2d of March, 1827; and that he furnish an estimate of the probable expense of completing the roads from Detroit to Fort Gratiot, and from Detroit to Sagana; as well as his opinion in relation to the importance of these roads as a part of the military defences of that country.

On motion of Mr Sevier,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of permitting the Legislature of the Territory of Arkansas to take charge of the school lands.

On motion of Mr. Mitchell, of Tennessee,

Resolved, That the bill of this House, reported at the last session. [No. 166.] for the relief of sundry officers, soldiers, and widows, and the bill [No. 283] for the relief of sundry revolutionary and other officers and soldiers, and for other purposes, as the said bills were passed by this House, together with all the papers in relation thereto, be referred to the Committee on Military Pensions.

On motion of Mr. Sevier,

Resolved, That the Committee on Roads and Canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of opening a road from the mouth of Cache river. where the United States' road leading from Memphis to Little Rock crosses White river, to Helena, on the Mississippi river.

On motion of Mr. Wright, of Ohio,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Territories be instructed to inquire into the expediency of giving the assent of Congress to the provisions of the sixth section of the seventh article of the Constitution of Ohio, relative to the boundary line between that State and the Territory of Michigan.

The Speaker laid before the House, a letter from the Commissioner of the General Land Office, enclosing a copy of the report of the Register and Receiver of the Land Office at Washington, Mississippi, on the claims to land of John F. Carmichael, made in pursuance of a resolution of Congress, passed at the last session; which were read, and laid on the table.

The Speaker also laid before the House the annual report of the Clerk of the House, of the expenditures out of the contingent fund during the last year; as also of the names of the clerks and messengers of the House.

The House proceeded, by ballot, to the choice of a Chaplain to Congress, on its part and. upon an examination of the first ballot, it appeared that the Reverend Reuben Post was duly elected.

On motion of Mr. Chilton,

Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House, to which is commit. ted the report of the Committee of Claims on the petition of James M Carty, made the last session of Congress, be discharged; and that the said report and petition be recommitted to the Committee of Claims.

On motion of Mr. Van Rensselaer,

Ordered, That, when this House adjourns to-day, it will adjourn to meet again on Monday next.

And then the House adjourned.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1828.

Several other members appeared, and took their seats, viz: from Pennsylvania, Richard Coulter; from Virginia, Burwell Bassett and

John Floyd; from South Carolina, Warren R. Davis; from Tennessee, David Crockett.

A new member, viz: from Mississippi, Thomas Hinds, in the place of William Haile, resigned. appeared, and took his seat.

Mr. Ripley presented a petition of inhabitants of the State of Maine, praying for the establishment of a post route.

Mr. Thompson, of Georgia, presented a petition of Bernard Kelly, formerly a Postmaster in that State, setting forth that he is unable to settle his accounts by reason of the destruction of his house by fire, and praying relief.

Mr. Duncan presented a petition of inhabitants of the county of Monroe, in the State of Indiana, praying for the establishment of a post route.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Butman presented a petition of John Blake, of the State of New Hampshire;

Mr. Dwight presented a petition of Asher Sedgwick, of the State of Massachusetts;

Mr. Everett presented a petition of Sylvanas Wood, of the State of Massachusetts.

Mr. Phelps presented a petition of David Taylor, of the State of Connecticut;

Mr. Clark, of New York, presented a petition of Jonathan Champlin, of that State;

Mr. Hobbie presented a petition of James Allen, of the State of New York;

Mr. Long presented a petition of Joel Riggins, of the State of North Carolina;

Mr. Lyon presented a petition of John Trover, of the State of Kentucky;

Mr. Duncan presented a petition of Matthias Zimmerman, of the State of Illinois;

Mr. Sevier presented a petition of James Tumlinson, and a petition of James Jenkins, both of the Territory of Arkansas;

severally and respectively praying for pensions.

Mr. Wright, of New York, presented a petition of sundry revolutionary soldiers, now residing in the State of New York, praying that certain alterations, therein mentioned, may be made in the pension laws.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee on Military Pensions.

On motion of Mr. Little,

Ordered, That the petition of Joshua Bill, presented on the 2d of February, 1824, be referred to the Committee on Military Pensions.

On motion of Mr. Polk,

Ordered, That the petition of James Sykes, presented on the 28th of February, 1828, be referred to the Committee on Military Pensions. On motion of Mr. Richardson,

Ordered, That the memorial of inhabitants of Scituate, Pembroke, Hanover, and Marshfield, in the State of Massachusetts, presented on the 5th of May, 1828, and the memorial of inhabitants of Duxbury, in the State of Massachusetts, presented on the 14th of January, 1828, be referred to the Committee of Commerce.

On motion of Mr. Plant,

Ordered. That the petitions of the masters and owners of vessels návigating Long Island Sound, presented on the 15th of January, 1827, and the 31st of March, 1828, and the petition of inhabitants of Mill river, in Connecticut, presented on the 29th of January, 1827, be referred to the Committee of Commerce.

Mr. Newton presented a petition of inhabitants of the borough of Norfolk, in the State of Virginia, praying for an imposition of duties on certain sales at auction.

Mr. Newton also presented a memorial of the same tenor and effect, from inhabitants of the county of Suffolk, in the State of Virginia.

Ordered, That those petitions be referred to the Committee of Commerce. Mr. Cambreleng presented a petition of Ellen Dix, widow of John Dix, deceased, late a Surgeon in the Navy of the United States, praying that the pension heretofore granted her may be continued ; which petition was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Cambreleng,

Ordered, That the petitions of Penelope Denny, presented on the 9th of January, 1825, and 14th of December, 1825, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Johnson presented a petition of Richard Ward, who claims to be the inventor of the torpedo-shot for sea service, the projectile for the defence of harbors, and dove-tailed tongued and groved piles, longitudinally, for stopping off water, for the purpose of making dry docks, praying for the aid and patronage of the Government in bringing these inventions into use.

Mr. Hoffman presented a petition of Master Commandants in the Navy of the United States, praying for an increase of compensation.

Mr. Hoffman presented a petition of Susanna Lippincott, widow of Caleb Lippincott, who was killed in the naval service of the United States, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Hoffman,

Ordered, That the memorials of Susan Decatur, widow of the late Commodore Stephen Decatur, heretofore presented to this House, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Cambreleng,

Ordered, That the petition of John B. Lemaitre, presented on the 20th December, 1826, be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Petitions from the undermentioned persons, heretofore presented, were presented, and referred to the Committee of Claims, viz :

By Mr. Woodcock, of Daniel Brown, presented on the 21st of April,

1828.

By Mr. Little, of Francis Zock, presented on the 20th December, 1825. By Mr. John S. Barbour, of Zachariah Coxe, presented on the 18th of February, 1826.

The Speaker presented a petition of Phebe Moore, widow of the late Stephen Moore, of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, praying to be paid for a vessel which fell into the hands of the British forces in the late war.

Mr. Gurley presented a petition of Thomas F. Hunt, a Captain in the

Army of the United States, praying that the sum awarded to him by the jury, in a trial of a suit brought against him by the United States, may be paid.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Verplanck presented a memorial of Jacob B. Clarke setting forth, that, being impressed with the belief that great benefit would result to the Government, and to the community in general, from the culture of the mulberry tree in the United States, as a food for the silk-worm, he has formed, and submits a scheme for the consideration of Congress, which would, if carried into operation, soon elevate the manufacture of silk to a main article of commerce in the country; which memorial was referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. Garnsey presented a petition of James Linsey, of the State of New York, stating that he purchased sundry tracts of land, sold under authority of the United States, of which he has been unable to get possession, and praying relief.

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of A. Plantou, praying for the renewal of a patent granted to Joseph Hawkins, for his invention of the mode of producing steam by injecting water into generators.

Mr. Smyth, of Virginia, presented a petition of the members of the Bar, at Wythe Court-house, in the State of Virginia, praying that a separate District Court may be held by the same Judge at Clarkesburg, Lewisburg, Wythe Court-house, and Staunton; and that a clerk may be appointed for each.

Mr. Sevier presented a petition of Samuel C. Roane, attorney of the United States for the Territory of Arkansas, praying compensation for certain extra services performed by him.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of Mark Roades, of the city of Philadelphia, praying that the benefits of the act for the relief of Revolutionary officers and soldiers may be extended to him.

Mr. Dorsey presented a petition of Eleanor Courts, widow of Doctor Richard H. Courts, deceased, a Surgeon in the Army of the Revolution, praying payment for the services of her said husband, in the capacity aforesaid.

The Speaker presented a petition of David M. Randolph, of Virginia, praying compensation for services rendered as an officer of the Army of the Revolution.

Mr. Wickliffe presented a petition of David Love and Henry Wirble, of the State of Kentucky, praying for grants of the bounty land to which they conceive themselves entitled, as soldiers of the Army of the Revolution.

Mr. Lecompte presented a petition of Nicholas Merriwether, of the State of Kentucky, praying compensation for services rendered as an offier in the Army of the Revolution.

Ordered, That these petitions be referred to the Committee on Revolu tionary Claims.

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of G. T. Beyer, of the city of Phila delphia, praying compensation for property carried away from St, Aqa

gustine, by the British forces, in the late war with Great Britain, contrary to the first article of the Treaty of Ghent; which petition was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Gurley,

Ordered. That the petition of Ebenezer Cooley, presented on the 16th of January, 1826. be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

On motion of Mr. Brent,

Ordered, That the petition of the heirs and representatives of Lewis Pelleron, deceased, presented on the 11th of December, 1827; the petition of the heirs and representatives of Alexander de la Houssaye, presented on the 12th of December, 1827; the petition of John Thompson, Christopher Adams, and Samuel Spraggins, presented on the 10th of April, 1826: the petition of Garriguez Flaujac. presented on the 4th of February, 188; the perition of Eugene Borel, presented on the 18th of February, 1828: the petition of Charles Combes, presented on the 18th of February, 1828: the petition of John and Joseph Garrido, presented on the 18th of February, 1828: and the petition of Antoine Prudhomme, Lewis Closeau. and Gilbert Closeau, presented 3d March, 1828, be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

On motion of Mr. Brent,

Ordered, That the petition of Hyacinthe Bernard, presented on the 25th of February, 1828, and the petition of Aaram King. Ransom Phillips, Iredell L. Phillips, and William King presented on the 25th February, 1828. be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands. Mr. Jennings presented a petition of Elijah art. of the State of Indiana, stating that by mistake be bas relinquished a tract of land on which his improvements have been made, and praying relief.

Mr. Moore, of Alabama, presented a petition of James Walton, of that State, praying for a pre-emption right in the purchase of the land he has settled and improved.

Ordered. That these petitions be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

Mr. Brent presented a petition of Henry Stoker, of the State of Louisiana. praying that his title to a tract of land may be confirmed.

Mr. Sevier presented a memorial of the General Assembly of the Territory of Arkansas, praying that provision may be made for draining the low grounds adjacent to the river Mississippi; which memorial was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

The resolution moved by Mr. McHation on the 5th instant was read, considered, and agreed to by the House.

The resolution moved by Mr. Sprague on the 5th instant was read, considered, and agreed to by the House.

The resolution moved by Mr. Wing on the 5th instant was read, considered. and agreed to by the House.

Mr. Sawyer moved the following resolution; which was read, and laid on the table, viz :

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to lay before this House a copy of the report of the Engineers employed under a special appropriation by an act of Congress, passed in 1826, to make a survey of the Ro