Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Committee of Claims on the several petitions of William Courtney, Thomas Crigier, Elizabeth Cudney, Nathan Davis, Henry Dresboh, Rufus Fitch, Frederick Foltz, David Grant, John Higby, Timothy Howe, Margaret Lent, John Andrew Mayer, Francis Monty, John Nevelling, Adam F. Razer, William Rideout, Ebenezer Stetson, and William Waddy, which lay on the table: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the said petitions cannot be granted, and that the petitioners, respectively, have leave to withdraw the same. Mr. Venable, from the Committee of Elections, to whom was referred the petition of Mathew Lyon, of the State of Vermont, complaining of an undue election and return of Israel Smith, to serve as a member of this House for the said State, made a report; which was read: Whereupon, Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned to take the said report into consideration. The House, according to the order of the day, proceeded to consider the report of the Committee of Claims on the petition of Sarah Smart: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petition of the said Sarah Smart cannot be granted, and that the petitioner have leave to withdraw the same. On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution: Resolved, That the salary of the Accountant of the Department of War be augmented to the sum of dollars, and that he receive the same in the same manner, and under the same regulations, as he receives his present salary, te commence on the -day of Ordered That the said motion be referred to Mr. Goodhue, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Earle, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Thomas; 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 reports of the Committee of Claims, on the petitions of William Morris and others, legal representatives of Thomas Morris, deceased, and of John Turner; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Sedgwick reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the said reports 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 the prayer of the petitions of the said William Morris, and others, and John Turner, cannot be granted, and that the petitioners, respectively, have leave to withdraw the same. On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution: Resolved, That the privilege of franking letters be extended to the Accountant of the Department of War; and that all letters to and from the said Accountant, be transported free of postage. Ordered, That the said motion be referred to the committee appointed to inquire if any, or what, alterations are necessary to be made in the "Act to establish the Post Office and Post Roads, within the United States;" that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1796. Mr. Goodhue, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for allowing compensation to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and to certain officers of both Houses; 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. 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 regulate proceedings in cases of outlawry;" 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 several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House. Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be re-committed to Mr. Madison, Mr. Havens, and Mr. Jeremiah Smith. Mr. William Smith, from the committee appointed to receive proposals from persons skilled in the art of stenography, who may wish to be employed by this House, during the present session, made a report; which was read, ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. Ordered, That the report of the committee on the petition of John Blake, Joseph Bindon, John D. Mercier, and Benjamin Thompson, Canadian refugees, which was made on the nineteenth of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, be referred to Mr. Gilman, Mr. Hathorn, and Mr. Preston; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to amend an act, entitled 'An act to promote the progress of useful arts, and to repeal the act heretofore made for that purpose," be discharged from the consideration of the same, and that the said bill be recommitted to Mr. Duvall, Mr. Varnum, and Mr. Griswold. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1796. A petition of Alexander Fowler was presented to the House and read, praying that a grant of ten thousand acres of land, which he obtained previous to the American Revolution, by virtue of a proclamation of the King of Great Britain, in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three, may be confirmed to him, in the unappropri ated lands in the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. William Smith, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Hartley, Mr. Kitchell, and Mr. Glen; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A memorial and representation of Nicholas J. Roosevelt and Jacob Mark, of the City of New York, merchants, in behalf of themselves and their associates, was presented to the House and read, praying that they may be allowed, for a limited time, under such reservations, and in such manner, as Congress, in their wisdom, may deem proper, the right of searching, in the lands of the United States, for metals and semimetals, ores of metals and semi-metals; also of coals, clays, and other inhabitants of the mineral kingdom, in any degree useful or advantageous in arts, manufactures, and commerce, together with the right of working all such mines, pits, and quarries, as they may discover in such researches, on condition of their rendering to the United States, a reasonable proportion of the produce of such mines, pits, and quarries, in case any should be found. Ordered, That the said memorial and representation be referred to Mr. Livingston, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Preston, Mr. Hindman, and Mr. Franklin; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Ordered, That the petitions of Heckless Falkner, widow of William Falkner, deceased, presented the twenty fourth of February last, and of James Powell, which lay on the table, be referred to the Committee of Claims. A petition of Nehemiah Somes, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, merchant, was presented to the House and read, praying a remission of the duties on a quantity of salt, the property of the petitioner, which he imported in the ship George, from Lymington, in the Kingdom of Great Britain, and was consumed, together with the store-houses in which it was deposited, by a late fire in the said town. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Mr. Parker, from the committee appointed to inquire into the actual state of the Naval equipment, ordered by a former law of the United States, and to report whether any, and what, further provision is necessary to be made on that subject, made a report: which was read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Wednesday next. Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the several petitions of Elisha Bennett, Jean Marie de Bordes, Charles Clarke, and Joseph How, made a report; which was read and considered: Whereupon, Ordered, That so much of the said report, as relates to the petition of Joseph How, be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next. Ordered, That such other parts of the said report, as relate to the petition of Charles Clarke, be committed to the Committee of the Whole House, to whom is committed the report of the Committee of Claims on a motion of the eleventh instant, respecting the Officers and Soldiers of the late Army and Navy of the United States. Ordered, That such other parts of the said report as relate to the petition of Jean Marie de Bordes, be recommitted to the Committee of Claims. Resolved, That the prayer of the petition of Elisha Bennett cannot be granted, and that he have leave to withdraw the same. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth : Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: In pursuance of the authority vested in the President of the United States, by an act of Congress, passed the third of March last, to reduce the weights of the copper coin of the United States, whenever he should think it for the benefit of the United States: provided that the reduction should not exceed two pennyweights in each cent, and in the like proportion in a half cent; I have caused the same to be reduced, since the twenty-seventh of last December, to wit: one pennyweight and sixteen grains in each cent, and in the like proportion in a half cent; and I have given notice thereof by proclamation. By the letter of the Judges of the Circuit Court of the United States, held at Boston, in June last, and the enclosed application of the under keeper of the jail at that place, of which copies are herewith transmitted, Congress will perceive the necessity of making a suitable provision for the maintenance of prisoners committed to the jails of the several States, under the authority of the United States. United States, January 29th, 1796. G. WASHINGTON. The said message and papers were read, and ordered to lie on the table. Another message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth: Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : I send herewith for the information of Congress : 1st. An act of the Legislature of the State of Rhode Island, ratifying an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, to prevent suits in certain cases against a State. "2d. An act of the State of North Carolina, making the like ratification. "3d. An act of the State of North Carolina, assenting to the purchase, by the United States, of a sufficient quantity of land on Shell Castle Island, for the purpose of erecting a beacon thereon, and ceding the jurisdiction thereof to the United States. 4th. A copy from the journal of proceedings of the Governor, in his Executive Department, of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, from July first to December thirty-first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four. 5th. A copy from the records of the Executive proceedings of the same Governor, from January first to June thirtieth, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five; and "6th and 7th. A copy of the journal of the proceedings of the Governor, in his Executive Department, of the Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio, from September first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, to September first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five. 8th. The acts of the first and second sessions of the General Assembly of the same Territory. "United States, January 29, 1796." "G. WASHINGTON. The said message and papers were 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 appointed to receive proposals from persons skilled in the art of stenography, who may wish to be employed by this House during the present session; 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 report under consideration, and made-some progress therein. Resolved, That this House will, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said report. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1796. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of Government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The said amendments were read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House, according to the order of the day, proceeded in the third reading of the bill for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes; and the blanks therein being filled up, A motion was made, and the question being put, that the second section of the said bill be now re-committed to a Committee of the Whole House, It was resolved in the affirmative. The House accordingly resolved itself into the said committee; 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 second section 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 section, with the amendment, be engrossed, and, together with the said bill, now read the third time. The said section, as amended, being accordingly brought in engrossed, the said bill was again read the third time, And, on the question that the same do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative; and that the title thereof be, "An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1796. A petition of sundry masters and owners of vessels, of the town of Ipswich, in the State of Massachusetts, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, praying that the said town of Ipswich may be made a port of entry. Also, a petition of Henry Messonnier, of the town of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, merchant, praying that the sum of seven hundred and seven dollars and fortythree cents, which, by mistake, he has paid into the Treasury of the United States, on account of the duties on a quantity of coffee imported by the petitioner, beyond the amount of the legal duties thereon, may be refunded to him. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Andrew Lewis, late a soldier in a company of volunteer militia raised by order of the Executive of Virginia for the defence of the frontier inhabitants of the said State, was presented to the House and read, praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of a wound received in an engagement with a party of Indians some time in the month of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, which has rendered him incapable of obtaining his livelihood by labor. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the report of the Committee of Claims on the petition of John Griffin. On motion, Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House to whom is referred the report of the committee appointed to receive proposals from persons skilled in the art of stenography, who may wish to be employed by this House during the present session, be discharged from the farther consideration of the same. The House proceeded to consider the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making appropriations for the support of Government for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six;" and the same being read, were agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. Ordered, That Mr. New and Mr. Isaac Smith be appointed a Committee for Enrolled Bills on the part of this House, jointly with such committee as shall be appointed for that purpose on the part of the Senate. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. On a motion made and seconded that the House come to the following resolution : Resolved, That such reports, as well from the Heads of Departments as from Select Committees, as are of importance for explaining and understanding the acts of the Government, ought to be published, at the expense of the United States : Ordered, That the said motion be referred to Mr. Swift, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Macon, with instruction, also, to consider and report the propriety of publishing the first, second, and fourth volumes of the Journals of the Old Congress. Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Griffith Jones, made a report; which was read and considered: Whereupon," Resolved, That the prayer of the petition of the said Griffith Jones cannot be granted, and that he have leave to withdraw the same. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth : Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : I transmit, herewith, the copy of a letter dated the nineteenth of December last, from Governor Blount to the Secretary of War, stating the avowed and daring designs of certain persons to take possession of lands belonging to the Cherokees, and which the United States have, by treaty, solemnly guarantied to that nation. The injustice of such intrusions, and the mischievous consequences which must necessarily result therefromí, demand that effectual provision be made to prevent them. United States, February 2, 1796. G. WASHINGTON. The said message and letter were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee. of the Whole House to whem is committed the bill to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers. The House then, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes and to preserve peace on the frontiers; 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 some progress therein. Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have appointed Mr. Paine, on their part, of the Committee for Enrolled Bills. And then he withdrew. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1796. Another member, to wit: Lemuel Benton, from South Carolina, appeared, produced bis 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. Representations and petitions from sundry citizens and inhabitants of the State of Georgia, whose names are thereunto subscribed, to the same effect as others from the States of Vermont, Virginia, and Georgia, on the subject of the late treaty negotiated with Great Britain, and in opposition thereto, were presented to the House and read. Ordered, That the said representations and petitions be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union. A memorial of John Harvie, of the State of Virginia, was presented to the House and read, praying the liquidation and settlement of the accounts of George Webb, deceased, late receiver of continental taxes for the said State. Also, a petition of Joseph Taylor, of Delaware county, in the State of Pennsylvania, VOL. II-55 |