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The Commissioners appointed, conformably to the act of 2d March, 1827, to provide for the adjustment of claims of persons entitled to indemnification under the first article of the Treaty of Ghent, and for the distribution among such claimants of the sum paid by the Government of Great Britain under the Convention of 13th November, 1826, closed their labors on the 30th of August last, by awarding to the claimants the sum of one million one hundred and ninety-seven thousand four hundred and twenty-two dollars and eighteen cents; leaving a balance of seven thousand five hundred and thirty-seven dollars and eighty-two cents, which was distributed rateably amongst all the claimants to whom awards had been made, according to the directions of the act.

The exhibits appended to the report from the Commissioner of the General Land Office, present the actual condition of that common property of the Union. The amount paid into the Treasury from the proceeds of lands, during the year 1827, and the first half of 1828, falls little short of two millions of dollars. The propriety of further extending the time for the extinguishment of the debt due to the United States by the purchasers of the public lands, limited, by the act of 21st March last, to the fourth of July next, will claim the consideration of Congress, to whose vigilance and careful attention, the regulation, disposal, and preservation of this great national inheritance has, by the People of the United States, been entrusted.

Among the important subjects to which the attention of the present Congress has already been invited, and which may occupy their further and deliberate discussion, will be the provision to be made for taking the fifth census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States. The Constitution of the United States requires that this enumeration should be made within every term of ten years, and the date from which the last enumeration commenced was the first Monday of August of the year 1820. The laws under which the former enumerations were taken were enacted at the Session of Congress immediately preceding the operation. But considerable inconveniencies were experienced from the delay of legislation to so late a period. That law, like those of the preceding enumerations, directed that the census should be taken by the Marshals of the several districts and Territories of the Union, under instructions from the Secretary of State. The preparation and transmission to the Marshals of those instructions, required more time than was then allowed between the passage of the law and the day when the enumeration was to commence. The term of six months, limited for the returns of the Marshals, was also found even then too short; and must be more so now, when an additional population of at least three millions must be presented upon the returns. As they are to be made at the short session of Congress, it would, as well as from other considerations, be more convenient to commence the enumeration from an earlier period of the year than the first of August. The most favorable season would be the Spring. On a review of the former enumerations, it will be found that the plan for taking every census has contained many improvements upon that of its predecessor. The last is still susceptible of much improvement. The third census was the first at which any account was taken of the manufactures of the country. It was repeated at the last enumeration, but the returns in both cases were necessarily very imperfect. They must always be so, resting of course only upon the communications voluntarily made by individuals interested in some of the manufacturing

establishments. Yet they contained much valuable information, and may, by some supplementary provision of the law, be rendered more effective. The columns of age, commencing from infancy, have hitherto been confined to a few periods, all under the number of 45 years. Important knowledge would be obtained by extending these columns, in intervals of ten years, to the utmost boundaries of human life. The labor of taking them would be a trifling addition to that already prescribed; and the result would exhibit comparative tables of longevity highly interesting to the country. I deem it my duty further to observe, that much of the imperfections in the returns of the last, and perhaps of preceding enumerations proceeded from the inadequateness of the compensations allowed to the Marshals and their assistants in taking them.

In closing this communication, it only remains for me to assure the Legislature of my continued earnest wish for the adoption of measures recommended by me heretofore, and yet to be acted on by them; and of the cordial concurrence on my part in every constitutional provision which may receive their sanction during the Session, tending to the general welfare. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

WASHINGTON, December 2, 1828.

Ordered, That the said communication, and the documents accompanying the same, be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of Union, and that six thousand copies of the same be printed for the use of the members of this House.

And then the House adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1828.

Two other members, viz: from Pennsylvania, Jolin Sergeant, and from Kentucky, James Clarke, appeared, and took their seats.

On motion of Mr. Little,

Ordered, That the Standing Committees be now appointed, pursuant to the rules and orders of the House whereupon

A Committee of Elections was appointed, consisting of Mr. Anderson, of Maine, Mr. Alston, Mr. Claiborne, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Stower, Mr. Davenport, of Ohio, and Mr. Randolph, of N. Jersey.

A Committee of Ways and Means was appointed, consisting of Mr. McDuffie, Mr. Sprague, Mr. Verplanck, Mr. Dwight, Mr. Brent, Mr. Gilmer, and Mr. Smyth, of Virginia.

A Committee of Claims was appointed, consisting of Mr. McCoy, Mr. Whittlesey, Mr. Barber, of Connecticut, Mr. Clark, of N. York, Mr. McIntire. Mr. Ramsay, and Mr. Lea.

A Committee of Commerce was appointed, consisting of Mr. Cambreleng. Mr. Newton, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Barney, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Sutherland, and Mr. De Graff.

A Committee on the Public Lands was appointed, consisting of Mr. Isaacs, Mr. Vinton, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Shepperd, Mr. Hunt, and Mr. Gurley.

A Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads was appointed, consisting of Mr. McKean, Mr. Yancey, Mr. Marable, Mr. Conner, Mr. Magee, Mr. Hodges, and Mr. Russell.

A Committee for the District of Columbia was appointed, consisting of

Mr. Alexander, of Virginia, Mr. Ingersoll, Mr. Weems, Mr. Kremér, Mr. Varnum. Mr. Allen, of Virginia, and Mr. Washington.

A Committee on the Judiciary was appointed, consisting of Mr. P. P. Barbour, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Rives, Mr. Wickliffe, Mr. Kerr, Mr. Storrs, and Mr. Bell.

A Committee on Revolutionary Claims was appointed, consisting of Mr. Wolf, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Tucker, of New Jersey, Mr. Fry, Mr. Healy, Mr. Wingate, and Mr. Sloane.

A Committee on Public Expenditures was appointed, consisting of Mr. Johnson, of N. York, Mr. J. S. Barbour, Mr. Gale, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Barnard, Mr. Bartley, and Mr. Chambers.

A Committee on Private Land Claims was appointed, consisting of Mr. Buckner, Mr. Moore, of Alabama, Mr. Earli. Mr. Sterigere, Mr. Bates, of Missouri, Mr. Nuckolls, and Mr. Blake.

A Committee on Manufactures was appointed, consisting of Mr. Mallary, Mr. Stevenson, of Pennsylvania, Mr. Condict, Mr. Moore, of Kentucky, Mr. Wright, of New York, Mr. Stansberry, and Mr. Martin.

A Committee on Indian Affairs was appointed. consisting of Mr. McLean, Mr. McKee, Mr Carson, Mr. Daniels, Mr. Swan, Mr. Lumpkin, and Mr. Smith, of Indiana

A Committee on Foreign Affairs was appointed. consisting of Mr. Everett, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Archer. Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Owen. Mr. Polk, and Mr. Wilde.

A Committee on Military Affairs was appointed, consisting of Mr. Drayton, Mr. Vance, Mr. Desha. Mr. Floyd, of Georgia, Mr. Hobbie, Mr. Orr, and Mr. Buck.

A Committee on Naval Affairs was appointed, consisting of Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Crowninshield, Mr. Carter, Mr. Miller, Mr. Dorsey, and Mr. Ripley.

A Committee on Agriculture was appointed. consisting of Mr. Van Rensselaer, Mr. Roane, Mr. Wilson of Maryland, Mr. Barlow, Mr. Martindale, Mr. Merwin, and Mr. Culpeper.

A Committee on the Territories was appointed, consisting of Mr. Strong, Mr. Clarke, of Kentucky, Mr. Wright, of Ohio, Mr. Green, Mr. Garrow, Mr. Armstrong, and Mr. Fort.

A Committee on Military Pensions was appointed, consisting of Mr, Mitchell, of Tennessee, Mr. Bates, of Massachusetts. Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Long, Mr. Lecompte, Mr. Forward, and Mr. Markell.

A Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business was appointed, consisting of Mr. Pearce, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Pierson.

A Committee of Accounts was appointed, consisting of Mr. Allen, Mr. Plant, and Mr. Anderson, of Pennsylvania.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and, after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Condict reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the state of the Union under consideration, and came to sundry resolutions thereon, viz.

1. Resolved, That so much of the President's message as relates to the political relations of the United States with other nations, be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

2. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the commerce of the United States with foreign nations and their colonies, be referred to the Committee of Commerce.

s. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the revenue and in public debt, be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

4. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the existing tariff of duties on goods imported into the United States, be referred to the Committee on Manufactures.

5. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the Army, the military academy, and fortifications, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

6. Resolved. That so much of said message as concerns our relations with the Indian tribes, be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

7. Resolved. That so much of said message as relates to roads and canals, be referred to a select committee.

8. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the Navy, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

9. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to the Post-Office Department, be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Ronds.

10 Resolved. That so much of said message as relates to the Penitentiary, be referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia.

11. Resolved. That so much of said message as relates to a further extension of the time for the extinguishment of the debt due to the United States from the purchasers of the public lands, be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

12. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to taking the fifth census of the inhabitants of the United States, be referred to a select committee.

13. Resolved, That the said select committees have icave to report by bill or otherwise.

These resolutions were again read at the Clerk's table, and, severally, concurred in by the House; and Mr. Mercer, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Bryan, Mr. Woods, of Ohio, Mr. Marvin, Mr. Barker, and Mr. Butman, were appointed a Committee on Roads and Canals, in pursuance of the seventh resolution.

Mr. Storrs, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Little, Mr. Daniel, Mr. Johns, and Mr. Duncan. were appointed a Committee on the Fifth Census, in pursuance of the twelfth resolution.

Mr. Taylor then moved the following resolutions:

1. Resolved, That the subject of organizing and disciplining the militia be referred to a select committee, with leave to report by bill or otherwise. 2. Resolved. That the several laws on the subject of military pensions be referred to a select committee, with leave to report by bill or otherwise. These resolutions were read; and on the question that the House do agree to the first,

It passed in the affirmative: and

Mr. Thompson, of Georgia, Mr. Findley, Mr. Ward, Mr. M.Hatton, Mr. Tucker, of South Carolina, Mr. Taliaferro, and Mr. King, were appointed a Committee on the Militia, in pursuance thereof.

A motion was then made by Mr. Bartlett, to amend the second resolution, by striking out these words, "A select committee, with leave to report by bill or otherwise," and inserting as follows: the Committee on Military Pensions, with instructions to inquire into the expediency of revising the same."

And on the question so to amend the said resolution,

It passed in the affirmative.

The question was then put to agree to the said second resolution, as amended, viz:

Resolved, That the several laws on the subject of Military Pensions be referred to the Committee on Military Pensions, with instructions to inquire into the expediency of revising the same;

And passed in the affirmative.

And then the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1828.

Several other members appeared, and took their seats, viz: from Massachusetts, James L. Hodge; from New York, Gulian C. Verplanck; from Virginia, Thomas Davenport; and from Ohio, Philemon Beecher. On motion of Mr. Yancey,

Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to clear out the obstructions to the navigation of Green and Barren rivers, in the State of Kentucky.

On motion of Mr. Tucker, of New Jersey,

Resolved, unanimously. That, as a testimony of respect for the memory of Hedge Thompson, deceased, late a member of this House for the State of New Jersey, the members thereof will go into mourning, by wearing crape on the left arm for thirty days.

On motion of Mr. Russell,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the appointment of a Principal Surveyor of the lands set apart for the officers and soldiers of the Virginia line on Continental Establishment, in the room of the late Principal Surveyor, Col. Richard C. Anderson, deceased.

On motion of Mr. Sutherland,

Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce be directed to inquire into the expediency of so changing the existing revenue laws, as to modify or abolish the present system of giving bonds for securing the payment of duties upon foreign merchandise. by reducing the credit now allowed for the payment of duties, or by substituting, in lieu thereof, the warehousing system, and retaining in the custody of the Government the merchandise imported, till the duties thereon have been paid.

On motion of Mr. Yancey,

Resolved, That the Committee of Claims be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing compensation to Barker T. Anderson, of Kentucky, for a horse and equipage, and a rifle, lost in the service of the United States, in an expedition to Canada, under the command of Governor Shelby, during the late war between the United States and Great Britain.

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

Mr Speaker: The Senate have concurred in the resolution adopted by this House for the appointment of Chaplains to Congress for the present session.

Mr. Smith, of Indiana, moved the following resolution :

Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be instructed to

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