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turned to the House for concurrence in the amendment.

The engrossed bill in addition to the act con. cerning tonnage and discriminating duties; the engrossed bill to continue in force for a further time the act to establish trading houses with the Indian tribes; the engrossed bill to protect the commerce of the United States; and the engross ed bill for the better organization of the Treasury Department, were severally read the third time, passed, and sent to the House for concur

rence.

The bill to regulate and fix the salaries of the registers and receivers of public moneys; the bill for the relief of Francis B. Longville; the bill for the relief of Lewis H. Guerland; the bill for the relief of Joseph M'Neil; the bill for the relief of Rosalie P. Deslande; the bills for the relief of Eli Hart, of Nathaniel Birdseye & Daniel Booth, || of John Rodriguez, and for the relief of Joseph Dozet, severally passed through committees of the whole, and were ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

The President communicated a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, exhibiting the emoluments of the collectors of the customs, which was read.

Thursday, February 25. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Thomas, having obtained leave, introduced a bill granting a dona tion of land to Illinois, for a seat of government for said state; which was read.

Mr. Williams, of Tennessee, offered a resolution instructing the committee on the post office to inquire into the expediency of making extra allowance to the postmasters of the Chickasaw and Choctaw agencies.

The bill explanatory of the act for the final adjustment of land titles in Louisiana and territory of Missouri; and the bill concerning invalid pensioners, severally passed through committees of the whole; were amended, and ordered to a third reading.

land of Massachusetts Proper. The motion to postpone was negatived, but not before an effort had been made, in order to end the debate, to lay the bill on the table; which was negatived.

The question was then taken on the amendment moved by Mr. Silsbee, as above, and deci- . ded in the affirmative,

The motion was then renewed to lay the bill on the table, and carried.

The bill from the Senate, to regulate the pay of the Army whilst employed on fatigue duty, was read a third time, and finally passed.

According to the intimation given yesterday, the Clerk then proceeded to call the roll of Members of the House.

The house then proceeded to the consideration of the bill to establish a separate territorial government in the southern part of the Missouri territory.

A motion was made by Mr. Robertson, of Kentucky, with the view of obtaining the erasure of the amendment yesterday adopted, to recommit the bill to a select committee, with instructions to strike out these words:" And all children born of slaves within the said territory, shall be free, but may be held to service until the age of "twenty-five years"

And the question being taken thereon, was decided as follows:

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The House being equally divided, the Speaker decided the question in the affirmative; and the bill was re-committed.

The bill from the Senate, for the admission of Alabama territory into the Union as a state, was read the third time, and passed as amended.

Monday, February 22. Amongst the petitions received this day was one presented by Mr. Storrs from sundry inhabitants of the counties of Oneida, Jefferson, and Oswego, in the state of New York, praying that provision may be made for opening and constructThe bills which were yesterday ordered to being a military road from Rome to Sackett's Harengrossed for a third reading, were read a third bor, in that state. time accordingly, passed and sent to the other House for concurrence.

Mr. Terry, from the committee appointed on the subject, reported a bill in behalf of the Connecticut Asylum for instructing the deaf and dumb, which was twice read and laid on the ta

Mr. Poindexter, from the joint committee appointed to inquire what business it is proper to act on during the present session, made a report.

The bill authorizing the purchase of fire engines for the protection of the public buildings; the bills for the relief of Robert M'Calla, of Solo-ble. mon Proverst, of Bartholomew Duverge, of John Pellet, of John Anderson, of Alexander Milne, of Christopher Fowler, and the bill supplementary to the act to prohibit the importation of slaves, were severally considered in committee of the || whole, and subsequently ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, February 19. The House having resumed the consideration of the bill to divide the United States into four districts for the regulation of the Coasting Trade, and of the amendment thereto proposed by Mr. Silsbee, for reducing the number of districts from four to two

Mr. Mills moved to postpone the bill indefi. nitely; in which motion he was supported by Mr. Orr, and opposed by Messrs. Silsbee, Whitman, Holmes, and Lincoln. This debate was confined to the representation from Massachusetts, and turned principally on considerations connected with the relative interests of the District of Maine

Mr. Poindexter submitted the following resolution, which was read and ordered to lie on the table:

Resolved, That the usual call for petitions be dispensed with during the remainder of the present session of Congress.

On motion of Mr. Whitman,

Resolved, That the judges of the courts of the several districts of the United States be requested to prepare and transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as early as may be at the next session of Congress, a schedule of fees of office, proper to be allowed, and taxed for the officers of their courts respectively; and that the Clerk of this House cause each of the said judges to be furnished with a copy of this resolution.

The bill supplementary to the act for the relief of Benjamin Wells was taken up and ordered to a third reading.

The bill from the Senate supplementary to the

VOL. VII.]

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

several acts concerning the coasting trade, was read the third time, as amended, passed, and returned to the Senate.

The engrossed bill in addition to the act supplementary to the act for the relief of Thomas Wilson, and the engrossed resolution prescribing the mode of naming the vessels of the United States, were severally read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate.

The engrossed bill for the relief of the heirs of William Reed was read the third time, and, on the question of its passage, was rejected.

Tuesday, February 23. Mr. Rich, from the committee of claims, reported a bill for the relief of George M. Brook and Edmund P Kennedy, which was twice read and ordered to be engrossed.

The House, on motion of Mr. Rich, reconsidered the vote of yesterday which rejected the bill for the relief of the heirs of William Reed, and the bill was laid on the table.

The engrossed bill supplementary to the act for the relief of Benjamin Wells was read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate.

The bill from the Senate, for the benefit of William Prout, was read the third time and returned to the Senate.

The amendments of the Senate to the bill regulating passenger ships and vessels, were taken up and agreed to, one of them with an. amendment, and returned to the Senate.

The House took up the bill to extend the pri. vilege of franking letters, &c. to the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House during the re cess of Congress.

The bill was amended, on motion of Mr. Tallmadge, by including in its provisions the Speaker of the House.

Mr. Garnett moved to amend the bill by adding thereto the provisions of the bill freeing from postage letters and packets to and from certain officers of agricultural societies. This motion was lost; and

The question being taken on ordering the bill to be engrossed and read a third time, it was decided in the negative; and the bill of course rejected.

tion of persons of color for sale or to be held to
||blishment; and the bill respecting the transporta-
labor, were severally twice read and committed.
The engrossed bill for the relief of George M.
Brook and Edmund P. Kennedy, was read the
third time and passed.

Wednesday, February 24.
The Speaker laid before the House a letter
from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting
an abstract of the official emoluments and ex-
penditures of the officers of the customs for the
year 1818; and also a letter from the first comp-|
troller of the Treasury, transmitting a list render-
ed by the Register of balances on his books, which |
appear to have been due more than three years
prior to the 30th September last, or to have re-
inained unsettled on that day; which were order-
ed to lie on the table.

Mr. Little moved to take up the report of the
joint committee on the subject of the printing
for Congress; which motion was negatived.

On motion of Mr. Trimble it was
Resolved, That the President be requested to
cause to be laid before this House, at the next
session of Congress, any information which may
be in his power touching the causes of the impri-
White, an American citizen of

sonment of

Buenos Ayres.

The bills from the Senate for the relief of Jacob Purkill; the bill to repeal part of an act passed on the 27th day of February, 1817, entitled an act to amend an act regulating the post office esta

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The House having again resolved itself into a Bank of the United States, Mr. Spencer rose and committee of the whole, on the subject of the spoke more than four hours in defence of the report of the bank committee.

Mr. Walker, of Kentucky, made a short speech in support of the motion to repeal the charter of

the bank.

The question was then taken on the resolution
Resolved, That the committee on the judiciary
offered by Mr Johnson, of Virginia, as follows:
be instructed to report a bill to repeal the act, en-
titled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to
1816.
the Bank of the United States," passed April 10,

And decided in the negative-ayes 23.
The question was next put on the resolution
offered by Mr. Trimble, to issue a scire fucias,
The resolutions offered by Mr. Spencer, and
and also decided in the negative-ayes 28.
also referred to this committee, were withdrawn
by him; and

The committee took up the bill reported by
poration by prohibiting the pretended distribution
the bank committee, to enforce the act of incor-
of shares for the purposes of undue influence in
the elections of directors,

Mr. Spencer proposed various amendments, intended to render the provisions of the bill more effectual; all of which were agreed to.

Mr. Bassett moved then two amendments, the first, substantially, to compel the bank to redeem all its notes with specie, at whatever branch they might be presented for payment. The object of rector of the bank, while acting as such, from the second amendment was to prohibit any didealing in the stock of the bank. Both proposi The committee of the whole then rose, and retions were negatived by very large majorities; and The House adjourned. ported their proceedings to the House; and

Thursday, February 25. The Speaker laid before the House a letter a resolution of this House, of the 22d instant, as from the Secretary of the Treasury, in answer to to the balances against the state banks which have. as special deposits; also a letter from the Secrebeen retained by the Bank of the United States tary of the Treasury, as to what part of the bahave been drawn from the bank by any departlances transferred by the Treasury to the bank ment, between January and July, in 1817.

The bill from the Senate to designate the boundaries of districts and establish land offices for the for sale in Ohio and Indiana; and the bill respectdisposal of the public lands not heretofore offered ing the location of certain sections of lands to be were severally read the third time and passed, granted for the seat of government of Indiana, and returned to the Senate.

The engrossed resolution requesting the President of the United States to cause astronomical observations to be made to ascertain the longitude of the Capitol from any known meridian in Euto the Senate. rope, was read the third time, passed, and sent

The House proceeded to the consideration of

the report of the committee of the whole, on the ]] support of the propriety and necessity of his ob. subject of the Bank of the United States. ject, moved to amend the bill by inserting an The first question in order was on concurring amendment, substantially, to punish any person with the committee of the whole in their disa-who shall offer any sum or sums of money by way greement to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the committee on the judiciary be instructed to report a bill to repeal the act, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States," passed April 10, 1816.

The disagreement to this resolution was affirmed by the House.

of bribe to the President or Directors of the Bank or any of its branches, and any one of these officers who shall accept the same, by fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

This amendment was agreed to by yeas and nays, by the following vote:

For the amendment 98. Against it 26. Mr. Poindexter proposed to amend the bill by The question was then taken on concurring adding a clause to suspend its operation until the with the committee of the whole House in disa-provisions thereof should receive the assent of a greeing to the following resolution, originally of majority of the stock holders of the Bank; deemfered by Mr Trimble: ing it not in the power of Congress to make any Resolved by the Senate and House of Represen-new conditions for the Bank without its consent, tatives of the United States of America, in Congress unless in case of a violation and forfeiture of its assembled, That the attorney general of the Unit-charter. ed States, in conjunction with the district attorney of Pennsylvania, shall immediately cause a scire facias to be issued, according to the 23d section of the act "To incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States," calling on the corporation created by the said act, to show cause wherefore the charter thereby granted shall not be declared forfeited; and that it shall be the duty of the said officers to cause such proceedings to be had in the premises as shall be necessary to obtain a final judgment thereon; for the expenses of which Congress will hereafter provide.

The disagreement to this resolution was also affirmed by the House.

The motion was negatived by a large majority. The question was then taken on ordering the bill to be engrossed and read the third time, as amended and decided in the affirmative.

The bill to diminish the duty on certain wines, and to declare free of duty books printed in foreign languages, was taken up, amended, and ordered to a third reading.

'The house went iuto committee, Mr. M'Coy in the chair, on the bill making appropriations for the public buildings. Various amendments were made to the bill; and it was finally reported to the house, filled up as follows:

For erecting the centre building of the capitol,

So the House concurred with the committee of 136,644 dollars. the whole in rejecting both resolutions.

For finishing the gates, the iron railing, and the re-enclosure, north of the President's house, 5,344 dollars.

The House then took up the amendments ported by the committee to the bill" to enforce those provisions of the act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States, which relate to the right of voting for directors."

For enlarging the offices west of the President's house, 8,137 dollars

For purchasing a lot of land, and for constructing pipes, for supplying the executive offices and President's house with water, 9,125 dollars.

Mr. Pindall moved to commit the bill to the judiciary committee, with instructions to amend || the same by additional sections-1st, to prohibit usury, and declare its punishment when commit-grossed and read a third time. ted by the Bank of the United States, or its branches, or directors, or officers, and to prescribe the method of prosecuting for that offence; 2dly, to prohibit the establishment or continuance, by the bank, of offices of discount or deposit, in any state, after the 1st of February, 1820, unless by the consent of the legislature of such

Thus amended the bill was ordered to be en

state.

Some discussion arose on this proposition, and had proceeded a short time; when'

Mr. Harrison, from a desire to get rid of a subject likely to consume yet a great deal more of the time of the House, and to proceed to subjects of absolute necessity, moved to postpone the bill and amendments indefinitely. This motion was lost; and

The question on Mr. Pindall's motion was decided in the negative, by a large majority.

The House proceeded with the consideration of the amendments-all of which were eventually agreed to-and in discussing and disposing of va rious other propositions to amend the bill; in which Messrs. Spencer, Storrs, Mills, Lowndes, Terry, and M Lane, of Del. participated.

In the course of the discussion, Mr. Harrison renewed his motion, without success, to postpone the bill indefinitely.

The bill having been at length gone through, Mr. Johnson, of Virginia, after some remarks in

||

The following report, of a joint committee of both Houses of Congress, appointed to inquire and report what business it will be necessary to act upon during the present session, presents a more distinct view of the state of the business before Congress, and affords a more impressive idea of the extent of it, than could be readily conveyed in any other manner:

The joint committee of the two houses of Congress, appointed to inquire and report what business it will be necessary to act on during the present session, respectfully Report-That, after consideration of the lists of bills, resolutions, and reports, now pending in the two Houses, they are of opinion, that the limited period of the session will necessarily cause much important business to be postponed, but that the subjects mentioned in the following lists require to be acted on and disposed of:

ist. All bills of a public nature which have passed the House of Representatives, and are now pending in the Senate, viz.

An act making appropriations for the support of government, for the year 1819.

An act for the admission of the territory of Mis

souri into the Union.

An act to allow pensions on the relinquishment of bounty lands.

An act concerning invalid pensions.
An act regulating payments to invalid pension-

ers.

An act amendatory of an act supplementary to an act to authorize the state of Tennessee to issue grants and perfect titles, &c.

An act providing for the transportation of the mail in steam boats, between New Orleans and Louisville

An act respecting a turnpike road from George- || town, District of Columbia.

An act to authorize the conveyance of a lot of ground, belonging to the United States, in Virgi

nia.

An act for the appointment of an additional pension agent in the state of Tennessee.

An act supplementary to an act for the final adjustment of land claims in Louisiana and Missouri.

2d. All bills of a public nature which have passed the Senate, and are now pending in the House of Representatives, viz.

An act for the more convenient organization of the courts of the United States, and the appointment of circuit judges.

An act further to extend the judicial system of the United States.

An act to provide for the due execution of the laws of the United States in the state of Illinois.

An act to continue an act regulating the currency of the coins of Great Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain.

An act authorizing a subscription for the 11th and 12th volumes of State Papers.

An act to erect an equestrian statue of general Washington, in the capitol square.

An act to designate the boundaries of districts, and establish land offices, for the disposal of lands not heretofore offered for sale in Ohio and Illi. nois.

An act making appropriations to carry into ef fect treaties with several Indian tribes.

An act making further provision for the sale of public lands.

An act authorizing the purchase of live oak timber, for naval purposes.

An act for the relief of Patrick Callan. 4th. All bills of a private nature which have passed the Senate, and are now pending in the House of Representatives, viz.

An act for the relief of B. and P. Jourdon, brothers.

An act for the relief of Edward M'Carty.
An act for the relief of Matthew Barrow.
An act for the relief of Lewis and Antoine De-
quindre.

An act for the relief of James Wilde.
An act for the relief of John R. Jones.
An act for the relief of Aquilla Giles.
An act for the relief of John A. Dix.
An act for the relief of James H. Clark.
An act for the relief of David Henly.
An act for the relief of Nathan Ford.
An act for the relief of William Prout.
An act for the relief of Gabriel Godfrey.
An act for the relief of Nicholas Vreeland.
An act for the relief of Rees Hill.

An act for the relief of Pierre Dennis de la Ronde.

An act for the relief of Michael Hogan. An act for the relief of Daniel Pettibone. An act for the relief of Cavalier and Petit. An act for the relief of Samuel Ward. An act to increase the compensation of the surveyor of Patuxet, Rhode Island.

5th. The following bills, originating in the House of Representatives, and still pending therein.

A bill to enforce the provisions of the act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States.

A bill to increase the duties on certain manufactured articles imported.

A bill to increase the allowance to consuls on the Barbary coast.

A bill to amend the act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the United States.

A bill to authorize a subscription to Domestic State Papers.

A bill in addition to the act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage, passed 2d March, 1799.

A bill further to establish the compensation of An act respecting certain lands to be granted the officers employed in the collection of the du for the seat of government in the state of Indiana.ties on imports and tonnage, and for other purAn act for adjusting the claims to land, and establishing land offices, in the district east of the Island of New Orleans.

An act supplementary to the acts concerning the coasting trade.

An act to provide for sick and disabled seamen.

An act to suspend, for a limited time, the sale or forfeiture of lands for failure in completing the payments thereon.

poses.

A bill in addition to, and alteration of, an act laying a duty on imported salt, granting a bounty on pickled fish exported, and allowances to certain vessels engaged in the fisheries.

A bill authorizing the establishment of a national armory.

A bill authorizing the establishment of an additional Military Academy, &c.

A bill more effectually to provide for the pun

States, &c. &c.

An act more effectually to provide for the pun-ishment of certain crimes against the United ishment of certain crimes, and for other purposes. 3d All bills of a private nature which have passed the House of Representatives, and are now pending in the Senate, viz.

An act for the relief of Henry Batman. An act for the relief of Harold Smyth.

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A bill to reduce the duties on certain wines,

&c. &c.

A bill supplementary to, and to amend, the act entitled "An act to continue in force an act further to provide for the collection of duties on im

An act for the relief of Hannah King and Lu- ports and tonnage," passed 3d March, 1817. ther Frink.

An act for the relief of Phebe Stuart.

An act for the relief of Daniel Moss.

An act for the relief of Robert M'Calla and Matthew H. Jouet.

An act for the relief of Isaac Minis et al.
An act for the relief of Joseph Wheaton,

A bill supplementary to the several acts for the adjustment of land claims in the state of Louisiana and territory of Missouri.

A bill for the final adjustment of certain land claims in Louisiana and Missouri.

A bill allowing to each non-commissioned offi. cer, musician, and private, in the army of the

United States, who were on furlough at the close of the late war with Great Britain, a bounty in land as in other cases.

A bill providing for payment of property lost and destroyed in the Seminole war

A bill supplementary to "An act to provide for the redemption of the public debt."

A bill relating to the direct tax and internal duties.

A bill concerning navy agents.

A bill making appropriations for the public buildings, &c. &c.

A bill supplementary to the act establishing the

mint.

A bill continuing for a limited time the currency of the crowns, &c. &c. of France.

A bill to alter and establish certain post roads. A bill making an appropriation for carrying into effect the provisions of an act making reservation of certain public lands, to supply timber for naval purposes.

A bill supplementary to an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service, in the revolutionary war.

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That the western boundary, between the territory of the United States and that of Spain, is adJusted as follows: Beginning with the mouth of the Sabine river, and running with the west bank thereof to the north west limit of the state of Louisiana; thence by a direct line north to the Red river; thence along the south bank of that river to the one hundredth degree of longitude; thence on that meridian to the Arkansaw; and thence along the Arkansaw to its source, in the forty-second degree of north latitude; and thence upon that parallel to the Pacific.

A sum, not exceeding five millions of dollars, is to be paid by the United States, out of the proceeds of the sales of lands in Florida, or in stock or money, as the Congress may prescribe, to our own citizens, on account of spoliations and other injuries received by them from the government of Spain, or from the governments of the colonies of Spain.

To liquidate these claims, a Board is to be con Of a private nature:-a bill for the relief of stituted by the government of the United States, James Orr; of Winter's representatives; of Philip of American citizens, to consist of three CommisC. S. Barbour; of Thomas Carr and al. and ofsioners, who are to make their report within three Thomas Shields-(2 bills)

6th The following bills, originating in, and now
pending before, the Senate, of a public nature.
A bill respecting the transportation of persons
of color.

A bill for the better organization of the Treasury Department.

A bill to regulate the salaries of registers and receivers.

A bill supplementary to the act to prohibit the importation of slaves.

A bill for the correction of errors in the entries of land.

years.

There is a mutual renunciation, on the part of the two governments, of further claims on each other for spoliations, &c.

Spanish citizens are to enjoy, on the principle of the Louisiana treaty, the same privileges as American citizens in the ports of St. Augustine and Pensacola, for the term of twelve years.

These are the essential provisions of the Treaty, which is to take effect on the exchange of the ratifications, within six months of the present date, It is probable that Mr. FORSYTH, our newly appointed Minister to Spain, will be the bearer of

A bill to revive the powers of certain land com-this Treaty, and that the ratifications will be exmissioners.

A bill supplementary to the act to regulate the duties ou imports and tonnage.

A bill concerning tonnage and discriminating duties.

A bill for the better organization of the military academy.

A bill to repeat part of the act regulating the post office establishment.

A bill to authorize the purchase of fire engines for the security of the public buildings,

A bill to protect the commerce of the United States from piracy.

A bill to continue in force the act establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes. Resolution to run a boundary line.

From the National Intelligencer.

changed long before the commencement of the next session of Congress: in contemplation of which event, it is probable that Congress will, before they adjourn, pass an act authorizing the Executive to receive the surrender of the Provin ces of Florida from the Spanish authorities, and to establish an independent government therein.

We felicitate the country on this amicable and satisfactory termination of the tedious, and hitherto unpleasant negotiations with Spain. The attainment of either of the three objects, the cession of Florida, the settlement of the Western boundary, or the recognition and provision for the uljustment of the claims of our citizens on Spain, would have been considered as an epoch in the history of our foreign relations. The union of the three will make this Treaty trebly acceptable to the American people.

It is seldom that we have had so acceptable an It terminates the only existing controversy with office to perform, as that of announcing to our any of the European powers. It rounds off our readers the unanimous ratification, by the Senate, southern possessions, and forever precludes fo of a treaty of Amity, Settlement, and Limits, be-reign emissaries from stirring up Indians to war tween the United States and Spain, as recently concluded at this place, by Mr. Secretary Adams and Don Luis de Onis.

and Negroes to rebellion, whilst it gives to the Southern country important outlets to the sea. It adjusts the vast western boundary, acknowledging As the treaty, though ratified on our part, will the United States to be sovereign, under the hinot be promulgated officially until it has also been thertò contested Louisiana treaty, over all the ter. ratified by the sovereign of Spain, we shall state ritory we ever seriously contended for. In a the principal provisions, as distinctly as we have word, it ts a treaty than which the most sangunie been able to ascertain them, of this important in-have not anticipated one much more favorable: it is one that fully comes up to the expectations. By this treaty, we understand that Florida, in- "of the great body of the American people.

strument.

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