Mr. Whitcomb, from the Committee on Public Buildings, to whom was referred the resolution (H. R. 8) authorising an inquiry into the origin of the late fire, by which the Congressional Library was destroyed, reported it without amendment.

The Senate proceeded to consider the said resolution as in Committee of the Whole: and,

On motion by Mr. Badger,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the joint resolution (S. R. 6) in relation to printing the returns of the seventh census; and,

On motion by Mr. Bright,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed to Tuesday, the 6th of January next, and be the special order of the day, at halfpast 12 o'clock.

On motion,

The Senate adjourned.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 1852.

The following message was received from the President of the United States by Mr. M. P. Fillmore, his Secretary:

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith a copy of a letter of the 26th instant, addressed to the Secretary of State by the contractors for paying the next instalment due to Mexico pursuant to the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, representing the necessity of an immediate appropriation by Congress of the money necessary for that purpose.

The message was read.

MILLARD FILLMORE.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. Downs presented the petition of Richard King, praying to be allowed to enter certain land within the "Maison Rouge grant" upon the terms allowed by the act of the last session of Congress, for the relief of purchasers of land within that grant; which was referred to the Committee en Private Land Claims.

Mr. Downs presented the memorial of James W. Zacharie, assignee of Asmus C. Breedall, praying the establishment of a tribunal for reviewing the decisions of the late Board of Commissioners for investigating claims gainst Mexico.

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

Mr. Downs presented the memorial of Edward J. Forstall, and the memorial of Nathan C. Folger, assignee of Charles Guenet, representing that there is a variance between the awards made on their claims by the Boards of Commissioners for the settlement of claims of American citizens against Mexico, and praying the payment of that portion of their claims disallowed by the said Boards.

Ordered, That they lie on the table.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of Samuel Noah, praying compensation for services during the last war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of officers of the army stationed at Fort Laramie, praying an increase of compensation; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Shields presented the petition of Maria Davis, praying a pension and bounty land, in consideration of the services of her son, Thomas Davis, in the late war with Mexico; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions.

Mr. Gwin presented two petitions of citizens of San Francisco, California, praying the establishment of a branch of the mint of the United States at that place.

Ordered, That they lie on the table.

Mr. Davis presented the petition of William Blodgett, a revolutionary pensioner, praying an increase of pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions.

Mr. Borland presented the petition of the late and present land officers at Washington, Arkansas, praying compensation for services in making entries of land under bounty land warrants.

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

Mr. Felch presented the petition of Elvira F. Smith, widow of an officer in the army of the United States, praying a continuance of her pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions.

Mr. Felch presented the petition of the administrators of John Anderson, praying remuneration for property destroyed by the enemy, during the last war with Great Britain; which, with the documents on the files of the Senate, relating to the claim, was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Felch presented the petition of Hiram McCarty, praying indemnity for the confiscation of the property of his late father, by the British authorities in Upper Canada, in consequence of his adhering to the American cause in the last war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Comlaittee of Claims.

Mr. Dodge, of Wisconsin, presented a petition of citizens of Wisconsin, praying that so much of the land contained in the Fort Howard military reservation as is not required for military purposes, may be surveyed and brought into market; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Dodge, of Wisconsin, presented the petition of James Edi, praying the establishment of an Agricultural Burean; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. Underwood presented the petition of William T. Finch, praying that Congress will make him a gratuitous donation in land or money; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Walker presented a petition of citizens of Wisconsin, praying a grant of public land to that State, to aid in the construction of a railroad from Milwaukie to the Mississippi river; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Walker presented a memorial of the Industrial Congress of the city of New York, praying the recall of the United States minister to France, and the suspension of all diplomatic intercourse with that government.

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

Messrs. Atchison, Bell, Berrien, Butler, Clarke, Clemens, Cooper, Dawson, Downs, Geyer, Gwin, Jones, of Tennessee, King, Mallory, Mangum, Mason, Morton, Rusk, Sebastian, Smith, Underwood.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Borland, Bradbury, Dodge, of Wisconsin, Dodge, of Iowa, Douglas, Felch, Hamlin, Jones, of Iowa, Norris, Shields, Sumner, Wade, Walker, Whitcomb.

So it was

Ordered. That the memorial lie on the table.

Mr. Sebastian presented the petition of Edward Holt, praying permission to enter a quarter-section of land lying in a military reservation, on which he has made improvements; which was referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

On motion by Mr. Hamlin,

Ordered, That the petition of Charles Cooper & Co., on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee of Claims.

On motion by Mr. Shields,

Ordered, That the memorial of the clerks in the Adjutant-General's office, on the files of the Senate, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Felch presented the petition of William Woodbridge and Henry Chipman, late judges of the United States in the Michigan Territory, praying compensation for services rendered by them which did not properly belong to their office; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

On motion by Mr. Mangum,

Ordered, That when the Senate adjourn, it be to Monday next.

Mr. Dawson asked, and, by unanimous consent, obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 86) to provide for the payment to the State of Georgia, for moneys expended by the State for horses and equipments lost by volunteers and militia, whilst engaged in the suppression of the hostilities of the Creeks, Seminoles, and Cherokee Indians, in the years 1836, 1837, and 1838; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Mr. Downs asked, and, by unanimous consent, obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 87) to grant the right of pre-emption to settlers on the public land known as the Maison Rouge grant; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Butler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 17) to change the times for holding the district courts of the United States, in the western district of Virginia, and for other purposes, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Butler, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred

the bill (S. 27) to authorize notaries public to take and certify oaths, affirmations, and acknowledgments, in certain cases, reported it without amend

ment.

Mr. Bradbury, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (S. 51) giving further remedies to patentees, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Shields, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (S. 8) to create a Board of Commissioners for the examination and payment of claims against the United States, growing out of the conquest of California, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Jones, of Iowa, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (S. 18) for the relief of Mrs. A. M. Dade, widow of the late Major F. L. Dade, United States army, reported it without amend

ment.

Mr. Dodge, of Iowa, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (S. 42) for the relief of Richard Chaney and others, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Rusk, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the memorial of Rufus Dwinel, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 88) for his relief.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.
Ordered, That the report be printed.

Mr. Underwood, from the Committee ou Public Lands, to whom was referred the bill (S. 53) to provide for the unpaid claims of the officers and soldiers of the Virginia State and Continental lines of the revolutionary army, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Underwood also submitted a report on the subject; which was ordered to be printed.

Mr. Dawson, by unanimous consent, asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 89) to amend an act entitled "An act proposing to the State of Texas the establishment of her northern and southern boundaries, the relinquishment by said State of all territory claimed by her exterior to said boundaries, and of all her claims upon the United States, and to establish a territorial government for New Mexico," approved September 9, 1850; which was read the first and second times by unanimous consent. On motion by Mr. Dawson,

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. On motion by Mr. Butler to reconsider the vote referring the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary,

On motion by Mr. Atchison,

The Senate adjourned.

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1852.

Mr. McRae presented a petition of the late and present land officers at Jackson, Mississippi, praying compensation for locating military bounty land warrants, and Choctaw land scrip.

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

Mr. Mason presented the petition of II. M. Bell and David Points, assistant mashals for taking the seventh census of Augusta county, Vir

ginia, praying additional compensation; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Brodhead presented a memorial of citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, praying the erection of piers and harbors in the Delaware river and bay; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Brodhead presented a petition of citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, praying the enactment of a law to prohibit the introduction into the ports of the United States of foreign convicts, felons, and paupers; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Mallory presented a petition of the underwriters of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, praying the reconstruction of the light house on Sand key, on the coast of Florida; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Dodge, of Iowa, presented the petition of Benjamin Arnold, praying compensation for damages done to his property by the enemy during the last war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Cooper presented a nemorial of citizens of Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, praying that the transportation of the mails on the Sabbath may be prohibited by law; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Cooper presented three memorials of citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsyl vania, praying the erection of piers and harbors in the Delaware river and bay which were referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Underwood presented a memorial of citizens of the United States, praying that the office of chaplain in the public service may be abolished; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Felch presented six petitions of citizens of Michigan, praying a grant of public land to the Zilwaukie, Grand Traverse, and Mackinaw Plank Road Company, to aid in the construction of their road; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Felch presented a memorial of the Board of Education of the State of Michigan, praying a grant of land to that State for the use of the State Normal School, equivalent in value to the land originally granted for that purpose, of which the State has been deprived; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Norris presented the petition of John Clark, praying that a contract may be entered into with him for rebuilding the light house on Minot's Lege, near Boston harbor; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion by Mr. Mangum, and by unanimous consent, it was Resolved, That the 48th Rule of the Senate be suspended so far as to authorise the admission of ladies on the floor of the Senate during this day. Mr. Dodge, of Wisconsin, presented a petition of citizens of Middleton, Wisconsin, praying a change in the laws providing for the sale of the public lands; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Atchison presented the petition of Johnson Lykins, praying compensation for services as physician for the Osage river band of Pottawottomie Indians; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Mr. Jones, of Iowa, presented a memorial of the people of Iowa, assembled in convention at Iowa City, praying a grant of public land to aid in