Agreeably to notice given,' Mr. Tait, having obtained leave, introduced a bill to purchase the lands reserved by the act of the 3d of March, 1817, to certain chiefs and warriors of the Creek nation; which bill was read.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion of Mr. Roberts, of the 25th instant, and agreed thereto.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the resolution proposing to amend the constitution, so far as to produce an uniform mode of electing Electors of President and Vice President of the United States, and Representatives to Congress, together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee.

[The amendments were-first, after providing that the districts shall be formed of contiguous territory, and contain, as nearly as may be, an equal number of persons entitled by the consti tution to be represented, to insert, or of persons qualified to vote for members of the most numerous branch of the state legislature." Second, to add at the end of the section the following: "And if the Legislature of any state shall fail to provide for "the election of Representatives, as hereby re"quired, Congress shall have power to provide "for the same in the manner prescribed by this "article."

64

After some discussion, the amendments were agreed to, and the resolution, as amended, ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

Mr. Daggett, from the committee on the District of Columbia, reported a bill to authorize William Prout to institute a bil! in equity before the circuit court, against the Superintendent of the public buildings, and to direct a defence thereof; which was read.

of lands not heretofore offered for sale, in the states of Ohio and Indiana; which was read.

Mr. Morrow, from the committee on public lands, reported a bill to designate the boundaries of districts, and establish land offices for the sale"

The Senate resumed, in committee of the whole. Mr. Gaillard in the chair, the consideration of the bill more effectually to provide for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States; and, after making some amendments thereto, which were concurred in by the Senate, the bill was ordered to be engrosed and read a third time.

On motion of Mr. Hendricks, the committee on the public lands were instructed to inquire into the expediency of making provision for the dis

Mr. Roberts, from the committee of claims,posal of those lands in the state of Indiana and made a report favorable to the petition of Elisha Ohio, to which the Indian title has lately been Hurt, and a bill for the relief of Daniel Henley; extinguished. which were read.

Friday, Jan. 22. The bill, from the Senate, "to provide for the more convenient organization of the Courts of the United States, and for the appointment of Circuit Judges;" was reported by Mr. H. Nelson, without amendment, and referred to a committee of the whole.

Mr. Harrison, from the committee upon the improvement in the organization, and discipline

the militia, made a report, which was ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. M'Lean, the same committee were instructed to inquire into the expediency of granting the right of pre-emption of their settlements to those persons settled upon lands of the United States in the state of Illinois. Saturday, January 23. The Speaker presented to the House a letter addressed to him, signed by Elias B. Caldwell, Walter Jones, and Francis S. Key, a committee of the American Colonization Society, accompanied with an account of the measures pursued by the Society, for accomplishing the great object of its institution, and of the result of their inquiries and researches, as also of documents showing the unlawful participation of the citizens of the United States in the African slave trade; which letter

and documents were referred to a select committee.

of his attachment to the liberties of mankind.
and the cause of America, in the action near
Camden, in the state of South Carolina, on the
16th of August, 1780, when, leading on the troops
of the Maryland and Delaware lines, against su-
perior numbers, and animating by his example to
deeds of valor, he was pierced with many wounds,
and on the 19th following expired, in the 40th
year of his age. The Congress of the United
States of America, in gratitude to his zeal, servi-
ces and merit, have erected this monument."
Resolved, therefore, That the aforegoing resolu-plementary to the act establishing a Mint.'
tion be referred to a select committee, with in-
structions to report a bill now to carry the same
into effect.

Mr. Lowndes, from the select committee ap pointed on the 27th Nov. last, to inquire wheth er it be expedient to make any amendment in the laws which regulate the coins of the United ||States and foreign coins, made a detailed report thereon, accompanied by the following bill sup

The question to lay Mr. Reed's motion on the table was carried-ayes 76, noes 42.

Be it enacted, &c. That the treasurer of the mint shall be, and he is hereby, directed to retain fourteen grains and 85-100th of a grain of pure silver from every amount of 371 grains and 25-100th of a grain of such silver deposited for Monday, Jan. 25. coinage at the mint, after the passage of this act, Mr. Lowndes, from the select committee ap- so as to make the dollar of the United States conpointed on the 27th of November last, to inquire||tain 356 grains 40-100th of a grain of pure silver whether it be expedient to make any amendment and 399 grains 36-100th of standard silver, in the laws which regulate the coins of the Unit- and smaller coins proportional quantities of such ed States and foreign coins; and also to inquire silver, and the sum so retained shall be accountinto the expediency of fixing a standard of ed for by the said Treasurer with the Trea, weights and measures, made a detailed report sury of the United States. upon the latter subject; which was read and or dered to lie on the table.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the gold bullion deposited for coinage at the mint after the passage of this act shall be coined, as is now provided by law, into eagles, half eagles, and quarter eagles. But the eagle shall contain 237 98-100 grains of pure gold, and 259 61-100 grains of standard gold, and the smaller coins proportional quantities of such gold respectively. And the person or persons by whom the said gold bullion shall have been deposited shall receive in lieu thereof gold coins containing an equal quantity of pure gold,with that contained in the bullion. Provided, always, that, when gold or silver bullion shall be deposited for coinage at the mint, which bullion shall be below the standard of the United States, a sum equivalent to the expense of refin

||

Mr.T. M. Nelson, from the same committee, to whom was referred the engrossed bill "regulating the same shall be charged in the manner proing the payments to invalid pensioners," report vided by the act respecting the mint, passed on ed it with an amendment, (changing the mode of the 24th of April, 1800. authenticating claims for pensions) which, (after an unsuccessful motion by Mr. Hugh Nelsont to lay the bill and amendment on the table) was agreed to, and the bill ordered to a third reading. Mr. Mercer, agreeably to an intimation which he had given in committee of the whole, offered the following resolution:

Mr. Williams, of N. C. from the committee of claims, made an unfavourable report on the peti tion of Richard B. Lee, late Commissioner of Claims; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Jones, from a select committee, made a report on the petition of Phebe Stuart, accompanied by a bill for her relief; which was twice read and committed.

Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, from the military committee, reported a bill for the relief of Robert M'Calla and Matthew H. Jouett; which was twice read and committed.

Revolved, That the Secretaries of War and the Navy be directed to lay before this House a copy of the military orders, in virtue of which the Ne gro Fort, within the territory of East Florida, was destroyed, in the month of July, 1816, together with the correspondence of colonel Clinch and com. Patterson in relation to that event.

On suggestion of Mr. Strother, the following was received by the mover as a part of the resolution:

And any other information, which may be in their power, in relation to the movement of the Indians in the Seminole country.

Some conversation took place on this resolution, in which Mr. Mercer stated his object to be to show, by the papers called for, &c. that the United States were the aggressors in the war which ensued with the Seminole Indians.

On putting the question on Mr. Mercer's resoJution, it was discovered that there was not a quorum of the members present; and

The House adjourned.

Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Mr. Smith, of Md. from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill making appropriations for the support of government for the year 1819; which was twice read and committed.

Sec 3. And be it enacted, That nothing in this act shall be construed to affect the regulations of the mint now provided by law, in respect to as says, alloy, remedy, or in respect to the duties and liabilities of the officers of the mint, so far as such regulations are compatible with the provisions of the preceding section.

Sec. 4. And be it enacted, That the parts of Spanish dollars, and coms less than half dollars, issued from the mint of the United States, shall not be deemed to be a legal tender to an amount exceeding five dollars on any one debt.

Mr Lowndes, from the same committee, reported a bill continuing the currency, for a limited time, of the crowns and five franc pieces of France; which bills were severally twice read and committed.

Mr Bassett addressed the chair, and said, that he rose to perform a pleasing task, because it was connected with humanity. It was to give praise and honor where praise and honor were due. It was (continued Mr. B.) said last night, from that chair, that sensible objects most forcibly attracted My heart responds to its truth. Most sen sibly did I feel, on beholding in that chair a man whose life has been devoted to the amelioration of the state of man; one who, without the influence of kindred or country, and without any aid. save that of a common tongue, has passed the

us.

vast Atlantic, to make known the hidden powers Mr Herbert, from the committee to whom was and blessings of knowledge. Thousands, said referred the code of jurisprudence for the Dis Mr. B. are now enjoying the happy fruits of histrict of Columbia, prepared and transmitted to exertions, and millions to come will reap their Congress by Wm. Cranch, Chief Justice of the profits, and drink again and again of the never District of Columbia, made a report thereon, confailing spring 1 should do injustice to the feel-cluding with a resolution to refer the said code to ings of the house to dwell on the subject. Mr the Judges of the Circuit Court, and the Attorney B. then submitted the following resolution, which of the said District, with a request to examine the was read and agreed to: same, and repart to Congress at their next session such amendments thereto as to them may seem necessary; which resolution was agreed to by the

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Resolved, That Joseph Lancaster, the friend of learning and of man, be admitted to a seat within the Hall of the House of Representatives.

House.

On motion of Mr. Spencer, it was

Mr. Herbert, from the same committee, reported a bill for the benefit of Wm. Cranch, Chief Justice of the District of Columbia.

Resolved, That the Senate of the United States be requested to permit the attendance of the Hon. Mr. Daggett and the Hon. Mr. Hunter, Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, from the committee members of their body, before the committee of on military affairs, reported a bill extending the the House of Representatives, appointed to in-allowance to cadets; which bills were severally quire into the official conduct of Wm. P. Van twice read and committed. Ness and Matthias B. Tallmadge, to be examined touching the subject of said inquiry.

On motion of Mr. Mercer, the House took up and proceeded to consider the resolution submit-Virginia. ted by him yesterday, near the hour of adjournment, calling for copies of certain documents from the War and Navy Departments, illustrative of the inquiry now pending before the House-and agreed to the same.

The engrossed bill regulating the payment to valid pensioners; the engrossed bill for the relief of Robert M'Calla and Matthew 1. Jouett, and the engrossed bill for the relief of Phobe Stuart, were severally passed and sent to the Senate for concurrence.

The bill for the relief of Hannah Ring and Luther Frink, was ordered to a third reading, Wednesday, January 27. Mr. Marchand, from a select committee, report-ceedings of the Senate;) when, ed a bill supplementary to the act for the relief of Benjamin Wells; which was twice read and committed.

The House took up for consideration the amendments of the Senate to the bill to establish separate judicial district in the western part of The principal amendments were, to direct the holding of six sessions in each year, instead of four, (two at Clarksburg, two at Lewisburg, and two at Wythe court house;) and authorizing but one clerk for the District, instead of two.]

Mr. M'Coy moved that the bill and amendments be indefinitely postponed, which was negatived. The amendments were then concurred in by the House; as were also those of the Senate to the bill providing for the payment of lost Treasu ry notes in certain cases

The House then proceeded to the consideration of the amendments of the Senate to the military appropriation bill (heretofore stated in the pro

On motion of Mr. Smith, of Maryland, the gallery was cleared, and the doors closed; and the House remained in private session about two hours; when the doors were opened, and the House proceeded to the Orders of the Day.

SELECTED VERSES.

[Several of our respectable readers having inti mated a wish that we should, now and then, insert verses or poetry in our print, we shall comply with that desire. The following is a neat hit at babblers, and noisy commentators on every body's business but their own.]

THE PROGRESS OF REPORT.

Report is, first, a piginy small,
That, shrewdly cautious, dares but crawl;
She whispers this: hints that; looks shy;
Sneaks on, and squints, and learns to lie;
Gains as she goes; grows bold and strong;
Nor creeps, through fear, a pigmy long.
But soon we see the monster rise,
Stride round, and swell to giant size:
With uplift hand and accent loud,
Fright and amuse th' astonish'd crowd;
Wake all the passions; rouse to strife
Neighbor with neighbor, man with wife;
Jar and derange the social spheres,
And set whole cities by the ears,
Strange is her form. She runs or flies
With spreading wings set full of eyes,
Set full of ears her monstrous head
And mouths and tongues that talk one deal.

And watches, listens, day and night,
Pleas'd nothing less with wrong, than right;
Hears, conjures, vents her motley tale,
Harangues, puffs, libels, slanders, rails;
And, where permitted most to dwell,
Renders the neighborhood a hell.

EDITOR'S CABINET.

CITY OF WASHINGTON,
January 30, 1819.

sons, they wheel into semi-circles, from the main body of the school-room to the sides; and, when they are done, they return to their places. Their hats are slung, like knapsacks, over their shoulders; and, when they are preparing to write or cypher, the word of command is given, and they clean slutes or show slates, just as soldiers, at the word of command, shoulder firelock, &c. This may be called the discipline of the school, whereby much time is saved, as a great many are put through their exercise, or lessons, "at the same time, and confusion is avoided by different modulations of the voice.

In this system there is something substantially good, and something frivolous. It is like most new things that become fashionable; that is, it is a little over-rated. Mr. Lancaster explained it pretty much in detail.

The chief merit of the plan consists in two particulars: 1. The multiplication of tutors; and, 2d. The cheapness of materials for instruction.

Joseph Lancaster.—The citizens of Washington have recently had an opportunity of seeing, and hearing the Lectures of, this gentleman, who has been in the United States for some time past. He lectured twice this week, on Monday and Tuesday evenings, in the Capitol, to very respectable and intelligent audiences, upon whom he appears to have made a favorable impression.

Mr. Lancaster seems to be a man between 40 and 50 years of age, of the middle stature, and fat withal. His appearance is very much that of one of the Society of Friends, to which religious sect he probably belongs. His figure has little of dignity in it, less of polish, and nothing of grace: but he is evidently possessed of a tolerably strong and discriminating mind and a pleasant temper. His expression of voice is distinct, and you may ob. serve that he feels himself in some degree an orator. As a speaker he has a good deal of energy; and were he associated with any community, the basis of whose pulpit elocution is enthusiasm, he would, in our opinion, make a most contagious preacher. We cannot, however, altogether ap Mr. Lancaster, if we comprehended him, means, prove of Mr. Lancaster's method of lecturing.hereafter, to make his home at Philadelphia or New York; journeying forth, at times, through the several states, to extend and perfect his system. With such excellent intentions, every friend to the welfare of the country must wish him long life and health. But as he does intend to remain among us, it was ill-judged, we think, in him to offer any thing like the incense of flattery to the Americans. That we are more virtuous than the Europeans, we very much doubt. We live better, perhaps, in the main; but that is, in a great measure, owing to our residing in a new country. It is sufficient if we are as good as the people of other nations; and we ought to thank God that we are not worse; for every day Europe is pouring out upon our shores, among numbers of virtuous emigrants, who ought to receive a hearty welcome, the most vicious of the human

He is clear enough, it is true: you cannot well mistake him: but then he is familiar, ludicrous in some of his modes of illustration, and sometimes descends to a pun. This tends to diminish the respect entertained for his system.

race.

A school, according to this system, may be as large in point of numbers as you please. There is a principal master; and, under him, all the boys are divided into small classes of 8 or 10, with a monitor to each class, who acts as a teacher or usher, and belongs, himself, to the next class above him. Thus, a monitor, at the same time, teaches and is taught. The whole operation of the school is borrowed from military tactics, and the monitors are the non-commissioned officers

At this moment, it is said, the ravisher and murderer of Mary Ashford-whose story our readers are doubtless acquainted with-resides in Baltimore, having been driven out of England by the moral force of public sentiment; and we perceive, by the latest English advices, that the con

who drill the others. When they say their les.victed fabricators of poisonous tea and simulated

The saving in the materials of instruction by this method is unquestionably of considerable amount. A slate serves, in a great measure, instead of paper; and a single sheet of paper, with a lesson printed on it in large letters, answers for a whole class, every boy of which can see and spell or read it at the same time.

This brief explanation may satisfy the reader that the system of education propagated by Joseph Lancaster is well enough calculated for ordinary branches of learning, and that it will be very useful to the children of the poor and the destitute. Indeed, it is in this light that Mr. Lancaster principally regards it himself, if we rightly understood him. Of the purity of his motives no person who heard him can doubt: of the expanded benevolence of his heart the Christian world is full of proofs.

coffee are hastening hither as to an asylum for || sent to Botany Bay for picking pockets. Barringthe oppressed!

ton had invented a very ingenious instrument for this purpose, and only plundered individuals: but here is an instrument, in the shape of a bank, which has picked pockets by wholesale; yet not one of the offenders who used it for such base purposes will be even arraigned at the bar of a criminal court. They will, it is true, be tried by the moral sense of their fellow-citizens, and most severely will they be scourged. But it is deplo

Banking. The crimes produced by the present spurious system of banking are so numerous, that a work as large as the "Newgate Calendar" would not contain a specification of the whole. In England, the art of forgery has arrived at such a degree of refinement, that the officers of the bank there are no longer able to discriminate between false and genuine notes, and several per-rable to think that vice is thus creeping upwards, sons charged with the offence of forgery have into the more elevated ranks of society! What been acquitted by a jury, simply because the offi-will foreign nations think of us? Our national cers of the bank could not satisfy them that the character is at stake, and unless prompt and bills alleged to be forged were actually so. It is strong measures are taken to redeem it, we must said that, in consequence of the ingenuity of the sink in the estimation of mankind in general. English rogues, agents have been sent to the United States to procure engravers to execute plates for them of a peculiar kind. In this de scription of warfare between honesty and knave ry, the danger is, that the knaves may get the better of the honest men; for if it should once happen that it is more lucrative to work for counterfeiters than for the banks, we should have very little faith in the mere moral force of the human heart, except in some few instances, to resist the temptation. Self-interest is the foundation of virtue as it is of crime: the difference between that interest in the one case and the other is, that the self-interest which produces the former is social and well regulated; whereas, in the latter case, it is single and licentious. In this country the cor-tee, to which we had proposed to pay our re

History of Congress.-It was our intention currently to follow the thread of the debate in the House of Representatives on the report from the military committee on the Seminole war: but so great is the latitude of discussion, and so many the speakers, that we are persuaded it will be more satisfactory to the readers of the National Regitter to receive, what we propose to give them as soon as the debate is closed, a summary of the arguments of the orators on each side of the question. The public are aware, we presume, that the debate leads only to the expression of an opinion, and not to any act. As to the report of the majority of the military commit

ruptions of the banking system have infected all spects, we postpone our observations on that to classes of the community. The very officers of the same time. The discussion, it is said, has the bank, it is now irrefutably proved, in several been free. Free let it be, both out of Congress and instances, have shown that they are destitute of in. On this subject we recommend to the attenthat probity, without which the most common tion of our readers the letter of "Themistocles," transactions of life become a scene of scrambling in this number of our paper, addressed to Mr. and swindling. Presidents, cashiers, and direc- Clay.-Vice President Tompkins' observations in tors, of banks, have been exposed to the world as the Senate, in giving his vote on the military apdefrauders and open robbers of the institutions propriation bill, will be found at once clear and over whose interests and purity they have been plausible. The President, in approving the bill, appointed to watch. The deserving stockholders will probably act upon the same reasoning: that of the Bank of the United States have been cheat- is, that an appropriation of money, to pay soled, by mismanagement, of their lawful dividends, diers for working on roads to be used for militaby some of the very men appointed to carry on ry purposes, does not involve the principle of apbusiness for them. What can be a more openpropriations for the construction of roads and confession of imbecile or fraudulent management, canals. than a dividend of only two and an half per cent. for half a year-not legal interest!-when the Bank of the United States had so many advantages for banking in its favor? It is ridiculous to urge the use of soft words in cases of this kind. When dis-The President will, therefore, we presume, ratify honesty of the most flagrant description stalks it; and, as soon as the ratifications have been duly abroad, we are to touch it, are we? with nothing exchanged, the convention will no doubt be pubbut hands of silk and velvet! These reprobate lished. bank jobbers are not one whit better than the fa mous Barrington, whom a British court of justice

Official Notices, &c. &c.-The Senate of the United States have advised and consented to the ratification of the convention recently concluded between the United States and Great Britain.

General JACKSON, commander of the southern division of the army of the United States, arrived