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received in the service of the United States, during the late war, be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction that he do examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by the Secretary of War, who delivered in the same, together with the plan therein referred And then withdrew.

to.

The said message was then read, and is as followeth :

UNITED STATES, January 21, 1790.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

The Secretary of the Department of War has submitted to me certain principles, to serve as a plan for the general arrangement of the Militia of the United States.

Conceiving the subject to be of the greatest importance to the welfare of our country, and liable to be placed in various points of view, I have directed him to lay the plan before Congress for their information, that they may make such use thereof as they shall judge proper.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Ordered, That the said message and plan be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Ordered, That three hundred copies of the said plan be forthwith struck for the use of the members of both Houses.

Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill providing the means of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations; which was received, and read the first time.

On motion,

The report of the committee to whom was referred the message from the President of the United States, with the statement of the Southwestern frontier, and of the Indian Department, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House immediately.

The House accordingly resolved itself into the said committee.

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 said report under consideration, and agreed thereto without any amendment.

The House proceeded to consider the said report, and, after some time spent therein, The House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying a report made to him by the Postmaster General, respecting the Post Office, and suggesting a plan for its future establishment; which was read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Fitzsinions, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Sinnickson, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Stone; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

A bill providing the means of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.

Mr. Sherman, from the committee appointed to confer with the committee appointed by the Senate, to consider and report whether or not the business begun previous to the late adjournment of Congress, shall now be proceeded in as if no adjournment had taken place, reported that, in the opinion of the committee, the business unfinished between the two Houses, at the late adjournment, ought to be regarded as if it had not been passed upon by either.

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

The order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing for the Actual Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States, was read, and postponed until Monday next.

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

MONDAY, JANUARY 25.

A petition of James Price was presented to the House and read, praying that his claim for supplies furnished to the American army in Canada, during the late war, may be liquidated and satisfied,

Also, a petition of Gabriel Allen, of the State of New Jersey, praying that duplicates may be granted him of certain Continental Loan Office certificates, of which he was possessed, aud casually lost some time in the year 1778.

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

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary; who delivered in the same, together with the papers therein referred to. And then withdrew.

The said message and papers were read, and are as follow :

UNITED STATES, January 25, 1790.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

I have received from his Excellency John E. Howard, Governor of the State of Maryland, an act of the Legislature of Maryland, to ratify certain Articles in addition to, and amendment of, the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress to the Legislatures of the several States; and have directed my Secretary to lay a copy of the same before you, together with the copy of a letter accompanying the above act, from his Excellency the Governor of Maryland to the President of the United States.

The originals will be deposited in the office of the Secretary of State.

G. WASHINGTON.

“ANNAPOLIS, Junuary 15, 1790. SIR: I have the honor to enclose a copy of an act of the Legislature of Maryland, to ratify certain Articles in addition to, and amendment of, the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress to the Legislatures of the several States. I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, sir, your most obedient servant, J. E. HOWARD.

His Excellency the PRESIDENT of the United States.

I do certify the foregoing to be a true copy from the original letter from John E. Howard, Governor of the State of Maryland, to the President of the United States. TOBIAS LEAR, Secretary to the President of the United States.

In act to ratify certain Articles in addition to, and amendment of, the Constitution of the U. States of America, proposed by Congress to the Legislatures of the several States. Whereas it is provided, by the fifth article of the Constitution of the United States of America, that Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to the said Constitution, or, on the application of the Legis latures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress. And whereas, at a session of the United States, begun and held at the city of New York, on Wednesday, the fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, it was resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the said United States in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following articles be proposed to the Legis latures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, viz:

[Here follow the several articles of amendment, in the words agreed to by Congress.]

VOL. I.-19

Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the aforesaid articles, and each of them, be, and they are hereby, confirmed and ratified.

By the House of Delegates, December 17, 1789. Read and assented to.
By order, W.HARWOOD, Clerk

By the Senate, December 19, 1789. Read and assented to.

By order, H. RIDGELY, Clerk. J. E. HOWARD. (Seal appendant.)

I hereby certify, that the above is a true copy from the original engrossed act, as passed by the Legislature of the State of Maryland.

MARYLAND, 98.

T. JOHNSON, Jun. Clerk Council.

Witness

In testimony that Thomas Johnson, jun. is Clerk of the Executive Council of the State of Maryland, I have hereunto affixed the great seal of the said State. my hand, this fifteenth day of January, Anno Domini 1790.

SAMUEL HARVEY HOWARD, Reg. Cur. Can.

I certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the act transmitted to the President of the United States, by J. E. Howard, Governor of the State of Maryland.

TOBIAS LEAR, Secretary to the President of the United States."

Ordered, That the said message and papers do lie on the table.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing for the Actual Enumeration of the Inhabitantsof the United States.

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 said bill 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 bill.

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

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to a resolution, that the business unfinished between the two Houses, at the late adjournment, ought to be regarded as if it had not been passed upon by either; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The House proceeded to consider the said resolution; and the same being twice read at the Clerk's table, was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Benson, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the State of North Carolina; which was received, and read the first time.

Mr. Hartley, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill establishing an uniform rule of naturalization; which was received, and read the first time.

On motion,

The bill for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the State of North Carolina, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills, making a general provision for securing to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries; and that Mr. Burke, Mr. Huntington, and Mr. Cadwalader, do prepare and bring in the same.

The order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing the means of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations, was read and postponed until to-morrow.

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26.

A petition of Rufus Lincoln, of Taunton, in the State of Massachusetts, was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for his services as a recruiting officer during the late war.

Also, a petition of the merchants and other inhabitants of the town of Portland, in the said State, praying that sundry inconveniences which they suggest have arisen in the execution of the laws of impost, and for regulating the coasting trade, may be remedied, and the said laws amended.

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

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the State of North Carolina.

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 said bill under consideration, and gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

A bill establishing an uniform rule of naturalization, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.

Ordered, That the petition of James Price, presented yesterday, be referred to Mr. Ames, Mr. Fitzsimons, and Mr. Boudinot; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing for the Actual Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States.

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 said bill under consideration, and gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were read: Whereupon,

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be re-committed to Mr. Foster, Mr. Goodhue, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Schureman, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Seney, Mr. White, Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Madison.

Mr. Ames, from the committee to whom was referred the report from the Secretary of the Treasury, on the petition of Chistopher Saddler, made a report; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth:

That, in the opinion of the committee, provision ought to be made by law for the remission or mitigation of fines, forfeitures, and penalties, in certain cases.

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said report; and that Mr. Ames, Mr. Sturges, Mr. Stone, Mr. Griffin, and Mr. Wynkoop, do prepare and bring

in the same.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing the means of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations.

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 said bill 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 bill.

Mr. Ames, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill to provide for the remission or mitigation of Fines, Forfeitures, and Penalties, in certain cases; which was received, and read the first time.

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

Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the Senate to bring to this House a letter addressed to the Congress of the United States, from Gaetan Drago de Dominico, dated Genoa, the twenty-first of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. And be delivered in the same, and then withdrew.

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

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27.

An engrossed bill for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the State of North Carolina, was read the third time.

Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be "An act for giving effect to the several acts therein mentioned, in respect to the State of North Carolina."

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

A bill to provide for the remission or mitigation of fines, forfeitures, and penalties, in certain cases, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on this day se'nnight.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing the means of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations.

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 said bill under consideration, and gone through the same, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

On motion,

Resolved, That the petition of Hannibal William Dobbyn be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, who was directed to report a general plan for the sale of the lands, the property of the United States, for his information.

A petition of Ezra Stiles, in behalf of the President and Fellows of Yale College, in Connecticut, was presented to the House and read, praying that the impost duties arising on a philosophical apparatus lately purchased and imported from London, for the use of the said College, may be remitted.

Also, a petition of John Wait, praying that his claim for arrearages of pay, due to sundry soldiers of the late Army, transferred to him, and for which he supplied them with clothing and other necessaries, may be allowed.

Ordered, That the said petitions do lie on the table,

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

On motion,

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28.

The House proceeded to consider the petition of John Wait, presented yesterday: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the said petition be rejected.

On motion,

Resolved, That the order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to a provision for the support of the public credit, be postponed until Monday se'nnight.

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, who delivered in the same, together with the papers therein referred to, and then withdrew.

The said message was read, and is as followeth:

UNITED STATES, January 28, 1790.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

I have directed my Secretary to lay before you the copy of an act of the Legislature of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, entitled "An act for calling a Convention to take into consideration the Constitution proposed for the United States, passed on the seventeenth day of September, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, by the General Convention held at Philadelphia;" together with the copy of a letter accompanying the said act, from his Excellency John Collins, Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, to the President of the United States.

The originals of the foregoing act and letter will be deposited in the office of the 'Secretary of State. GEORGE WASHINGTON.

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