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An engrossed bill, entitled "An act making further provision for repairing the public buildings," was read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk carry the said bill to the Senate and ask their concurrence therein, A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of the following titles, to wit:

An act to provide for paying to the state of Indiana three per cent. of the nett proceeds, arising from the sales of the United States' lands within the same.

An act to allow the benefit of drawback on merchandise transported by land conveyance, from Bristol to Boston, and from Boston to Bristol, in like manner as if the same were transported coastwise; in which bills they ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The first of the said bills from the Senate, was read the first and second time, and referred to the committee on the Public Lands. The last mentioned bill from the Senate was read the first and second time, and referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill to prescribe the effects which certain records and judicial. proceedings of the courts of each state shall hav in every other state, and in the courts of the United States; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of Maryland, reported that the committee had made further progress therein, and directed him to ask leave to sit again.

Ordered, That the committee of the whole have leave to sit again on the said bill.

The Speaker communicated to the House, that the sergeant: at-arms had executed the warrant, awarded by this House and issued on yesterday, against John Anderson, and had the body of the said John Anderson in custody, to await the further order of the House in his case; whereupon,

Mr. Forsyth moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That a committee of privileges, to consist of seven members, be appointed, and that said committee be instructed to report, a mode of proceeding in the case of John Anderson, who has been taken into custody by order of the House; and that the said committee have leave to sit immediately.

The resolution was agreed to; and,

Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Hopkinson, Mr. Tucker, of Virginia, Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Mr. Pitkin, and Mr. Taylor, were appointed a committee of privileges pursuant to the provisions thereof.

The committee retired and after some time returned; when Mr. Forsyth made the following report, viz.

The committee of privileges according to the instructions giv en them, report the following resolution;

Resolved, That John Anderson be brought to the bar of the House, and interrogated by the Speaker, on written interrogatories, touching the charge of writing and delivering a letter to a member of the House offering him a bribe, which, with his answers thereto, shall be entered on the minutes of the House; and that every question proposed by a member, be reduced to writing, and a motion made, that the same be put by the Speaker; and the question and answer, shall be entered on the minutes of the House. That after such interrogatories are answered, if the House deem it necessary to make further inquiry on the subject, the same be conducted, by a committee to be appointed for that purpose:

Which being read;

Mr. Beecher moved to commit the same to a commmittee of the whole House to-day.

And the question being taken thereon;

It was determined in the negative.

The question was then taken on agreeing to the said resolution,
And passed in the affirmative.

The said John Anderson then appeared at the bar of the House, in custody of the sergent-at-arms: When, Mr. Speaker addressed him as follows: "You have been brought before this House, in consequence of having written and delivered to a member, who is chairman of one of the committees of this House, a letter, with the character and contents of which you must be well acquainted. Before I proceed to propou to you any interrogatories on this subject, I will inform you that if you have any request to make of the House; if you wish for counsel; for. reasonable time to prepare your defence; for witnesses, or for any other privilege whatever belonging to persons in similar situations, the House will take your request into consideration. If you do not wish for time, for counsel, or for witnesses, and are now ready to proceed in your trial, I will put to you such interrogatories as may seem to be proper."

To which he answered, that he was a stranger here; had some friends here, though but few; that he desired the assistance of counsel, and compulsory process to obtain the attendance of witnesses in his favor, which he thought he could procure by to-morrow.

He was then remanded, and retired in custody of the sergeantat-arms.

When Mr. Forsyth moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That John Anderson be allowed counsel according to his request; that he have until to-morrow till one o'clock, to procure the testimony he may wish; and that the Clerk of this House be directed to furnish the necessary process, to compel the attendance of such witnesses on his behalf as he may name:

Which being read;

Mr. Herrick moved to amend the same, by subjoining thereto the following:

"And that the said John Anderson be furnished by the Clerk, with a copy of the letter, which is the ground of the proceeding

against him; and also the accompanying statement from the member from North Carolina."

And the question being taken thereon;

It passed in the affirmative.

The resolution as amended, was then agreed to by the House.
The said John Anderson was again brought to the bar.

And the provisions of the said resolution were communicated to him by Mr. Speaker.

Whereupon, he was remanded into custody as aforesaid.
And then the House adjourned.

FRIDAY, January 9, 1818.

Another member, to wit: from Rhode Island, James B. Mason, appeared, produced his credentials and took his seat; the oath to support the constitution of the United States, being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Fuller presented a petition of Richard Frothingham, praying compensation for his services as an officer in the revolutionary army, and for a grant of the land to which he is entitled, in consideration of his services as aforesaid.

Mr. Harrison presented a petition of James Taylor, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Mr. Storrs presented a petition of Moses Hall, praying for the remission of such part of the duties, secured to be paid by him on his distillery as remains unpaid, in consequence of his utter inability to pay the same, owing to the great depression in the price of domestic spirits, which has taken place since the late war.

Mr. Smith, of Maryland, presented a petition of sundry manufacturers of cotton and woollen goods, residing in the city of Baltimore, praying that the duties at present imposed on imported cotton and woollen goods may be made permanent; and that such other measures may be adopted for the protection of the manufacturers of domestic goods, as Congress, may, in their wisdom, deem just and

proper.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Irving, of New York, presented a petition of sundry merchants of Norfolk, in Virginia, similar to that presented on the 7th instant, from sundry merchants of Philadelphia.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed on the said petition from the merchants of Philadelphia.

On motion of Mr. Hopkinson,

Ordered, That the petition of the religious society of Friends in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, presented on the 9th January, 1817, be referred to the committee appointed on the petition of the representatives of the society of Friends in Baltimore.

Mr. McLane presented a petition of the President and Directors of the Stanton and Newark Turnpike Company, in the state of Delaware, praying that some officer of the general government may be authorized to subscribe for a part of the capital stock of the said company.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on that part of the President's message which relates to Roads, Canals, and Seminaries of Learning.

Mr. Middleton presented a petition of Joseph Wellington Page, praying compensation for his trouble and expenses in procuring testimony, by which the United States was enabled to obtain judgment against a certain B. Lafon, for a violation of one of the late acts, laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Claims.

Mr. Herrick presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of New Philadelphia, in the state of Ohio, praying for the establishment of a post route.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of sundry manufacturers of silver plated saddlery, coach and harness furniture, and others, residing in the city of Philadelphia, praying that the protection of the government may be liberally extended to the various manufacturing establishments of the country.

Ördered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

Mr. Robertson, of Louisiana, presented a petition of Jarvis Loomis,. and James Bassett, sailing masters in the navy of the United States, praying extra compensation for meritorious services, rendered by them in capturing and destroying a post, manned and defended by runaway negroes and hostile Indians, in the southern country, in the year 1816.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Taylor, from the committee of Elections, made the following report, which was read and ordered to lie on the table:

The committee of Elections further report in part, that they have examined the certificates of elections and other credentials of the following members, and find them sufficient to entitle them to seats in this House, to wit: From the state of Massachusetts, Timothy Fuller. From the state of New Jersey, Ephraim Bateman. From the state of North Carolina, Joseph H. Bryan, and Lemuel Sawyer. From the state of South Carolina, James Ervin, and Henry Middleton. From the state of Tennessee, Francis Jones.

Mr. Harrison from the committee appointed on that part of the President's message which relates to the militia, made a report; which was read; when

Mr. Harrison reported a bill to provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia; for calling them into the service of the United States; for governing them therein, and for compensating them for their services; which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole on Thursday next.

Mr. Johnson, from the committee on the Expenditures in the War Department, to whom was referred, on the 16th ultimo, the report of the same committee, made on the 1st March, 1817, upon the subject of a contract between colonel Elias Earle and the War Department, made a report thereon; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Robertson, of Louisiana, from the committee on the Public Lands, to whom was committed the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled An act for the relief of Samuel Aikman,” reported the agreement of the committee to the same.

The said amendments were then read and concurred in by the House.

Mr. Robertson also reported the agreement of the said committee, to the amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Joel Earwood," with an amendment; which was read and concurred in by the House.

The said amendments were then read, and concurred in by the House as amended.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Harrison submitted the following proposition of amendment to the constitution of the United States; which was read and co.amitted to the committee of the whole, to which is committed the bil! this day reported, for organizing, armning, and disciplining the militia, &c.

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring therein, That the following amendment to the constitution of the United States, be proposed to the legislatures of the several states, which, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of said states, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as a part of the said constitution:

Congress shall, concurrently with the states, have power to provide for training the militia, according to the discipline prescribed for that purpose, and whilst engaged in that service, they shall be subject to the rules and regulations prescribed for the government of the militia, when in the military service of the United States, and also, to provide for teaching, in the primary schools and other seminaries of learning in the several states, the system of discipline prescribed for the militia.

On motion of Mr. Hale,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post road, from Hartford, in the state of Connecticut, through the towns on the east bank of Connecticut River, to Hanover in

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