TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1796.

A memorial of sundry inhabitants of the town of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, carrying on trade and merchandise therein, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, praying a reimbursement of the moneys collected from, and paid by the memorialists to the Officers of the Customs for the District of Providence, which shall be equivalent to the extra duties on sundry imported articles, the tare of which has been computed at the rate of one hundred and twelve pounds for every hundred weight.

Also, a memorial of David Pearce, and others, praying to be allowed the drawback of the duties upon the salt used in the preservation of a quantity of fish, which they have exported from the port of Gloucester, in the State of Massachusetts, to France; the duties of impost which have accrued on the said salt, having been paid by the memorialists into the office of the collector for the said port.

Also, a memorial of Ebenezer Tucker,, surveyor of the port of Little Egg-harbor, in the State of New Jersey, in behalf of himself and other citizens of the said State, pray. ing that the waters, bays, rivers, and creeks, from Barnagat inlet to Brigantine inlet, inclusive, may be established as a separate District, and a Collector appointed for the same, to reside at the town of Tuckerton.

Ordered, That the said memorials 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 James Sterrett, and others, associated under the title and denomination of "the Washington Company of Maryland," was presented to the House and read, praying a grant of such a part of the unappropriated lands in the Territories of the United States Northwest and South of the river Ohio, as may be deemed the admissible right of the number of persons composing the said company, upon such terms and conditions, as to the wisdom of Congress shall seem meet.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the bill establishing offices for the sale of the lands in the Territory Northwest of the river Ohio.

A memorial of sundry citizens of the town of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, pray. ing to be indemnified by the Government of the United States for the property which has been unjustly taken from them by the armed vessels of the British, when in the regular pursuit of their commerce.

Ordered, That the said memorial be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

A petition of Moses Hetfield, of the town of Goshen, in the State of New York, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for services rendered, and injuries sustained, as a Major of the Militia, in the actual service of the United States, during the late war.

Also, a petition of Joseph Liggon, of the county of Halifax, in the State of Virginia, praying relief, in consideration of wounds received whilst a soldier in the militia in the in the actual service of the United States, in an engagement with the enemy, at Guilford Court-house, in the State of North Carolina, during the late war, which have rendered him incapable of obtaining his livelihood by labor.

Also, a petition of Henry Glen, of the State of York, praying compensation for his services in various departments of the Army of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions, together with the petition of John Curley, presented the nineteenth of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, be referred to the Committee of Claims.

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

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled “An act further extending the time for receiving on loan the domestic debt of the United States." And then he withdrew.

On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution: Resolved, That, upon the trial of any contested election, the deposition of a witness shall be received which shall have been taken before any justice or judge of the courts of the United States, or before any chancellor, justice, or judge, of a supreme or su perior court, mayor, or chief magistrate of a city, or judge of a county court, or court of common pleas of any of the United States, not being of counsel or attorney to either of the parties: Provided, That a notification from the magistrate before whom the deposition is to be taken, to the adverse party, to be present at the taking the same, and

to put interrogatories, if he think fit, shall have been first made out and served on the adverse party, or his attorney especially authorized for the purpose, as either may be nearest, if either is within one hundred miles of the place of such caption, allowing time for their attendance, after notified, not less than at the rate of one day, Sundays exclusive, for every twenty miles travel. And in all cases where either party shall give notice to the other of his having constituted and appointed an attorney for the purposes aforesaid, it shall be deemed necessary to give notice to the said attorney, in manner aforesaid. And every person deposing shall be carefully examined and cautioned, and sworn or affirmed to testify the whole truth, and shall subscribe the testimony by him or her given, after the same shall be reduced to writing, which shall be done only by the magistrate taking the deposition, or by the deponent in his presence; and the deposition so taken, together with a certificate of the notice, if any, given to the adverse party, or his attor ney, shall be sealed up by the magistrate, and directed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Ordered, That the said motion be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.

On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution: Resolved, That the Committee of Elections be instructed to prescribe the mode of taking testimony in the petition of Matthew Lyon,

It passed in the negative.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill establishing offices for the sale of the lands in the territory Northwest of the river Ohio; 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.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1796.

A petition of William Tobey, postmaster at New Bedford, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, stating the insufficiency of the compensation allowed him by law, and praying that the same may be increased, and rendered more adequate to his services.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed to inquire if any, or what, alterations are necessary to be made in the act, entitled "An act to establish the post office and post roads within the United States."

A petition of Lemuel Show, of Barnstable, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying that he may receive the arrearages of pay and other emoluments due for his services as a soldier in the third Massachusetts' regiment, on continental establishment, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. New, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act further extending the time for receiv ing on loan the domestic debt of the United States," 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.

The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the report of the committee of the nineteenth of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, on the petition of John Blake, Joseph Bindon, John D. Mercier, and Benjamin Thompson, Canadian refugees, which lay on the table: Where

upon,

Resolved, That the said report, together with the reports of the nineteenth of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, and the first of April, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, on the petitions of sundry refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia, be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. On motion,

Resolved, That the several returns of the Secretary of War, respecting invalids, made to this House the last session of Congress, be, and they are hereby, referred to the Cominittee of Claims.

On a motion made and seconded,

The House proceeded to reconsider the resolution of the fifteenth instant, for postponing, until Tuesday, the 29th of March next, the farther consideration of the report of the Committee of Elections, to whom was referred the petition of Matthew 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: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the said resolution of postponement be rescinded; and that the report of the Committee of Elections be re-committed to the same committee.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill establishing offices for the sale of the lands in the Territory Northwest of the river Ohio; 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.

Mr. New, 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 further extending the time for receiving on loan the domestic debt of the United States."

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 18, 1796.

Ordered, That Mr. Freeman have leave to be absent from the service of this House for two months.

A petition of sundry inhabitants of the town of Berkley, in the State of Massachusetts, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, praying that the said town of Berkley may be made a port of delivery.

Also, a petition of Hodijah Baylies, collector for the district of Dighton, in the State of Massachusetts; stating the insufficiency of the compensation allowed him by law, and praying that the same may be increased, and rendered more adequate to his services.

Also, a petition of George Knowel Jackson, a native of Great Britain, now residing in the town of Alexandria, in the State of Virginia, praying that the duties of impost on a quantity of household furniture, which he imported into the port of Boston, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, 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 Elizabeth Margaret Knoechel, of the town of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for the services of her son, Victor Christian Charles Knocchel, deceased, as a Fife Major in the first regiment of the South Carolina line, on continental establishment; also, as an apothecary's mate, in the general hospital for the Southern Department, during the

late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the petitions of Ebenezer Branham and others, and of Catharine Loury, made a report; which was read and considered: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said Ebenezer Branham and others, and Catharine Loury, cannot be granted, and that the petitioners, respectively, have leave to withdraw the same.

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 of Ways and Means, to whom it was referred to report whether further measures are necessary to reinforce the existing provisions for the public debt; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resum ed the chair, and Mr. Muhlenberg reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said report under consideration, and come to several resolutions thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table; where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follow:

Resolved, That, in respect to the funded stock of the United States bearing a present interest of six per centum, there shall be dividends made on the last days of March, June, and September, for the present year, at the rate of one and one-half per centum; and from the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven to the yearclusive, at the rate of per centum upon the original capital. That there be divi

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dends made on the last days of December, from the present year to the year clusive, at the rate of be made on the last day of December, in the year per centum upon the original capital; and that a dividend original capital, in full of the said stock. of per centum upon the Resolved, That provision ought to be made for reimbursing, in the same proportions as the other six per cent. stock, the balances bearing, and to bear, interest at six per centum, due to certain States, which were funded in consequence of an act passed May the thirty-first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four.

Resolved, That the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund be authorized to appoint a Secretary for the purpose of recording and preserving their proceedings and documents; and that a sum not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars be annually allowed the said Secretary, for his services.

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolutions, and that the Committee of Ways and Means do prepare and bring in the same.

Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the several reports of the Secretary of War, of the twenty-fifth of April, the twenty-second and twenty-ninth of May, and the thirty-first of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four; of the twenty-first and twenty-eighth of February, and the second of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, and of the fifth of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, accompanying statements in the cases of claimants to be placed on the pension list of the United States, who have obtained certificates from the Judges of the Circuit Courts, signed as Commissioners; and, also, from the Judges of the District Courts, 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 for the relief of certain officers and soldiers who have been wounded or disabled in the actual service of 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, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto.

And then the said bill being amended at the Clerk's table, was, together with the amendment, 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 for the relief of Benjamin Strother; 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 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, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill establishing offices for the sale of lands in the Territory Northwest of the river Ohio; 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.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1796.

An engrossed bill for the relief of certain officers and soldiers who have been wounded or disabled in the actual service of the United States was read the third time, and the blanks therein filled up.

Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act for the relief of certain officers and soldiers who have been wounded or disabled in the actual service of the United States."

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

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

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

A petition of Andrew Bearsticker, Nicholas Rieb, and others, artificers in Colonel

Benjamin Flower's regiment of artillery, during the late war, was presented to the House and read, praying that the House will re-consider their decision on a former petition presented on behalf of the petitioners, and allow them such additional compensation for their services as may be deemed equitable and proper.

Also, a petition of Blair M'Clenachan, of the County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying that he may be permitted to fund certain Loan Office certificates of the United States, issued in favor of Thomas Stone, bearing date the twenty-third of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, which were deposited in the office of the Auditor of the Treasury before the expiration of the late act "further extending the time for receiving on loan the domestic debt of the United States."

Also, a petition of John Hopwood, of Fayette County, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying relief in the case of a suit instituted against him, on behalf of the United States, for an arrearage of excise duties on spirits distilled by the petitioner, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims.

A message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, notifying that the President did, this day, approve and sign an act, which originated in this House, entitled "An act further extending the time for receiving on loan the domestic debt of the United States."

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolutions: Resolved, That the duties now payable on spirits distilled within the United States, ought to be transferred from the commodity, and laid upon the instrument.

Resolved, That the collection of those duties, and of all other internal revenues of the United States ought to be made by the Collectors of the various States under the direction of the Treasury Department, and of the Supervisors of the Revenue, except in cases where the District Judge, on application of the Supervisor, shall declare any such Collector to be an improper person.

Resolved, That all fines and forfeitures incurred under the revenue laws of the United States, ought to be sued for in the State courts; unless where the Commissioner of the Revenue, under particular circumstances stated to him by the Supervisor, shall other wise direct.

Ordered, That the said motion be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Parker, from the committee to whom were committed the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act for establishing trading-houses with the Indian tribes," made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion,

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire and report whether any, and what, legislative provision is necessary for the relief of such American seamen as may have been impressed into the service of any foreign Power; and, also, to report a mode of furnishing American seamen with such evidence of their citizenship as may protect them from foreign impressment in future.

Ordered, That Mr. Livingston, Mr. Bourne, Mr. Swanwick, Mr. Samuel Smith, and Mr. William Smith, be appointed a committee, pursuant to the said resolution.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill establishing offices for the sale of the lands in the Territory Northwest of the river Ohio; 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, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill.

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1796.

A petition of Noah Miller, in behalf of himself, Joshua Lamb, David Gay, Martin Brooks, and Carpenter Bradford, refugees from Nova Scotia, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for losses and injuries sustained in their persons and property by adhering to the American cause, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom are committed the reports of committees on the petitions of sundry refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia.

A memorial of Messieurs Valck and Company, of the Town of Baltimore, in the State