Mr. Parmenter presented a petition of manufacturers of starch in the city of Boston, praying that a duty may be levied upon foreign starch; which petition was referred to the Committee on Manufactures.

Mr. Boon presented a petition of citizens of Jasper, in the State of Indiana, praying a donation of land to aid in the construction of the Mount Carmel and New Albany railroad; which petition was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

Mr. Haynes presented a resolution of the Legislature of the State of Georgia, requesting the Senators and Representatives in Congress to procure the establishment of a mail route, to be carried on horseback, between Blairsville, in the county of Union, and Dahlonega, in the county of Lumpkin, by the way of Cooper's gap, in the Blue Ridge.

Mr. Christopher H. Williams presented a memorial of Allen Sammons, of the State of Tennessee, one of the sureties of Reddick Dishough, late postmaster at Middleburg, in said State, praying to be refunded the sum of $228 96, which he has been compelled to pay, on account of the default of said postinaster, more than was due to the United States from the said defaulter.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Crabb presented a memorial of citizens of Taladega county, in the State of Alabama, remonstrating against an exclusive appropriation of the two per cent. fund, reserved of the nett proceeds of lands sold in said State, to the construction of the Selma and Tennessee railroad, and praying that a portion of said fund may be granted to the Wetumpka and Coosa Railroad Company; which memorial was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

Mr. Crabb presented a petition of citizens of the town of Maplesville, in the county of Bibb, and State of Alabama, praying that a sufficient compensation may be made to secure the services of a postmaster to perform the extraordinary duties of the post office at that place; which petition was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Chapman, of Alabama, presented a memorial of the Legislature of the State of Alabama, praying for a survey of the Cherokee lands in said State as soon as practicable; which memorial was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Chapman, of Alabama, presented a memorial of citizens of the county of Benton, in the State of Alabama, praying that a floating preemption right may be granted to such persons as were deprived of their rights guarantied by the act of 1834, "to grant pre-emption rights to actual settlers on the public lands;" which memorial was committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

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

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill (No. 203) entitled "An act for the relief of Doctor John Campbell White, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland;" in which bill I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The House proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Com mittee on Expenditures on the Department of War, relative to a pay ment made by the War Department to Samuel Lewis for the services of his son, Edward Lewis, a minor, as a clerk in the Pension bureau in 1818 and 1819.

A motion was made by Mr. Everett that the said report be recommitted to the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department, with instructions to ascertain and report the cases in which money has been paid, under the direction of the War Department, out of the contingent fund, to any officer of the Government, for arrearages of salary or compensation for his services.

And, after debate, the hour elapsed, and the debate was suspended.

Mr. Cambreleng, from the Committee of Ways and Means, by leave, made a report on the state of the Treasury, and the public expenditures; which report was ordered to lie on the table.

A motion was made by Mr. Haynes that ten thousand copies extra of the said report be printed;

And the rule which requires the said motion to lie over one day being dispensed with, the House proceeded to the consideration thereof; And, after debate,

The House, on motion, proceeded to the business on the Speaker's table, and to the orders of the day.

The Speaker laid before the House sundry communications, viz:

I. A letter from the Secretary of the Navy, accompanied by 275 printed copies of the Naval Register for the year 1839 for the members of the House; which letter was laid on the table.

II. A letter from the Secretary of War, in answer to the call of the 9th of July, 1838, as to the number of clerks employed, and the expense incurred, in answering calls of the House upon the War Department for information during the last session of Congress; which letter was ordered to lie on the table.

III. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting information called for by the House on the 14th of January instant, in relation to the execution of the third section of the act of July 5, 1832, for liquidating and paying certain claims of the State of Virginia.

A motion was made by Mr. Hall that the said letter (from the Secretary of War) be referred to a select committee, with instructions to inquire into the character and amount of proof which is required by exist ing laws and regulations to establish claims on the United States for revolutionary services in the Virginia continental and State line and navy; and whether any and what further legislative provisions be necessary in regard to the mode of adjusting and allowing claims for such services.

The said motion was agreed to by the House; and

Mr. Hall, Mr. Mallory, Mr. Miller of Missouri, Mr. Holsey, Mr. Briggs, Mr. McClellan of New York, and Mr. Griffin, were appointed said select committee.

IV. A letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting the information called for by the House on the 14th of January instant, as to the light in which reports of committees of Congress are regarded by the accounting officers of the Treasury in the settlement of claims against the United States; which letter was ordered to lie on the table.

V. A letter from the Postmaster General, containing the information called for by the House on the 14th of January instant, as to funds, in addition to the revenues of the Post Office Department, which will be necessary to continue, during the present year, the mail facilities on the

present establishment of the Department; which letter was ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Thomas,

Ordered, That the message of the President of the United States of the 19th January instant, in relation to Florida claims under the treaty of 1819, be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

The bill from the Senate (No. 203) entitled "An act for the relief of Doctor John Campbell White, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,' was read the first and second time, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

The House again resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and, after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. John Quincy Adams reported that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union generally under consideration, particularly the message of the President of the United States at the commencement of the present session of Congress, and had come to sundry resolutions thereon, which he was directed. to report to the House.

The said resolutions were then read at the Clerk's table; and, on the questions severally put thereon, were agreed to by the House, and are as follows:

1. Resolved, That so much of the President's message as refers to the political relations of the United States with foreign nations, be committed to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

2. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the commerce of the United States with foreign nations, be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

3. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the finances, to the collection, safe-keeping, and disbursement of the public revenue, and the punishment of public defaulters, be committed to the Committee of Ways and Means.

4. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the public lands, be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

5. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to Indian affairs, except what concerns the defence of the frontiers against Indian hostilities, and the protection of the Indians against the intrusions of the citizens of the United States, be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

6. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the defence of the frontiers against Indian hostilities, and the protection of the Indian tribes from the intrusions of citizens of the United States; so much thereof as relates to the establishment of a manufactory of small-arms west of theAllegany mountains, and to a manufactory of gunpowder, together with so much as relates to the report of the Secretary of War, and the public interests intrusted to the War Department, except the subjects embraced in the immediately preceding resolution, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

7. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the militia of the United States, be referred to the Committee on the Militia.

8. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the report of the Secretary of the Navy, and the interests intrusted to the Navy Department, be committed to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

9. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the report of

the Postmaster General, and the condition and operations of the Post Office Department, be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

10. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the District of Columbia, be committed to the Committee for the District of Columbia. And then, at a quarter past four o'clock, the House adjourned until tomorrow, twelve o'clock meridian.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1839.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Dickins, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills and a joint resolution of the following titles, viz:

No. 81. An act for the relief of Peter Bargy, jr.;

No. 113. An act supplementary to the act entitled "An act to establish branches of the Mint of the United States," approved March 3, 1835; No. 169. An act for the relief of Henry Wilson, confirming purchases of certain land in Arkansas;

No. 173. An act to amend, an act entitled "An act to authorize the State of Tennessee to issue grants and perfect titles to certain lands therein described, and to settle the claims to the vacant and unappropriated land within the same," passed 18th of April, 1806;

No. 186. An act for the relief of William B. Ferguson and sureties; No. 241. An act for the relief of William H. Robertson, Samuel H. Garrow, and J. W. Simonton;

No. 4. Joint resolution authorizing the President of the United States to cause certain surveys to be made;

in which bills and resolution I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The House resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department, relative to a payment made by that Department to Samuel Lewis, for the services of his son, Edward Lewis, a minor, as a clerk in the Pension office in the years 1818 and

1819.

The question recurred on the motion made by Mr. Everett, yesterday, that the said report be recommitted, with the instructions set forth in the proceedings of that day: when it was,

On motion of Mr. Pope,

Ordered, That the said report do lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Cushman,

Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (No. 712) making appropriations for building light-houses, light-boats, beacons, buoys, and for surveys; and that the said bill be recommitted to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Pickens, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported a bill (No. 1073) for the relief of Colonel Robert D. Wainwright; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Stuart, from the Committee of Claims, made an unfavorable report on the case of Elias Wallen; which report was committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Darlington, from the Committee of Claims, made a report on the case of Charles Benns, accompanied by a bill (No. 1074) for his relief; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Giddings, from the Committee of Claims, made unfavorable reports on the cases of William Patrick and Thomas Kelly; which reports were ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Casey, from the Committee on the Public Lands, reported a bill (No. 1075) for the relief of Mengiers Gillespie, late a soldier in the army of the United States, accompanied by a report; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House

to-morrow.

Mr. Loomis, from the Committee on the Public Lands, reported a bill (No. 1076) granting land to the Portage Canal Company, for the construction of a canal at the Wisconsin and Fox-river portage; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Connor,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be discharged from the petition of Joel Beaman; and that it lie on the table. On motion of Mr. Connor,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be discharged from the consideration of the several resolutions adopted by the House on the 31st of December ultimo and 14th January instant, in relation to postage, and to an extension of the franking privilege; and that the said resolutions do lie on the table.

Mr. Leadbetter, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to which was referred the case of John S. Burnett, made an unfavorable report thereon; which was read, and laid on the table.

On motion of Mr. Ingham, leave was given to withdraw the petition and papers of James M. White.

On motion of Mr. Mallory, the Committee on Military Affairs was discharged from the petition of Sarah M. Gates, and leave was given to withdraw the same.

Mr. Loomis, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, made an unfavorable report on the case of Isaac Morrow; which report was ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Robertson,

Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from the consideration of the petition of John Norris, of Pennsylvania; and that it lie on the table.

Mr. Garland, of Virginia, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a bill (No. 1077) to restore circuit-court jurisdiction to the district court of the northern district of New York, and to regulate the terms of said court; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Mr. Craig, from the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, reported a bill (No. 1078) for the relief of the legal representatives of William Vaux, deceased; which bill was read the first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. John Quincy Adams,

Ordered, That the Committee on Manufactures, which was, on the 14th