Mr. Mallory submitted documents in support of the claim of W. F. Russell to indemnity for property destroyed by the United States troops in Florida; which were referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of the heirs of Elisha Merriman, a revolutionary soldier, praying a pension; which was referred to the Com

mittee on Pensions.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of Joseph Smith, senior, praying compensation for services rendered and supplies furnished the United States in the Black Hawk war; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of Orris Crosby, praying an increase of pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions.

Mr. Soulé presented the petition of the German Society of New Orleans, praying that the transportation of passengers in steamboats on the western waters may be regulated by law; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion by Mr. Davis,

Ordered, That the petition of Caroline L. Eustis, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Pensions.

On motion by Mr. Davis,

Ordered, That the petition of Silas L. Loomis, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee of Claims.

On motion by Mr. Pearce,

Ordered, That the petition of Hans Nelson, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Hunter submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report to the Senate the number of public warehouses now leased by the government, the places where leased, the periods for which they are leased, the terms upon which they are leased, and the amount expended upon them for labor and other purposes.

Mr. Pearce submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Public Buildings be instructed to inquire into the expediency of enlarging, repairing, and refitting the principal apartment heretofore occupied by the library of Congress, so that it may be entirely fire-proof, and capable of further extension, in harmony with the general plan of the Capitol, upon the removal of the Senate and House of Representatives and their offices to the wings of the Capitol. Mr. Hale submitted the following resolution for consideration:

Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law that appointments in the naval service of the United States shall hereafter be for a limited time, which shall be expressed in the commissions.

On motion by Mr. Shields,

Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of Oneida Indians, and that it be referred to the Committee of Claims.

On motion by Mr. Shields,

Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of John M. McIntosh, and that it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Wade, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Lieutenant John H. Patterson, reported that the prayer of the petition ought not to be granted.

Mr. Wade, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of José Baya, reported that the prayer of the petition ought not to be granted.

Mr. Foot, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Phebe Glover, submitted an adverse report; which was read. Mr. Bayard, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Joseph Hill, submitted an adverse report; which was ordered to be printed.

Mr. Mallory, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the petition of John W. Simonton, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 156) for his relief.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Fish, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the petition of John S. Devlin, administrator of Elijah J. Weed, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 157) for the relief of the securities of Elijah J. Weed, late quartermaster of marines, deceased.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Foot, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of Nancy Wright, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 158) for her relief.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Rusk, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the petition of Robert Jemison and Benjamin Williamson, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 159) for their relief. The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Rusk, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the petition of Nathaniel Kuykendall, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 160) for his relief.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Dawson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of D. D. Mitchell, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 161) for the relief of Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell, of the State of Missouri.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Stockton, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of William A. Christian, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 162) for his relief.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Norris, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, to whom was referred the petition of G. Thomas Howard, reported a bill (S. 163) for his relief; which was read, and passed to the second reading.

Agreeably to notice, Mr. Clemens asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 164) to extend the benefit of the "act to regulate intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to preserve peace on the frontiers," approved June 30, 1834. to the people of Texas and others; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

The Senate proceeded to consider the motion submitted by Mr. Hale, the 22d instant, for the printing of an additional number of the charges and specifications before a court of inquiry against William K. Latimer, a captain in the navy of the United States, and the accompanying papers, with the report of the Committee on Printing thereon; and

The motion was disagreed to.

The bill (S. 155) granting the right of way and making a grant of land to the States of Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, in aid of the construction of a railroad from the Wabash to the Missouri river, was read the second time. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

On motion by Mr. Bradbury,

That the Senate proceed to the consideration of the bill (S. 64) to provide for the ascertainment and satisfaction of claims of American citizens for spoliations committed by the French prior to the 31st day of July, 1801: It was determined in the affirmative, {Nays--

On motion by Mr. Borland,

Yeas-

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are,

26 17

Messrs. Badger, Bayard, Berrien, Bradbury, Clarke, Cooper, Davis, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa, Downs, Felch, Fish, Foot, Hamlin, James, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee, Mallory, Miller, Pearce, Smith, Soulé, Spruance, Sumner, Upham, Wade.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Atchison, Borland, Clemens, Dawson, Douglas, Gwin, Hale, Houston, Hunter, King, McRae, Mangum, Norris, Rusk, Sebastian, Walker, Whitcomb.

Whereupon,

The Senate proceeded to consider the said bill, as in Committee of the Whole; and,

On motion by Mr. Bradbury,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed to, and made the special order for, Monday, the 16th of February next.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 15) to establish a navy-yard and depot on the bay of San Francisco, in California, and for other purposes; and, an amendment being proposed by Mr. Badger;

On motion by Mr. Gwin,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until to

morrow.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 1) granting the right of way and making a grant of land to the

State of Iowa, in aid of the construction of certain railroads in said State; and,

After debate,

On motion by Mr. Felch,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until Thursday, the 29th instant.

On motion,

The Senate adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1852.

The President pro tempore laid before the Senate a report of the Secretary of War, communicating, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate. of the 26th instant, a copy of a letter from Brigadier General Talcott to Colonel B. Huger, dated November 1, 1850; which was read.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Mangum presented the memorial of William Newbold, assistant marshal for taking the census in Pasquotank county, North Carolina, praying additional compensation; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Hunter presented the petition of Ann Robinson, praying compensation for a slave taken and carried off by the enemy during the last war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. Hunter presented the petition of William K. Jennings and Aphia W. Jennings, legal representatives of William Bean, deceased, praying compensation for certain slaves taken and carried off by the enemy during the war of 1812; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. Cass presented the proceedings of a public meeting held at Detroit, in the State of Michigan, in favor of an application by the United States to the government of Great Britain for the liberation of Smith O'Brien, Thomas T. Meagher, and their associates; which were read.

Mr. Hamlin presented a memorial of the assistant marshals for taking the census in the county of Piscataquis, Maine, praying additional compen

sation.

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

Mr. Shields presented a petition of the mayor and members of the board of aldermen and board of common council of the city of Washington, praying that the city of Washington may be made a port of entry; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Dodge, of Iowa, presented the petition of Charles Mason, judge of Des Moines county, Iowa, praying the aid of the United States in the construction of a court-house and jail for that county; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

On motion by Mr. Soulé,

Ordered, That the memorial of the corporate authorities of Shreveport, Louisiana, on the files of the Senate, relating to a marine hospital at that place, be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion by Mr. Downs,

Ordered, That the petition of Joseph H. D. Bowmar, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

On motion by Mr. Mallory,

Ordered, That the documents on the files of the Senate relating to the claim of John P. Duval, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion by Mr. Berrien,

Ordered, That William Y. Hansell, William H. Underwood, and the legal representatives of Samuel Rockwell, deceased, have leave to withdraw their memorial and papers.

On motion by Mr. Sebastian,

Ordered, That the petition of the heirs-at-law of Joseph Valliere d'Hauterive, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

On motion by Mr. Gwin,

Ordered, That the message of the President of the United States in relation to California claims, communicated the 26th instant, be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Gwin submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of appropriating such sum of money as may be necessary, to divert the river of San Diego into False bay; which river now empties into the bay of San Diego, and by its deposite is gradually filling up said bay, thereby creating a formidable obstruction to its navigation. On motion by Mr. Morton,

Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Gad Humphreys, and that it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Rusk, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the resolution (S. R. 14) in relation to ice-boats in the Potomac river, reported the same without amendment.

Mr. Butler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 21) to amend an act entitled "An act for the punishment of crimes in the District of Columbia," reported it without amendment.

Mr. Bradbury, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a joint resolution (S. R. 15) authorizing the purchase of the ninth volume of the Laws of the United States; which was read, and passed to the second reading.

Mr. Hamlin, from the Committee on Commerce, to whom was referred a memorial of F. McManus, reported a bill (S. 165) extending like privileges to those conferred by the act entitled "An act allowing drawback upon foreign merchandise exported in the original packages to Chihuahua and Santa Fé, Mexico, and to the British North American provinces adjoining the United States," approved 3d March, 1845, to foreign merchandise exported to Mexico by certain indicated routes; which was read, and passed to the second reading.

On motion by Mr. Hamlin,

Ordered, That the Committee on Commerce be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of merchants, underwriters, and others interested in commerce, presented the 21st instant.

Mr. Hunter, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the