in Dartmoor prison, in England, in the late war, praying to be allowed arrearages of pension; which petition was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Kent presented a petition of Joseph Cross, a Lieutenant in the Navy of the United States, praying that certain allowances may be made in the settlement of his accounts, which he enumerates, and states to have been usual in situations such as that in which the petitioner states himself to have been.

Mr. Buckner presented a petition of Samuel Smith, of the state of Kentucky, praying compensation for a horse lost in the military service of the United States, in the late war with Great Britain.

Mr. Brent presented a petition of Peter H. Rentrope, of the state of Louisiana, stating that he purchased a tract of land of the United States, and paid for the same; and that it was subsequently discovered that the same land had been granted or confirmed to another person; and praying that his money may be refunded to him.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims,

On motion of Mr. Ross,

Ordered, That the petition of Daniel Fielding, heretofore presented on the 4th of February, 1823, be referred to the same committee.

Mr. M'Kim presented a petition of Nathaniel Pearce, of the city of Baltimore, praying, for reasons set forth in his petition, that the sum of $251 25, the amount paid for a policy of insurance on a vessel and cargo, in which the United States had an interest, may be refunded to him.

Mr. Poinsett presented a petition of Napier, Rapelye, and Bennett, of South Carolina, praying that certain duties which they were com pelled to pay by the Collector of the Customs of the port of Charleston, on a quantity of merchandise shipped to that port, from St. Augustine, in Florida, then an American port, upon which goods duties had been paid previously, at the last mentioned port, may be refunded to them.

Mr. Wickliffe presented a petition of David Augustus, in the state of Kentucky, praying that that portion of a penalty incurred by him under the act imposing duties on stills, which accrued and was paid to the United States, may be refunded to him.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Brent presented a petition of Jean Francis Girod, of the state of Louisiana, praying compensation for a boat and other articles impressed into the military service of the United States in the late war; which petition was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. The Speaker laid before the House the following communications, viz:

I. A letter from the Comptroller of the Treasury, transmitting the following statements received from the Third Auditor: 1. A statement of the names of such officers as have not rendered their accounts within the year, or have balances unaccounted for, on account of

advances made one year prior to the 30th of September last. 2. A statement of accounts which have remained unsettled, or on which balances have been due more than three years, prior to the 30th September last. 3. An abstract of moneys advanced prior to the sd of March, 1809, on the books of the late Accountant of the War Department, which remained to be accounted for on the books of the Third Auditor, on the 30th September last; all prepared in obedience to acts of the 3d March, 1809, and 3d March, 1817; which letter and statements were laid on the table.

II. A letter from William H. Jones, accompanied with a proof, as far as finished, of Mr. Shriver's map of the country through which it is proposed that the Chesapeake and Ohio Canai shall pass; which letter and map were referred to the committee appointed on so much of the President's Message as relates to said proposed Canal.

III. A letter from the Secretary of State, enclosing a copy of a letter to him from George G. Barrell, Consul of the United States at Malaga, in Spain, accompanied with a portrait of Columbus, in half length, which he obtained from Seville, believed to have been painted by the same hand which painted the celebrated likeness of that great man now in the Palace of the Escurial in Spain; which picture he wishes to be placed among the portraits of other distinguished men in the Capitol: in which letter the Secretary of State also states, that "an exact fac simile, engraved on copper plate, has been made, by direction of the Department, of the original copy of the Declaration of Independence, and that two hundred copies have been struck, and are at the Department, subject to the disposal of Congress;" which letters were referred to the joint Library Committee.

IV. A letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering his Annual Report upon the state of the Finances of the United States; which letter and report were ordered to lie on the table, and six thousand copies thereof ordered to be printed.

Mr. Williams, of North Carolina, from the Committee of Claims, made an unfavorable report on the petition of Jared Shattuck; which was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Wm. Smith, from the Committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, made an unfavorable report on the petition of William Anderson; which was ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the consideration of the petition of Bazaleel Wells, and that it be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

Mr. Campbell, of Ohio, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, made unfavorable reports on the petitions of Jean Daniel Cler, Joseph Vidal, and Valentine Delmas and Jean Baptiste Beaudreaux; which reports were ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Little, from the Committee of Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, made unfavorable reports on the petitions of Vassal White and Peter Freeborn; which reports were, also, ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That the Committee on the Public Lands be discharged from the consideration of the petition of William Biggs, and that leave be given to withdraw the same.

Ordered, That leave be given, also, to withdraw the petition of John Holliday, and the petition of the Levy Court of Calvert county, in the state of Maryland.

On motion of Mr. Cobb,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of directing, by law, the delivery to the administrator, executors, or other legal representative of John Michael, deceased, certificate No. 1095, for twenty thousand acres of land, in the Mississippi Land Company, issued in the name of Robert Williams; which certificate is now deposited in the office of the Secretary of State.

On motion of Mr. Wickliffe,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be directed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the 25th section of the act to establish the Judicial Courts of the United States, or so to modify the same that the writ of error, therein provided for, shall be awarded to either party without reference to the manner the question shall have been decided by the Supreme Court of the state.

On motion of Mr. Wright,

Resolved, That the communication of the Secretary of the Treasury, to this House, dated the 27th January, 1823, be referred to the Committee on Public Lands; and that said committee be instructed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, legislative provision is necessary to secure to the state of Ohio the full amount of the three per cent. arising from the sales of public lands in said state, under the contract entered into between the United States and the state of Ohio, by the ordinance of the convention of that state of 27th November, 1802, and the act of Congress of the 3d of March, 1803; and, also, whether any, and what, proportion of the expenses of surveying the lands of the United States, in Ohio, have been paid the purchasers of said lands.

On motion of Mr. Owen,

1. Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of altering and amending the land laws, now in force, so as to induce those who purchased under the credit system to discharge the sums yet unpaid, by cash, advanced at discount, and by further relinquishment.

2. Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of granting to actual settlers, prior to the first of July, 1820, in the state of Alabama, the right of purchasing, by pre-emption, of at least one quarter section of land, embracing their family residences.

3. Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of granting the right of pre-emption to all persons to mill-seats, on public lands, where the same have been actually improved, as such, by them.

4. Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of granting to each county in each state, where there are public lands, the right of pre-emption to one quarter section of land, for the purpose of erecting and locating public and county buildings.

Mr. Poinsett laid before the House the following resolution, adopted by the General Assembly of the state of South Carolina, on the 20th of December, ultimo, viz.

Resolved, That the state of South Carolina regards with deep interest the noble and patriotic struggle of the modern GREEKS to rescue from the foot of the infidel and barbarian the hallowed land of Leonidas and Socrates; and would hail, with pleasure, the recognition, by the American Government, of the Independence of GREECE.

The said resolution was read, and laid on the table.

Mr. Call presented to the House a printed copy of the "Acts of the Legislative Council of the territory of Florida, passed at their second session, 1823;" which were referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

The House proceeded to consider the resolution submitted by Mr. Breck, on the 22d ultimo; and, the same being read, was modified by consent of the mover, and agreed to, in the words following :

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to furnish this House with the amount of exports from the United States to Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt, during the years 1820, 1821, and 1822; also, the amount of imports therefrom, for the same period; also, the amount of duties paid on said imports into the Treasury of the United States.

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 Charles M. Collier." And then he withdrew.

The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the bill appropriating a certain sum of money to Benjamin Huffman, of the state of Indiana; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Lathrop reported the same without amendment.

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 to authorize the surveying and making a road from Memphis, in the state of Tennessee, to Little Rock, in the territory of Arkansas; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Condict reported the same without amendment.

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 to authorize the laying out and opening certain public roads in the territory of Florida; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Taylor 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 House on the bill for the relief of Samuel Wharton; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Andrew Stevenson reported the same without amendment.

Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read a third time on Monday next.

Mr. Leftwich, from the Joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined an enrolled bill, entitled "An act concerning discriminating duties of tonnage and impost," and found the same to be truly enrolled; when,

The Speaker signed the bill.

Ordered, That the Clerk do acquaint the Senate therewith.
On motion of Mr. Little,

Ordered, That, when the House adjourns, it will adjourn to meet again on Monday next.

And then the House adjourned.

MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1824.

Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, from the joint Committee for Enrolled Bills, reported, that the committee had examined two enrolled bills, entitled An act for the relief of Thomas W. Bacot;" and "An act for the relief of Charles M. Collier;" and found the same to be truly enrolled: when,

The Speaker signed the said bills.

Ordered, That the Clerk do acquaint the Senate therewith.

On motion of Mr. Herrick,

Ordered, That the petition of Aaron Blaney, heretofore presented on the 21st January, 1822, be referred to the Committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Mr. Fuller presented a petition of David Stone, of the State of Massachusetts, late a soldier in the army of the United States, praying to be placed on the pension list.

Mr. Van Rensselaer presented a petition of Martha Strong, wife of John Strong, of the state of New York, on behalf of the heirs and representatives of Charles Knowles and James Knowles, deceased, officers of the Revolutionary army, praying that any and all compensation due for the services of the deceased in the capacities aforesaid, may be paid to the said heirs and representatives.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

On motion of Mr. Mercer,

Ordered, That the petition of John Craine, heretofore presented on the 12th January, 1818, be referred to the same committee.

Mr. Herrick presented a petition of Isaac Pool, of the state of Maine, stating that, while commander of the schooner Evergreen, he was captured by a piratical vessel, in August, 1821; that he retook the said schooner Evergreen, and made prisoners of the prize crew on board; which said prisoners he delivered over to the judicial authorities upon his arrival in Boston, and that he was recognized to appear as a witness against the said prisoners, in consequence of which he alleges that he lost the command of his vessel, as also the command of other and larger vessels which he could have obtained; and praying such relief in the premises as Congress may in their wisdom see fit to grant.