On motion of Mr. Colston,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing by law, a post road from the town of Hancock, in Washington county, Maryland, to Bath, in the county of Berkely, in Virginia.

An engrossed bill, entitled "An act for the relief of major general John Stark," 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 bill from the Senate, entitled "An act to increase the salaries of certain officers of government," was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole to-morrow.

The House then again resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the bill relative to the claim of the representative of Caron de Beaumarchais; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of Maryland, 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 bill.

And then the House adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, December 2, 1818.

Another member, to wit: from Pennsylvania, Joseph Heister, appeared and took his seat

A new member, to wit: from North Carolina, William Davidson, elected to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Daniel M. Forney, also appeared and took his seat; the oath to support the constitution of the United States, being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker.

The following petitions heretofore presented, were again presented, and referred to the committee of Ways and Means, viz:

By Mr. Holmes, that of Caleb B. Hall, and others, presented on the 21st January, 1818.

By Mr. Robertson, that of William M‹Bride, presented on the 10th of February, 1818.

Mr. Orr presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Topsham, Lesbon, Durham, Freeport, Bowdoin, Litchfield, Gardiner and Hallowell, in the District of Maine, praying for the establishment of one, and the discontinuance of another, post route.

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

Mr. Peter presented a petition of Rebecca Hodgson, widow of Joseph Hodgson, deceased, in behalf of herself, and the children of the said Joseph Hodgson, praying compensation for a house, which was destroyed by fire, while used as an office for the War Department, in the year 1801.

Mr. Herrick presented a petition of Levi Chapman, praying compensation for three horses lost in the military service of the United States, in the late war with Great Britain.

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

The following petitions heretofore presented, were again presented, and also referred to the committee of Claims, viz:

By Mr. Silsbee, that of Jeremiah Lee, presented on the 4th of April, 1818.

By Mr. Walker, of North Carolina, that of James Doyle, presented on the 26th of December, 1811.

By Mr. Strother, that of Jacob Hittle, presented on the 10th April, 1818.

On motion of Mr. Marchand,

Ordered, That the petition of John Wells, presented on the 12th of February, 1818. be referred to a select committe; and,

Mr. Marchand, Mr. Baldwin, and Mr. R. Moore, were appointed the said committee.

Mr. Strother presented a petition of Joseph Anderson, 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. Reed presented a petition of Johann Henry Tilge, stating that he has discovered a method of stiffening hats, and rendering them water proof, but that not being a citizen of the United States, he is unable to obtain a patent for his discovery, and praying that the proper officers may be authorized and directed to grant him a patent for the same.

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

Mr. Barber, of Ohio, presented a petition of Peter Cadwell, and James Britten, stating that they are natives of Great Britain, and, intending to remove to the United States, they in the month of July, 1812, shipped a part of their property which arrived in New York, where it was seized, libelled, condemned, and sold; that owing to the war, which immediately after the said shipment, was known in Great Britain, they were unable to come to the United States, until the year 1817; that they have purchased public lands, and intend to become citizens as soon as the laws will permit, and praying the amount of the sales of their said property may be refunded to them.

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

On motion of Mr. Poindexter,

Ordered, That the petition of Stephen Henderson, and Elliot Hackley, presented on the 13th February, 1816, be referred to the committee on Private Land Claims.

Ordered, That Mr. Bryan be excused from serving on the committee appointed to examine into the proceedings of the Bank of the United States, and that Mr. Burwell be appointed of the said committee.

Ordered, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be discharged from the further consideration of the petitions of John Polereczky, George Alverson, Timothy Sparhawk, and James Gibson, and that they be referred to the committee on Revolutionary Claims; also, that they be discharged from the further consideration of the petitions of Luther Gregory, Edward Dean, Levi B. Stewart, and Thomas Hook, and that they be referred to the Secretary of War.

Mr. Smith, of Maryland, from the committee of Ways and Means, who were instructed to inquire into the expediency of abolishing the duty on imported salt, made a report thereon, which was read and committed to a committee of the whole, on Monday next.

Mr. Smith also made reports on the petitions of Jon B. Le Maitre and the inspectors of the customs for the port of Savannah, in the state of Georgia, which were read; and the resolutions therein contained were concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petition of John B. Le Maitre, ought not to be granted.

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to make any change in the emoluments of the inspectors, and that the petitioners have leave to withdraw their petition.

Mr. Williams, of North Corolina, from the committee of Claims, made reports on the petitions of John Grimes, Thomas Chapman, and Jasper Parish, which were read, and the resolutions therein contained were concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That John Grimes have leave to withdraw his petition, and that the prayer of the petitions of Thomas Chapman, and Jaspar Parrish, ought not to be granted.

Mr Johnson, of Kentucky, from the committee on Military Affairs, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill authorizing the establishment of a national armory, which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole, on Monday.

Mr. Johnson also reported a bill for the relief of Joseph Wheaton, which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole, on Monday next.

The Speaker laid before the House, a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting an estimate of the appropriations proposed for the service of the year 1819, which was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

The Speaker also laid before the House a letter from Edward de Krafft, printer to Congress, remonstrating against the resolution passed by this House on 30th ult. authorizing the Clerk to contract with “ any person or persons," for the printing of the code of Juris

prudence for the District of Columbia, and claiming, as a matter of right, the printing of the said code; which letter was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Harrison,

Resolved, That the committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of continuing the act passed at the last session, entitled "An act to suspend, for a limited time, the sale or forfeiture of lands, for failure in completing the payments thereon:" And also, to inquire what further relief it may be proper to give to the persons who are indebted to the United States, for the purchase of lands.

On motion of Mr. Tallmadge,

Resolved, That the committee on Naval Affairs be directed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the amount of the security to be hereafter required from navy agents: And also, requiring security to a greater amount from those now in office.

On motion of Mr. Simkins,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the compensation of such postmasters as are on the main post route from Washington City, by Augusta, in Georgia, to New Orleans, where there are cross mails, and whose compensations do not exceed a certain sum.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed the bill, entitled "An act to increase the number of clerks in the War Department." Also, the resolution authorizing the transmission of certain documents free of postage:" with an amendment to the latter, in which they ask the concurrence of this House.

And then he withdrew.

The said amendment was read, and concurred in by the House.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, from the joint committee for Enrolled Bills, reported, that they had examined a resolution, “ declaring the admission of the state of Illinois into the Union;" and found the same to be truly enrolled; when,

The Speaker signed the said resolution.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

The House took up and proceeded to consider the report of the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, made at the last session, on the petition of William Lawrence: Whereupon, it was

Ordered, That the said petitition be referred to the Secretary of War.

The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill relative to the claim of the representative of Caron de

Beaumarchais; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of Maryland, 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 bill.

And then the House adjourned.

THURSDAY, December 3, 1818.

Another member to wit: from Pennsylvania, Levi Pawling, appeared and took his seat.

On motion of Mr. Williams, of North Carolina,

Ordered, That all petitions presented to the House and committed at the last session, from the consideration of which, without having decided on them, for the want of time, the several committees to which they were referred, were discharged, be considered as again referred to the said committees, respectively, on the suggestion of any member, to the Clerk of the House.

Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, from the joint committee for Enrolled Bills, reported, that they had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act to increase the number of Clerks in the Department of War;" and an enrolled resolution, "authorizing the transmission of certain documents free of postage;" and found the same to be truly enrolled: Whereupon,

The Speaker signed the said bill and resolution.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Whitman presented a petition of Josiah Cummings, a soldier in the revolutionary army, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

Mr. Allen, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of Caleb Brooks, stating that he was born in the state of Massachusetts, and previous to the commencement of the revolutionary war, he removed into the British province of Nova Scotia, where he acquired a valuable real estate; that in the year 1775, he was required to take the oath of allegiance to the British government, which refusing to do, in consequence of his attachment to the cause of his native country, he was compelled to abandon his property and return to the United States; and that he served as a soldier in the revolutionary army, and praying for a grant of land equivalent in value to the property he thus lost, or for such other relief, as Congress may think just and reasonable.

War.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of

Mr. Beecher presented a petition of Jabez Smith, praying compensation for damages sustained by him in his property during the invasion of the Niagara frontier, by the British forces in the late