the hands of the British, upon the capture of Hampden, in the district of Maine, and was carried off by the British, upon the evacuation of that place, subsequent to the treaty of Ghent, and praying such relief in the premises as may be equitable and just.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Wendover, also presented another petition, from the above mentioned James Caze and John Richaud, praying compensation for the sails of the aforesaid ship Victory, which they had stored in a warehouse at Hampden, and which warehouse was destroyed, by the burning of the United States frigate John Adams, by order of her commander, captain Charles Morris.

Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petitions of the same persons, presented on the 12th December, 1816, be referred to the committee of Claims.

Mr. Sergeant presented a petition of John T. David, praying that some provision may be made, for the settlement of his accounts at the War Department, as an assistant deputy paymaster, in the army, in consequence of the destruction of a part of his vouchers, occasioned by a fire in the city of Philadelphia.

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

Mr. Southard and Mr. Seybert respectively, presented petitions from sundry inhabitants of the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, praying that additional duties may be imposed on foreign iron, imported into the United States.

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

On motion of Mr. Smith, of Maryland,

Ordered, That the petition of John Wilmot, presented on the 28th January, 1817, be referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Mercer presented a petition of the representatives of the yearly meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, held in Baltimore, praying that further provisions may be made for the security of persons of color, who are free, or entitled to freedom, at a given period, in the traffic of slaves from the middle to the southern states, which was referred to a select committee; and,

Mr. Mercer, Mr. Comstock, Mr. Darlington, Mr. Terrell, and Mr. Edwards, were appointed the said committee.

Mr. Walker, of Kentucky, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Allen county, in the state of Kentucky, praying for the establishment of a post route.

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

Mr. Rhea presented a petition of the general assembly of the state of Tennessee, praying that the titles to lands in that state, derived from the state of North Carolina, previous to the cession of Tennessee to the United States, may be confirmed.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed yesterday, on a resolution submitted by Mr. Thomas M. Nelson, concerning the military bounty lands, granted by the state of Virginia.

Mr. Campbell presented a petition of Samuel Gibson, praying permission to locate 1000 acres of the public lands, in lieu of a like quantity, purchased by him, from Zachariah Cox, lying in the Great Bend of the Tennessee river, upon the faith of an act of the legislature of Georgia.

Mr. Scott presented a petition of Titus Strickland, guardian for the heirs of Nathaniel Holcum, deceased, praying that the title of the said heirs to a tract of land in the territory of Missouri, may be confirmed.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Pope presented a petition of James Hughes, stating that, owing to oppressions on the part of the officers of the government, in the territory of Illinois, he has been deprived of his right to the land which he has long held and cultivated; and, in order to save the fruits of many years labor, he was compelled, recently, to purchase two quarter sections, and praying such redress in the premises, as Congress may think proper to grant.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on the Public Lands.

Ordered, That leave be given to withdraw the petition of Joseph Storer, presented at the last session of Congress.

Ordered, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be discharged from a further consideration of the petition of Joseph Westcott, and that the same be referred to the Secretary of War.

Mr. Rhea, from the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, reported a bill in addition to the act, entitled "An act for the relief of John Thompson," which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole on Tuesday next.

Mr. Taylor, from the committee of Elections, made the following report, which was read and ordered to lie on the table:

The committee of Elections, report in part, that they have examined the certificates of election and other credentials of the following members, and find them sufficient to entitle them to seats in this House, to wit:

From the state of New Hampshire,

They have also examined the certificates of election of Nathaniel Pope and John Scott, and find them sufficient to entitle them to seats in this House, as delegates from the territories of Illinois and Missouri.

Ordered, That the committee of Ways and Means, be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Charles Wirgman, and that it be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

The House took up the proposition submitted yesterday by Mr. Poindexter, to amend the rules and orders of the House, and the same being read, was concurred in; and,

Mr. Poindexter and Mr. Claiborne, were then added to the committee on Private Land Claims, conformable to the said amendment.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their Secretary.

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of the heirs of Landon Carter," in which they ask the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

Mr. Harrison submitted the following proposition of amendment, to the rules and orders of the House:

The Speaker shall have power to admit persons to seats in the hall, during the sitting of the House, who belong to such legislatures of foreign governments, as are in amity with the United States.

The said proposition being read, the rule requiring it to lay one day for consideration, was by unanimous consent dispensed with; and, The question was then taken, to agree to the said proposition; And passed in the affirmative.

On motion of Mr. Harrison,

Ordered, That the order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a committee of the whole, on the report of the committee appointed on so much of the President's message, as relates to roads, canals, and seminaries of learning, be postponed until the first Monday in January next.

On motion of Mr. Merrill.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be instructed to furnish a statement, showing the names of the several persons to whom land