Mr. Beecher presented a petition of the ministers, elders, and sundry members, of the Christian Society, called ، Menonists," in the state of Ohio, praying to be permitted to commute the fines which are or may be imposed on them, for non performance of military duty, into labor, on the publie roads, highways, or other public improvements.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on that part of the President's message which relates to the militia.

Mr. Johnson, from the committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill authorizing the commutation of soldiers bounty lands, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole to-morrow.

Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, from the committee appointed on the petition of John Bate, by leave of the House, reported a bill for the relief of the said John Bate, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole to-morrow.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting his annual report upon the state of the finances; which were referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Rhea submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to lay before this House, any information he may possess, and think proper to communicate, relative to the proceedings of certain persons who took possession of Amelia Island, at the mouth of St. Mary's river, near the boundary of the state of Georgia, in the summer of the present year, and made an establishment there: and also, any information he hath, and may think proper to communicate, relative to an establishment made at an earlier period, by persons of the same description, in the Gulf of Mexico, at a place called Galvezton, within the limits of the United States, as we contend, under the cession of Louisiana.

Mr. Holmes, of Massachusetts, moved to lay the said resolu tion on the table; which motion was rejected by the House.

The question was then taken to agree to the resolution, and passed in the affirmative.

Mr. Bhea and Mr. Beecher, were appointed a committee to present the foregoing resolution to the President of the United States. On motion of Mr. Forsyth,

Resolved, That the committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making Darien, in the state of Georgia, a port of entry and delivery.

Mr. Ingham submitted the following joint resolution, which was read the first and second time, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time to-morrow, viz:

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secreta

ry of State be directed to distribute, copies of the laws of the United States, published by Bioren & Co. among the members of the present Congress, who may not have received the same, in pursuance of any former act or resolution of Congress.

On motion of Mr. Hendricks,

Resolved, That the committee on the Public Lands, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing Joel Earwood to tranfer to other vacant lands, in the Jeffersonville district, any moneys he may have paid on the northeast quarter of section twenty-one, township six, and range nine, in said district.

The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the resolution from the Senate for the admission of the state of Mississippi into the Union; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Hugh Nelson reported the same without amendment.

Ordered, That the said resolution be read a third time to day. The said resolution was, accordingly, read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.
And the House adjourned. ·

TUESDAY, December 9, 1817.

Another member, to wit: Elias Earle, from the state of South Carolina, 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. Mason presented a petition of Jonathan Amory, jr. merchant of Boston, praying for the remission of the forfeiture incurred by him, as the surety of a certain George Scott, in a bond to await the issue of the trial of a certain ship, called the Edward, seized and libelled in the year 1810, for a breach of the acts prohibiting commercial intercourse with Great Britain.

Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, presented a petition of Benjamin Perry, praying compensation for services, rendered as Clerk to the board of principal assessors, for the state of Pennsylvania, appointed in pursuance of the act of the 9th of January, 1815.

Mr. Forney presented a petitition of Lemuel H. Osgood, a lieutenant in the army of the United States, praying that an act may be passed, authorizing the settlement of his public accounts, upon such terms as may be just and proper, having lost his accounts and vouchers in the battle of Oswego, during the late war with Great Britain.

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

On motion of Mr. Wilson, (Penn.)

Ordered, That the petition of sundry inhabitants of Lycoming county, in Pennsylvania, on behalf of John McConnell, presented on 1st March, 1817, be referred to the same committee.

Mr. Allen, of Vermont, presented a petition of John B. Joyall, stating that he is the proprietor of a toll bridge, across Missisquoi river, in the state of Vermont, which said bridge has been constantly used by the troops, and others in the public service, for many years, without his having received any compensation therefor, and praying that such allowance may be made him, for the use of his said bridge, as may appear reasonable and just.

Mr. Hugh Nelson presented a petition of William Gamble, praying compensation for services, rendered several years ago, in the capacity of an officer of the customs in the state of New York. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Claims.

Petitions from the following named persons, were also referred to the committee of Claims, to wit:

On motion of Mr. Allen, of Vermont,

That of Paul Robinson, heretofore presented on the 2d of January, 1817.

On motion of Mr. Peter,

That of Daniel Renner and Nathaniel H. Heath, presented on the 12th December, 1816, and that of Mary Bruff, presented on the 30th December, 1816.

1816.

On motion of Mr. Smith, of North Carolina,

That of Jacob Greer, presented on the 14th December, 1815.
And on motion of Mr. Forney,

That of Frederick Stevelie, presented on the 9th December,

Mr. Wendover presented a petition of the Dutchess County Slate Company, in the state of New York, praying that the ad valorem duties, at present imposed on imported slate, may be discontinued, and that specie payments may be imposed on the same.

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

Mr. Savage presented a petition of Joshua Foss, praying for a pension,

Mr. Barber, of Ohio, presented a petition of Mary Tucker, who states that her late husband, Joshua Tucker, died of disease, contracted while a soldier in the army of the United States, and that she is left without the means of subsistence for herself and children, and praying that some provision may be made for their

maintenance.

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

On motion of Mr. Pleasants,

Ordered, That the petition of Henry Tatum, presented on the 20th December, 1816, be referred to the same committee.

On motion of Mr. Ingham.

Ordered, That the petition of John M'Cauley, prize agent of the officers and crew of the United States brig Syren, presented

on the 3d January, 1816, be referred to the committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Peter,

Ordered, That the petition of Catharine Young, presented on the 14th January, 1817, be referred to the same committee.

On motion of Mr. Herbert,

Ordered, That the petition of the Columbian Insurance Company of Alexandria, presented on the 2d January, 1816, be refer red to the committee for the District of Columbia.

Mr. McCoy presented a petition of Peter Stone, and Mary his wife, stating, that since their marriage, which took place twenty eight years ago, they have had twenty children, nineteen of which are now living, that they are in indigent circumstances, and praying for a grant of waste and unappropriated public land.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Pleasants presented a petition of sundry inhabitants, of the counties of Powhatan, Cumberland, and Goochland, in the state of Virginia, praying for the establishment of a post route.

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

Mr. Ballard Smith presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the state of Virginia, residing on the waters of James river, Green Brier river, New river, Kenawha river, and Ohio river, praying for the aid and patronage of the general government, in opening a chain of inland communication by land and water, by which the waters of James river, may be connected with those falling into the Ohio

river.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Roads and Canals.

Mr. Rhea presented a petition of sundry inhabitants, of the state of Tennessee, praying for the establishment of a post office, in the neighborhood in which they reside.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Postmaster General.

Mr. Beecher presented a petition of C. Hammond, contesting the election and return of Samuel Herrick, as a member of this House for the state of Ohio, on the ground, that, at the time of his election, and afterwards, he held an office under the government of the United States, and praying that the seat of the said Samuel Herrick may be vacated.

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

Mr. Lowndes from the committee of Ways and Means, to which was referred so much of the President's message, as relates to revenue, made a report thereon, which was read: when

Mr. Lowndes reported a bill to abolish the internal duties, which was read the first and second time, and committed to a com mittee of the whole to-morrow.

Mr. Seybert, from the Select committee, appointed on the 5th instant, reported a bill, supplementary to the act establishing the Mint, and to the act concerning the Mint; which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole tomorrow.

Mr. Robertson, of Louisiana, from the committee appointed on the 5th instant, to present to the President of the United States, the resolution adopted on that day, concerning the Spanish Ameri can provinces, reported that the committee had performed that ser vice, and that the President answered that he would attend to the request contained in the resolution.

The following resolutions were submitted by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, which were read and committed to a committee of the whole on Monday next, viz:

1. Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by law, for the widows of soldiers of the regular army, who were killed in battle, or died in service, during the late war with Great Britain.

2. Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by law, for the dis banded and deranged officers of the army of the United States, who served in the late war against Great Britain, by donations in land, viz: to a major general, 1280 acres; a brigadier general, 1120 acres; a colonel and lieutenant colonel, 960 acres each; a major, 800 acres; a captain 640 acres; and subalterns, 480 acres.

3. Resolved, That it is expedient to establish by law, three additional military academies, viz: one in the vicinity of Fort Dearborn in South Carolina; one in the vicinity of Newport in Kentucky; and one in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry in Virginia: one-third of the ca dets to be the sons of the officers and soldiers of the late army, who died in the service of the United States, in the late war.

4. Resolved, That it is expedient to establish by law, an additional national armory, to be located on the western waters.

5. Resolved, That it is expedient to organize by law, a corps of invalids, to be composed of one thousand men.

6. Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by law, for the repeal of so much of an act of Congress of the sixth of July, 1812, as authorizes additional pay and emoluments to brevet rank, in the armies of the United States.

7. Resolved, That the military peace establishment of the United States shall consist of eight thousand men, including the corps of invalids; provided, that the corps of engineers, the general staff, and the ordnance department, shall be retained as at present established. And provided also, that no part of the army shall be disbanded, in consequence of said reduction; but the same shall be effected by permitting vacancies, as they occur, to remain.

8. Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by law, for one addi tional ration, for each of the commissioned officers of the army of the -Fnited States.