The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15. An engrossed bill to authorize the exportation of a quantity of lead, in the ship Pigou, to China, was read the third time, and ordered to be re-committed to Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Goodhue, and Mr. Rutherford, with instruction to prepare and bring in a bill to repeal so much of the act, passed at the last session of Congress, entitled “An act prohibiting, for a limited time, the exportation of arms and ammunition, and encouraging the importation of the same," as prohibits the exportation of lead from the United States. The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled 'An act to regulate the pay of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, of the militia of the United States, when called into actual service, and for other purposes," was read the first time. On motion, The said bill was read the second time, and ordered to be read the third time to morrow. A petition of Daniel Goodwin, of Eastown, in the State of Massachusetts, executor of Benjamin Goodwin, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the rent of, and damages done to, the dwelling House and other property of the deceased, which were taken by order of Thomas Cushing, agent to the United States, for building a seventy-four gun ship at Boston, during the late war. deed, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Claims. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred so much of the message from the President of the United States, of the eighth instant, as relates to the letter from the Judge of the District of Pennsylvania, respecting certain interruptions in the judicial proceedings of that District, which lay on the table: Where upon, Resolved, That provision be made by law for reviving all suits and processes which were commenced for the District Court of Pennsylvania, which by law ought to have been holden on the third Monday of November last, and all suits and processes which were pending in the said Court, and discontinued by the failure to hold the same, and also, all suits and processes which were pending in any special Court of the said District, the adjournment whereof has been lost by the same; and for giving day to all the suits and processes aforesaid, in the District Court next by law to be holden in the same district. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolution, and that Mr. Dexter, Mr. Hartley, and Mr. Harrison, do prepare and bring in the same. Mr. Lee, from the committee appointed to inquire whether any, or what, alteration is necessary to be made in the laws respecting lost or destroyed certificates, 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 report of the committee appointed to prepare and report a plan for the reduction of the public debt; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed he chair, and Mr. Cobb 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. Mr. Carnes, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Charles Heems, made a report; which was read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. FRIDAY, JANUARY 16. The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled · An act to regulate the pay of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, of the militia of the United States, when called into actual service, and for other purposes, was read the third time, and ordered to be committed to Mr. Kittera, Mr. Heath, and Mr. Irvine. A petition of Joseph Brevard, of the State of South Carolina, a Lieutenant in the Army of the United States, during the late war, was presented to the House and read, praying the renewal of a certain certificate of public debt, the property of the petitioner, which was lost or destroyed some time in the month of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A petition of William Martin, of North Yarmouth, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying relief in the case of the Schooner Fox, the property of an inhabitant of Nova Scotia, concerned in trade with the petitioner, which was seized by the Collector for the District of Portland, in the said State, as a foreign bottom, under thirty tons burthen, importing articles from a foreign port, subject to the payment of impost duties, contrary to the revenue laws of the United States. Also, A petition of John Montgomery and Thomas Smith, executors of the late Brigadier General Butler, deceased, who was killed in an engagement with the Indians, in November, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, praying that the allowance granted to the widows and orphan children of officers who were killed or died in the service of the United States, during the late war, may be extended to the widow and orphans of the deceased. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. Ordered, That the petit on of Parker, Hopkins, and Meers, which lay on the table, be referred to Mr. Parker, Mr. Goodhue, and Mr. Carnes; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their 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 for the relief of Epaphras Jones and others; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb 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 on Monday next. Mr. Samuel Smith, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for the remission of the tonnage duties on certain French vessels; 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 report of the committee appointed to prepare and report a plan for the reduction of the public debt; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb 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, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report. On motion, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to furnish this House with a statement of the amount of goods on which a duty of seven and a half per cent. was paid from the thirtieth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, to the first day of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four; the amount, on which ten per cent. was paid for that period; and the nett amount of duty on coal, and on coffee and cocoa, for the same time. Mr. Kittera, from the committee to whom was committed the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled 'An act to regulate the pay of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, of the Militia of the United States, when called into actual service, and for other purposes," reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto. On the question that the said bill do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, stating "that, pursuant to the second section of the act establishing the Treasury Department, which expressly makes it the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to digest and prepare plans for the improvement and management of the revenue, and for the support of public credit, he has digested and prepared a plan, on the basis of the actual revenues, for the further support of public credit, which is ready for communication to the House of Representatives." The said letter was read: Whereupon, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be informed that this House is ready to receive the communication therein referred to. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, JANUARY 19. An engrossed bill for the relief of Epaphras Jones and others was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be," An act for the relief of Epaphras Jones and others." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. A petition of Samuel Cheney, of the town of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, executor of Ebenezer Cheney, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the rent of a dwelling house, and a quantity of fuel furnished by the deceased, for the use of a detachment of the American Army, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petitions of Harry Terrell, presented the eighth of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, and Isaac Ledyard, presented the tenth of March last, and the petitions of William Brown Foggo, and William Minus, returned on the fifth instant, by the Secretary of the Treasury, be referred to the Committee of Claims. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying the plan referred to in his letter of the sixteenth instant, for the improvement and management of the public revenue, together with sundry statements marked A, B, C, D, E, and F, relative thereto; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to inquire and report on the expediency of erecting a light-house near the entrance of the harbor of Georgetown, in the State of South Carolina. And a committee was appointed, of Mr. William Smith, Mr. Grove, and Mr. Benton TUESDAY, JANUARY 20. A petition of Joseph Bozman, of the State of North Carolina, was presented to the House and read, praying to be relieved from execution on a judgment obtained against him, at the suit of the United States, in the District Court of North Carolina. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Niles, Mr. Rutherford, and Mr. Mebane; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of sundry of the Representatives from York county, in the Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania and others, was presented to the House and read, praying that a post road may be established from Yorktown, in the said State, by Abbotstown and Gettysburg, to Hagerstown, in the State of Maryland. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to amend the act, entitled 'An act to establish the Post Office and post roads within the United States." A petition of Tobias Lord and others, of Kennebunk, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying to be reimbursed the expense of erecting a stone pier at the entrance of Kennebunk river; and for that purpose, as well as to keep the same in repair, that they may be authorized to collect tonnage on shipping of a certain burthen, which shall pass or re-pass the same. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Goodhue, Mr. Van Allen, and Mr. Ward; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Richard Keys, of Lancaster county, in the State of Pennsylvania, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for services rendered, and supplies furnished the Army of the United States, while a Wagonmaster in the Com missary's Department, during the late war. Also, A petition of Francis Proctor, late Captain of a company of artillery raised by the State of South Carolina, praying that such allowance may be made him for recruiting a number of soldiers for the Continental Army, and for hardships and injuries sustained while a prisoner taken by the enemy, when in the actual service of the United States, during the late war, as to the wisdom of Congress shall seem meet. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petition of William Seymour, presented the thirteenth of March last, and the report of a committee thereon, and the petition of Sarah Beacham, returned on the thirty-first ultimo, by the Secretary of War, be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Fitzsimons, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill to repeal part of the act, entitled “An act prohibiting, for a limited time, the exportation of arms and ammunition, and encouraging the importation of the same;" 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. Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was committed the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to authorize the settlement of the claim of Samuel Prioleau," made a report; which was read: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said bill and report be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. Mr. Goodhue, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill supplementary to the act, entitled “An act to provide more effectually for the collection of the duties on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships or vessels;" 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 Friday next. Mr. Fitzsimons, from the committee to whom was referred the memorial of George Latimer and others, made a report; which was read, 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 supplementary to the act "for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels to be employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for regulating the same;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb 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. Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, do lie on the table. Mr. William Smith, from the committee appointed to inquire and report on the expediency of erecting a lighthouse near the entrance of the harbor of Georgetown, in the State of South Carolina, made a report; which was read, and ordered to 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 Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Joab Stafford; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said report under consideration, and come to a resolution thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth: Resolved, That all persons who have been, or shall be, placed on the pension list of the United States, by virtue of the law, passed the twenty-eighth of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, entitled "An act to regulate the claims to invalid pensions," shall be deemed to commence the receipt of their respective monthly allowances at the date of their completing their testimony before the Commissioners who took the same; that no arrears, in any case, be allowed; and that the payment of such monthly allowance be continued during the continuance of such disability. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolution, and that the Committee of Claims do prepare and bring in the same. Mr. New, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act in addition to the act, entitled An act to regulate the pay of the non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, of the Militia of the United States, when called into actual service, and for other purposes;" and had 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. VOL. II.-38 The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21. Ordered, That the report of the committee on the petition of David S. Franks, which was made on the eleventh day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Dexter, fron the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for reviving certain suits and process which have been discontinued in the District Court of Pennsylvania; which was received, and read the first time. On motion, The said bill was read the second time, and ordered to 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 sent from the Senate, entitled "An act further extending the time for receiving on loan the domestic debt of the United States;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto. The said bill was read the third time. And on the question that the same do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. Ordered, That Mr. Sherburne, Mr. Benjamin Bourne, Mr. Watts, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Latimer, Mr. William Smith, Mr. Niles, and Mr. Greenup, be added to the committee appointed on the fourteenth instant, to report a plan for perfecting a road between the Southern and Eastern States. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to authorize the settlement of the claim of Samuel Prioleau;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb 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. The said bill, with the amendment, was then read the third time: An, on the question that the same do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative. 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 report of the committee appointed to examine and report what proceedings have been had under the act "for making farther and more effectual provision for the protection of the frontiers of the United States," and to report whether any, and what, amendments are necessary to the several laws respecting the Military Establishment, and the protection of the frontiers of the United States; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Cobb 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. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: 66 Mr. Speaker : The Senate have passed the bill, entitled “ An act making further provision in cases of drawbacks," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. The Senate have also agreed to the amendment proposed by this House to the bill, entitled "An act to authorize the settlement of the claim of Samuel Prioleau." And then he withdrew. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying a statement of the amount of goods paying a duty of seven and a half, and ten per cent. imported from the first day of January to the thirty-first day of De cember, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, inclusive: Also, the amourt of the duties on coffee, cocoa, and coal, for the same time, pursuant to the resolution of this House of the sixteenth instant; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. On motion, Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to direct the proper |