The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill from the Senate regulating the number of Representatives to be chosen by the States of Kentucky and Vermont; 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 no amendment thereto. On motion, The said bill was read the third time; and the question being put that the same do pass, It was resolved in the affirmative. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill providing compensations for Clerks, Marshals, and Jurors; 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, on Monday next, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said bill. The House resumed the consideration of the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill "repealing, after the last day of June 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, and for appropriating the same:" Whereupon, A motion was made, and the question being put, to amend the section proposed by the Senate to be inserted in the said bill by way of amendment, after the sixty-first section, by striking out the following words: "five per cent. of the said product computed throughout the United States; and such allowances shall continue to be paid until altered by law ;" and inserting, in lieu thereof, the words "seven per cent. of the whole product of the duties arising from the spirits distilled within the United States; and such allowances shall continue to be paid for the space of two years, unless sooner altered by law :" It was resolved in the affirmative, Ayes Noes .84, .20. The ayes and noes being demanded by one-fifth of the members present. Those who voted in the affirmative, are, And then the main question being put, "that the House do agree to the said amend ment of the Senate as now amended?" It was resolved in the affirmative. Resolved, That this House do agree to all the other amendments proposed by the Senate to the said bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, accompany ing his report on the several petitions of James Alexander, William Paine, Simon Sum mers, Jeremiah Ocain, Benoni Shipman, Robert King, Lemuel Sherman, John Hodge, Alexander Neilson, John Falconer, and sundry inhabitats of West Chester County, in the State of New York, John Baylor, exccutor of Colonel George Baylor, deceased, Stephen Steward, Junior, executor of the late Colonel John Steward, deceased, and Anthony Walton White; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. An engrossed bill giving effect to the laws of the United States within the State of Vermont, was read the third time, and the blanks therein filled up. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act giving effect to the laws of the United States within the State of Vermont." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and de sire their concurrence. Mr. Goodhue, from the committee to whom was referred the written message from the President of the United States, of the fourteenth instant, made a report; 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 providing compensations for Clerks, Marshals, and Jurors; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Bou dinot reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said bill under consideration, and made an amendment thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House. Ordered, That the said bill, together with the amendment, be re-committed to Mr. Sherman, Mr. Benson, Mr. Seney, Mr. White, and Mr. Livermore. Mr. Madison, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill to explain and amend the act, entitled "An act making further provision for the payment of the debts 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 engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to compensate Joshua Barney; 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 an amendment thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House. And then the question being put that the said bill, with the amendment, be en grossed, and read the third time, It passed in the negative. And so the bill was rejected. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, accompany ing his reports on the several petitions of Richard Lloyd, Francis Taylor, Ebenezer A. Smith, James Norris, William Cottle, and David Cook; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. An engrossed bill to explain and amend the act making further provision for the pay ment of the debts of the United States was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act to explain and amend the act making further provision for the payment of the debts of the United States." VOL. I-49 Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill making further provision for the collection of the duties imposed on teas; 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. Mr. Boudinot, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill supplementary to the act establishing the Treasury Department; 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. Mr. Fitzsimons, from the committee appointed to report "whether any farther provision is necessary to secure the due accounting for the moneys expended in the Department of War," made a report; which was read, and ordered to 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 supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States;" 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 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, be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. A message ftom the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate do recede from their amendment, disagreed to by this House, to the bill, entitled "An act repealing, after the last day of June 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, and for appropriating the same:" And do agree to all the amendments, proposed by this House, to their other amendments to the said bill, with an amendment to the amendment to the amendment which is proposed to follow the sixty-first section, by striking out the words "for the space of two years, unless sooner altered by law," in the amendment to the amendment, and substituting in lieu thereof, the words, "until altered by law." The Senate have also agreed to some farther amendments to the said bill; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said message: Whereupon, Resolved, That this House doth disagree to the amendment to the amendment to the amendment, which is proposed to follow the sixty-first section of the before-mentioned bill, and doth insist on the amendment to the said amendment, as originally proposed on the part of this House. Ayes 36: Noes 24. The ayes and noes being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, John Baptist Ashe, Abraham Baldwin, Timothy Bloodworth, Benjamin Bourn, Edanus Burke, Richard Bland Lee, Samuel Livermore, George Mathews, Peter Muhlenberg Josiah Parker, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Thomas Scott, Joshua Seney, Peter Silvester, William Smith, of Maryland, John Steele, Michael Jenifer Stone, Thomas Sumpter, Thomas Tudor Tucker, John Vining, Alexander White, and Hugh Williamson. Resolved, That this House doth agree to the farther amendments proposed by the Senate to the said bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. Mr. Floyd, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled, "An act regulating the number of Representatives to be chosen by the States of Kentucky and Vermont," and had found the same to be truly enrolled: Whereupon, Mr. Speaker signed the said enrolled bill. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform this House that the Senate have resolved that the bill sent from this House, entitled "An act to alter the time of the next meeting of Congress," do not pass to the third reading. They have also agreed to a resolu tion, that the President of the United States be requested to cause to be communieated to the National Assembly of France, the peculiar sensibility of Congress to the tribute paid to the memory of Benjamin Franklin, by the enlightened and free Representatives of a great nation, in their decree of the eleventh of June, seventeen hundred and ninety; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23. An engrossed bill, supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States," was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. The House proceeded to consider the resolution sent from the Senate yesterday; and the same being twice read, was agreed to as followeth: Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of Ame rica in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be communicated to the National Assembly of France, the peculiar sensibility of Congress to the tribute paid to the memory of Benjamin Franklin, by the enlightened and free Representatives of a great nation, in their decree of the eleventh of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, respecting farther compensation to Commissioners of the several loan-offices; and the same being twice read, was agreed to as followeth: "That provision should be made by law for admitting to the credit of the several Commissioners of Loans, in the settlement of their respective accounts, all such sums as shall appear to have been necessarily expended by them in the purchase of stationery, and for the hire of clerks in relation to the execution of their offices, from the commencement of the same to the first day of October next, deducting the salary of one clerk in respect to each of the Commissioners of Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia." Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said report; and that Mr. Williamson, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. White, do prepare and bring in the same. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have come to a resolution, that the bill sent from this House, entitled "An act to authorize the President of the United States to cause the debt due to foreign officers to be paid and discharged," do not pass to the third reading: And they have passed the bill, entitled "An act giving effect to the laws of the United States within the State of Vermont," with an amendment; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills fixing the time for the next annual meeting of Congress, and that Mr. Smith (of South Carolina,) Mr. Lawrance, and Mr. Van Rensselaer, be of the said committee. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate insist on their amendment, disagreed to by this House, to the amendment to the amendment which is proposed to follow the sixty-first section of the bill, entitled "An act repealing, after the last day of June 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, and for appropriating the same;" and desire a conference with this House on the subject matter thereof, to which they have appointed managers on their part. And then he withdrew. On motion, Resolved, That this House doth agree to the conference desired by the Senate; and that Mr. Boudinot, Mr. White, and Mr. Livermore, be appointed managers at the said conference, on the part of this House. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the written message from the President of the United States, of the fourteenth instant: Whereupon, Odererd, That the said report be referred to the Secretary of State; and that he be directed to report to Congress the nature and extent of the privileges and restrictions of the commercial intercourse of the United States with foreign nations, and such measures as he shall think proper to be adopted for the improvement of the commerce and navigation of the same. Mr. Smith (of South Carolina,) from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill fixing the time for the next annual meeting of Congress; which was received and read the first time. On motion, The said bill was read the second time, and ordered to be engrossed, and read, the third time to-morrow. 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, FEBRUARY 24. The several petitions of Peter Stoy, Thomas Alexander, and John Turner, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of wounds received, or injuries sustained, in the service of the United States, during the late war. Also, A petition of William Middleton, praying compensation for military services rendered to 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 George Webb was presented to the House and read, praying farther compensation for his services, and also to be reimbursed for the loss of a sum of the public money, whilst receiver of continental taxes, for the State of Virginia. 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. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying his report on the petition of William Simmons, referred to him by an order of this House, of the seventh of January last; which was twice read, and agreed to as followeth; "That it would be expedient, in the opinion of the Secretary, to raise the salary of the chief Clerk of the Auditor, to the same standard with the salary of the chief Clerk of the Comptroller." |