rendered, and injuries sustained, whilst a prisoner, taken by the British Army on lake Champlain, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Standing Committee of Elections, to whom was referred the petition of Henry K. Van Rensselaer, of the State of New York, complaining of an undue election and return of John E. Van Allen, to serve as a member of this House, for the said State; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said report under consideration, and made some progress therein, but not having ame to go through the same, had directed him to move the House for leave to sit again. On the question that the committee have leave to sit again, It passed in the negative. Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House be discharged from farther proceeding on the said report. The House then proceeded to consider the said report at the Clerk's table, when a motion being made and seconded, to re-commit the same to the Committee of Elections, and debate arising thereon, An adjournment was called for: Whereupon, The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, DECEMBER 23. Another member, to wit: Alexander D. Orr, from Kentucky, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. A petition of William Roberts, and others, invalid pensioners of the United States, now residing in the city of Philadelphia, was presented to the House and read, stating the insufficiency of their pensions, and praying that, in consideration of their former services, and present distress, occasioned by the late calamity in the said city, the Commissioner of I cans for the State of Pennsylvania, may be authorized to advance to them, on account of their pensions, the three months allowance due since the fifth of September last. 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 Sarah Beacham, of Malden, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the use of, and damages donc to her dwelling house and other property, Fy the American troops, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A petition of John Sebastian Cunitz was presented to the House and read, praying that the depreciation of pay may be allowed for his services as a sergeant in Count Pulaski's legion of the Continental Army, 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. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied with estimates of the sums necessary to be appropriated for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House resumed the reading of the communications from the Secretary of War, respecting the Southwestern frontiers, as connected with the Creeks and the State of Georgia, and the Southwestern Territory of the United States, and made a farther progress therein. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24. A petition of George Crowninshield, Joseph White, and John Collins, of Salem, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the value of a vessel and cargo, which were captured by the ship Confederacy, in the service of the United States, during the late war, in consequence of a double set of papers with which the said vessel was furnished, as a security against the enemy. Also, a petition of William M'Neil, of the county of Dutchess, in the State of New York, praying the liquidation and settlement of a claim for a quantity of wheat flour, the property of the petitioner, which was taken for the use of the United States, some time in the year one thousand seven seven hundred and seventy-seven. 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 Thomas Frothingham, of Charlestown, in the State of Massachusetts, son and heir of Abigail Frothingham, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the value of a dwelling house, the property of the said de ceased, which was burnt by a detachment of the American Ariny, under the command of General Sullivan, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A petition of Lewis Joseph Beaulieu, Captain in the legion of the late Count Paski, and formerly Captain Aid-de-camp to the Governor of the Invalid's Hotel, in the service of France, was presented to the House and read, praying an augmentation of the pension heretofore granted him, in consideration of wounds and other injuries sustained whilst in the service of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petitions of Christian George and Stebbens Wilson, which lay on the table, be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. The House resumed the consideration of the report from the Standing Committee of Elections, to whom was referred the petition of Henry K. Van Rensselaer, of the State of New York, complaining of an undue election and return of John E. Van Allen, to serve as a member of this House, for the said State: Whereupon, The motion made on Friday last, to recommit the said report to the same committee, being revived, and the question put thereupon, It passed in the negative. And then the said report being again read at the Clerk's table, as followeth: "That your committee have received from Lewis A. Scott, Secretary of the State of New York, a list of the number of votes given in each town in the Counties of Rensselaer and Clinton, for John E. Van Allen, and Henry K. Van Rensselaer, which list has been admitted by the said sitting member and petitioner, to be a true and correct state of the ballots, estimated and canvassed at the said election. It appears to your committee, that the allegations in regard to Stephentown, viz: 'that the petitioner had a greater number in the said town than were returned to be estimated and canvassed,' even if proved, would not, consistently with the law of the State of New York, be sufficient to set aside the votes given at the election in the said town. That even should the irregularities complained of, with respect to the elections of the towns of Hoosack and Rensselaerwyck, be sufficient to set aside the votes given in the said towns, still it appears, that the said John E. Van Allen has a majority of the remaining votes of the District, composed of the Counties of Rensselaer and Clinton." Resolved, That this House doth disagree to the said report. Resolved, That the allegations of the petition do not state corruption, nor irregu larities of sufficient magnitude, under the law of New York, to invalidate the election and return of John E. Van Allen, to serve as a member in this House, and that therefore the said John E. Van Allen is duly elected. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth: UNITED STATES, December 23, 1793. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: Since the communications which were made to you on the affairs of the United States with Spain, and on the truce betweeen Portugal and Algiers, some other papers have been received, which, making a part of the same subjects, are now communicated for your information. G. WASHINGTON. The said message and papers were read, and ordered to be committed to the Committee of the Whole House to whom are committed the confidential communications from the President, respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners, and establishment of peace with the Algerines. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the confidential communications from the President, respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners, and establishment peace with the Algerines; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said communications under consideration, and made some progress therein. Resolved, That this House will, on Thursday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said communications. On motion, Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before this House, the substance of all such laws, decrees, or ordinances, respecting commerce, in any of the Kingdoms or Countries with which the United States have commercial intercourse, and which have been received by the Secretary of State, and not already stated to this House, in his report of the sixteenth instant. Ordered, That Mr. Wingate, Mr. New, and Mr. Armstrong, be a committee to wait on the President, with the foregoing resolution. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Thursday next. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26. A petition of Abram Trigg, of the State of Virginia, was presented to the House and read, complaining of an undue election and return of Francis Preston, to serve as a member of this House, for the said State. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Elections; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Aaron Lyon, of the County of Dutchess, in the State of New York, was presented to the House, and read, praying the liquidation and settlement of a claim for the value of a pettiaugre, and use of sundry batteaux, which were taken by the commanding officer at the Fort on Lake George, to remove baggage, military stores, and provisions, for the use of the Continental Army, during the late war. Also, a petition of Thomas Jenkins, Elisha Jenkins, Frederick Jenkins, and Gilbert Jenkins, of the City of Hudson, in the State of New York, who transact business under the firm of Thomas Jenkins and Sons, praying that they may be exonerated from the payment of the duties imposed on foreign vessels, to which they will be subjected in the case of the Ship American Hero, the property of the petitioners, whose register, owing to a variety of unforeseen causes, was not recorded within the time prescribed by law. Also, a petition of John M'Lean, of the County of Dutchess, in the State of New York, praying compensation for the destruction of fences, and other property of the petitioner, by a detachment of the American Army, some time in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight. 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 Killian Van Rensselaer, and others, citizens of the State of New York, was presented to the House and read, praying the liquidation and settlement of their claims for quantities of grain, and other articles, furnished for the support of the American Army, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A petition of Maria Harkemer, widow of Nicholas Harkemer, deceased, Brigadier General of Militia, during the late war, was presented to the House and read, praying an allowance of seven years' half-pay, for the services of her said husband, who died in consequence of a wound received in an engagement with the enemy, at Fort Stanwix, on the sixth of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction 10 examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the confidential communications from the President, respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners, and establishment of peace with the Algerines; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said communications 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 communication. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27. Another member, to wit: Daniel Heister, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. A petition of Eliphalet Ladd, of Portsmouth, in the State of New Hampshire, was presented to the House and read, praying a remission of the duties on a small quantity of goods saved from the wreck of a ship, the property of the petitioner, which was loast on the coast of Massachusetts, on the night of the tenth of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr Goodhue, Mr. Murray, and Mr. Sherburne; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The petitions of sundry citizens of the State of Virginia, residing on the South side of James River, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying that a post road may be established from Richmond to Powhatan Court House; from thence, through Cumberland and Prince Edward, to the town of Lynchburg; and from thence, through the towns of New London and Liberty, to Botetourt Court House, in the said State. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee appointed to report whether any, and what, alterations or amendments are, in their opinion, necessary to the act to "establish the Post Office and Post Roads of the United States." A petition of Thomas Manning, of Portsmouth, in the State of New Hampshire, mariner, was presented to the House and read, praying the relief or aid of Congress, against the breach of a contract, on the part of the Government of France, with the petitioner. Also, a petition of Stephen Sayre, praying compensation for services rendered, and a reimbursement of expenses incurred by the petitioner, whilst employed in various diplomatic characters, in the service of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions do 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 confidential communications from the President, respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners, and establishment of peace with the Algerines; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said communications 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 communications. Mr. Lee, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill providing for destroyed certificates of certain descriptions; which was received, and read the first time. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30. A petition of Haffield White, late a Captain in the fifth Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army, was presented to the House and read, praying to be reimbursed the the value of a certain sum in continental currency, which was received for the pay of his Company, and taken by the enemy, on the twenty-second of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven. Also, a petition, of John Alberson praying compensation for services as a private in the eleventh Regiment of the Virginia Line, 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 Mary Brown, widow of Samuel Brown, late of the State of Virginia, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying relief in consideration of the loss of her said husband, who was killed at the battle of Brandywine, whilst a private in the Continental Army, during the late war. Also, a petition of George Calmese, of the State of Virginia, praying compensation for the value of a wagon and team, which were take for public use, in the month of October, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, and of which he is now deprived by the operation of the acts of limitation. Ordered, That the said petitions do lie on the table. A bill providing for destroyed certificates of certain descriptions was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next. Mr. William Smith, from the standing Committee of Elections, reported that the committee had, according to order, examined several other certificates and credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, and had agreed upon a report; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was read, and is as followeth: "It appears to your committee that the credentials of the following members, are sufficient to entitle them to take their seats in the House, to wit: From Massachusetts, {Peleg Wadsworth. Samuel Dexter, junior, and From Rhode Island. From Connecticut, From South Carolina, S Benjamin Bourne, and Joseph Coit, and Zephaniah Swift. SJohn Hunter, Andrew Pickens, and Ordered, That the said report do lie on the table. Mr. Samuel Smith, from the committee to whom was referred the memorial of Andrew G. Fraunces, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. On a motion made and seconded, Resolved, That the standing rule and order of this House, entered into on the seventeenth day, of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, be amended to read as followeth: Resolved, That it be a standing order of this House, that, whenever confidential communications are received from the President of the United States, the House shall be cleared of all persons, except the members and the clerk, and so continue during the reading of such communications, and (unless otherwise directed by the House) during all debates and proceedings to be had thereon: and that when the Speaker, or any other member, shall inform the House that he has communications to make which he conceives, ought to be kept secret, the House shall, in like manner, be cleared, till the the communication be made; the House shall then determine, whether the matter communicated, requires secrecy or not, and take order accordingly. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth: UNITED STATES, December 30th, 1793. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : I communicate to you the translation of a letter received from the Representatives of Spain here, in reply to that of the Secretary of State to them, of the twenty-first instant, which had before been communicated to you. G. WASHINGTON. The said message and communication were read, and ordered to lie on the table. On motion, Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House to whom were referred the confidential communications from the President, respecting the transactions of the Government of the United States with Spain, be discharged from further proceeding on the same. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the confidential communications from the President, respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners, and establishment of peace with the Algerines; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, again |