The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. THURSDAY, AUGUST 5. A bill making an appropriation for discharging the claim of Sarah Alexander, the widow of the late Major General Lord Stirling, who died in the service of the United States, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-day. On motion, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury, under the direction of the President of the United States, do take measures for finishing the light house at Portland Head, in the District of Maine: Provided, the expense in finishing the same do not exceed fifteen hundred dollars. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolution; and that Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Trumbull, do prepare and bring in the same. Ordered, That the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill making provision for the officers of the Supreme Court of the United States, and for jurors and witnesses attending the same, he discharged from farther proceeding thereon. Ordered, That the Attorney General report to this House, at the next session of Congress, on such matters relative to the administration of justice under the authority of the United States, as may require to be remedied: And that he also report such provisions in the respective cases as he shall deem advisable. A message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, notifying that the President did this day approve and sign an act, entitled "An act to provide more effectually for the settlement of the accounts between the United States and the individual States." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. An engrossed bill for adding two Commissioners to the Board established for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be "An act for adding two Commissioners to the Board established for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States," Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. On a motion made and seconded that a committee be appointed to prepare and report a bill to repeal, for a limited time, the fifth section of the act, entitled "An act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States:" The previous question was demanded by five members, "Shall the main question to agree to the said motion, be now put;" and on the question, "Shall the main question be now put." The ayes aud noes being called for by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, A petition of Alexander Macomb and William Edgar was presented to the House and read, praying to be released from a contract entered into with the United States, for the purchase of a quantity of Western lands. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. The House then, according to order, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill making an appropriation for discharging the claim of Sarah Alexander, the widow of the late Major General Lord Stirling, who died in the service of the United States. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Livermore took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Livermore reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto. Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. Mr. Thatcher, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to finish a light-house on Portland-head, in the District of Maine; which was received and read the first time. On motion, the said bill was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House immediately. The House accordingly resolved itself into the said committee. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Livermore took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Livermore reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto. Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. On motion, Resolved, That a Surveyor General for the United States be appointed, who shall forthwith proceed to the completion of the surveys of all lands heretofore sold under the authority of the late Congress. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolution, and that Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, Mr Page, and Mr. White, do prepare and bring in the same. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act further to provide for the payment of the debts of the United States," with several amendments, to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said amendments, and made some progress therein. Ordered, That the farther consideration of the said amendments be put off until to morrow. The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. FRIDAY, AUGUST 6. An engrossed bill making an appropriation for discharging the claim of Sarah Alexander, the widow of the late Major General Lord Stirling, who died in the service of the United States, was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act making an appropriation for discharging the claim of Sarah Alexander, the widow of the late Major Ge neral Lord Stirling, who died in the service of the United States." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. An engrossed bill authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to finish the light-house on Portland-head, in the District of Maine, was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to finish the Light-house on Portland-head, in the District of Maine." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. On motion, Resolved, That the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives be authorized to close the present session, by adjourning their respective Houses on Tuesday next, to meet again on the first Monday of December next. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said resolution to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. Ordered, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report, early in the next session, proper and effectual means of discharging the arrearages due to the invalid pensioners of the United States, and to the widows and representatives of the deceased officers and soldiers in the late American Army. Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill providing for the appointment of a Surveyor General for the United States; which was received and read the first time. The House resumed the consideration of the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making further provision for the payment of the debts of the United States:" Whereupon, Resolved, That this House do agree to all the said amendments, with amendments to the second amendment, as follow: Page 2d, line 21st, strike out "under," and insert "more than." Page 4th, line 27th, strike out "all goods, wares, and merchandises, (except teas) from China or India, in ships or vessels not of the United States.” Page 6th, line 32d, insert as an additional clause, "all coaches, chariots, phaetons. chaises, chairs, solos, or other carriages, or parts of carriages, fifteen and an half per centum ad valorem." Same page and line, prefix to the last clause, "and five per centum ad valorem upon," and strike out the words "five per centum ad valorem" at the end of the same. Another motion was made and seconded further to amend the said amendment, by striking out the words "twelve cents" for the duty upon salt: And on the question thereupon, The ayes and noes being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, John Baptist Ashe, John Brown, Isaac Coles, James Jackson, George Leonard, James Madison, junior, Those who voted in the negative, are, Fisher Ames, Lambert Cadwalader, Daniel Carroll, George Clymer, William Floyd, Elbridge Gerry, Thomas Hartley, George Mathews, Andrew Moore, Peter Muhlenberg, George Partridge, Joshua Seney, John Sevier, [1790. William Smith, of South Carolina, Thomas Sumpter, George Thatcher, Thomas Tudor Tucker, Alexander White, and Hugh Williamson. Samuel Livermore, Josiah Parker, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, James Schureman, Roger Sherman, Peter Silvester, Thomas Sinnickson, William Smith, of Maryland, Michael Jenifer Stone, Jonathan Sturges, Jonathan Trumbull, Benjamin Huntington, John Lawrance, John Vining, Jeremiah Wadsworth, and Richard Bland Lee, Henry Wynkoop. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth: UNITED STATES, August 6th, 1790. Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: I have directed my Secretary to lay before you a copy of an exemplified copy of a law, to ratify, on the part of the State of New Jersey, certain amendments to the Constitution of the United States, together with a copy of a letter which accompanied said ratifica tion, from the honorable Elisha Lawrence, Esq. Vice President of the State of New Jersey, to the President of the United States. GEORGE WASHINGTON. The letter and papers accompanying the said message were read, and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Vining, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for the relief of Adam Caldwell; which was received, and read the first time. On motion, The said bill was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow. A message from the Senate, by Mr Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act to compensate Tho mas Barclay for various public services," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. SATURDAY, AUGUST 7. A bill for the appointment of a Surveyor General for the United States was read the second time; and, on the question that the said bill be engrossed, and read the third time, It passed in the negative. And so the said bill was rejected. The Speaker laid before the House a letter and report from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied with statements of additional sums necessary to be provided for the support of Government by farther appropriations; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have disagreed to the resolution of this House respecting the claim of Francis Mentges; also to the bill, entitled "An act for adding two Com missioners to the Board established for settling the accounts between the United States and individual States." The Senate have, also, passed the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of disabled soldiers and seamen, lately in the service of the United States, and of certain other persons," with several amendments, to which they desire the concur rence of this House. And then he withdrew. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering his report on the subject-matter of sundry petitions, praying a renewal of Continental Loan Office Certificates destroyed through accident; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House then, according to the standing order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Seney took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Seney reported that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union under consideration, and come to several resolutions thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follow: Resolved, That the sum of fifty thousand dollars, out of the moneys arising from the duties on imports and tonnage, be reserved and appropriated for satisfying demands against the United States, not otherwise specially provided for; and that an act for that purpose ought to be passed the present session. Resolved, That, out of the moneys reserved during the present session for the support of Government, from the duties on imports and tonnage, a sum not exceeding thirty-eight thousand eight hundred and ninety-two dollars and seventy-five cents, be appropriated, for the payment of the debts contracted by Abraham Skinner, late Commissary of Prisoners, for the subsistence of the Officers of the late army while in captivity. Resolved, That provision, by law, should be immediately made for the appropriation of the surplus sum which shall remain in the Treasury after all the appropriations, made during the present session, shall be satisfied, in conformity to the tenor of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolutions, and that Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Vining, Mr. Madison, Mr. Ames, and Mr. Benson, do prepare and bring in the same. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to the amendments proposed by this House to their amendments to the bill, entitled "An act making further provision for the payment of the debts of the United States." The Senate have also passed the bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to finish the light-house on Portand-head, in the District of Maine. Also, the bill, entitled "An act to enable the officers and soldiers of the Virginia Line, on Continental Establishment, to obtain titles to certain lands lying Northwest of the river Ohio, between the Little Miami and Sciota," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said amendments, and the same being read, were agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill for the relief of Adam Caldwell. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Seney took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Seney reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same werc severally twice read, and agreed to by the House. |