it must be done by the constituted authorities who, alone, acting on a high responsibility, are competent to the purpose; and until such change is thus made, that our fellow citizens, will respect the existing relations, by a faithful adherence, to the laws which secure them.

Believing that this enterprize, though undertaken by persons, some of whom may have held commissions from some of the colonies, was unauthorized by, and unknown to the colonial governments, full confidence is entertained, that it will be disclaimed by them, and that effectual measures will be taken, to prevent the abuse of their authority in all cases to the injury of the United States.

For these injuries, especially those proceeding from Amelia Island, Spain would be reponsible, if it was not manifest that although committed in the latter instance through her territory, she was utterly unable to prevent them. Her territory however ought not to be made instrumental, through her inability to defend it, to purposes so injurious to the United States. To a country over which she fails to maintain her authority, and which she permits to be converted to the annoyance of her neighbours, her jurisdiction for the time, necessarily ceases to exist. The territory of Spain will nevertheless be respected, so far as it may be done consistently with the essential interests and safety of the United States. In expelling these adventurerers from these posts, it was not intended to make any conquest from Spain, or to injure in any degree the cause of the colonies. Care will be taken that no part of the territory contemplated by the law of 1811, shall be occupied by a foreign government of any kind, or that injuries of the nature of those complained of, shall be repeated, but this it is expected, will be provided for, with every other interest in a spirit of amity, in the negociation now depending with the government of Spain.

JAMES MONROE.

The said message was read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House then resumed the consideration of the resolutions submitted on the 9th instant by Mr. Spencer in relation to the case of John Anderson, and the question depending yesterday on an amendment moved by Mr. Rhea, to the preamble prefixed to the said resolutions, recurred and being stated, Mr. Spencer modified the resolutions so as to leave out the said preamble.

A motion was then made by Mr. Rhea to amend the said resolutions, by striking out from the word Resolved at the commencement of the first resolution, to the end of the last resolution, and in lieu thereof to insert as follows; viz.

That this House possesseth competent power to punish John Anderson for his contempt of the House and his outrage on one of its members: And, therefore,

Resolved, that the sergeant-at-arms be directed to conduct John Anderson to the bar of the House.

The question being stated to agree to this amendment;

Upon which further debate arose;

And the House adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, January 14, 1818.

Mr. Whitman presented a petition of the Portland Marine Society, and of sundry merchants of Portland, in the District of Maine, praying that a light house may be erected on Long Island Head in Boston Bay.

Mr. Gage presented a petition of sundry manufacturers of paper in the state of Massachusetts, praying that a duty of two dollars a ream may be imposed on all paper imported into the United States.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

Mr. Holmes, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of Dominicus Cutts, administrator of the estate of Samuel D. Abbott, deceased, praying that the Secretary of the Treasury may be authorized and directed to revise his decision on an application made to him for the remission of a forfeiture incurred by said Abbott, for an alledged unintentional violation of the late acts prohibiting commercial intercourse with Great Britain.

Mr. Irving, of New York, presented a petition of the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the city of New York, praying that provision may be made for the adjustment and final settlement of their claims and accounts in relation to the defence of the city and port of New York during the late war with Great Britain, upon just and liberal principles.

Ordered, The the said petitions be referred to the committee of Claims.

On motion of Mr. Herrick,

Ordered, That the petition of George W. Jackson, presented on the 17th February, 1817, be also referred to the same committee.

Mr. Moseley presented a petition of Frederick Knowlton, and others, surviving children and heirs of Thomas Knowlton, deceased, a lieutenant colonel in the revolutionary army, praying that the same compensation and emoluments may now be granted to them as would have been due and payable to the deceased if he had continued in service to the close of the war in which he served.

Mr. Sherwood presented a petition of Albert Chapman, praying for an increase of the pension heretofore granted to him.

Mr. Marchand presented documents in support of an application of William Kearns for a pension.

Mr. Pindall presented a petition of John Burns, praying for a pension.

Mr. Lowndes presented a petition of Monsieur Poiery, secretary and aid de camp to general, the marquis de la Fayette, in the revolutionary war, also praying for a pension.

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

On motion of Mr. Smith, of Maryland,

Ordered, That the petition of John Gooding, presented on the 7th February, 1816, be referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Lowndes, from the committee of Ways and Means, made a report on the petition of Joseph Thorn; which was read; when, Mr. Lowndes reported a bill for the relief of Joseph Thorn, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow.

Mr. Lowndes also made a report on the petition of Mary Graeff; which was read and the resolution therein contained was concurred in by the House, as follows, viz:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted.

Mr. Lowndes, from the same committee, also reported a bill making appropriations for the payment of the arrearages which haye been incurred for the support of the military establishment, previous to the 1st January, 1817; which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow.

Mr. Lowndes also reported a bill making appropriations for the support of the military establishments of the United States, for the year 1818; which was read the first and second time and committed to the committee of the whole last appointed.

Ordered, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims be discharged from a further consideration of the application of Henry Leonard for a pension, and that the same be referred to the Secretary of War.

Mr. Thomas M. Nelson, from the committee to which was referred the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act to extend the time for locating Virginia military land warrants and returning surveys thereon to the General Land Office, and for designating the western boundary line of the Virginia military tract," reported the same with amendments, which were read, and together with the bill.committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Parris,

Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of requiring further security from the clerks of the several circuit and district courts of the United States; and of providing by law for keeping the records of said courts, in the places where the same shall be respectively holden.

On motion of Mr. Crafts,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post road from Canaan, in the county of Essex, and state of Vermont, through the towns of Lemington, Minehead, Brunswick, and Maidstone, to Guildhall, in said county.

On motion of Mr. Spangler,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to take into consideration, the expediency of establishing a post road from York, Pennsylvania, by the way of McCalls Ferry-bridge, over the Susquehanna river, to Mount Pleasant post office, in Lancaster county, in the said state.

On motion of Mr. Richards,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post road, from Bellow's Falls, through Grafton, Windham, Londonderry, to Peru, in the state of Vermont.

On motion of Mr. Settle,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of changing the post route, from Hillsboro, North Carolina, to Halifax court house, in Virginia, so as to pass from the Red House, by Milton, in the county of Caswell, to Alexander Cunningham's store.

On motion of Mr. Tarr,

Resolved, That the committee appointed on so much of the President's message as relates to roads, canals, and seminaries of learning, be instructed to inquire, and report to this House, whether any, and if any, what further provisions are necessary by law, for completing that part of the United States' trunpike road, lying between Cumberland in the state of Maryland, and Wheeling in the state of Virginia.

The House resumed the consideration of the resolutions submitted by Mr. Spencer, on the 9th instant, in relation to the case of John Anderson, and the question recurred on the amendment proposed by Mr. Rhea, and depending yesterday at the time of adjournment: whereupon, Mr. Khea modified his said amendment to read as follows:

"That this House possesseth competent power to punish for contempts of its authority: therefore,

Resolved, That the sergeant-at-arms be directed to conduct John Anderson to the bar of this House."

And the question being stated to agree to the said amendment as modified:

Upon which farther debate arose:

And the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, January 15, 1818.

Mr. Holmes, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of W. P. Rathbone, on behalf of the widow and children of Caleb Wood, deceased, praying that a pension may be granted to the said widow and children, in consideration of the services and death of the deceased, who was a captain in the service of the United States.

Mr. Mason, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of Phebe Root, widow of the late lieutenant colonel Colbourn, who was killed in the revolutionary war, also praying for a pension.

Mr. Irving, of New York, presented a petition of Ebenezer Stevens, and others, praying to be paid the amount of an award under a contract for supplying provisions to the revolutionary army. Mr. Beecher presented a petition of Johnson Cook, praying for an increase of the pension heretofore granted to him.

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

Mr. Orr presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the towns of Lisbon, Westerly, Bowdoin, &c. in the District of Maine.

Mr. Gage presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Somerset, and Penobscot, in the said district of Maine, respectively praying for the establishment of post routes.

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

Mr. Mason, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Boston, praying for the establishment of an uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, which petition was referred to the committee of the whole on the bill for that purpose.

Mr. Mason, of Massachusetts, also presented a petition of Nathaniel Goddard, and others, owners of the ship riadne and her cargo, which hath been libelled and condemne, on the ground that she was sailing under a British license in the late war, praying that such portion of the said forfeiture as accrues to the United States may be omitted to them for the reasons set forth in the petition.

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

Mr. Palmer presented a petition of Philip Bryant, praying compensation for damages committed on his property by the enemy during the late war in consequence of the same being in the military Occupancy of the United States.

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

On motion of Mr. Porter,

Ordered, That the petition of Thomas Johnson, presented on the 14th December, 1814, be also referred to the committee of Claims.

Mr. Seybert presented a petition of Lewis De Carpentier, merchant, of Philadelphia, praying to be allowed and paid the debenture to which he conceives himself entitled on account of certain foreign goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the United States and subsequently exported therefrom.

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

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of Charles N. Buck of the city of Philadelphia, merchant, stating that he has been appointed by the Senate of the city of Hamburgh, in Europe, to be its Consul General within the United States, and that he is advised by the Executive department that this appointment comes within the provisions of the 13th article of the amendment to the constitution of