barred by the limitations heretofore established; 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 on Wednesday next. Mr. Benson, from the committee to whom was referred the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the petition of Comfort Sands, and others, made a report; which was 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 bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the encou ragement of the Bank and other cod-fisheries, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen employed therein; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, 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 again twice read, and agreed to by the House. Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be read the third time to-morrow. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9. The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the encouragement of the Bank and other cod-fisheries, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen enployed therein," together with the amendments thereto, was read the second time; and, the question being put that the same do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative, Yeas 38, The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the negative, are, Fisher Ames, Robert Barnwell, John Laurance, Amasa Learned, Resolved, That the title of the said bill be, "An act concerning certain fisheries of the United States, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen employed therein." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act relative to the election of a President and Vice President of the United States, and declaring the offi cer who shall act as President, in case of vacancies in the offices both of President and Vice President; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made a farther progress therein. esolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill. A memorial of the tanners and curriers of the city of New York was presented to the House and read, stating the inconveniences they suffer from the erection of mills for the purpose of grinding tanner's bark for exportation, and praying that Congress will adopt such measures for their relief as may appear just and right. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Boudinot, Mr. White, Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Bourne, of Rhode Island, and Mr. Niles; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act to establish the Post Office and Post Roads within the United States," and found the same to be truly enrolled: Whereupon, Mr. Speaker signed the said enrolled bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10. A petition of Adrien Proveaux, of Charleston, South Carolina, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for services rendered and expenses incurred in the American cause, during the late war. Also, A petition of Samuel Mackins, praying relief in consideration of a wound received in the Navy of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of William M'Gilton was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for his services as Assistant Commissary of Issues, during the late war. 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. A petition of the tanners and curriers of the city of Philadelphia was presented to the House and read, stating the inconveniences they suffer from the erection of mills for the purpose of grinding tanners' bark for exportation, and praying that such expor tation may be prohibited, or other measures adopted for their relief as shall appear just and right. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Boudinot, Mr. White, Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Bourne, of Rhode Island, and Mr. Niles; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Ordered, That the petition of Christopher Marshal, junior, and Charles Marshal, which lay on the table, be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the subject of manufactures. On a motion made and seconded, Resolved, That the Secretary of State lay before this House copies of such laws as have been adopted and published by the Governor and Judges of the Territory North west of the Ohio. Ordered, That the Clerk be directed to furnish the sitting member, and the petitioner, James Jackson, at the request of either party, with copies of all such documents, evidences, and testimony, as are in his possession, or that may come to the hands of the Speaker, previous to the time of trying the validity of the election of a member to represent the Lower District of the State of Georgia, in Congress of the United States. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act relative to the election of President and Vice President of the United States, and declaring the Officer who shall act as President, in case of vacancies in the offices both of President and VOL. I-64 Vice President; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, 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 read, and are as follow : Strike out the ninth section, in the words following: "And be it further enacted, That, in case of removal, death, resignation, or inability. both of the President and Vice President of the United States, the President of the Senate pro tempore, and in case there shall be no President of the Senate, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the time being, shall act as President of the United States, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected." In lieu of the said ninth section, insert, "And be it further enacted, That, in case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of State, for the time being, shall act as President of the United States, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected." Whereupon, the said first amendment being again read, and the question put ta strike out the said ninth section, in the words following: "And be it further enacted, That, in case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice President of the United States, the President of the Senate pro tempore, and in case there shall be no President of the Senate, then the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the time being, shall act as President of the United States, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected:" The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, The second amendment being again read, and the question put to insert in lieu of the said ninth section, the words following: "And be it further enacted, That, in case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of State, for the time being, shall act as President of the United States, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected:" It was resolved in the affirmative. The House then proceeded to the farther consideration of the said bill at the Clerk's table, and made some progress therein. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate agree to all the amendments proposed by this House to the bill, entitled "An act for the encouragement of the Bank and other Cod Fisheries, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen employed therein." And then he withdrew. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, on Saturday, the eleventh instant, wait on the President of the United States, and present for his approbation an enrolled bill, entitled "An act to establish the Post Office and Post Roads, within the United States." Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to continue an act, entitled "An act declaring the assent of Congress to certain acts of the States of Maryland, Georgia, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations;" and that Mr. Sterrett, Mr. Bourne, of Rhode Island, and Mr. Baldwin, be the said committee. The House resumed the consideration of the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act relative to the election of a President and Vice President of the United States, and declaring the officer who shall act as President, in case of vacancies in the offices both of President and Vice President:" Whereupon, Resolved, That the said bill, with the amendments, be again re-committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill for an apportionment of Representatives among the several States, according to the first enumeration, and making provision for another enumeration, and an apportionment of Representatives, after the third day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, 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 several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14. The several petitions of Robert Brown, John Gould, and John Thompson, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compensation or relief for services rendered, wounds received, or injuries sustained, in the Army of the United States, during the late war. Also, A petition of sundry officers and soldiers of Colonel Watts' regiment of the late Pennsylvania flying camp, who were captured at Fort Washington, praying to be allowed pay from the time of their capture until their releasement. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of the Commissioned Officers of the levies in the late campaign under General St. Clair, was presented to the House and read, praying that a doubt which has arisen in the construction of the fourteenth section of the act passed the last session, entitled "An act for raising and adding another regiment to the Military Establishment of the United States, and for making farther provision for the protection of the frontiers," may be explained. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Brown, Mr. Vining, and Mr. Hillhouse; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Benjamin Vanfossan, administrator of the estate of his father, Peter Vanfossan, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for a wagon horse, which was impressed from the intestate, and died in the public service, and also for sundry supplies for the Army, furnished by the said intestate, during the late war. 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. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, which originated in the Senate, entitled "An act concerning certain fisheries of the United States, and for the regulation and government of the fishermen employed therein," and found the same to be truly enrolled Whereupon, Mr. Speaker signed the said enrolled bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. Mr. Sterrett, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill declaring the consent of Congress to a certain act of the State of Maryland, and to continue for a longer time, "An act declaring the assent of Congress to certain acts of the States of Maryland, Georgia, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations," so far as the same respects the States of Georgia and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations; 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 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 sent from the Senate, entitled "An aet relative to the election of a President and Vice President of the United States, and declaring the officer who shall act as President, in case of vacancies in the offices both of President and Vice President;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Muhlenberg reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made an amendment thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was read, and is as followeth : To the end of the first section, add, "Which Electors shall be equal to the number of Senators and Representatives to which the several States may, by law, be entitled, at the time when the President and Vice President, thus to be chosen, should come into office: Provided always, That where no apportionment of Representatives shall have been made, after any enumera tion, at the time of choosing Electors, then the number of electors shall be according to the existing apportionment of Senators and Representatives." And the said amendment being again read, and a division of the question thereon called for, to wit: That the House do agree to the first part of the said amendment, in the words following: To the end of the first section, add, "Which Electors shall be equal to the number of Senators and Representatives to which the several States may, by law, be entitled, at the time when the President and Vice President, thus to be chosen, should come into office:" It was resolved in the affirmative, The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, |