Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, stating " "that, in conformity with a resolution of this House, of the twenty-first instant, he has caused the files of the Department of War to be searched for a letter, or letters, from William Burnet, late of New Jersey, deceased, to the late Secretary of War, or his predecessor, which may have any relation to an application by the representatives of the late Major General Greene, for indemnity against a contract entered into by him, as security to Hunter, Banks, and Company, to certain British merchants; and begs leave to report, that there is no such letter or letters to be found on the files of the Department of War." The said letter was read, and ordered to lie on the table. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker The Senate have postponed, until the next session of Congress, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act making an additional allowance to certain public officers for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six." And then he withdrew. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the amendments of the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making provision for the payment of certain debts of the United States;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Bourne reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said amendments 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 amendments. Mr. Tracey, from the Committee of Claims, presented, according to order, a bill to indemnify the estate of the late Major General Nathaniel Greene, for a certain bond entered into by him, during the late war; 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 several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, MAY 24, 1796. Memorials of sundry citizens of the State of New Jersey, whose names are thereunto subscribed, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying that the neces sary provisions may be made, without delay, for carrying into fair and honorable effect the treaty lately made between the United States and Great Britain. Ordered, That the said memorials do lie on the table. Mr. New, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act laying duties on carriages for the conveyance of persons, and repealing the former act for that purpose," 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. Mr. Nicholas, from the managers appointed on the part of this House to attend the conference with the Senate on the subject-matter of the amendments depending be tween the two Houses to the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt," 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: The Senate recede from their amendments, disagreed to by this House, to the bill, entitled "An act in addition to an act, entitled an Act supple mentary 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." The Senate recede from their amendment, disagreed to by this House, for striking out the seventh section of the bill, entitled An act for the relief and protection of American seamen," and do agree to the amendment and modification proposed by this House to the other amendments of the Senate to the said bill. The Senate insist on their disagreement to the amend ment of this House to the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to regulate the compensation of Clerks," and to which this House hath insisted. The Senate disagree to the bill, entitled "An act concerning the post road from Portland, in Maine, to Savannah, in Georgia." The Senate agree to the amendment proposed by this House to the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act respecting the mint." The Senate also agree to the conference desired by this House on the subject-matter of the amend ments depending between the two Houses to the bill, entitled "An act to ascertain and fix the military establishment of the United States;" and have appointed managers at the same on their part. And then he withdrew. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making provision for the payment of certain debts of the United States ;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Swift reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said amendments under con sideration, and agreed to some, disagreed to some, and amended others. Ordered, That the said amendments and report do lie on the table. WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1796. Memorials and petitions of sundry citizens and inhabitants of the Towns and Districts of Boston, Ware, Greenwich, and Sheffield, in the State of Massachusetts, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying that such law or laws as may be necessary for carrying into effect, with good faith, the treaty lately made between the United States and Great Britain, may be enacted. Ordered, That the said memorials and petitions do lie on the table. Ordered, That Mr. Bradbury have leave to be absent from the service of this House after Saturday next, and Mr. Gregg after to-morrow, for the remainder of the session. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Committee of Conference on the subject-matter of the amendments depending between the two Houses to the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt:" Whereupon, Resolved, That this House doth recede from their amendments for striking out the second and third sections, and inserting a new section; and, also, from their amendment to the fifth section of the said bill, And, in lieu thereof, propose the following amendments: Section 2d, line 18th, strike out "twenty," and insert “thirty.” Same section: Strike out all the words from "and" in the twentieth line, to the word "the," in the second instance, in the twenty-third line. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. Mr. New, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined three enrolled bills, to wit: one entitled "An act for the relief and protection of American seamen ;" another entitled "An act in addition to an act, entitled 'An act 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 ;" and another entitled "An act respecting the mint;" 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 House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to indemnify the estate of the late Major General Nathaniel Greene for a certain bond entered into by him during the late war; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Swift reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made no amendment thereto. The said bill was then amended at the Clerk's table, and, together with the amend ments, ordered to be engrossed, and read the third time to-day. The House proceeded to consider the report, made yesterday, from the Committee of the Whole House to whom were committed the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act making provision for the payment of certain debts of the United States:" Whereupon, The amendments to the first section of the said bill being read, Resolved, That this House doth agree to the first amendment to the first section. Resolved, That this House doth agree to so much of the second amendment of the first section as proposes to strike out, in the eleventh line of the said section, the words in five equal and successive annual instalments," and to insert, in lieu thereof, the words "at the pleasure of the United States." 66 Resolved, That this House doth agree to such other part of the said second amend ment as proposes to add to the said first section the words, "And the Bank of the United States is hereby authorized to lend the whole or any part of the said five millions of dollars, and to sell the stock received for such loan." The amendment to the third section being read as followeth : Lines third, fourth, and fifth Strike out the proviso, and in lieu thereof insert, "And it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, if they shall find the same to be most advantageous, to sell such and so many of the shares of the stock of the Bank of the United States, belonging to the United States, as they may think proper; and that they apply the proceeds thereof to the payment of the said debts, instead of selling certificates of stock in the manner prescribed in this act :" It was moved and seconded to disagree to so much thereof as proposes to strike out the proviso in the said section, in the words following, to wit: "Provided, That no such stock shall be sold under par, and that, whenever the said stock shall be sold for more than par, the surplus or premium, on all such sales, shall accrue to the benefit of the United States, and shall be paid into the Treasury thereof." And, on the question thereupon, It was resolved in the affirmative. A motion was then made, and the question being put, to amend such other part of the Senate's amendment as proposes to add a new clause to the said third section, by inserting, after the words "to sell," the words "not under twenty-five per cent. advance." Yeas... .......$3, ...49. It passed in the negative, {Nays.. The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, Another motion was then made, and the question being put, to amend the said last mentioned clause proposed to be added by the Senate, by adding to the end thereof the words, "And such of the revenues of the United States, heretofore appropriated for the payment of interest of debts thus discharged, shall be, and the same are hereby, pledged and appropriated towards the payment of the interest and instalments of the prin cipal which shall hereafter become due on the loan obtained of the Bank of the United States, pursuant to the eleventh section of the act for incorporating the subscribers to the said Bank :" It was resolved in the affirmative. And then the main question being put, that the House do agree to the said last mentioned clause, amended to read as followeth : "And it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund, if they shall find the same to be most advantageous, to sell such and so many of the shares of the stock of the Bank of the United States, belonging to the United States, as they may think proper; and that they apply the proceeds thereof to the payment of the said debts, instead of selling certificates of stock, in the manner prescribed in this act. And such of the revenues of the United States, heretofore appropriated for the payment of interest of debts thus discharged, shail be, and the same are hereby, pledged and appropriated towards the payment of the interest and instalments of the principal which shall hereafter become due on the loan obtained of the Bank of the United States, pursuant to the eleventh section of the act for incorporating the subscribers to the said Bank:” It was resolved in the affirmative, Yeas.. Nays ... 45, 35. The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, Aaron Kitchell, John Wilkes Kittera, Francis Malbone, Nathaniel Smith, Samuel Smith, William Smith, John E. Van Allen, Peleg Wadsworth, and Resolved, That this House doth disagree to the amendment proposed by the Senate to the fifth section of the said bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate with the foregoing proceedings. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr Craik, his Secretary, as followeth : Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : The measures, now in operation, for taking possession of the post of Detroit and Michilimackinac, render it proper that provision should be made for extending to those places, and any others alike circumstanced, the civil authority of the Northwestern Territory: To do this, will require an expense, to defray which, the ordinary salaries of the Governor and Secretary of that Territory, appear to be incompetent. The forming of a new county, or new counties, and the appointment of the various officers, which the just exercise of Government must require, will oblige the Governor and Secretary to visit those places, and to spend considerable time in making the arrangements necessary for introducing and establishing the Government of the United States. Congress will consider what provision will, in this case, be proper. UNITED STATES, May 25th, 1796. G. WASHINGTON. The said message was read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Sitgreaves, Mr. Greenup and Mr. Reed. Mr. Kittera, from the committee to whom was referred the message from the Presi dent of the United States, of the twenty-eighth ultino, accompanying a letter from the Attorney General, relative to compensation to the attorneys of United States, in the several Districts, made a report; which was read, and ordered to be committeed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act relative to quaran tine." The Senate have also passed the bill, entitled "An act altering the sessions of the Circuit Courts in the Districts of Vermont and Rhode Island, and for other purposes," with several amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said amendments, and the same being read, were agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate there with. An engrossed bill to indemnify the estate of the late Major General Nathaniel Greene for a certain bond entered into by him during the late war, was read the thin time, And on the question that the same do pass, S Yeas.. It was resolved in the affirmative, 2 Nays.... ...55, .24. The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, |