that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the fame, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

The House, according to the order of the day, again refolved itself into a committee of the whole House, on the bill, establishing an uniform rule of naturalization.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Baldwin took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker refumed the chair, and Mr. Baldwin, reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the faid bill under confideration, and made a further progrefs therein:

On motion,

Ordered, That the committee of the whole House, be discharged from further proceeding on the said bill; and that it be re-committed to Mr. Livermore, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Schureman, Mr. Hartley, Mr. Sency, Mr. Moore, Mr. Tucker, and Mr. Jackson.

An engroffed bill, providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States, was read the third time, and ordered to be re-committed to a committee of the whole Houfe, to-morrow.

The order of the day, for the House to refolve itself into a committee of the whole Houfe, on the bill to provide for the remiffion or mitigation of fines, forfeitures, and penalties, in certain cafes, was read, and poftponed un

til to-morrow.

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

FRIDAY, February 5

Ordered, That the petition of the executors of Edward Carnes, deceased, which was prefented yesterday, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with inftruction to examine the fame, and report his opinion thereupon to the Houfe.

Mr. Gilman, from the joint committee for inrolled bills, reported that the committee did yesterday wait on the l'refident of the United States, and present him with the inrolled bill, entitled, " An act for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in refpect to the State of North-Carolina, and other purpofes," for his approbation.

A petition of fundry citizens of the State of New-Jersey, late foldiers in the American army, was prefented to the Houfe, and read; praying that the depreciation of pay for their fervices in the army, may be made good to them.

Alfo, a petition of Ifaac Sherman, of the State of Connecticut; praying that further compenfation may be made for his fervices as an affifting furveyor to the late Geographer of the United States, in the Western Territory.

Alfo, a petition of William Scott, of the State of New-York; praying that his claim to a penfion, in confideration of wounds received in the fervice of the United States, during the late war, may be allowed.

Ordered, That the faid petitions do lie on the table.

The Houfe proceeded to confider the report of the committee on the petition of Roger Alden; which, being amended, to read as followeth :

That Mr. Alden was, on the 24th of July, 1789, appointed by the President of the United States, to take charge of the records, books, papers, and feal of the late Congrefs; in which employment he ftill continues. That for the difcharge of his duty in that truft; the bringing up the books, and compleating the records of the late Congrefs, to be delivered over to the Secretary of State; attending to the frequent calls of the public for references to original papers; the application of members of Congrefs and individuals for numerous copies,

extracts and authentications of unfinished business before the late Congress; receiving from the Prefident of the United States, a variety of original papers, to be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State; affixing the feals; and other fervices in faid office-Mr. Alden found it neceffary to employ an affiftant, until the fifteenth of November laft, at which time he was discharged.

That a compenfation, payable out of the treasury of the United States, should be allowed Mr. Alden, at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum, until the Secretary of State fhall enter on the duties of his office; and that he be allowed the customary contingent expences of office: Alfo, that a compenfation, at the rate of five hundred dollars per annum, be allowed for his affiftant, during the time he was actually employed.

Refolved, That this Iloufe doth agree to the faid report; and that it be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills, to appropriate fuch a fum or fums of money as may be neceffary for the payment of the civil lift, to make provifion accordingly.

The Speaker laid before the Houfe a letter from the Secretary at War, accompanying his reports on the feveral petitions of Ruth Roberts, Salmon Burr, and Ezra Sinith, which were read and ordered to lie on the table.

The House, according to the order of the day, refolved itself into a committee of the whole Houfe on the bill, to provide for the remiffion or mitigation of fines, forfeitures and penalties in certain cafes.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Baldwin took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Baldwin reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the faid bill under their confideration, and gone through the fame, and made an amendment thereto, which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the fame was twice read and agreed to by the House. On motion,

Ordered, That the faid bill, with the amendment, be recommitted to Mr. Ames, Mr. Sturges, Mr. Stone, Mr. Griffin, and Mr. Wynkoop.

The orders of the day for the House to refolve itfelf into a committee of the whole House, on the bill fent from the Senate, entitled, " An act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States;" alfo, on the engroffed bill, providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States; were read and postponed until Monday next.

And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock..

MONDAY, February 8.

A memorial of Robert Morris, late Superintendant of the Finances of the United States, was prefented to the House and read, praying that commiffioners may be appointed to make enquiry into his official conduct whilft Superintendant, in conformity to a refolution of the late Congrefs. Alfo,

A petition of fundry inhabitants of the town of Salem, in the state of Maffachusetts, praying that fo much of the law for regulating the coafting trade, as compels the owners of veffels employed therein to take out a licence for the fame, may be amended.

Ordered, That the faid memorial and petition do lie on the table.

A petition of Nathan Read, of Salem, in the state of Maffachusetts, was prefented to the House and read, praying the aid of Congress, and an exclusive privilege for constructing fundry machines and engines, which he has invented for improving the art of diftillation, for facilitating the operation of mills and other water-works, and for promoting the purposes of navigation and land carriage.

H

Alfo a petition of John Stevens, junior, praying that an exclufive privilege may be granted him for an improvement on the fteam engine, which he has invented, by a new mode of generating steam.

Ordered, That the faid petitions be referred to Mr. Burke, Mr. Huntington, and Mr. Cadwalader, that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the fame with their opinion thereupon to the House.

On motion,

Ordered, That the committee of the whole House, to whom the engroffed bill providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States, was committed, be difcharged therefrom.

The faid engroffed bill was then read the third time, and the blanks therein filled up.

Refolved, That the faid bill do pafs, and that the title be," An act providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States.

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

A meffage was reccived from the Prefident of the United States, by Mr. Lear his Secretary, notifying that the Prefident approves of the act, entitled, “ An act for giving effect to the feveral acts therein mentioned, in refpect to the state of North-Carolina, and other purposes ;" and has this day affixed his fignature thereto: And the Secretary delivered in the faid act, and then withdrew.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The Houfe, according to the order of the day, refolved itself into a committee of the whole Houfe, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, relative to a provifion for the fupport of the public credit.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Baldwin took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker refumed the chair, and Mr. Baldwin reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the faid report under confideration, and made fome progress therein.

Refolved, That this Houfe will, to-morrow, again refolve itself into a committee of the whole House, on the faid report.

The order of the day for the House to refolve itself into a committee of the whole Houfe, on the bill fent from the Senate, entitled, "An act for the punifhment of certain crimes against the United States," was read and postponed until to-morrow.

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

TUESDAY, February 9.

Ordered, That the petition of the inhabitants of the town of Salem, in the ftate of Massachusetts, which was prefented yesterday, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with inftruction to examine the fame, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A petition of Donald Campbell, of the city of New-York, was prefented to the House and read, praying the attention of Congrefs to a reprefentation which he made to the late Congrefs, against certain statements of the late Board of Treasury, on the fubject of his claims against the United States. Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table.

A petition of the contractors for conveying the mail between the cities of Philadelphia and New-York, was prefented to the House and read, praying the interpofition of Congrefs to relieve them from a tax impofed on the mail ftages by the state of New-Jersey; and also in compelling a preference to the mail stages in the paffage of ferries, and along the public roads.

Ordered, That the faid petition be referred to the committee to whom was referred the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, with the report from the Postmaster-General.

The House, according to the order of the day, again refolved itself into a committee of the whole House, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, relative to a provifion for the fupport of the public credit.

Mr. Speaker left the chair.

Mr. Baldwin took the chair of the committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Baldwin reported, that the committee had, according to order, again had the faid report under confideration, and made a farther progrefs therein.

Refolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again refolve itself into a committee of the whole House on the said report.

The order of the day for the House to refolve itself into a committee of the whole House, on the bill fent from the Senate, entitled,, " An act for the pu nishment of certain crimes against the United States," was read and poftponed

until to-morrow.

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

The memorial of Robert Morris, late Superintendant of the Finances of the United States, prefented on Monday laft, was read, and ordered to be inferted in the Journal, as followeth.

To the PRESIDENT, the SENATE and House of REPRESENTATIVES of the United States of America.

The Memorial of ROBERT MORRIS, late Superintendant of the Finances of the faid United States,

Humbly Shewetb,

THAT on the twentieth day of June, one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-five, and fubfequent to your memorialift's refignation of his office of Superintendant, the Congrefs paffed a refolution in the words following: "Refolved, That three commiffioners be appointed, to enquire into the re

66

ceipts and expenditures of public monies, during the adminiftration of the "late Superintendant of Finance, and to examine and adjust the accounts of "the United States with that department, during his administration, and to "report a state thereof to Congress," which refolution, to perfons unacquainted with the nature of the office, and the mode of conducting the business of the department, gave occafion to the fuppofition, that your memorialist had accounts both difficult and important to fettle with the United States, in respect to his official tranfactions. That though your memorialist foresaw the difagreeable confequences which might refult to himself from the diffufion of fuch an opinion, he notwithstanding, not only forbore any reprefentation on the fubject, but fcrupulously avoided every fpecies of interference direct or indirect, left it fhould be imagined, either that he was actuated by the defire of obtaining from Congress those marks of approbation, which had in repeated inftances, been bestowed on the fervants of the public, or that he feared to meet the propofed investigation. Refpect for the fovereign of the United States, concurring with motives of delicacy, to forbid even the appearance of afking, what if merited, it was to be prefumed would be conferred, (as being the proper reward of fervices, not of folicitation) and a firm confidence in the rectitude of his conduct, leaving your memorialist no inducement to evade any enquiry into it, which it might be thought fit to institute..

That your memorialist taking it for granted, that the reasons which had produced a determination to establish a mode of enquiry into the transactions of the most important office under the government, would have enfured a profecution of the object till it had been carried into effect, long remained in filent expectation of the appointment of commiffioners, according to the refolution which had been entered into for that purpose. But it has fo happened, from what cause your memorialist will not undertake to explain, that no further steps have ever been taken in relation to it; and your memorialist has remained expofed to the furmifes, which the appearance of an intention to enquire into his conduct had a tendency to excite, without having been afforded an opportunity of obviating them. That the unfettled condition of certain accounts of a commercial nature between the United States, and the late house of Willing, Morris, and company, and your memorialist, prior to his appointment as Superintendent of the Finances, having been confounded with his transactions in that capacity, your memorialist has in various ways, been fubjected to injurious imputations on his official conduct, the only fruits of fervices, which at the time they were rendered, he trufts, he may without incurring the charge of prefumption, affirm, were generally efteemed both important and meritorious, and were at leaft rendered with ardor and zeal, with unreinitted attention, and unwearied application.

That your memorialift, defirous of refcuing his reputation from the afperfions thrown upon it, came in the month of October 1788, to the city of New-York, as well for the purpofe of urging the appointment of commiffioners to inspect his official tranfactions, as for that of procuring an adjustment of the accounts which existed previous to his adminiftration. But the first object was frustrated by the want of a fufficient number of members to make a Congress, and the last was unavoidably delayed by the preliminary inveftigations requifite on the part of the commiffioner named by the late Board of Treasury, towards a competent knowledge of the bufinefs. That in the month of February 1789, your memorialift returned to New-York for the fame purposes, but the obstacles which he had before experienced, ftill operated to put it out of his power to present the memorial which had been prepared by him in October, praying for an appointment of commiffioners. That he was therefore obliged to confine himself to meafures for the fettlement of his accounts refpecling the transactions antecedent to his appointment as Superintendant, which he entered upon accordingly with the Commiffioner appointed by the Board of Treafury: And in which, as much progress as time and circumstances would permit, was made until the fourth of March last, when that commiffioner, conceiving his authority by the organization of the new government to have ceased, declined further proceedings, and of course your memorialist was obliged to wait the establishment of the new treasury department for the further prosecution of that settlement, which has been accordingly refumed, and he hopes will speedily be accomplished. But in as much as no mode of enquiry into his official conduct has hitherto been put into operation, and as doubts of its propriety have been raised by an act of the government, your memorialift conceives himself to have a claim upon the public juftice, for fome method of vindicating himself, which will be unequivocal and definitive. Wherefore, and encouraged by a consciousness of the integrity of his adminiftration, your memorialift is defirous that a strict examination fhould be had into his conduct while in office, in order that if he has been guilty of maladministration, it may be detected and punished; if otherwife, that his innocence may be manifested and acknowledged. Unwilling from this motive, that longer delay fhould attend the object of the refolution