Wabash and Erie canal: which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Dromgoole presented a memorial of Hugh A. Garland, of Virginia, touching his conduct as Clerk of the House of Representatives in the twenty-sixth Congress of the United States. Mr. Giddings presented a remonstrance of citizens of Morgan county, Ohio, against any rule of the House limiting the right of petition. Mr. Strong presented resolutions of the Legislature of New York, in favor of refunding the fine imposed on General Jackson at New Orleans. Ordered, That said memorial, remonstrance, and resolutions be laid upon the table. Mr. Wilkins presented certain resolutions of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, against the erection of a bridge over the Ohio river at Wheeling: which were referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals. Mr. Henley presented a petition of citizens of Jefferson county, Indiana, praying an appropriation for the erection of a bridge across the Ohio river at Wheeling. Mr. Duncan presented a petition of citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio, of like import. Ordered, That said petitions be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Mr. Bidlack presented a petition of Martha Bennett, of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, praying a pension for services of her late husband, Rufus Bennett, as a soldier of the Revolution: which was referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. Mr. Blackwell presented a petition of William Nicholls, of Knox county, Tennessee, praying a pension for wounds and disabilities incurred as a soldier in the late war with Great Britain: which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Mr. Dean presented a petition of Frederick Holben, of Stark county, Ohio, praying confirmation of his title to certain land therein described: which was referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims. Mr. Tilden presented a petition of citizens of Portage county, Ohio, praying a reduction of the rates of postage, and the restriction of the franking privilege. Mr. Vinton presented a petition of citizens of Van Buren county, Iowa Territory, of like import. Mr. Giddings presented a petition of citizens of Ohio, of like import. Mr. Dickey presented a petition of citizens of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, praying the establishment of a post-road from Newcastle to Butler, in said State. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Holmes presented a petition of the society of Freemasons in the District of Columbia, praying a charter of incorporation of the Grand Lodge in said District. Mr. Chilton presented a petition of citizens of Virginia, praying the recharter of the Bank of Potomac and Farmers' Bank of Alexandria. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee for the District of Columbia. Mr. Strong presented a petition of the Long Island Railroad Company, State of New York, praying the remission of duty on certain railroad iron imported for their use. Mr. Charles M. Reed presented a petition of citizens of Pennsylvania, praying an appropriation to continue the public works on the harbor at Erie. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Com merce. Mr. French presented a petition of Patrick Masterson-heretofore presented January 16, 1843. Mr. Duncan presented a petition of William Thompson, praying compensation for a horse lost in the public service during the late war with Great Britain. Mr. Bower presented a petition of Charles Allen, of the State of Missouri, praying compensation for the loss of two slaves liberated by the British authorities at Nassau, from the brig Encomium, in the year 1834. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Rhett presented a "remonstrance of the New York Free Trade Association against the monopoly or protective system," setting forth at great length their reasons and arguments against commercial restrictions, and affirming that "legitimate trade is simply an interchange of benefits," and praying "that trade may be unshackled; that all attempts to regulate the circulation of wealth through the veins of the body politic, whether by the tournequet of a prohibitory tariff, or by the ligatures of discriminating duties, may cease; and that our ruinous system of monopoly and extortion may no longer be upheld and encouraged by Federal enactments." Mr. Rhett called for the reading of the said remonstrance. Mr. Cave Johnson objected to the reading. And the question was put, "Shall the remonstrance be read?" And decided in the affirmative. The remonstrance having been read, A motion was made by Mr. Rhett that it be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and that it be printed. A division of the question was called for, and it was divided accordingly; and the first division thereof being put, to wit: "Shall the remonstrance be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means?” It was decided in the affirmative. The question was stated on the printing of the said petition; when, debate arising, it was laid over, under the rule. Mr. Beardsley offered to present a petition of five thousand two hundred and ninety-nine citizens of the county of Oneida, in the State of New York, for the repeal of the act of 12th February, 1793, entitled "An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters." Mr. Thompson demanded that the question, "Shall the petition be received?" be put. Mr. Weller moved that the question raised by Mr. Thompson do lie on the table. A motion was made by Mr. Beardsley, that there be a call of the House. A motion was made by Mr. Hopkins, that the House do adjourn. And the question being put, It was decided in the affirmative. And, at half-past 3 o'clock, p. m., the House adjourned until to-morrow, at 12 o'clock meridian. TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1844. On motion of Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll, the rules were suspended to enable the Speaker to call the committees for reports for one hour. Mr. Thomas Smith, from the Committee of Claims, made an adverse report upon the petition of Cornelius Bogard: which report was laid upon the table. Mr. Holmes moved the following resolution: Whereas the House have referred to the Committee on Commerce the entire subject of improving the navigation of the western waters and the condition of the various lake and coast harbors of the United States, Resolved, That the said committee be allowed the use of a clerk. A motion was made by Mr. Hopkins to amend the same, by striking out all after the word "resolved," and inserting "that all the standing committees, which deem it necessary, have leave to employ a clerk :" Which motion was disagreed to by the House. Mr. Elmer moved to amend said resolution, by adding thereto the following: "at four dollars per day, for thirty days:" Which motion was agreed to by the House; when, On motion of Mr. Rathbun, it was Ordered, That the said resolution do lie upon the table. Mr. Labranche, from the Committee on Commerce, made a report upon. the petition for a port of entry at Cedar Keys, accompanied by a bill (No. 85) to establish a new collection district for the Territory of Florida, to be called the Suwannee district: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. On motion of Mr. Labranche, Ordered, That the Committee on Commerce be discharged from the consideration of the petition of the Legislative Council of Florida for a port of entry at Tampa, and that said petition be laid on the table. Mr. Dunlap, from the Committee on Commerce, reported bills of the following titles, to wit: No. 86. A bill for the relief of William Ellery, owner of the fishing schooners "Sevo" and "Ida," both of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and others; No. 87. A bill for the relief of the owner and crew of the schooner Success; accompanied by a report in each case: which bills were severally read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. Mr. Charles M. Reed, from the Committee on Commerce, reported a bill (No. 88) to regulate the appointments and promotions of officers in the United States revenue marine, and to establish courts-martial and courts of inquiry in said service: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to morrow. Mr. Davis of Indiana, from the Committee on Public Lands, made an adverse report upon the petition of citizens of Iowa for a donation of land in aid of the Mechanics' Mutual Aid Society of Iowa: which report was laid upon the table. On motion of Mr. J. W. Davis, (by leave,) Ordered, That the petition of John J. Beck, adversely reported upon by the Committee of Claims on the 16th instant, be recommitted to said committee, with additional evidence now presented. Mr. Hopkins, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, made an adverse report upon the petition of John Fossett: which report was committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. On motion of Mr. Davis of Indiana, (by leave,) it was Resolved, That the use of the hall be granted on the evening of the 24th instant to the managers of the New York State Institution for the Blind, for the purpose of exhibiting the proficiency of their pupils in the academic and mechanic arts. Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred, on the 4th instant, the joint resolution (No. 4) relative to the Territory of Oregon, reported the same without amendment, with the following resolution: Resolved, (as the opinion of this committee,) That it is inexpedient for Congress at this time to act in any manner upon the subject referred to in the said resolution. A motion was made by Mr. Owen to amend the said resolution of the committee, by striking out all of the same after the word "resolved," and inserting in lieu thereof the words, "that it is expedient to pass the resolution." And, after debate, Mr. Dromgoole moved that the said resolution be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and that it be printed. A division of the question was demanded; and the question was first put, Shall the said joint resolution be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union? And decided in the affirmative. The question was then put, Shall the said joint resolution be printed And decided in the affirmative. The hour for which the rules were suspended having expired, A motion was made by Mr. Owen, that the rules be suspended to enable him to move that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. And the question being put, It was decided in the negative, Yeas, 111 65 Two-thirds not voting in favor thereof. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Mr. Archibald Atkinson Charles S. Benton Benjamin A. Bidlack Edward J. Black James Black Julius W. Blackwell Mr. Augustus A. Chapman Abalom H. Chappell Walter Coles Alvan Cullom Amasa Dana John R. J. Daniel Mr. Henry D. Foster Richard French George W. Hopkins Mr. McClernand, (by leave,) from the Committee on Public Lands, made an adverse report upon the petition of Samuel Worthington: which report was laid on the table. The House proceeded to the consideration of the report of the select committee on the rules and orders made on the 2d of January instant; the questions being on the motion of Mr. Dromgoole to recommnit, and on the instructions moved by Mr. Edward J. Black, that the committee report the 25th rule. And, after debate, the hour allotted by the rule to reports and resolutions expired; when A motion was made by Mr. John Quincy Adams, that the rules be suspended to enable him to present "resolutions of the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts, concerning an amendment of the Constitution of the United States" relative to the apportionment of Representatives and direct taxes And the question being put, "Shall the rules be suspended?" Two-thirds not voting therefor. SYeas, 50 105 |