Ordered, That the said resolution be committed to Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Dayton, MrGerry, Mr. Smith, of New Hampshire, and Mr. Bourne, of Rhode Island. The House then, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the resolution to indemnify the estate of the late General Nathaniel Greene, for a certain surety ship entered into by the said Nathaniel in his life time, on the public behalf; 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 resolution 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 resolution. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24. A petition of Samuel Findlay was presented to the House and read, praying the re newal of certain Continental Loan Office certificates, the property of the petitioner, which were destroyed by fire. Also, A petition of Stephen Haight, of the State of New York, praying compensation for sundry advances made and supplies furnished for the use of the United States, during the late war. Also, A petition of Samuel Fowler, praying that the amount of a certificate of the late Commissioner of Army accounts, the property of the petitioner, which has been defaced at the Treasury, as counterfeit, but which the petitioner is prepared to show is authentic and genuine, may be made good to him. 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 sundry merchants of Philadelphia, trading to India and China, was presented to the House and read, praying the protection and encouragement of the General Government, either by prohibiting foreigners from interfering in the trade, or making a greater distinction than now exists, between the duties imposed upon goods imported into the United States, immediately from Asia, and those brought by the way of Europe. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. A petition of Archibald M'Call and George Emlen, of the city of Philadelphia, and Robert Kemble, of the city of New York, merchants, was presented to the House and read, praying to be allowed a farther time for payment of the duties on a quantity of teas imported by the petitioners, and which remain yet unsold. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Laurance, Mr. Fitzsimons, and Mr. Gerry; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The House proceeded to consider the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill for making farther and more effectual provision for the defensive protection of the frontiers of the United States; and the said amendments being read at the Clerk's table, a mistake therein was suggested, which giving rise to debate, a message from the Senate was announced, pending the debate: Whereupon, Mr. Otis, their Secretary, informed the House that an error being discovered in the transcript of the amendments sent to this House, as proposed by the Senate, to the bill for making farther and more effectual provision for the defensive protection of the frontiers of the United States, he was directed by the Senate to request that the bill, with the amendments, might be returned to their House, for the purpose of having the said error duly rectified. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said message, and a motion being made, and the question put, that the said bill, with the amendments, be returned to the Senate, for the purpose expressed in their message: It was resolved in the affirmative, and that the Clerk do go with the same. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the Senate, to bring to this House, the bill for making farther and more effectual provision for the defensive protection of the frontiers of the United States, together with a fair transcript from their Journal, of the amendments thereto; to which amendments the Senate desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House then, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the resolution to indemnify the estate of the late Major General Nathaniel Greene for a certain suretyship entered into by the said Nathaniel, in his lifetime, on public account; 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 resolution under consideration, and directed him to report the same, amended to read as followeth: "Whereas the late Major General Nathaniel Greene, on the eighth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, the more effectually to procure rations and supplies for the Southern Army of the United States, became bound as surety for John Banks and Company, to Newcomen and Collet, merchants in Charleston, for the payment of eight thousand seven hundred and forty-three pounds, fifteen shillings and sixpence, sterling money, being the condition of the said bond: And whereas, on the first day of May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, the balance of principal and interest of the said bond, being then eight thousand six hundred and eighty-eight pounds six shillings sterling, was paid by the said General Greene: Therefore, Resolved, That the United States shall indemnify the estate of the said General Greene for the said sum last mentioned and the interest thereof, or for such sum as, upon due investigation by the officers of the Treasury, of the transaction between John Banks and Company with Messrs. Newcomen and Collet, in which General Greene was security for the said Banks and Company, it shall appear that neither General Greene nor his Execu tors shall have received any payment or compensation for. Provided, the Executors of the said General Greene shall account for a sum, being about two thousand pounds, be the same more or less, recovered of John Ferrie, one of the partners of the said Banks and Company, to be in part of the indemnification aforesaid. And also shall make over, for the use of the United States, all mortgages, bonds, covenants, or other counter securities, whatsoever, now due, which were obtained by the said General Greene in his lifetime, from the said Banks and Company, on account of his being surety for them as aforesaid, to be sued for in the name of the said Executors, for the use of the United States." The House proceeded to consider the said resolution; and, after some time spent therein, an adjournment being called for, The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25. The House proceeded to consider the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act for making farther and more effectual provision for the protection of the frontiers of the United States ;" and the same being read, some were agreed to, others amended and agreed to, and others disagreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27. 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 "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," and found the same to be truly enrolled: Whereupon, Mr. Speaker signed the said enrolled bill.. The several petitions of Jacob Clemens, Adam Hill, and Stephen Porter, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compensation for supplies furnished, or property impressed, for the use of the Army of the United States, during the late war. Also, A petition of Joseph Kittredge, Ebenezer Whittemore, and Martha Whittemore, heirs to William Kittredge, deceased, praying the renewal of certain final settlement certificates, late the property of the deceased, which were destroyed by fire. Also, A petition of Joseph Whipple, Collector of the Customs for the District of Portland, in the State of New Hampshire, praying that the compensation allowed him by law for his services, may be augmented. Also, A petition of Henry Howell Williams, praying compensation for injuries sustained in his property by the Army of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions 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 John Woodman was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for his services as an assistant commissary of issues for the Northern department, during the late war. 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. A petition of Moses Young was presented to the House and read, praying payment of a balance of salary due for his services as Secretary to the Honorable Henry Laurens, on his commission to the Hague. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Muhlenberg, Mr. Livermore, Mr. Sterrett, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Tucker; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Abigail Leavenworth, late widow of John Mather, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying to be allowed the depreciation of half-pay and other emoluments due to her said husband, who died in the Quartermaster's department, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, this day, wait on the President of the United States, and present for his approbation an enrolled bill, 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 Presi dent." Mr. Laurance, from the committee to whom were referred the petitions of several merchants of New York and Philadelphia, importers of tea, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the authenticated copy of the laws of the Western Territory, transmitted by the Secretary of State, pursuant to an order of the tenth instant, be referred to the committee to whom was referred the petition of George Turner, one of the Judges of the said territory. This being the day assigned for the trial of the contested election in the case of the petition of James Jackson, complaining of an undue election and return of Anthony VOL. 1.-66 Wayne, one of the members returned to serve in this House for the State of Georgia, the House proceeded to take up the same for consideration, and the petitioner, on his prayer, being admitted to the bar of the House, an application was made on the part of the sitting member, further to postpone the hearing on the said trial, until the Monday in March next : Whereupon, as well the sitting member as the petitioner, being fully heard on the subject-matter of the said application: Resored, That the trial of the said contested election be postponed until the second Monday in March next. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28. A petition of John Williams was presented to the House and read, praying an increase of the pension heretofore allowed him, in consideration of a wound received in the Army of the United States, during the late war. Also, A memorial of sundry inhabitants of the County of Chester, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying that the act passed at the last session of Congress for laying a duty on spirits distilled within the United States, may not be repealed. Ordered, That the said petition and memorial do lie on the table. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate recede from some, and insist on other of their amendments disagreed to by this House, to the bill for making farther and more effectual provision for the protection of the frontiers of the United States. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said message: Whereupon, Resolved, That this House doth recede from the amendment to the thirteenth amendment proposed by the Senate to the eighth section of the said bill, and doth agree to the said thirteenth amendment without amendment. Also, that this House doth recede from their disagreement to the amendment proposed by the Senate to the sixth section of the said bill. Resolved, That this House doth insist on their disagreement to all the other amendments proposed by the Senate to the said bill, on which the Senate hath insisted: and also, doth insist on the amendment to the third amendment proposed by the Senate to the sixteenth section of the said bill, to which the Senate hath disagreed. Resolved, That a conference be desired with the Senate, on the subject-matter of the amendments disagreed to; and that Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Williamson, Mr. White, Mr. Dayton, and Mr. Brown, be appointed managers at the said conference, on the part of this House. On the question that this House doth insist on their disagreement to the amendment of the Senate for striking out the fourteenth section of the said bill, in the words following, to wit: "And whereas, in case the forbearing to raise the whole, or some part of the said three additional regiments, should be deemed not consistent with the public safety, it will still be desirable that all unnecessary expense should, as far as possible, be avoided, and to that end, that the officers of the same should only be appointed from time to time, as occasion may require: Be it enacted, That the President alone be authorized to make all such appointments as may not be required previous to the close of the present session of the Senate, and may become necessary before the next session of Congress:" It was resolved in the affirmative, Yeas 43, 9. The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Ordered, That Mr. Hartley have leave to be absent from the service of this House for eight days. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill more effectually to provide for the national defence, by establishing an uniform Militia throughout the United States; 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 a farther 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. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary. Mr. Speaker: The Senate agree to the conference proposed by this House on the subject-matter of the amendments depending between the two Houses, to the bill, entitled "An act for making farther and more effectual provision for the protection of the frontiers of the United States;" and have appointed managers at the said conference on their part. Ordered, That Mr. Steele be appointed one of the managers at the said conference, on the part of this House, in the room of Mr. Dayton, incapacitated by sickness. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Treasurer of the United States, accompanying his account of receipts and expenditures of public money between the first of October, and the thirty-first of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, inclusive; which were read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Laurance, and Mr Ames. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering his report on the petition of the executors of Edward Carnes, deceased; which was read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. A memorial of the merchants of New York, trading to India and China, was presented to the House and read, praying the patronage and encouragement of the General Government, either by prohibiting foreigners from interfering in the said trade, or making a greater difference than now exists between duties on goods imported into the United States, immediately from Asia, and those brought by the way of Europe. Ordered, That the said memorial be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, from the committee appointed to examine whether any, and what, alterations are necessary to be made in the acts establishing the Treasury and War Departments, made a report; which was read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next. |