Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims. The Speaker presented a petition of John Anderson, praying that the bills which have been reported at this session for his relief, may be taken up and finally disposed of, with as little delay as posble. Ordered, That the said petition lie on the table. Mr. Little, from the committee of Accounts, who were instructed by resolution to inquire into the causes of delay, in laying on the tables of the members of this House, the message of the President of the United States, of the 14th instant, with its accompanying documents, made a report thereon, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be discharged from the further consideration of the petitions of John Fanning, and Dennis Ferrall, and that they have leave to withdraw their respective petitions and documents. Mr. Williams, of North Carolina, from the committee of Claims, made a report on the petition of Frederick Halsey, which was read, and the resolution therein contained was concurred in by the House, as follows: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner be rejected. Mr. Williams also made a report on the petition of Adam Kinsley and Thomas French, which was read; when, Mr. Williams reported a bill for the relief of the said Adam Kinsley and Thomas French, which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow. Mr. M Lane, from the committee of Commerce and Manufactures, made a report on the petition of Oliver H. Hicks, and Lockwood de Forest, which was read, and the resolution therein contained was concurred in by the House, as follows: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioners ought not to be granted. Mr. Hugh Nelson, from the committee on the Judiciary, reported a bill concerning the territory of Alabama, which was read the first and second time, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, on Saturday next. Mr. Pleasants, from the committee on Naval Affairs, made a report on the petition of Jarius Loomis and James Bassett, sailingmasters in the Navy of the United States, and commanding gun vessels, Nos. 149, and 154, which was read; when, Mr. Pleasants reported a bill authorizing the payment of a sum of money to the officers and crews of gun boats Nos. 149, and 154, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole, on Thursday next. Mr. Pleasants also reported a bill concerning the heirs and legatees of Thomas Turner, deceased, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole, on Thursday next. Mr. Taylor, from the select committee appointed on the subject, reported a bill fixing the time for the next meeting of Congress, which was read the first and second time; and the further consideration thereof postponed until Tuesday, the 31st instant. The Speaker laid before the House, a report of the Secretary of the Navy, on the petitions of Samuel Cheney and Robert Ramsey, which was read and ordered to lie on the table. The Speaker also laid before the House, a letter from Richard Bland Lee, Commissioner of Claims, transmitting reports of the facts in fifty-six cases, all from the state of New-York, with the evidence accompanying each, taken under a second commission, attended by a special agent on the part of the United States. Ordered, That the said letter, reports of facts, and accompanying evidence, be referred to the committee of Claims. 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 authorizing a subscription for the eleventh voume of State Papers; and, An act regulating the pay and emoluments of brevet officers; in which bills they ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The said bills were, respectively, read the first time. Ordered, That the select committee to whom was referred the petition of William Smith, be discharged from the further consideration thereof, and that he have leave to withdraw the same. On motion of Mr. Scott, Resolved, That the committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of granting or securing to the town of Saint Louis, in the Missouri territory, as a common, all the sand bar or bature, formed by the recession of the Mississippi river, between the said town and low water mark; and to prohibit the location of any floating claim in the said territory, thereon, or if any location should have been made, to prohibit by law, the issuing of a patent therefor. Resolved, also, That the committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law, the location of any floating claim, on any lands in the territory of Missouri, the right of pre-emption to which land has been secured to any settler, by the act of the 12th of April, 1814, or if any such location should have been made, to prohibit by law, the issuing a patent therefor. Resolved, also, That the committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law, the location of any floating claim, in the territory of Missouri, on aný lands. the right, title, or claim to which, has been at any time here tofore given notice of, or filed with either of the boards of commissioners, in said territory, or with the recorder of land titles, acting as such under any law of Congress, for the adjustment of land titles in said territory, or if any such location should have been made, to prohibit by law, the issuing of patents therefor. Resolved, also, That the committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law, the location of any floating claim, in the territory of Missouri, on any town lot, village lot, out lot, common field lot, or common, in, adjoining, or appertaining to any of the towns or villages, in the territory of Missouri, or if any such location shall have been made, to prohibit by law, the issuing of patents therefor. An engrossed bill, entitled " An act for the relief of Narcissus Broutin, and others," 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. An engrossed resolution "directing the Secretary for the Department of State, to prepare an index to the acts and resolutions of Congress, after the close of every session," was read the third time, and passed. Ordered, That the Clerk carry the said resolution to the Senate, and ask their concurrence therein. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the bill to alter the flag of the United States; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Desha reported the same without amendment. The House proceeded to consider the said bill, the first section of which is as follows: "That from and after the 4th day of July next, the flag of the United States be, thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be twenty stars, white, in a blue field." A motion was made by Mr. Poindexter, to amend the said section by striking out the word twenty, and inserting seven; which was rejected by the House; and, Mr. Folger moved to amend the said section by striking out twenty, and inserting thirteen; and also, to strike out the 2d section of the said bill. This motion was also rejected by the House. Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed and read a third time, to-morrow. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill making appropiations for the support of government for the year 1818; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Desha reported that the committee had made some progress therein, and directed him to ask leave to sit again. And then the House adjourned. WEDNESDAY, March 25, 1818. Mr. Folger presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Barnstable county, in the state of Massachusetts, praying that a light house may be erected on Wenoemet neck, instead of Bird island. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Herrick presented a petition of Albert Tison, praying that his 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. Mr. Taylor, from the committee of Elections, made the following report, which were ordered to lie on the table: That they have examined the certificates of election, and other credentials, of Thomas J. Rogers, a representative from the state of Pennsylvania, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of John Ross, and find the same sufficient to entitle him to a seat in this House. "They have also examined the certificates of election of John Crowel, and find the same sufficient to entitle him to a seat in this House, as delegate from the territory of Alabama." Ordered, That the committee of Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Anne Wilson, and that it be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims. On motion of Mr. Marr, Resolved, That the committee on the Public Lands, be instructed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what further provisions of law are necessary, for preventing waste, and trespass, on that portion of the public lands, which have been, or may hereafter be reserved, for the use of schools. The bill from the Senate, entitled "An act regulating the pay and emoluments of brevet rank," was read the second time and referred to the committee on Military Affairs. The bill from the Senate, entitled "An act authorizing a subscription for the 11th volume of State Papers," was read the second time and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow• A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed bills of this House, of the following titles, to wit: "An act respecting the district courts of the United States, within the state of New York; and, "An act to alter the time of holding the circuit court in the southern district of New York, and for other purposes," with amendments to each; in which they ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew. The amendments to each of the said bills were read, and severally referred to the committee on the Judiciary. On motion of Mr. Spencer, The House took up and proceeded to consider the resolution submitted by him on the 19th instant, providing for the distribution of the documents printed by order of the House, and agreed thereto, amended to read as follows: Resolved, That unless otherwise specially directed by theHouse, 600 copies shall be struck, of all such matter as may be directed to be printed, except bills and amendments. That the said 600 copies shall be disposed of, and distributed in the following manner, to wit: Two hundred copies shall be retained in the Printing Office, and, at the close of each session, be disposed of and distributed, conformably with the provisions of the resolution of the 27th December, 1813. The remaining four hundred copies shall be deposited by the Printer, in the post office of the House, from time to time as the work may be executed, pursuant to his contract, and shall be promptly distributed by the doorkeeper of the House, as follows, to wit: On the desk of each member and delegate, one copy, On the Clerk's table, In the Clerk's office, To the President of the Senate for the use of the Senate, To the Secretary of State, the Treasury, War, the Navy, To the Attorney General, To the Commissioners of the Navy Board, To the Auditors of the Treasury, 5 copies each, Comptroller of the Treasury, Register of the Treasury, Postmaster general, Commissioner of the General Land Office, Revenue, Public Buildings, To such foreign ministers as reside at the Seat of Government, or consuls, in case of no resident minister, 2 each, supposed to amount to nine, To the Public Printer, Librarian, The residue to be bound up, at the end of the session to be deposited in the Clerk's office as heretofore, 187 2 2 4 50 5 25 6 5 5 5 5 25 5 5 .5 5 5 1 18 1 2 27 600 |