Mr. Bellinger, from the committee on the Public Buildings, made a report, which was read; when, Mr. Bellinger, reported a bill making appropriations for the public buildings; for the purchase of a lot of land, and for furnishing a supply of water, for the use of certain public buildings; which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow. On motion of Mr. Hendricks, Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route, in the state of Indiana, from Lexington to Vernon. On motion of Mr. Herbert, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be instructed to report to this House, a statement of the debts, credits and funds of the incorporated banks of the District of Columbia, required by the 19th section of the act of Congress, entitled "An act to incorporate the subscibers to certain banks, in the District of Columbia, and to prevent the circulation of the notes of unincorporated associations within the said district. On motion of Mr. Floyd, Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of enacting a law, to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations. The Speaker laid before the House, a letter from the Secretary of State, transmitting a list of the names of persons, to whom patents have been granted, for any useful invention, during the year ending the 31st day of December, 1818; which was read and order. ed to lie on the table. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled An act for the relief of Frederick Brown," with amendments, in which they ask the concurrence of the House. And then he withdrew. The said amendments were read and concurred in by the House. On motion of Mr. Storrs, Ordered, That leave be given to withdraw the petitions of Eli Hart, presented at the last session. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill for the relief of Thomas Hall Jervey; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Desha reported the same with an amendment; which was read and concurred in by the House, and the said bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, to-morrow. The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill, making appropriations for the military service of the United States, for the year 1819, and on the bill respecting the military establishment of the United States; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Hugh Nelson 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 bills. Mr. Mercer, submitted the following resolution; which was ordered to lie on the table. Resolved, That the committee on Military Affairs, be instructed to report to this House, a bill to reduce to one, the number of major generals, of the army of the United States. On motion of Mr. Mercer, Resolved, That the Secretary of War, be directed to include in the report of the strength of the army, called for by the resolution of yesterday, the amount, in value, if any, of the extra compensation in the subsistence, clothing or pay, allowed the troops, for extra Jabor during the year, ending on the 30th of October last, on fatigue duties, distinguishing that which has been bestowed in compensation for labor on roads. Mr. Speed, from the Joint committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, this day, present to the President of the United States, enrolled bills, of the following titles, to wit: An act for the relief of William B. Lewis; and, An act for the relief of the heirs of Alexander Montgomery, deceased. And then the House adjourned. FRIDAY, January 8, 1819. Mr. Herkimer, presented a petition of James Cross, praying for a grant of the bounty land to which he conceives himself entitled for his services as a soldier in the army, in the late war with Great Britain. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Herbert, presented a petition of the president and managers of the Washington Turnpike Company, of the state of Maryland, praying the assent of Congress, to an act passed by the general assembly of the state of Maryland, entitled "An act, supplementary to the act, entitled An act to authorize and empower the president and managers of the Washington Turnpike Company, of the state of Maryland, when organized, to extend and make their turnpike road, to or from Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, through the said district, to the line thereof." Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee for the District of Columbia. Mr. Hugh Nelson, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Nelson and Amherst, in the state of Virginia, complaining of illegal and arbitrary conduct, on the part of Oliver Evans, in the exercise of the privileges granted him, by the act of the 21st January, 1808, and praying that the said act may be revised, and that relief may be extended to them. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Beecher, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the western part of the state of Ohio, praying that an office for the sale of the lands of the United States, within the said state, may be established at Greenville. Mr. Beecher, also presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Bowling-green township, in the state of Ohio, praying that certain lands, mentioned in the said petition, may be set apart and appropriated for the support of their schools and their ministers of the gospel. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on the Public Lands. Mr. Rich, from the committee of Claims. made an unfavorable report on the petition of Edmund M'Guire and Daniel Dorney; which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Robertson, from the committee on Private Land Claims, made unfavorable reports on the petitions of Abraham Montague and William Collins; which were read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Robertson, from the same committee, reported a bill for the relief of Daniel Moss; which was read the first and second time, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time on Monday next. Ordered, That the committee on 'Private Land Claims, be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of William Daniel, and that leave be given to withdraw the same. Ordered, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be discharged from the further consideration of the petitions of Frederick Jenkins and Hezekiah Hutchins, and that they be referred to the committee on Revolutionary Pensions. Mr. Tucker, of Virginia, from the committee on Roads and Canals, reported a bill to appropriate a fund for internal improvements; which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole, to-morrow. On motion of Mr. Hall, of North Carolina, Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post road from Tarborough, to Williamston, North Carolina. On motion of Mr. Rogers, Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing by law, a post route, from Allentown, Pennsylvania, to M'Keans burg, Orwigsburg, Hamburg and Cootstown, in said state. On motion of Mr. Wilkin, Resolved, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be directed to inquire into the expediency of making provision by law, for the payment to Joseph Merrill, assignee of John Carman, certificate, No. 12,171, dated 1st January, 1782, signed Timothy Pickering, quartermaster general, to secure to the said John Carman, or his order, the payment in specie, of 209 dollars, with interest at six per centum per annum, until paid. On motion of Mr. Holmes, Ordered, That the accounts and papers in relation to the conduct of James Thomas, a quartermaster general in the army of the United States, in the late war with Great Britain, be returned to the Secretary of War. An engrossed bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Thomas Hall Jervey," 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. The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill making appropriations for the military service of the United States, for the year 1819, and on the bill respecting the military establishment of the United States; and after some time spent therein, Mr Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Hugh Nelson reported the first mentioned bill, with amendments; but that the committee not having time to go through the last mentioned bill, had directed him to ask leave to sit again. Ordered, That the committee of the whole have leave to sit again on the said last mentioned bill. The House then took up, and proceeded to consider the amendments to the bill making appropriations for the military service of the United States, for the year 1819; and being read, Mr. Williams, of North Carolina, moved to lay the said bill and amendments on the table; which was rejected. And the said amendments were then concurred in, with the exception of that contained in the following words: For extra pay to noncommissioned officers and soldiers, en ployed in the construction and repairs of military roa ls, 10,000 dollars. The said bill, was then ordered to lie on the table; and it was Ordered, That when the House adjourns, it will adjourn to meet again on Monday next. And then the Louse adjourned. MONDAY, January 11, 1819. Mr. Upham, presented a petition of Ebenezer Horn, a soldier in the revolutionary army, praying for a pension. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims. Mr. Savage, presented a petition of John McCrea, praying compensation for property destroyed by the British forces, in the late war, in consequence of its being at the time of destruction, in the military occupancy of the army of the United States; as also, for property taken from him, and used by the officers of the said army. Mr. Harrison, presented a petition of John R. Moore, representative of John Hamil and Abner R. Moore, praying compensation. for a wagon and team, taken for the use of the northwestern army, in the late war with Great Britain. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Claims. Mr. Lawyer, presented a petition of James Smith, an officer in the revolutionary army, praying for a pension. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Revolutionary Pensions. Mr. Sergeant, presented a petition of Robert Kid, praying for a reimbursement of the duties, paid by him, on a quantity of copper, which, at the time of importation, was not legally chargable with said duties. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the state of Pennsylvania, praying that a military road may be opened, from Williamsport, in the state aforesaid, to the Painted Post, in the state of New York. Ordered, That "the said petition be referred to the committee on Roads and Canals. Mr. Hopkinson, presented a petition of the representatives of the Religious Society of Friends, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the eastern parts of Maryland, praying Congress to take into their consideration, the state and condition of the Indian tribes, that they may be protected in the peaceable possession of their rights; and that such measures may be adopted, as are calculated to unfold to them the benefits and enjoyments of civilized life. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Indian Affairs. Mr. Simkins, presented a petition of Thomas Shields, a purser in the navy of the United States, stating that during the late war with Great Britain, he fitted out at his own expense, and took command of a small vessel, with which he captured an enemy's vessel, of greatly superior force, the cargo of which, has been condemned as prize of war, and one half of the proceeds thereof, has been awarded to and paid into the Treasury of the United States; that the whole expense, trouble, and risk of the trial has been borne by him, and that the attorney general of the United States, disclaimed any right to interfere in the premises, wherefore he prays that the proportion of the proceeds of the said cargo, which has been paid to the United States, may be granted to him. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Naval Affairs. |