site the point where the Cumberland road strikes the same, through St. Clairsville, to Columbus, from thence to the western line of the state of Ohio, in a direction to St. Louis, in Missouri territory.

The bill from the Senate to enable the people The House resumed the regular order of the of the Alabama territory to form a state governday, and went into a committee of the whole, ment, and the bill to suspend for a further limitMr. H. Nelson in the chair, on the bill for the re-ed time the sale or forfeiture of lands, for failure lief of Kinsey and French.

in completing the payments, were received from the Senate, severally twice read, and committed.

The engrossed bill for the relief of Adam Kinsley, Thomas French, and Charles L. Leonard, was read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate for concurrence.

The bill for the relief of Benjamin Poole, the bill for the relief of the heirs of Thomas Turner, let-deceased, and the bill for the relief of Henry Da vis, severally passed through committees of the whole, Messrs. Smith, of Md. Pleasants, and Bassett, the chairmen, and were ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

continues the business of the last session over to this.

The Speaker laid before the House a report from the Secretary of War, made in obedience to a resolution of this house, of the 10th of April It was contended by Mr. Clay, that it was for last, instructing him to report a plan for the ap- the House to proceed to act on the bill, without plication of such means as are within the power of reference to what might in this respect be the Congress to the purpose of opening and constuct- rule of the Senate; and by Messrs. Lowndes, Neling such roads and canals as may deserve and re- son, Taylor and Pitkin, that this bill, having acquire the aid of government, with a view to mili- tually passed both Houses, except in regard to an tary operations in time of war; and also, a state-amendment, could not be considered as comprement of the works, of the nature above mention-hended within the rule. ed, which have been commenced, the progress that has been made, and the means and prospects of their completion: which was ordered to lie on The Speaker also laid before the House a let-and that for the relief of M. Poire, both aide de ter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting the annual statement of the district tonnage,|| on the 31st of December, 1817; which was also laid on the table.

the table.

On motion of Mr. Johnson, of Va. it was Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to inform the house (unless the communication of the information be, in his opinion, incompatible with the public interest) whether any application has been made by any of the independeut governments in South America, to have a minister or consul general accredited by the government of the United States, and what was the answer given to such application.

The engrossed bill for the relief of Benjamin Poole, was read a third time.

pro

The discussion resulted in the committee's rising, leave to sit again being refused, and the bill being indefinitely postponed, by a vote of 56 to 51. The bill for the relief of the Marquis De Vien,

camps of the Marquis La Fayette during the revolutionary war, passed through a committee of the whole, and, after a few remarks from Mr. Harrison, in their favor, were ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

The House then resolved itselfinto a committee of the whole, Mr. Nelson in the chair, on the important bill, reported at the last session, for the organization and discipline of the Militia of the United States.

The bill was read through; when the committee rose, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again, leaving this the business of course for to

morrow.

VOYAGES AND DISCOVERIES.
NORTH-WEST EXPEDITION TO THE POLE.

From a late English Paper.

The Isabella and the Alexander, discovery ships, are safely arrived at Brassa Sound, Lerwich, all well; neither ship having lost a man, nor a man on the sick list.

[This bill proposes to indemnify B. Poole, an assistant assessor in one of the collection districts of N. Hampshire, for the amount of a judgment given against him in the Supreme Court of the State of New Hampshire, in consequence of his having levied a tax on the property of a clergyman, under sanction of the opinion of the Attorney of the United States, of the District Court, and of the Attorney General, that the real Captain Ross has completely succeeded in experty of clergymen was liable to the direct tax.)ploring every part of Baffin's Bay, and, with the Considerable debate took place on this bill, principally on the nature of the judgment, which, it was contended, by Mr. Mills and others, had been rendered on a case made up, without a trial of the facts by the jury, in such a manner as to authorize Congress to interfere. This objection was answered by Messrs Clagett, Livermore, and others; and

The bill passed without a divisiou, and was sent

to the Senate.

The engrossed bill for the relief of Henry Davis; for the relief of Kenzie and Forsyth; authorizing the payment of a sum of money to the officers and crews of gun boats numbered 149 and 154, were severally read a third time, passed and

sent to the Senate for concurrence.

exception of errors in the latitudes and longitudes, of verifying the statements of that old and able navigator whose name it bears; and of ascertain. ing that no passage exists between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean through Davis' Strait and Baffin's Bay, the whole being found to be surrounded by high land extending to the north as far as lat. 77, 55, and long. 76 W. and in the 74th degree of lat. stretching westward as far as 84 W. longitude.

They traced the same the whole way down to tained to lie in lat. 66 and long. 60-from hence the Cape Walsingham of Davis, which they ascerthey steered for Resolution Island, and stood homeward.

They have made many curious observations and

discoveries, of which, perhaps, will not be consi dered as the least interesting, that of a nation beThe Speaker laid before the House a reporting found to inhabit the Arctic Regions, between from the Navy Department, in pursuance of a re- the latitudes of 76 and 78, who thought that the solution of the House, communicating certain in-world to the South was all ice; that generation formation in respect to Navy Hospitals; which was laid on the table.

The House then, in prosecution of the Orders of the Day, resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Smith, of Maryland, in the chair, on the bill to alter the time of holding the circuit courts in the Southern District of New York, and for other purposes.

This bill passed this House at the last session, was sent to the Senate, and passed by that body with amendments; and, in this state, presented to the House a new question, under the rule which

had succeeded generation of a people who had never tasted the fruits of the earth, had no idea of a Supreme Being, who never had an enemy, and whose chiefs had hitherto supposed themselves monarchs of the universe.

There now only remains to be discovered the termination, if it has one, of Middleton's Repulse Bay, and, a few degrees to the Northward of it, to determine whether Greenland be an island or joins America, and this might with the greatest ease be done from the northernmost station of the Hudson's Bay Company in any one season.

BANKS.

A statement has appeared in the National IntelEigencer, and has been republished in the newspapers generally, purporting to be extracted from a Report from the Treasury Department, respecting the state and condition of the Bank of the United States on the 30th of September last. The statement of debts due to the Bank of the United States, is introduced with the following

remarks:

At Philadelphia

committees, asserting an opinion directly opposite to that of the President. Here the business rested. But, it seems, the gentlemen who most strenuously advocated that report have been on the watch to detect the executive in inconsistency. They had noticed that various roads were made, under the denomination of military roads, and that the expense of forming them had been paid for, “The amount of debts due “from Banks pay from time to time, out of some fund not distinctly ing specie" to the Bank, and its several branches, specified. When the appropriation bill in quesand the notes of Banks paying specie, on hand,tion was taken up, therefore, Mr. CLAY, in a after deducting therefrom the amounts due by the Bank and its branches to the said Banks, respec-pointed manner, called upon the chairman of the tively, is thus stated: committee of ways and means to state to the House $1,745,375 73." what particular item it was in the bill which was From this statement, a belief prevails, that the State Banks of this city were indebted that amount to be applied to the extra pay of soldiers for workto the Bank of the United States, on the 30th of ing on roads. The chairman (Gen. SAM. SMITH, September last. To counteract this impression, of Maryland) could not point it out; and there he and to give the public correct information on the subject, the undersigned cashiers of the city sat, satirically buffeted by the friends of internal Banks, and of the Bank of the Northern Liberties, improvement, as they call themselves, in sad met at the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank on the perplexity. Mr. PHILIP P. BARBOUR, of Virginia, 2d of January, 1819, and reported the balances of had been, on a former occasion, a decided adhethe accounts of their respective Institutions, with rent to the President's opinion; but seemed willthe Bank of the United States, as they stood on the 30th of September last; from which it ap-ing to vote for the military appropriation bill, peared, that taking the several debits against the road-work and all. Mr. Clay, with his usual Bank of the United States, and giving it the se-quickness, perceiving this inconsistency, very sarveral credits to which it was entitled with the Banks aforesaid, the Bank of the United States on that day, was collectively indebted to them the sum of $49,829 14.

(Signed,)

HENRY DRINKER,
ELIHU CHAUNCEY,
QUINTIN CAMPBELL,
HENRY KUHL,
SAMUEL WILCOX,
J. WILLIAMS,

castically observed, that he did not want the information so much for himself as for his honorable friend from Virginia, (meaning Mr. Barbour.) This startled the latter gentleman, who defended himself with spirit, and was replied to in a very neat style by Mr. HENRY ST. GEORGE TUCKER. On the following day, the chairman of the committee of ways and means produced a written explanation from the Secretary of War, who pointed to the item embracing the intended expendiEditors who have republished the state-ture for road-work, and informed the chairman, ment from the National Intelligencer, will please to insert the above in their respective papers.

D. MANDEVILLE,
THOMAS WILSON.

Philadelphia, Jan. 2. 1819.

for the information of the House, that if it was meant to separate that sum from the rest, 10,000 dollars were the amount contemplated for the ob

[Note.-The National Intelligencer, we believe, copied from the Documents laid before Congress. The mother Bank of the United States at Philadelphia, is the proper source of replyject. The friends of internal improvement, thereto the foregoing.]

EDITOR'S CABINET.

CITY OF WASHINGTON,
January 16, 1819.

upon, procured these 10,000 dollars to be inserted in the bill as a specific item, and in that shape it passed the House by a large majority. Their obSject appears to be to bring the President's opinion History of Congress.-In order to understand the practically to the test; so as to compel him to renature of the discussion which arose in the Houseject the bill or to act inconsistently with his own of Representatives on the 6th instant, upon the bill making appropriations for the support of the military cotablishment of the United States for the year 1819, it is necessary to recall to the reader's recollection the fact that President MONROE, in his message at the opening of the first session of the fifteenth Congress, informed that body that he was of opinion that the constitution forbid his sanction of any bill appropriating money for the construction of roads and canals. The House, during the same session, in some sort, took fire at this intimation, and adopted a report from one of its

principle: And should the bill pass the Senate in its present form, he will be actually placed in that dilemma. Several attempts were made in the House to mask the question by clothing it in equivocal words; such as saying "for working on," &c. instead of "the construction of," &c. But nothing would satisfy the majority but the plainest terms; and we think they were right in that particular. Not that we entirely concur with these "friends of internal improvement," as they proudly style themselves; for we believe, with President Monroe, that the framers of the consti

tution never intended that the funds of the gene- || cable to criminal jurisprudence, which asserts as ral government should be expended upon roads a principle, that after murders have been comand canals. But we conceive, at the same time, mitted, the murderers ought not to be punished, that those who are of our way of thinking ought to because, there being no cause to fear other murbe consistent: They should pursue with strictaess ders, there is no "absolute necessity" for it? the principle which they have, in this respect, Are not all punishments intended to operate in arowed, and not do that indirectly, the doing of terrorem as to the future? And what would be which in a direct manner they have declared the thought of any government, or officer of a governconstitution does not sanction. We are sorry toment, that should, after detecting a murderer, say, that, in this instance, Messrs. Clay and Tucker let him run at large, unwhipt of justice, because, have greatly the advantage. There is, in fact, aby superior force, the remainder of society were difficulty in the case, arising, as we presume, from protected from his outrages? We have not room the double governments prevailing among us— this week to enlarge on the subject; 'but we shall state and national. The sooner the question is pay our respects to this report more in form next settled the better; and the best method of settling week; not doubting, in the mean time, that the it, as we think, is to submit it at once, by way of ||rport will be nost severely lashed in the House amendment to the constitution, for the considera-of Representatives. tion of the state legislatures.

This military appropriation bill, which, in many respects, has had a rough time in the House, gave rise also to a thrust or two at General JACKSON. Only to think what different effects an Indian war has upon different constitutions! Mr. MERCER, of Virginia, cannot sleep upon his pillow (as he told the House) for the uneasiness occasioned in his head by the incidents of the Seminole campaign; whilst General SAM. SMITH, of Mary. land, is not at all (as he says) disturbed in his slumbers by them. One honorable gentleman was for cutting off General Jackson by reducing the number of Major Generals; another, probably not with the same view, is for reducing the army. Such are the conceptions which the military appropriation bill either revived or brought forth at the moment.

General Jackson, however, is not to be let off with so slender a notice. The committee on military affairs has reported, pro and con. with respect to his conduct. Mr. THOMAS M. NELSON, ON Tuesday last, brought in a report unfriendly to the general. Mr. RICHARD M. JOHNSON brought in another approving his conduct: and they have been both referred to a committe of the whole House on the state of the union, and it is expected will be discussed on Monday next, and for many days in succession. This acceptance of contradictory reports is a very unusual course, and will form, we fear, a bad legislative precedent. The report, or rather protest, in favor of General Jackson, was, in truth, not in the least necessary. The unfriendly report was only carried by a majority of one, as we are told, in the committee on military affairs; and it is so feeble in point of argument, that we doubt whether it will not prove, in the sequel, from the ease with which it may be refuted, more advantageous to the General than the one professing to be friendly to him. What, for example, can be said of that reasoning, as appli

Delaplaine's Repository.-The first part of the second volume
of this invaluable work has been just presented to the public.
It contains the Portraits and the Biographies of Samuel
Adams, George Clinton, Henry Laurens, Benjamin Franklin, →
Francis Hopkinson, and Robert Morris.

The styles of the several engravings are different. That of Adams, by Goodman and Piggott, from the original of Copely, is in the dotted style.

That of Clinton, by Maverick, from the original of Ames, is in line engraving, of the middle French period.

Laurens is also in line, something in the style of the German

school. It is by Nagle, from a painting of the elder Peale.

Franklin is in the dotted style, by Longacre, said to be from an original by Martin. It has a very rich appearance, and presents an elegance of expression which we have never hereto.

fore seen in a head of Franklin.

Hopkinson, by J. Heath, from an original by Pine, is in the dotted style.

Morris is likewise by Heath, and also from an original by Pine, in the dotted style,

The paper and typography of the work are beautiful, and are an incontestable proof of the progress of the arts in the United States.

This Repository of the Features and Lives of distinguished Americans, has a powerful, and, indeed, a paramount, claim on the patronage of the community. It unites, in a classical and familiar manner, the advantages of the Statue, of the Picture, and of History. It is a record of virtue, patriotism, ||and exalted talents; bringing home, as it were, to the bosoms of families, the forms and the ideas which have contributed so tinue, thus rescued, as it were, from the vagueness of tradition much to human liberty and happiness, and which may still cotand the oblivion of the grave, to inspire the sons and daughters of Columbia with those magnanimous sentiments, the perpetuation of which is indispensable, to the preservation of the blessings of freedom.

The Biographies, in general, are well written; some, however, much better than others. The engravings and the lite rary composition of the liyes contained in the unce numbere already published, must have cost Mr. Delaplaine a great deal of money; and it is not without pain we have understood that his expenditures have been considerably more than his receipts. But perseverance, we are persuaded, will crown bis efforts with success and emolument, There is too much generous feeling in the hearts of the American people to allow a national work, at once splendid and useful, to be discontinued for want of pecuniary encouragement. Whilst we pay homage to the great qualities of the Heroes of the Revolution, and to those of the illustrious men who have succeeded them, we are bound, in interest and in honor, to consecrate their wellcarned fame by every rational means within our power.

No. 4.]

WASHINGTON CITY, JANUARY 23, 1819.

[VOL. VI

Printed and Published, every Saturday, by Lawrence, Wilson, & Co. at five dollars per annum.

Contents of this No. of the National Register. Report of the Committee on the Bank of the United States, 40-Bill presented to the House of Representatives relative to the election of directors to the United States' Bank,

60.-Manufactures, Commerce, and Navigation-New Custom ilouse at Baltimore, 60.-English Cotton Manu-pledged stock, and to stockholders only, and by

factories, 60.-Leuer from Bremen, 60.-Mississippi river very low, 60.-Agriculture-India Wheat, 61.Proceedings of Congress, 61.-Literature and the ArtsHistorical Eulogy to general Kosciusko, 64.

BANK OF THE UNITED STATES. Mr. Spencer, from the committe appointed to investigate the proceedings of the Bank of the United States, made the following report: The committee appointed to inspect the books and to examine into the proceedings of the Bank of the United States, with directions to report thereon, and to report whether the provisions of its charter have been violated or not, respectfully

report

It appears that the directors of the bank, on its first institution, and up to the 28th of August, 1818, strenuously endeavored to redeem its notes at all its offices, indiscriminately, north of the city of Charleston. On the 7th day of January, 1817, it commenced operations by discounting notes on the issue of its bills. The officer at the head of the Treasury Department had repeatedly urged the commencement of operations, with the laudable view, as it appears, of hastening the redemp. tion, by the state banks, of their notes, in specie. Vide letters from the secretary of the treasury to to the president of the bank of the United States, 15th August and 29th November, 1816, marked I. II.

Efforts on the part of the treasury to induce the abortive, until the bank of the United States made local banks to that measure, appear to have been between it and the state institutions, which finally certain propositions which induced negotiations resulted in a compact contained in the resolutions of the board of directors, of the 31st January, 1817, herewith submitted, and marked III; and in order to exhibit how far the bank complied with its compact, a statement of the loans and of notes issued, up to the 20th February, 1817, is submit

That, unler the leave granted by the house, the committee repaired to Philadelphia, and there personally inspected the books of the bank; and as a further means of examining its proceedings, they interrogated, on oath, the president, the cashier, all the directors of the bank whose atted, marked "V. It can be necessary, only, to retendance could be obtained, and several of its clerks and officers. Examinations also have been

made at the office at Baltimore, at kichmond, and at the city of Washington, in order to obtain specific information upon certain subjects on which the books of the parent bank were necessarily deficient. From these inquiries, conducted with great labor, and, the committee trust, with great care, they have collected a mass of information which they now submit to the house, and which will be referred to in the course of this report. This information consists of tables, statements, and extracts made by the committee from the books of the bank, or by them compared with those books and verified; and of the testimony of witnesses, and of letters from the president of the institution.

fer to the state of the paper currency of the coun try at this period. The notes of the state banks were variously depreciated, some as much as 20 per cent. while others were at a premium. The excessive issue of paper by the local banks, had caused an unnatural and artificial depreciation of such paper, which required only time, and moderate but steady reductions, to restore, not to an uniform par, but to its true value. Under these circumstances, the bank of the United States had, on the last day of February, 1817, (vide statement marked V) $8,818,000 due to it from the state banks at Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore. with such a credit, constantly accumulating by the transfer of the treasury funds, and by the pay

ment of the second instalment in the notes of the state banks, it was in the power of the United The committee are aware, that from these States' bank to have coerced the local institutions sources of information various important inferen- into a moderate and reasonable reduction of their ces may be drawn, and upon them the most in-circulating notes. An attempt to do so was made teresting opinions may be predicated; it has been by the compact III; and, although the bank of the their intention, however, to go no further than United States appears to have been anxious to efwas required by the resolution of the house; to fect the object, it did not persevere in the design. avoid speculative opinions on general subjects; By its subsequent acts, it improvidently afforded and to confine themselves to what they deemed a temptation, to the western banks particularly, to practical objects of inquiry, which they settled extend their circulation of notes, by insisting on among themselves previous to entering upon the its branches paying out their own notes, in preinvestigation. These objects seemed to divide ference to those of the state banks; and on their themselves into two classes: those which related delivering drafts on the eastern cities, whenever to the general management of the bank, and the it could be done, to prevent the remittance of conduct of its officers; and those which were con- their own notes. The branch notes, and the nected with the question of a violation of its char-drafts issued in consequence of those instructions, ter. As to the general management of the concerns of the institution-among the points of inquiry which appeared to be most immediately interesting, were those which related to the refusal of the bank and its offices to pay its notes in specie at any other place than that where they were made payable; and to the practice of selling draftsed by them as a fund upon which interest was on each other. charged to the state banks. The letter of the

were swept away by the facility of remittance thus unwarily given, as well as by the ordinary balance of trade. A vacuum in the circulation was thus produced, which could be supplied only by the local notes, which were readily received by the offices of the Bank of the United States, and were retain