establishing an uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States; which was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Holmes, of Mississippi, presented the petition of William Doak, praying to be allowed the right of pre-emption to a tract of land; which was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Mills presented the petition of Simeon Fish, of Hampshire County, in Massachusetts, praying to be confirmed in his title to a tract of land; which was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Holmes, of Mississippi, presented the petition of Noble Osburn, praying a donation of one section of land in the tract lately ceded by the Choctaw Indians; which was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Barton presented certain documents, showing the construction of the pre-emption laws in the several land districts; which were read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Thomas, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the petition of Clarisa Scott, reported a bill for the relief of the legal representatives of Manuel and Isaac Monsanto, deceased; and the bill was read. Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, submitted the following motion for consideration: Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of modifying the law regulating the merchant service, so as to define more particularly the admiralty jurisdiction of the district courts of the United States. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill granting to the Governor of the state of Louisiana, for the time being, and his successors in office, two tracts of land in the county of Point Coupee; and the bill was read. Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. On motion, by Mr. Otis, ́Ordered, That Gustavus Aldrich have leave to withdraw his petition. The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of yesterday, instructing the Committee on Naval Affairs to inquire and report relative to the fees and emoluments of navy agents; and agreed thereto. The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of yesterday, instructing the Committee on Public Lands to inquire whether any amendments are necessary to the several acts of Congress granting rights of pre-emption to settlers on public lands; and agreed thereto. The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of yesterday instructing the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Postmasters in the western country to take for postage on letters the currency of the state in which the post office may be located; and, On motion, by Mr. Lowrie, Ordered, That it lie on the table. The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion of the 20th instant, authorizing the President of the Senate to appoint all committees, as amended; and, On motion, by Mr. King, of New York, Ordered, That it lie on the table. The Senate proceeded to consider the report of the Committee of Claims, on the petition of David Merrill; and in concurrence therewith, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted. The Senate proceeded to consider, as in committee of the whole, the bill explanatory of the act for the relief of James Leander Cathcart, passed May fifteenth, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, and no amendment having been proposed, the President reported it to the House; and, On the question, "shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time?" It was determined in the affirmative. The resolution, from the House of Representatives, providing for the distribution of the Secret Journal and Foreign Correspondence of the old Congress, and of the Journal of the Convention which formed the constitution of the United States, was read the third time; and, Resolved, That this resolution do pass. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives accordingly. On motion, by Mr. Otis, It was agreed that when the Senate adjourn it be to Monday next. On motion, by Mr. Pleasants, Ordered, That, until otherwise ordered, the hour for the meeting of the Senate shall be 12 o'clock M. On motion, The Senate adjourned to 12 o'clock on Monday next. MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1821. Mr Elliott presented the petition of the inhabitants of the county of Burke, in the state of Georgia, praying that the route of the mail from Savannah to Augusta, as at present established by law, may not be altered; which was read. On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, presented the petition of the mayor, aldermen, and inhabitants, of the city of New Orleans, praying that a portion of the plot of the naval arsenal may be granted to the said city, for the establishment of a market thereon; and the petition was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, also presented the petition of the inayor, aldermen, and inhabitants, of the city of New Orleans, praying that a certain portion of the ground on which fort St. Charles was situated may be granted for the purpose of extending and improving certain streets in said city; which was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, submitted the following motions for consideration: Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route from Pinckneyville, Mississippi, by the Avoyelles, to Alexandria, in the state of Louisiana. Resolved, That the same committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a mail route from Baton-Rouge, by the Bayou Plaquemine, and by Duplessis' Landing, in the Attakapas, to Opelousas court house, Louisiana. Mr. Eaton submitted the following motion for consideration: Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands examine into the propriety of reporting a bill for ascertaining and adjusting titles and claims to land in the territories of East and West Florida. Mr. Noble submitted the following motion for consideration: Resolved, That the Committee on the Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a land office at Fort Wayne, in the state of Indiana. Mr. Holmes, of Maine, from the Committee on Finance, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill further to establish the compensation of officers of the customs, and to alter certain collection districts, and for other purposes; which was twice read by unanimous consent. Mr, Ruggles, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of John Holmes, reported a bill for the relief of John Holmes; which was read. Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. The Senate proceeded to consider the motion of the 28th instant, instructing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire into the expediency of modifying the laws regulating the merchant service; and agreed thereto. The bill granting to the Governor of the state of Louisiana for the time being, and his successors in office, two tracts of land in the county of Point Coupee, was read the second time; and, On motion, by Mr. Eaton, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. The bill for the relief of the legal representatives of Manuel and Isaac Monsanto, deceased was read the second time. The bill explanatory of the act for the relief of James Leander Cathcart, passed May fifteenth, in the year of our Lord 1820, having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, was read the third time. Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be "An act explanatory of the act for the relief of James Leander Cathcart, passed May fifteenth, in the year of our Lord 1820." Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in this bill. Mr. King, of Alabama, gave notice, that, on Wednesday next, he would ask leave to introduce a bill to establish a port of entry at the town of Blakely, in the state of Alabama. Mr. Lanman presented a copy of the report of a joint committee to the General Assembly of Connecticut, and of a resolution passed thereon, on the subject of appropriating to the old states a portion of the public lands, for the purposes of education; which was read. On motion, by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, It was agreed that when the Senate adjourn it be to Wednesday next. After the consideration of Executive business, The Senate adjourned. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1822. Mr. Ruggles, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Joseph Janney, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: ed. Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be grant The report and resolution were read. Mr. Eaton presented the petition of the executors of the last will and testament of Thomas Carr, of Georgia, deceased, praying compensation for certain land; the petition was read; and, On his motion, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands, to consider and report thereon. Mr. Pleasants, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of Thomas Shields, made a report, accompanied by a bill authorizing the payment of a sum of money to Thomas Shields; and the report and bill were read. Ordered, That the bill pass to the second reading. Mr. Chandler presented the petition of Abiel Wood and others, |