Edwards, and John G. Stubbs;" and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Pitkin reported the same without amendment. Ordered, That the said bill be read a third time, to-day. The said bill was accordingly read a third time, and passed. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill from the Senate, entitled," An act allowing additional salary and clerk hire, to the surveyor for the Illinois and Missouri territories, and for other purposes;" and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. H. Nelson reported the same without amendment. Ordered, That the said bill be read a third time, to-day. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the report of the committee of Elections in the case of Elias Earle, one of the representatives from the state of South Carolina; and on the report of the same committee, in the case of George Mumford, one of the representatives from the state of North Carolina; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Desha reported the agreement of the committee of the whole, to the resolutions contained in the said reports, which are as follows, to wit: Resolved, That Elias Earle, is entitled to a seat in this House. House. The question was then taken to concur with the committee of the whole, in their agreement to the first resolution; And passed in the affirmative. The question was then taken to concur with the committee of the whole in their agreement to the second resolution; And also passed in the affirmative. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill to extend the privilege of franking, to vaccine agents of states and terrritories; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resamed the chair, and Mr. Alexander Smyth reported the same with amendments, which were read and concurred in by the House. Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed and read a third time, on Monday next. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill authorizing John Taylor to be placed on the list of navy p nsioners; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. H. Nelson reported the same without amendment. Ordered, That the said bill be engrosed and read a third time, on Monday. The House, resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the amendment reported by the committee of Claims, to the bill for the relief of John Bate; and after some time spent therein, Mr.* Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of Maryland, reported the concurrence of the committee of the whole in the said amendment. A motion was then made by Mr. Claiborne, to amend the said bill as amended, by striking out these words, to wit: "also, to make such reduction in the rent, stipulated to be paid by the said John Bate, as shall appear just and equitable, in consequence of any deterioration in the quality, or diminution in the quantity of water in said saline, as may be proven to his satisfaction; as also." Mr. Marr moved that the said bill lie on the table; And the question being taken thereon; It was determined in the negative. The question was then taken on the amendment proposed by Mr. Claiborne; And also determined in the negative. Ordered, That the said bill, as amended, be engrossed and read a third time, on Monday next. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the bill confirming the claim of William Daniel, or his legal representatives, to a tract of land lying in the state of Mississippi; to which committee of the whole was also committed the bill confirming the claim of Tobias Rheams, to a tract of land granted to him by the Spanish government; the bill for the relief of Narcissus Broutin, and others, and the bill for the relief of Daniel Burnet, Gibson Clark. and the legal representatives of Hubert Rowel; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Bassett reported the first and third mentioned bills with amendments, and the second and last mentioned bills without amendment. The amendment to the bill confirming the claim of William Daniel, or his legal representatives, to a tract of land lying in the state of Mississippi, was read and concurred in by the House. Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read a third time, on Monday next. The amendments to the bill for the relief of Narcissus Broutin, and they were read and concurred in by the House. Ordered, That the said bill lie on the table. Ordered, That the bill confirming the claim of Tobias Rheams to a tract of land, granted to him by the Spanish government; and the bill for the relief of Daniel Burnet, Gibson Clark, and the legal representatives of Hubert Rowel, be engrossed, and severally read a third time, on Monday next. Mr. Smith, of Maryland, from the committee of Ways and Means, made a report on the petition of David Gelston, on behalf of himself and Peter A. Schenck, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. And then the House adjourned. MONDAY, March 25, 1818. Mr. Palmer presented a petition of Solomon Seixas, praying for a pension. Ördered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims. Mr. Palmer, also presented a petition of Nathan Carver and Lucy Gregory, administrators on the estate of John M. Grant, deceased, praying compensation for damages committed on the property of the deceased, while in the occupation of the troops of the United States. Mr. Hubbard presented a petition of James Casety, praying compensation for property taken from him by the British government, in the revolutionary war, as also, for great personal sufferings which the said government inflicted on him, in consequence of his attachment to the United States. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Claims. Mr. Hubbard also presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Madison county, in the state of New York, 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. The Speaker presented a petition of the legislative council, and house of representatives, of the territory of Alabama, praying to be invested with power to incorporate companies in said territory, for the purpose of constructing turnpike roads, with exclusive privileges and right of toll. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed on so much of the President's message as relates to Roads, Canals, and Seminaries of Learning. Mr. Scott presented a petition of Alexander Brident, and a petition of Jean Le Basque, praying that their titles to lands in the territory of Missouri may be confirmed. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Private Land Claims. The Speaker laid before the House, a letter from the governor of the state of Pennsylvania, enclosing a return of the election of Thomas J. Rogers, a representative from that state, in the place of John Ross, resigned; which was referred to the committee of elec tions. Mr. Forsyth, from the committee on Foreign Relations, who was instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a con sulate at Mogadore, in the empire of Morocco, made a report therėon; which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Lowndes, from the committee of Ways and Means, to which were referred sundry petitions regarding duties paid to the United States, or claimed by them, on account of goods landed in the district of Castine, while it was in the possession of the British forces, and remaining there when its possession was restored to the government of the United States; made a report thereon, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Lownes also made an unfavorable report on the petition of Lawrence Muse, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the committee on Foreign Relations, be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Thomas Virmilya, and that it be referred to the Secretary State. Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, from the joint committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined enrolled bills and resolutions, of the following titles, to wit: An act in addition to An act making appropriation for repairing certain roads therein described;" An act extending the time for obtaining military land warrants, in certain cases; Resolution directing the distribution of the laws of the fourteenth Congress, among the members of the fifteenth Congress; Resolution directing the publication of the journal and proceedings of the convention, which formed the present Constitution of the United States; And had found the same to be truly enrolled; when, On motion of Mr. Little, Resolved, That the Secretary of State be, and he hereby is, requested to lay before this House, the cause of delay in printing the register of all officers and agents, civil, military, and naval, in the service of the United States, in conformity with the several resolutions of Congress, approved April 29th, 1816. On motion of Mr. Little, Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, be instructed to inquire in the expediency of extending the privilege of franking, to the Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of House of Representatives. On motion of Mr. Taylor, Resolved, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of placing Roger Freeman on the list of invalid pensioners, and that the documents herewith accompanying, be referred to the said committee. Mr. Taylor submitted the following resolution: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That after the close of each session of Congress, an alphabetical index, of the acts and joint resolutions, passed at the preceeding session, shall be prepared, printed, and distributed therewith, under the direction of the Secretary for the Department State. The said resolution was read the first and second time, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, to-morrow. Ordered, That Mr. Whitman be appointed of the committee to whom were referred the several petitions from the territory of Missouri, for admission into the Union, in the place of Mr. Mills, who is absent on leave. The House proceeded to consider the amendments reported by the committee of the whole, to the bill in addition to the act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States, and to repeal the acts therein mentioned; and the said amendments being read. were concurred in by the House, except that which proposed adding a new section to the bill, as follows: Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That in prosecutions either against persons or property, sailing under the flag of any colony, district or people, which shall be admitted into the ports of the United States, it shall not be deemed a ground for the punishment or condemnation of such person or property, that the sovereignty of such colony, district or people, has not been acknowledged by the United States: Provided, That the colony, district or people aforesaid, have an organized existing government, claiming to be independent, at the time of the commission of the fact of which the persons are charged. Mr. Lowndes then moved to amend the said section, by striking out these words, to wit: "which shall be admitted into the ports of the United States;" and in lieu thereof, to insert, "if such flag shall be directed to be admitted into the ports of the United States, by instructions from the President of the United States, to the several collectors of the customs, which instructions, he is hereby authorized to issue." And the question being taken thereon; It was determined in the negative. Mr. Tucker, of Virginia, then moved to amend the said section as follows, viz: After the word "people," in the second line, strike out the words "which shall be," and to insert after the words " United States," where they first occur, these words, "under the instructions of the President of the United States, to the several collectors of the customs.". A motion was then made by Mr. Lowndes, that the said bill be postponed indefinitely. And the question being taken thereon; Yeas.................72, It was determined in the negative. Nay... 79. {Nay |