Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the sane, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of Day & Meade Pandolph, Executor of Richard Randolph, deceased, was presented to the House and read, praying to receive payment for a quantity of flour, supplied by the testator for the use of the Army, 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. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of Jeremiah Allen: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said petition and report be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the J: diciary System of the United States. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of Susannah Fowle: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said petition and report be referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom were referred the petitions of Francis Choate and Isaac Choate: Whereupon, so much of the said report, in the words following, to wit: "that, in the opinion of the committee, the prayer of the said petition cannot be granted," was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House. A petition of Charles Colvill, of the city of Philadelphia, was presented to the House and read, praying to be paid the amount of his ransom from slavery among the Algerines, together with his expenses in travelling from Algiers to Scotland, and from thence to America; as, also, that measures may be taken for procuring the ransom, or relief from slavery, of Captains O'Brian and Stevens, with their respective crews, being citizens of the United States, and now in slavery at Algiers. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of State, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. On motion, The order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the schedule of enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States, was further postponed until Thursday next. Ordered, That Mr. Sterrett have leave to be absent from the service of this House for ten days. The other order of the day was further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7. Several other members, to wit: from Pennsylvania, William Findley; from North Carolina, John Baptist Ashe; and from Georgia, Abraham Baldwin; appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being administered to them by Mr. Speaker, according to law. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying his report of certain estimates of sums necessary to be appropriated for various objects therein specified, including the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two; which was read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Laurance, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. Ashe, with instruction to prepare and bring in a bill or bills pursuant thereto. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act granting farther time for making return of the enumeration of the inhabitants in the District of South Carolina," with several amendments, to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the said amendments; and the same being read, were agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. On motion, Ordered, That Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, and Mr. Smith, of Vermont, be ap pointed a Committee for Enrolled Bills, on the part of this House, jointly with such committee as shall be appointed for that purpose on the part of the Senate. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Secretary of War on the petition of John Torrey, Administrator of the late Major Josephi Torrey, deceased: Whereupon, VOL. E-57 Ordered, That the said petition and report be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Secretary of War on the petitions of John Younglove, and of the inhabitants of the counties of Albany, Washington, and Saratoga, in the State of New York, and made some progress therein. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have appointed Mr. Rutherford on their part, of the Committee for Enrolled Bills. And then he withdrew. The Speaker laid before the House a report from the Commissioners appointed by the act, entitled "An act making provision for the reduction of the public debt," stating the amount of the purchases which have been made of the public debt, in pursuance of the powers vested in them by the said act; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House proceed to consider the report of the Secretary of War on the petition of Joseph Tucker, Thomas Hollis Condy, Robert Williams, and Samuel Armstrong, made to the second session of the first Congress: Whereupon, Resolved, That so much of the said report, in the words following, to wit: "that the case is so circumstanced that the petitioners cannot obtain any further allowances, unless the Legislature of Massachusetts should think proper to grant the same," be agreed to. The orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8. Another member, to wit: Andrew Gregg, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. A petition of James Muckelroy was presented to the House and read, praying to receive certain arrears of pay, due to him for services as a soldier in the Army of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill "granting farther time for making return of the enumeration of the inhabitants in the District of South Carolina," 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 petition of Josias Clapham was presented to the House and read, praying the renewal of certain Loan Office certificates and indents, the property of the petitioner, which were destroyed by fire. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills directing the mode in which the evidences of the debt of the United States, which have been lost or destroyed, shall be renewed. A petition of James Sinkler was presented to the House and read, praying to be al lowed to fund certain certificates of indent, being the duplicates of certain original certificates of indent, the property of the petitioner, which were destroyed by fire. Ordered, That the said petition 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 report of the Secretary of War on the petition of John Torrey, Administrator of Major Joseph Torrey, deceased; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Muhlenberg reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said report under consideration, and come to a resolution thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth: Resolved, That the report of the Secretary for the Department of War on the petition of the said John Torrey, Administrator of Joseph Torrey, deceased, be agreed to, and, therefore, that the prayer of the said petition cannot be granted. Mr. Bourne, of Massachusetts, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, this day, wait on the President of the United States, and present for his approbation, an enrolled bill, entitled "An act granting farther time for making return of the enumeration of the inhabitants in the District of South Carolina." A me sage was received from the President of the United States, notifying that the President did, this day, approve and sign an act, entitled "An act granting farther time for making return of the enumeration of the inhabitants in the District of South Carolina." The orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9. Two other members, to wit: from Maryland, William Vans Murray; and from South Carolina, Thomas Sumpter; appeared, produced their credentials, and took their scats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being administered to them by Mr. Speaker, according to law. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Governor of Maryland, enclosing a letter to him from William Pinckney, a member returned to serve in this House, for the said State, containing his resignation of that appointment; also a return of John Francis Mercer, elected a member to serve in this House, in the room of the said William Pinckney; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Standing Committee of Elections. The petitions of Joseph Stout and Charles Croxall 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. Mr. Sedgwick, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill directing the mode in which the evidences of the debt of the United States, which have been lost or destroyed, may be renewed; which was received, and read the first time. On motion, Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House be discharged from considering certain propositions of amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which were committed to them on Thursday last; and that the said propositions of amendment be referred to Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Hillhouse, Mr. Benson, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Madison, Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, and Mr. Steele. On motion, Resolved, That the Attorney General be directed to report to this House, such farther information as he may be in possession of, relative to the operation of the Judicial System. On motion, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to establish an uniform system on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States; and that Mr. Vining, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Giles, Mr. Laurance, and Mr. Gerry, be the said committee. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to regulate Pilots, and provide for the superintendence of the light-houses, and the beacons, buoys, and public piers, in the bay and river of Delaware, and the bay of Chesapeake, with the rivers emptying into the same; and that Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Sheredine, be the said committee. The House proceeded to consider the report of the Secretary of War on the petition of John Younglove, and of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Albany and Washington, in the State of New York: Whereupon, Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Albany and Washington, in the State of New York, for a repeal of so much of the act of Congress, entitled "An act for the relief of disabled soldiers and seamen, lately in the service of the United States, and of certain other persons," as relates to the pension of the said John Younglove, cannot be granted. The orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10. A bill directing the mode in which the evidences of the debt of the United States, which have been lost or destroyed, shall be renewed, was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. The several petitions of John Hepner, Thomas Jenney, Andrew Dover, Elijah Knapp, Joseph Nash, Abraham Pykes, Matthias Sadler, and John Tozar, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compensation for wounds received, or 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 message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth : UNITED STATES, November 10th, 1791. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: The resolution passed at the last session of Congress, requesting the President of the United States to cause an estimate to be laid before Congress at their next session, of the quantity and situation of the lands not claimed by the Indians, nor granted to, nor claimed by, any of the citizens of the United States, within the territory ceded to the United States by the State of North Carolina, and within the territory of the United States, Northwest of the river Ohio, has been referred to the Secretary of State; a copy of whose report on that subject I now lay before you, together with the copy of a letter accompanying it. G. WASHINGTON. The report of the Secretary of State, referred to in the said message, was read, and ordered to be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to establish offices for the purpose of granting lands within the territories of the United States. Ordered, That the Secretary of the Treasury do report to this House the amount of the exports from the several districts within the United States respectively; also, of duties arising on imports and tonnage, from the twenty-ninth of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, to the thirtieth of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. The House, according to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the schedule of the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Muhlenburg reported that the committee had, according to order, again had the said schedule 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 schedule. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to provide for the settlement of the claims of persons under particular circumstances, barred by the limitations heretofore established; and that Mr. White, Mr. Fitzsimons, and Mr. Niles, be the said committee. The orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11. Another member, to wit: John W. Kittera, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. The several orders of the day were further postponed until Monday next. And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14. The several petitions of Thomas Baker, Daniel Forbes, Jonathan Guy, Adam Koch, John M'Kinsey, of Thomas Napier, David Henderson, and Alexander Low, and of Isaac Robertson, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compen. sation for wounds received, services rendered, or injuries sustained, 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 James Jackson, of the State of Georgia, was presented to the House and read, complaining of the undue election and return of Anthony Wayne, one of the members returned to serve in this House for the said State. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A petition of Moses Hazen was presented to the House and read, praying the settlement of a claim against the United States, as an officer in the late Army. Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth: UNITED STATES, November 11th, 1791. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: I have received from the Governor of Virginia, a resolution of the General Assembly of that Commonwealth, ratifying the first article of the amendments proposed by Congress to the Constitution of the United States; a copy of which, and of the letter accompanying it, I now lay before you. Sundry papers relating to the purchase by Judge Symmes, of the lands on the Great Miami, having been communicated to me, I have thought it proper to lay the same before you, for your information on that subject. G. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That the papers relating to the Miami purchase be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to establish offices for the purpose of granting lands within the territories of the United States. A petition of the distillers of spirits in the town of Baltimore was presented to the House and read, praying a reduction of duties, and farther revision and amendment of the act psssed at the last session, for laying duties upon spirits distilled within the United States. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, for his information. A petition of Stephen Zacchari, of the town of Baltimore, was presented to the House and read, praying to be relieved from the payment of the additional tonnage and duties on a vessel and cargo, the property of the petitioner, which, through mere mistake, was not registered according to the laws of the United States. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Huger, and Mr. Gilman; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of State, accompanying his reports on the several petitions of William How and Charles Colvill; which being read, Ordered, That the said William How have leave to withdraw his said petition. Ordered, That the report on the petition of the said Charles Colvill do lie on the table. The Speaker laid before the House a letter and report from the Board of Commissioners for settling the accounts between the United States and the individual States; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. A member, in his place, produced certain papers respecting the sale and disposition of the Marine Hospital in the State of Virginia; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. Mr. Livermore, from the Standing Committee of Elections, reported that the committee had examined sundry certificates and other credentials of elections submitted to them, and that, in the opinion of the committee, the following persons are duly elected members of this House, viz: From Vermont, From Pennsylvania, From North Carolina, From South Carolina, From Georgia, Nathaniel Niles, and Ordered, That the said report do lie on the table. A petition of sundry persons, citizens of the State of New York, who are holders of certain bills of credit emitted under the authority of the late Congress, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, was presented to the House and read, praying that adequate provision may be made for the redemption of the principal and interest of the said bills of credit, and that they may be put on a footing with other public creditors of the United States, |