destroyed by a late fire in the said city of New York; the duties thereon having been previously secured to be paid by the petitioner, in due form of law. Also, a petition of William Pinchin, of the city of Philadelphia, praying that he may receive a balance due for his services as a measurer at the port of Philadelphia, which, he conceives, has been unjustly detained from him by the Collector of the said port. Also, a petition of William Ustick, junior, of the city of New York, merchant, pray. ing the remission of the duties on a quantity of claret wine, imported by the petitioner, in the schooner Industry, from Halifax, in Nova Scotia, which was consumed by a late fire, in the said city of New York; and that credit may be allowed on the bonds executed for payment of the said duties. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Dwight Foster, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the memorials and petitions of Michael Levadoux and others, of Francis Mentges, of William Story, and of Sarah Thompson, made reports; which were severally read, and considered: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said Michael Levadoux and others, Francis Mentges, William Story, and Sarah Thomson, cannot be granted. Ordered, That it be an instruction to the Committee of Elections, to resume the consideration of such unfinished business, respecting elections, as was depending before the last session, and to report thereon to the House. On motion, Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before this House information what measures have been taken for carrying into effect the treaty between the United States and the Dey and Regency of Algiers; and, also, whether any, and what, further legislative aid may be pecessary for that purpose. Ordered, That Mr. Parker and Mr. Grove be appointed a committee to wait on the President with the foregoing resolution. The House proceeded to consider the motion of the twenty-ninth ultimo, for a recommitment of the report of the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, relative to the kidnapping of negroes and mulattoes: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said report be re-committed to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, with instruction to report by bill or otherwise. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire and report, if any, and what, alterations are necessary in the act, entitled "An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from their masters." Ordered, That Mr. Murray, Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Kittera, 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 report of the Committee of Ways and Means, rela tive to the balances found by Commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and the individual States, to be due from certain States to 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, 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. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1797. Another member, to wit: Samuel Smith, from Maryland, appeared, and took his seat in the House. The Speaker laid before the House a certificate and return from the Governor of Connecticut, of the election of Samuel Whittlesey Dana, to serve as a member of this House for the said State, in the room of Uriah Tracey, appointed a Senator of the United States; which was read: Whereupon, The said Samuel Whittlesey Dana appeared; and the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law, he took his seat in the House. A petition of John Stadler was presented to the House and read, praying that a grant of two 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 unappropriated lands of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio. Also, the petitions of William Brown and of William M'Cay, respectively praying compensation for services rendered, or losses and injuries sustained, in the Army of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Dwight Foster, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the memorials and petitions of James Betts, of William Caldwell, of John Day, and of John London, and Elizabeth London, made reports; which were severally read and considered: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said James Betts, William Cald well, John Day, and John London, and Elizabeth London, cannot be granted. Mr. Swanwick, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, to whom were referred the petitions of John Juhel, of Lewis H. Guerlain, in behalf of Messrs. Bathman and sons, and of Jeremiah Cissel, for himself and others, pilots within the Bay of Chesapeake, made a report; which was read, and considered: Whereupon, hesolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said John Juhel and Lewis H. Guerlain, cannot be granted. Resolved, That a law ought to be passed, authorizing the Boards of Commissioners of pilotage, in the States of Virginia and Maryland, to grant licences to such persons of either State, as may be qualified to pilot vessels to any part of the bay or rivers of the Chesapeake, under the same rules and regulations as are prescribed by the Stat from which their licences are issued. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the last resolution; and that the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures do prepare and bring in the same. Mr. Coit, from the committee appointed to inquire into, and report their opinion of, the equity and expediency of extending to the representatives of officers and soldiers of the late Army of the United States, who died in service, the benefits given by the resolution of Congress, of the sixteenth of September, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, to the representatives of officers and soldiers slain by the enemy, made a report, which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House, as followeth : "That, by the said resolution, in addition to the pay and bounty in money and clothing allowed to officers and soldiers who should engage in the Army, and serve during the late war, certain quantities of land were promised to those who should so engage and serve, and to the representatives of those who should be slain by the enemy; and that, by a resolution of Congress of the eighteenth day of the same month of September, the same encouragement was extended to those who had, before the said resolution of the eighteenth, engaged to serve during the war, as was given to those who should engage thereafter.-For a variety of reasons, which your committee suppose it of no consequence for them to detail to the House, they can well conceive, that it might have been a question of expediency, at the time of passing the said resolutions, whether the benefits secured to the representatives of those who were slain by the enemy, should not have been extended to those who died in service; but those reasons appear to have no application to the present question; and it is now more than twenty years since the said resolution of the sixteenth of September, was passed, and more than thirteen since the close of the period of service to which it applied. Your committee are there. fore of opinion, that there are no considerations, either of equity or expediency, which would justify or require the extension contemplated in the reference." Mr. Griswold, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Amos Ailes and others, inhabitants of Redstone settlement, in the State of Pennsylvania, made a report; which was read: Whereupon, Ordered, That the consideration of the said report be postponed until the first Monday in February next. The House, according to the order of the day, proceeded to consider the report of the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, of the twenty-seventh ultimo, to whom was referred the petition of Aaron Sheffield: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said report be re-committed to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Ordered, That John Moore, executor of John Oakley, who presented a petition to this House on the thirteenth of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, have leave to withdraw the same. Mr. Swanwick, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, to whom were referred the petitions of William Ustick, junior, and of John Hughes, mad a report ; which was read and, considered: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said William Ustick, junior, and John Hughes, cannot be granted. Mr. Swanwick, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Bartholomew Sarazin, made a report; which was read and considered: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petition of the said Bartholomew Sarazin cannot be granted. 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, relative to the balances found by Commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and the individual States, to be due from certain States to 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, 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. William Smith, from the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom it was referred to take into consideration the subject of further revenues, and the provisions requisite for improving, and more effectually securing, the internal revenues, made reports thereon; which were read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. Mr. Parker, from the committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and present to him the resolution agreed to by this House, yesterday, relative to information of measures for carrying into effect the treaty between the United States and the Dey and Regency of Algiers, reported that the committee had, according to order, performed that service; and that the President informed the committee that, before he had heard of the resolution, he had directed the necessary papers to be made out, and as soon as they were ready, they should be laid before the House. On motion, Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, alterations are necessary in the existing law, respect. ing the entry of goods, for the relief of importers of goods into the ports of North Carolinia, lying upon the waters of Pamtico sound, and the better securing the duties payable thereon. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1797. Another member, to wit: Daniel Buck, from Vermont, appeared and took his scat in the House. A memorial of Philip Audebert was presented to the House and read, praying an extra allowance for his services as a Clerk in the War Department, during the continuance of the epidemic fever at Philadelphia, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. Ordered, That the said memorial, together with the petitions of Richard Blackledge, presented the nineteenth of January and thirty-first of October, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, and of Lucy Clark, presented the twenty-second of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, and the reports thereon, be referred to the Committee of Claims. A memorial of sundry Inspectors of the Customs for the District of Pennsylvania, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, stating the insufficiency of the compensation allowed them by law; and praying that the same may be increased, and rendered more adequate to their services. Also, a petition of sundry inspectors of the customs for the port of Baltimore, to the same effect. Also, a petition of John Robinson, of Newport, in the State of Rhode Island, merchant, in behalf of himself and Rowland Hazard, and Peter Ayault, late owners of the ship William, of Charleston, and James R. Dockray, late master of the said ship, praying the remission of a penalty incurred by the said James R. Dockray for a breach of the revenue laws of the United States. Ordered, That the said memorial and petitions be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. A petition of William Patton, of the city of Philadelphia, was presented to the House and read, praying to be relieved from a prosecution commenced against the petitioner for selling wine or spirituous liquors by retail, without licence, The House proceeded to consider the said petition: Whereupon, Mr. Dwight Foster, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the petitions of Gilbert Dench, of George Marker and Elizabeth his wife, and of Samuel Wilkinson, made reports; which were severally read: Whereupon, Ordered, That the report on the petition of Gilbert Dench be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-day. Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of George Marker and Elizabeth his wife, and of Samuel Wilkinson cannot be granted. 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, relative to the balances found by commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and the individual States, to be due from certain States to 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, again had the said report under consideration, and come to two resolutions thereupon," which he delivered in at the Clerk's table. Ordered, That the said report and resolutions do lie on the table. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1797. Ordered, That Mr. Dent be excused from serving on the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, at his own request, and that Mr. Samuel Smith be appointed of the said committee in his room. A petition of the widow of the late Scolacuttaw, or Hanging Maw, one of the chiefs of the Cherokee nation of Indians, was presented to the House and read, praying relief, in consideration of losses and injuries sustained in her person and property, by a party of armed men under the command of Captain John Beard, some time in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petition of John White, late an inspector at the port of Philadelphia, presented the twenty-third of March last, be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Dwight Foster, from the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred the petitions of Lachlin McIntosh, attorney in fact for the executors of John Lawson, deceased, and of Samuel Stow, made reports; which were read and considered: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitions of the said Lachlin McIntosh and Samuel Stow, cannot be granted. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, further rules are necessary to be adopted by this House and added to the standing rules of the House. Ordered, That Mr. Muhlenberg, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Henderson, be appointed a committee pursuant to the said resolution. The House proceeded to consider the resolutions reported yesterday from the Committee of the Whole House to whom was referred the report of the Committee of Ways and Means, relative to the balances found by Commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and individual States, to be due from certain States to the United States: Whereupon, The first resolution being read and amended at the Clerk's table, to read as followeth : Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be requested to give information to the several States who were, by the Commissioners appointed to settle accounts between the United States and the individual States, found indebted to the United States, of the several sums in which they were so found indebted, accompanying such information with a statement of interest from the last day of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, to the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, calculated on the same principles on which interest has been allowed, and either funded or paid on the correspondent sums for which the United States were found, by the said Commissioners, indebted to certain States; and with an earnest request that they will cause provision to be made, as speedily as may be, for paying the said sums, respectively, for which they were found indebted by the said Commissioners, with interest, into the Treasury of the United States : The question was taken that the House do agree to the said first resolution, And resolved in the affirmative, Yeas,.. .......57, The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, Abraham Baldwin, Theophilus Bradbury, Samuel J. Cabell, Henry Dearborn, George Ege, Abiel Foster, Dwight Foster, Nathaniel Freeman, jun. Christopher Greenup, Andrew Gregg, George Hancock, Carter B. Harrison, John Wilkes Kittera, Samuel Lyman, Samuel Maclay, Francis Malbone, John Milledge, Frederick A. Muhlenberg, Anthony New, John Nicholas, Alexander D. Orr, Josiah Parker Elisha R. Potter, Francis Preston, John Reed, John S. Sherburne, Samuel Smith, The second resolution being read, and amended at the Clerk's table, was agreed to by the House, as followeth : "Resolved, That payment of the said sums, respectively found due from the said States, by the said Commissioners, with interest thereon at four per centum per annum, from the last day of December, one thouand seven hundred and eighty-nine, to the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, may be received in any of the six, three per cent. stock, or deferred stock of the United States, in the same proportion as the United States have paid and allowed for the correspondent sums in which they were found indebted to certain States by the report of the said Commis sioners." |