MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11.

An engrossed bill for the relief of Simeon Thayer was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act for the relief of Simeon Thayer."

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 Postmaster General, respecting a tax imposed on the proprietors of the lines of stages, by a late law of the State of New Jersey; which was read, and ordered to be referred to the committee appointed to take into consideration that part of the President's speech which relates to the transmission of newspapers, and report whether any, and what, alterations may be necessary in the act passed last session, for the regulation of the Post Office.

A petition of Benjamin Armand and Francis Salandre, of Galliopolis, in the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, was presented to the House and read, stating that they consider themselves as settlers and inhabitants of the said Territory, and praying the attention of Congress to the petition of the inhabitants of Galliopolis, presented on Saturday last, as also to the case of the petitioners, and that such relief may be granted them as shall appear equitable and proper.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Findley, Mr. White, and Mr. Barnwell; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

A petition of Christiana Hawtyn, executrix and devisee of Thomas Ellison, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying that she may receive the pay and prize money due to the deceased as a seaman on board the ship Randolph, in the service of the United States, during the late war. Also,

A petition of Phebe Camp and Nathaniel Camp, executors of the last will and testament of William Camp, deceased, praying compensation for the loss of houses and other property of the deceased, which were taken for the use of the American Army, and burnt, or otherwise destroyed, on the tenth of February, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven.

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

A petition of William Moulton, of Portland, in the District of Maine, was presented to the House and read, praying that he may be exonerated from the payment of certain bonds given to the Collector for the District of Portland and Falmouth, in November last, for the duties on goods imported by the petitioner, which were consumed by fire, together with his house, books, and papers, on the night of the sixteenth ultimo. 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 message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act providing compensation for the President and Vice President of the United States." And then he withdrew.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on so much of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made the third of December last, as relates to a plan for the redemption of the public debt; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dayton reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said report 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 report.

Mr. William Smith, from the committee appointed on the part of this House, jointly, with a committee appointed on the part of the Senate, to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice President of the United States, and for the other purposes expressed in the resolution of the fifth instant, made a report; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth :

"That the two Houses shall assemble in the Senate Chamber on Wednesday next, at twelve o'clock: That two persons be appointed tellers on the part of this House, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared: That the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate, who shall announce the state of the vote, and the persons elected to both Houses, assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President, and, together with a list of the votes, be entered on the Journal of the two Houses."

Ordered, That Mr. William Smith and Mr. Laurance be appointed tellers on the part of this House, pursuant to the said report.

Mr. Heister, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined two enrolled bills; one entitled “An act for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels to be employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for regulating the same;" the other entitled "An act providing compensation to the President and Vice President of the United States;" and had found the same to be truly enrolled : Whereupon,

Mr. Speaker signed the said enrolled bills.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.
The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

A petition of Lewis Garanger, in behalf of himself and his brother, Charles Garanger, was presented to the House and read, praying that the amount of the certificates of debt granted to the petitioner and his said brother, for their services in the late Army of the United States, and of the interest which has accrued thereon, may be paid in specie at the Treasury; also, that a claim for balance of subsistence due to them while prisoners of war, and for their passage to France, and travelling expenses to Paris, may be allowed and paid, with interest from the date of the said certificates.

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 Lewis Pintard, of the County of Westchester, in the State of New York, was presented to the House and read, praying that the drawback on a certain quantity of wine imported from Madeira by the petitioner, in the month of July last, which has since been exported from the port of New York to the East Indies, may be allowed; also, that he may be exonerated from the payment of the duty on a part of the said wine which was wanting of the quantity said to be imported.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Laurance, Mr. Goodhue, and Mr. Learned; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

Mr. Benson, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for repealing the several impost laws of the United States, so far as they may be deemed to impose a duty on useful beasts imported for breed, and for remitting the duties heretofore accrued on such importations, in the cases where they have only been secured to be paid; 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.

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 Elijah Bostwick; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Muhlenberg 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 to-morrow.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to the report of the Joint Committee appointep to ascertain and report a mode of examing the votes for President and Vice Presi dent of the United States, and for the other purposes expressed in the resolution of the fifth instant, and have appointed a teller on their part, pursuant to the said report. And then he withdrew.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on so much of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made the third of December last, as relates to a plan for the redemption of the public debt; 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 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 were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13.

An engrossed bill for the relief of Elijah Bostwick was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act for the relief of Elijah Bostwick."

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

The House proceeded to consider the petition of Gifford Dally, which lay on the table: Whereupon,

Ordered, That the expense of necessary labor for the service of the House, incurred by the Doorkeeper, during the present session, be defrayed by the Clerk, out of the money appropriated by law to defray the contingent expenses of the House, subject to the approbation and certificate of the Speaker.

A petition of Thomas Mathews was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the loss of a schooner, which was impressed in the State of Virginia, for the purpose of conveying to a place of safety a quantity of bread and flour, collected by Benjamin Harrison, Jr. agent for the United States, and destroyed by the enemy, together with the cargo, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.

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, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to refund to Jacob Bell certain duties on pickled fish ; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Murray 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.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to make compensation to Alexander Contee Hanson; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dayton reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House.

And on the question, that the said bill, with the amendments, be engrossed and read the third time,

It passed in the negative.

And so the said bill was rejected.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act to repeal part of a resolution of Congress, of the twenty-ninth of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, respecting the inhabitants of Post Saint Vincents :" I am also directed to inform this House that a President of the Senate is elected for the sole purpose of opening the certificates, and counting the votes of the several States, in the choice of a President and Vice President of the United States; and that the Senate is now ready, in the Senate Chamber, to attend, with this House, on that occasion. And then he withdrew.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker, attended by the House, do now withdraw to the Senate Chamber, for the purpose expressed in the said message.

Mr. Speaker accordingly left the chair, and, attended by the House, withdrew to the Senate Chamber, and, after some time, returned to the House.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair.

Mr. William Smith and Mr. Laurance then delivered in, at the Clerk's table, a list of the votes of the electors of the several States, in the choice of a President and Vice President of the United States, as the same were declared by the President of the Senate, in the presence of the Senate and of this House; which was ordered to be entered on the Journal, and is as followeth .

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 which originated in this House, entitled "An act relative to claims against the United States, not barred by any act of limitation, and which have not been already adjusted.” Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

The Speaker laid before the House two letters from the Secretary of the Treasury, the first accompanying copies of certain powers, instructions, statements, and correspondence, in relation to foreign loans, transmitted pursuant to the resolutions of this House, of the twenty-third ultimo; the second of the said letters, accompanying three several statements in relation to the sinking fund, and two other statements of cash in the Treasury during the years one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one and one thousand se ven hundred and ninety-two, also transmitted in pursuance of the said resolutions; which were partly read.

The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14.

A petition of Margaret Schweyer, administratrix of the estate of Henry Allis, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying the liquidation and settlement of a claim for certain sums of money advanced by the deceased for the recruiting service, as a Captain in the third Pennsylvania regiment of the American Army, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Heister, Mr. Livermore, and Mr. Clark; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opi nion thereupon, to the House.

A petition of Roger Enos, late a Captain in the Provincial service, during the late war, was presented to the House and read, praying that he may receive the pay and other emoluments allowed to officers of the same rank on the military establishment of the United States, or such other compensation for his services and money expended on public account, as to the wisdom of Congress shall seem meet.

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

Mr. Wadsworth, from the committee to whom were referred the petitions of the French inhabitants of Galliopolis, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform this House that the President of the United States did, on the twelfth instant, approve and sign an act which originated in the Senate, entitled "An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters." The Senate have passed a bill, entitled "An act supplementary to the act, entitled 'An act to provide more effectually for the collection of the duties imposed by law on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships or vessels;" to which they desire the concurrence of this House. The Senate have also agreed to a resolution for the appointment of a committee, jointly, with a committee on the part of this House, to wait on the President, and to notify to him his unanimous re-election to the office of President of the United States. And then he withdrew.

Mr. William Smith, from the committee appointed to join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to ascertain and report the mode of examining the votes for President and Vice President of the United States, and for the other purposes expressed in the resolution of the fifth instant, made a report; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed, to join such committee as may be appointed by the Senate, to wait on the President, and to notify to him his unanimous re-election to the office of President of the United States.

Ordered, That Mr. William Sinith, Mr. Madison, and Mr. Laurance, be of the said committee, on the part of this House.

Mr. Heister, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, yesterday, wait on the President of the United States, and present for his approbation two enrolled bills: one entitled "An act for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels to be employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for regulating the same;" the other entitled "An act providing compensation to the President and Vice President of the United States."

The House resumed the reading of the letters and statements communicated from the Secretary of the Treasury, yesterday, and made a farther progress therein. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15.

An engrossed bill to refund to Jacob Bell certain duties on pickled fish was read the third time.

Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act to refund to Jacob Bell certain duties on pickled fish."

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

Mr. Benjamin Bourne, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of sundry printers and booksellers of the city of Philadelphia, made a report; which was read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the bill for repealing the several impost laws of the United States, so far as they may be deemed to impose a duty on useful beasts imported for breed, and for remitting the duties heretofore accrued on such importations, in the cases where they have only been secured to be paid.

Mr. Greenup, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for placing on the pension list such officers and privates of the militia as may be wounded and disabled in the service of the United States; 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.

Ordered, That the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act supplementary to the act, entitled 'An act to provide more effectually for the collection of the duties imposed