And on the question that the same do pass, It was decided in the negative. So the said bill was rejected. A petition of William Smith, of the State of Maryland, was presented to the House and read, praying that he may receive payment of the amount of principal and interest on certain loan office certificates, the property of the petitioner, which, owing to the causes therein stated, have not been presented in due time at the Treasury Department, for liquidation and settlement. Also, a petition of Elisha Frizell, of the town of Salem, in the county of Washington, and State of New York, praying that he may receive the arrears of pension due to him in consideration of military services rendered and wounds received by the petitioner, whilst a soldier in the Massachusetts line of the Continental army, during the Revolutionary war with Great Britain, or that such other relief may be afforded him in the premises as to the wisdom and justice of Congress shall seegi meet. Ordered, That the said petitions, together with the petition of John F. Randolph and Randolph McGillis, of the State of Georgia, presented the nineteenth of February, one thousand eight hundred and three, together with a report of the Secretary of War, and the reports of the select committee and of a former Committee of Claims thereon, and the accompanying documents, as also the petition of Jacob Whitzal, of the State of Virginia, presented the twenty-seventh of December, one thousand eight hundred and three, be severally referred to the Committee of Claims. Ordered, That the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred, on the eighteenth of December last, the memorial of Stephen Sayre, and the documents accompanying the same, be discharged from the consideration thereof; and that the said memorial and documents be referred to the Secretary of State, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereon to the House. A petition of Benjamin Bailey and James Bogert, junior, (composing a mercantile house under the name and firm of Bailey and Bogert,) and of Joshua Jones and John A. Robertson, of the City and State of New York, merchants, was presented to the House and read, praying that the bonds given by the petitioners for payment of the duties on various goods, wares, and merchandise, by them imported into the port of New York, may be cancelled, and other bonds taken in lieu thereof, with such an extension of the time of credit thereon as to Congress shall seem meet. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petition of Edmund Briggs, junior, and others, of the State of Rhode Island, presented the seventeenth of March, one thousand eight hundred and four, be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Huger, from the committee appointed yesterday, presented, according to order, a bill authorizing the Postmaster General to make a farther allowance for carrying the mail from Fayette, in North Carolina, to Charleston, South Carolina; 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. The House resumed the consideration of the motion, depending yesterday at the time of adjournment, directing the Secretary of War to lay before the House "a statement of the number of the officers and privates in the actual service of the United States, during the years one thousand eight hundred and three, and one thousand eight hundred and four; and, also, the names of the posts where soldiers are stationed, together with the number of privates and officers at such posts; and, also, a detailed statement of the sums expended during the years one thousand eight hundred and three, and one thousand eight hundred and four, on fortifications, arsenals, armories, and magazines:" Whereupon, Ordered, That the farther consideration of the said motion be postponed until Monday next. Ordered, That petitions of Marcella Stanton, of Ann Alricks, and of Judith Crow, (late Judith Sayse,) of the District of Columbia, presented the twenty-first of December, one thousand eight hundred and three, and the twenty-fourth of January, one thousand eight hundred and four, respectively praying that they may be divorced from their husbands, for the reasons specified therein, be severally referred to Mr. Dawson, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Roger Griswold, Mr. Winn, and Mr. Griffin; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. On motion, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, VOL. V-12 amendments are necessary to the several acts regulating the grants of lands to the refugees from Nova Scotia and Canada, and to report by bill, or otherwise. Ordered, That Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thatcher, and Mr. Thomas Moore, be appointed a committee, pursuant to the said resolution. The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1805. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary : Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform this House that the Vice President of the United States having obtained leave of absence, the Senate have proceeded to the choice of a President pro tempore, as the Constitution provides, and the Honorable Joseph Anderson hath been duly elected. And then he withdrew. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War accompanying his report on the petition of sundry officers of the army stationed at the City of New Orleans, referred to him by an order of the House, of the fourteenth instant; which were read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Varnum, Mr. Gaylord Griswold, Mr. Matthew Clay, and Mr. Hunt, to consider and report thereon to the House. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, enclosing his report on the petition of Fontaine Maury, of the City and State of New York, referred to him by an order of the House, of the fourteenth instant; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of Claims. A petition of John Thatcher, of Stratford, in the State of Connecticut, was presented to the House and read, praying an augmentation of the pension heretofore granted him by law, in consideration of military services rendered and wounds received by the petitioner whilst a Captain in the Continental army, during the Revolutionary war with Great Britain, or that such other relief may be afforded him in the premises as to the wisdom and justice of Congress shall seem meet. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Claims. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to amend the charter of Georgetown; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Gregg 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 twice read, and, on the question severally put thereupon, agreed to by the House. The bill was then further amended at the Clerk's table, and, together with the amendments, ordered to be engrossed, and read the third time on Friday next. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Corporation of Georgetown to make a dam or causeway from Mason's Island to the Western shore of the river Potomac." And then he withdrew. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dawson 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 on Friday next. The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1805. The Speaker laid before the House a letter, together with a memorial and sundry accompanying documents, in the Spanish language, from Don Joseph de Cabrera, attached to the legation of Spain, near the United States, now confined in the debtor's apartment of the goal in the city of Philadelphia, under a warrant from the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, charging him with sundry criminal offences; which were ordered to lie on the table. A memorial, in the French language, with a translation thereof, from sundry citizens of the county of Wayne, in the Indiana Territory of the United States, whose names are thereunto subscribed, was presented to the House and read, praying a revision and modification of an act passed at the last session of Congress, entitled "An act making provision for the disposal of the public lands in the Indiana Territory, and for other purposes," for the reasons therein specified. Ordered, That the said memorial be referred to the committee appointed, on the seventh instant, "to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, alterations are necessary to be made in the laws for the disposal of the public lands Northwest of the river Ohio;" that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Mr. Richards, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Corporation of Georgetown to make a dam or causeway from Mason's Island to the Western shore of the river Potomac," 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. On motion, Ordered, That the bill making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five, as yesterday amended by the House, be recommitted to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House immediately. The House, accordingly, resolved itself into the said committee; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Dawson reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made two 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, together with the amendments, 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 making farther provision for extinguishing the debts due from the United States; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Varnum 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 twice read, and, on the question severally put thereupon, agreed to by the House. A motion was then made and seconded farther to amend the bill at the Clerk's table, by inserting a new section between the fourth and fifth sections of the original bill; and the said proposed section being amended to read as followeth : “Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That all claims outstanding against the United States, for any matter or thing furnished or done, prior to the fourth day of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, other than those above provided for, shall be paid to the person or persons by whom the matter or thing upon which the claim arises, was done or furnished, or to his or their legal representatives, if presented at the Treasury within three years after the passage of this act, upon proof being made, to the satisfaction of the accounting officers of the Treasury, that the said claims are just and true, and have not been heretofore paid or satisfied: Provided, That no claim shall be paid, the proof of which rests solely upon the oath or allegation of the party to whom the same is alleged to be due, nor unless it shall be accompanied with a certificate from the Treasury of the State in which it is stated that the matter or thing upon which the claim arises, was furnished or done, declaring that it doth not appear that the same hath ever been paid or satisfied before :" The question was taken that the House do agree to the same, as so amended Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendments agreed to, be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. Ordered, That Mr. Verplanck have leave to be absent from the service of this House, from Monday next, for the remainder of the session. The several orders of the day were farther postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1805. A petition of Henry and William Stewart, of Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, in behalf of themselves and others, calico printers and dyers, was presented to the House and read, praying that such drawback of duty [1805. may be allowed on the exportation of muslins, printed or dyed with permanent colors in the United States, as the same muslins would be entitled to, if exported in their uncolored or imported state; and that the present duty on such foreign indigo as may be necessary for carrying on the branches of manufactures in which the petitioners are employed, may be taken off; or that such other measures may be adopted in the premises as to the wisdom of Congress shall sceni meet. Also, a memorial of Peter Miercken, and company, and others, whose names are thereunto subscribed, refiners of sugar within the United States, praying that a drawback of duty may be allowed on all such sugars refined within the United States, from raw sugars of foreign growth, as shall be exported to any foreign port or place. Ordered, That the said petition and memorial be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Ordered, That the Committee of Ways and Means have leave to bring in a bill, or bills, making appropriations for the support of the military establishment of the United States, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five. Mr. John Randolph, from the committee last mentioned, presented, according to order, a bill making appropriations for the support of the military establishment of the United States, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five; 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 Monday next. Mr. Tenney, from the Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business, to whom it was referred to examine such laws of the United States as have expired, or are near expiring, made a report, in part, thereupon; which was read, and ordered to be referred to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. Mr. John Randolph, from the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom was committed, on the fourteenth instant, the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to amend an act, entitled An act for imposing more specific duties on the importation of certain articles; and, also, for levying and collecting light money on foreign ships or vessels, and for other purposes;" reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and directed him to report the same to the House, without amendment: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said bill and report be committed to a Committee of the Whole House this day. Mr. Richards, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, this day, present to the President of the United States, for his approbation, an enrolled bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Corporation of Georgetown to make a dam or causeway from Mason's Island to the Western shore of the river Potomac." An engrossed bill making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five, was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act making appropriations for the support of Government, for the year one thousand eight hundred and five." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. An engrossed bill to amend the charter of Georgetown was read the third time. Resolved, That the said bill do pass, and that the title be, "An act to amend the charter of Georgetown." Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. An engrossed bill making farther provision for extinguishing the debts due from the United States was read the third time: Whereupon, Ordered, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed until Monday next. Ordered, That the Committee of Claims, to whom were referred, during the present session, the memorials and petitions of Thomas Marshall Baker, Beetley Barret, Elijah Brainerd, John Crawford, John Devoe, Daniel Eldridge, John Fenton, John Christian Fopless, Forrest Green, Mordecai Lane, John M'Clenan, Simeon Noyes, Peter Robertson, Abner Snow, and George Vaughan, respectively praying to be placed on the list of pensioners of the United States, or to be allowed an augmentation of the pension heretofore granted them by law, be discharged from the consideration thereof; and that the said memorials and petitions be severally referred to the Committee of the Whole House to whom was committed, on the second instant, the bill in addition to "An act to make provision for persons that have been disabled by known wounds received in the actual service of the United States, during the Revolutionary war." Ordered, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, to whom was referred, on the fifteenth instant, a petition of Benjamin Bailey and James Bogert, (under the name of Bailey and Bogert,) and of Joshua Jones, and John A. Robertson, of the city and State of New York, have leave to report thereon by bill, or bills, or otherwise. Mr. Crowninshield, from the committee last mentioned, presented, according to order, a bill for the relief of the sufferers by fire in the city of New York, in the State of New York; 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 Monday next. Ordered, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures have leave to bring in a bill, or bills, to establish the Districts of Genessee; of Buffalo creek; and of Miami ; and to alter the port of entry of the District of Erie. Mr. Crowninshield, from the committee last mentioned, presented, according to order, a bill to establish the districts of Genessee; of Buffalo creek; and of Miami; and to alter the port of entry in the District of Erie; 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 Monday next. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled “An act for the relief of Charlotte Hazen, widow and relict of the late Brigadier General Moses Hazen," with an amendment; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The House proceeded to consider the foregoing amendment of the Senate: Where upon, Resolved, That this House doth agree to the same, with an amendment. A petition of John York, of Brookefield, in the county of Chenango, and State of New York, late collector of the taxes on lands, slaves, and dwelling-houses, for the eightythird collection district, within the said State, and now confined in the gaol of said county, was presented to the House and read, praying relief in the case of a judgment awarded against the petitioner and execution issued thereon, for the sum of eight hundred dollars, including interest and costs of suit, for the payment of which the petitioner was compelled to apply a certain proportion of the proceeds of taxes collected by him in the capacity aforesaid. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. Root, Mr. Gregg, and Mr. Hastings; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A member in his place presented to the House a letter from Mathew Carey, of the city of Philadelphia, printer and bookseller, offering a further supply of the laws of the United States, for the use of the members of both Houses of Congress, in addition to the sets already furnished by him, upon the terms and conditions therein specified. The said letter was read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Joseph Clay, Mr. Clagett, and Mr. Eppes; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution : Resolved, That, from and after the fourth of July, one thousand eight hundred and five, all blacks and People of color, that shall be born within the District of Columbia, or whose mother shall be the property of any person residing within said district, shall be free, the males at the age of - and the females at the age of The House proceeded to consider the said motion at the Clerk's table; And on the question that the same be referred to a committee of the Whole House, . 47, 65. The yeas and nays being demanded by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are, |