enumer ation of the Inhabitants of the United States," and has affixed his signature to the

same.

The several orders of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the Punishment of certain Crimes against the United States;” also, on the bill for regulating the Post Office of the United States, on the bill to establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization, and to enable aliens to hold lands under certain restrictions; and on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts; were read, and postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2.

An engrossed bill to vest in Francis Bailey the exclusive privilege of making, using, and vending to others, punches for stamping the matrices of types, and impressing marks on plates, or any other substance, to prevent counterfeits, upon a principle by hum invented, for a term of years, was read the third time, and the blanks therein filled up.

Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, “An act to vest in Francis Bailey the exclusive privilege of making, using, and vending to others, punches for stamping the matrices of types, and impressing marks on plates, or any other substance, to prevent counterfeits, upon a principle by him invented, for a term of years."

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering his further report and estimate of Extraordinaries for the services of the current year; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill of appropriation for the Support of Government.

On motion,

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be instructed to report to this House such funds as, in his opinion, may be raised and applied towards the payment of the interest of the debts of the individual States, should they be assumed by Congress.

Ordered, That the Secretary of the Treasury lay before this House the amount of the duties on goods, wares, and merchandise, and on tonnage, in the several States, from the time that the collection of those revenues commenced to the thirty-first of December last.

A petition of Abraham Skinner was presented to the House and read, praying to be reimbursed for moneys advanced, and losses sustained by the petitioner, whilst Commissary General of Prisoners of the United States, during the late war.

Also, a petition of the rope-makers in the town of Boston, praying that Congress will devise such further measures as may be effectua!, to secure and improve this important branch of manufacture.

Ordered, That the said petitions do lie on the table.

A petition of George Scriba was presented to the House and read, praying to be permitted to purchase of the United States a tract of Western Territory, not less than two millions, and not exceeding four millions of acres, on the terms therein mentioned.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury for his information.

The House then, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Commitee of the Whole House, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provision for the support of the public credit.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said report under consideration, and made a farther progress therein.

Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report.

The several orders of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the Punishment of certain Crimes against the United States;" also, on the bill to establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization, and to enable aliens to hold land under certain restrictions; on the bill for regulating the Post Office of the United States; and on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts; were read, and postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3.

Mr. Ames, from the committee to whom was recommitted the bill to provide for the remission or mitigation of Fines, Forfeitures, and Penalties, in certain cases, presented an amendatory bill, which was received and read the first time.

Ordered, That the petition of Abraham Skinner, which was presented yesterday, be referred to Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Smith, (of Maryland,) and Mr. Heister; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Jehoiakim M'Toksin, reported a state of facts, together with a resolve, which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth :

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there be paid out of the public Treasury unto Jehoakim M'Toksin one hundred and twenty dollars, in full compensation for his services as an interpreter and guide in the expedition commanded by Major General Sullivan, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine.

Ordered, That the said resolve be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for making an appropriation for the Support of Government.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Cominittee of the Whole House on the bill to establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization, and to enable aliens to hold lands under certain restrictions.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

A member from South Carolina presented to the House the proceedings of the Legislature of that State, respecting certain regulations at the post of Fort Johnson; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

The several orders of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provision for the support of the public credit; also, on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the Punishment of certain Crimes against the United States;" on the bill for regulating the Post Office of the United States; on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts; and on the bill for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, books, and other writings, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; were read, and postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4.

Another member, to wit: Benjamin Contee, from Maryland, appeared and took his

seat.

An engrossed bill to establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization, and to enable aliens to hold lands under certain restrictions, was read the third time.

Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be "An act to establish an Uniform Rule of Naturalization."

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence.

A bill to provide for the remission or mitigation of Fines, Forfeitures, and Penalties, in certain cases, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

A petition of Catherine Wheeler was presented to the House and read, praying relief as the widow of an invalid soldier, who was wounded in the late war, and is since dead. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table.

A petition of Nicholas Cowenhoven and others, of Kings County, in the State of New York, was presented to the House and read, praying to receive payment of certain claims for the board and subsistence of sundry American officers, prisoners during the late war, who were quartered on the petitioners.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Smith, (of Maryland,) and Mr. Heister; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

Ordered, That the petition of William Mason, which was presented on the twentyfifth ultimo, be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to promote the Progress of Useful Arts.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made some progress therein.

Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering his reports made in pursuance of the resolution and order of this House, of the second instant ; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The orders of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole

House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provision for the sup port of the public credit; also, on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the Punishment of certain Crimes against the United States;" on the bill for regulating the Post Office of the United States; and on the bill for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, books, and other writings, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; were read and postponed until to-morrow.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, MARCH 5.

Mr. Foster, from the committee to whom was referred the petitions of the People called Quakers; and, also, of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery; made a report, which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That the petition of Richard Wells and Josiah Hart, which was presented on Monday last, be referred to Mr. Livermore, Mr. Goodhue, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Silvester, Mr. Schureman, Mr. Scott, Mr. Seney, Mr. Brown, Mr. Burke, and Mr. Jackson; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

A petition of Thomas Donellan, of the State of Maryland, was presented to the House and read, praying that a duplicate may be granted him of a certificate issued in his favor by the late Quartermaster General, for three hundred and eight dollars, which cer tificate was accidentally burnt with the dwellinghouse of the petitioner, and all his ef fects, in the month of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five.

Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petitions of Gabriel Allen and Thomas Leiper, which lay on the table, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of Catharine Green, relict of the late General Greene, was presented to the House and read, praying that an inquiry may be had on the claims and petition of her late husband, as exhibited to the late Congress, on the twenty-second of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Gerry, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Parker, Mr. Peter Muhlenberg, and Mr. Smith, (of South Carolina;) that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

A memorial of the late officers of the South Carolina line on Continental Establishment, was presented to the House and read, praying that provision may be made for securing to them payment of the six months' pay granted them by certain resolutions of the late Congress, and which they have never yet received. Ordered, That the said memorial do lie on the table.

A petition of John Rogers, in behalf of himself, James Meriwether, and John Thurston, of the State of Virginia, was presented to the House and read, praying that the commutation of half pay may be allowed to them, as officers in a corps of dragoons in the Illinois country during the late war, and to which they conceive themselves entitled, under the act of cession of that Country made by the said State of Virginia to the United States.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to provide for the remission or mitigation of Fines, Forfeitures, and Penalties, in certain cases.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made an amendment thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendment, be engrossed, and read the third time on Monday next.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to Promote the Progress of Useful Arts.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Benson took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Benson reported that the committee had according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made several amend