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The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill declaring what officer shall, in case of vacancies both in the offices of President and Vice President of the United States, act as President; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Boudinot reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill 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 bill.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill declaring the respective times when the Electors to vote for a President of the United States shall be appointed or chosen, and shall give their votes; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Boudinot 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.

On a motion made and seconded, "That a committee be appointed to consider and report whether any, and what, farther compensation is necessary to be made to the Commissioners of Loans, to defray the extraordinary expense occasioned to them, in the first instance, in the execution of the act making farther provision for the debt of the United States:"

Ordered, That the said motion be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

Ordered, That Mr. Bourn be added to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills concerning the trade and navigation of the United States. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14.

A petition of Joseph Wheaton, late an officer in the continental Army, was presented to the House and read, praying to be reimbursed the amount of a judgment obtained against him in the State of Rhode Island for a quantity of forage impressed for the Army of the United States during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A petition of Andrew Brown was presented to the House and read, praying that Congress will adopt some mode of authenticating a new edition of the Laws of the United States, which he is now about to publish.

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

Mr. White, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill to establish offices for the purpose of granting lands within the Territories of the United States; 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 on Thursday next.

A petition of Thomas Boyd was presented to the House and read, praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of wounds received whilst a soldier in the service of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

Mr. Fitzsimons, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of sundry officers of the Navy of the State of Pennsylvania, made a report; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth:

"That it will not be advisable to grant the prayer of the petitioners, and, therefore, that they have leave to withdraw their petition."

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to authorize the President of the United States to cause the debt due to foreign officers, the interest whereof is now payable in Paris, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, to be paid and discharged; and that Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Benson, and Mr. Sevier, be of the said committee.

A Member from Virginia presented to the House a memorial from the General Assembly of that State, stating certain objections to the act passed at the last Session of Con

gress, entitled “An act making provision for the debts of the United States;” which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill declaring the respective times when the Electors to vote for a President of the United States shall be appointed or chosen, and shall give their votes; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Boudinot reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and male several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments, do lie on the table.
The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next.
And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock.

MONDAY, JANUARY 17.

Ordered, That the petition of Andrew Brown, which was presented on Friday last, be referred to the Secretary of State, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

Another Member, to wit: George Gale, from Maryland, appeared and took his scat in the House.

A memorial of George Glentworth was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for services rendered as senior Physician and Surgeon General of the General Hospital of the United States, during the late war.

Also,

A petition of Ebenezer Nash, praying relief in consideration of wounds received whilst a soldier in the service of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said memorial and petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of Daniel Ellis and John How, executors of Samuel How, late of the city of Burlington, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying to receive payment for a quantity of pork which was impressed from the said Samuel How, for the use of the Army of the United States, during the late war. Also,

A petition of Israel Jones, in behalf of Joshua Ashbridge, praying compensation for sundry articles impressed from the said Joshua Ashbridge, for the use of the Army of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A petition of Donald Campbell was presented to the House and read, praying a liquidation and payment of certain claims against the United States.

And on the question, that the said petition be referred to the consideration of a committee,

It passed in the negative.

Resolved, That the said petition be rejected.

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth :

UNITED STATES, January 17, 1791.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

I lay before you an official statement of the appropriation of ten thousand dollars, granted to defray the contingent expenses of Government, by an act of the twentysixth of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety.

A copy of two resolutions of the Legislature of Virginia, and of a petition of sundry officers, and assignees of officers and soldiers of the Virginia Line, on Continental Establishment, on the subject of bounty lands allotted to them on the Northwest side of the Ohio; and a copy of an act of the Legislature of Maryland, to empower the Wardens of the port of Baltimore to levy and collect the duty therein mentioned.

G. WASHINGTON.

The House proceeded to consider the amendments agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on Thursday last, to the bill repealing, after the last day of next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence and general welfare: And the said amendments being twice read, at the Clerk's table, were, on the question severally put thereupon, agreed to.

A motion was then made, and the question being put, further to amend the said bill, by striking out the thirteenth section thereof, in the words following, to wit:

"And be it further enacted, That, upon all spirits which, after the said last day of next, shall be distilled within the United States, from any article of the growth or production of the United States, in any city, town, or village, there shall be paid for their use the duties following; that is to say:

"For every gallon of those spirits more than ten per cent. below proof, according to Dicas's hydrometer, nine cents.

"For every gallon of those spirits under five, and not more than ten per cent. below proof, according to the same hydrometer, ten cents.

"For every gallon of those spirits of proof, and not more than five per cent. below proof, according to the same hydrometer, eleven cents.

"For every gallon of those spirits above proof, but not exceeding twenty per cent. according to the same hydrometer, thirteen cents.

"For every gallon of those spirits more than twenty and not more than forty per cent. above proof, according to the same hydrometer, seventeen cents.

"For every gallon of those spirits more than forty per cent. above proof, according to the same hydrometer, twenty-five cents."

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The ayes and noes being demanded by one-fifth of the members present,

Those who voted in the affirmative, are,

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The House proceeded further to consider the said bill; and an adjournment being called for,

The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 18.

The several papers referred to in the President's message of yesterday were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for declaring the assent of Congress to a certain act of the State of Maryland; and that Mr. Seney, Mr. Smith, of Maryland, and Mr. Mathews, be of the said committee.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of State, covering a

postscript to his former report on the subject of the coins, weights, and measures, of the United States; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion,

Ordered, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report to this House his opinion whether any, and what, further compensation ought to be made to the respective officers employed in the collection of the revenue.

A memorial of sundry inhabitants of the State of Connecticut was presented to the House and read, praying that foreign vessels may not be allowed to participate in the coasting trade, or to go to other ports than those specially permitted by law, except in cases

of distress.

Ordered, That the said memorial be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for registering ships or vessels, for regulating those employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for other purposes; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.

A petition of Margaret Fisher, administratrix of Henry Fisher, late of Sussex county, in the State of Delaware, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying that a claim against the United States, for sundry expenditures and services of the deceased, during the late war, may be liquidated and allowed.

Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petition of the Inspectors of the the port of Philadelphia, which lay on the table, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

The several petitions of Samuel Kearsley, John Cardiff, and Michael Gabriel Houdin, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compensation for services rendered in the Army of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A petition of Charles Collins was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for services rendered in the Navy of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table.

Mr. Seney, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill de claring the assent of Congress to a certain act of the State of Maryland; which was received, and read the first time.

The House resumed the further consideration of the bill, repealing, after the last day of next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence and general welfare; and, after some debate thereon, an adjournment being called for,

The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19.

A bill to declare the assent of Congress to a certain act of the State of Maryland, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.

Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill authorizing the President of the United States to cause the debt due to foreign officers to be paid and discharged; 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.

A petition of the Baptist Stonington Association was presented to the House and read, praying that Congress will adopt measures to prevent the publication of any inaccurate editions of the Holy Bible.

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

A petition of James Latham was presented to the House and read, praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of the loss of his left arm in the service of the United States, during the late war.

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

A petition of William Dewees was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for losses and injuries sustained in the service of the United States, during the late war. Also,

A petition of Richard Blackledge, praying compensation for a quantity of coffee and sugar supplied to the troops of the late North Carolina Line and inilitia in Continental service.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

A memorial of sundry Surgeons and Mates in the Medical Department of the late Army, was presented to the House and read, praying a farther compensation for their services, during the late war. Also,

A petition of Richard Blackledge, praying compensation for a quantity of leather furnished for the service of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition and memorial be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. Mr. Fitzsimons, from the Committee to whom was referred the petition of Joshua Barney, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill repealing, after the last day of next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence and general welfare; and, after farther debate thereon, an adjournment being called for, The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20.

A memorial of the merchants of Philadelphia, trading to India and China, was presented to the House and read, praying that an additional duty may be laid upon goods imported from thence in foreign bottoms; and also on articles the growth and produce of India or China, which are imported from Europe either in American or foreign bottoms. Also,

A petition of Robert Neill, praying relief against the determination of the Auditor and Comptroller of the Treasury on a claim which he has exhibited against the United

States.

Also,

A petition of Comfort Sands and others, praying that the proceedings of the former Congress upon a claim of the petitioners against the United States, may now be confirmed, and payment of the said claim granted to them.

Ordered, That the said memorial and petitions be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to

the House.

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

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill, entitled ، An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States," to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And he delivered in the same, and then withdrew.

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed, to join a committee of the Senate, to consider what time will be proper for the commencement of the next Congress; to the end that timely notice may be given to the members who are to serve for the ensuing two

years:

And a committee was appointed, of Mr. Tucker, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Partridge.
Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill repealing, after the last day of - next, the duties heretofore laid upon distilled spirits imported from abroad, and laying others in their stead; and also upon spirits distilled within the United States, as well to discourage the excessive use of those spirits, and promote agriculture, as to provide for the support of the public credit, and for the common defence and general welfare; and, having made some additional amendments thereto, an adjournment was called for: Whereupon,

The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow.
And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21.

The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States," was 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 on Wednesday next.

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