On motion by Mr. Prince, The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill for the relief of the securities of Amos Edwards; and, On motion by Mr. Rowan, The Senate adjourned. MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1829. The Vice-President communicated the credentials of the Honorable John Branch, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of North Carolina, for the term of six years, from and after the third day of March next. The Vice-President communicated a letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting a report from the Engineer Department, on the claim of the heirs of Benjamin W. Hopkins, deceased, late contractor for constructing a fort at or near Mobile Point, prepared in obedience to a resolution of the Senate of the 2d instant; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Kane, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the petition of Ward Eldred, reported a bill for the relief of Alexander Cunningham; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Mr. Kane, from the same committee, to whom was referred the petition of Jacob Rentleman, reported a bill for his relief; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a secoud reading. Mr. Eaton, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred the petition of Benjamin Reynolds, of Tennessee, reported a bill for his relief; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom were referred several memorials and petitions against the transportation and opening of the mail on the Sabbath day, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: Resolved, That the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Ordered, That the report be printed. On motion by Mr. Hayne, Ordered, That three thousand additional copies of said report be printed. Mr. Ruggles presented the memorial of sundry citizens of Ohio; and Mr. Willey presented the memorial of the inhabitants of the town of Coventry, in Connecticut, severally praying that the transportation and opening of the mail on the Sabbath day, may be prohibited. The memorials were read; and Ordered, That they lie on the table. Mr. Noble presented the memorial of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana, praying that an appropriation of money may be made for the removal of the timber from the route of the Cumberland road, in that State; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Select Committee on Roads and Canals. Mr. Noble presented a joint resolution of the Legislature of the State of Indiana, instructing the Senators, and requesting the Representatives from that State in Congress, to use their exertions to procure an appropriation for the purpose of opening and making a mail road through the seats of government of Indiana, Illinois and Missouri; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Hendricks presented a joint resolution of the State of Indiana, instructing the Senators, and requesting the Representatives from that State in Congress, to use their exertions to procure the passage of a law granting to every purchaser and occupant of the public lands, who has made one or more payments thereon, and made an improvement on the same, which have become forfeited, or have been relinquished, a privilege in the nature of a pre-emption for years, to purchase such improved land, at or before the same may be offered for sale, or disposed of, at the minimum price of the public lands; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Marks presented the memorial of Martin Miller, praying for a pension, in consideration of revolutionary services and sacrifices; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Barnard presented the petition of Morgan and Price, praying to be indemnified for losses sustained by French spoliations prior to the year 1800; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Select Committee, appointed on the 8th ult. on that subject. Mr. Chambers presented the petition of sundry inhabitants of the District of Columbia, who have associated themselves under the name of the "Washington, Alexandria, and Baltimore Steam Packet Company," praying for an act of incorporation; and bia. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the District of Colum Mr. Noble presented the petition of James Arthur, praying for a pension, in consideration of revolutionary services; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Williams presented the petition of the legal representatives of William Scott, late of Mississippi, deceased, stating that the deceased obtained a grant of land on the Homochitto river, from the Spanish government, which was not confirmed by the United States, owing to his ignorance of the forms that were necessary to be observed for that purpose, and that the same has since been sold by the United States; and praying for relief; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims. Mr. Barton, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom were referred the following bills, reported them severally without amendment, viz: "An act releasing the lien of the United States, upon a part of the land of Benjamin Owens, in Anne Arundel county, State of Maryland, to the Trustees of Mount Zion Meeting-house, in said County and State;" “An act to allow further time to complete the issuing,and locating of Military land warrants;" "A bill authorizing the relinquishment of the sixteenth sections granted for the use of schools in the State of Louisiana, and the entry of other lands in lieu thereof;" "A bill authorizing the relinquishment of the sixteenth sections granted for the use of schools in the State of Mississippi, and the entry of other lands in lieu thereof;" "A bill to authorize the payment of the five per centum of the nett proceeds of the sales of the lands of the United States in the State of Louisiana." Mr. Kane, from the same Committee, to whom was referred the bill to graduate the price of the public lands, to make provision for actual settlers, and to cede the refuse upon equitable terms, and for meritorious objects, to the States in which they lie, reported it without amendment. Mr. Kane, from the select Committee on Roads and Canals, to whom was referred the bill to authorize a subscription for stock on the part of the United States, in the Louisville and Portland Canal Company, reported it with amendments. Mr. Barton, from the same committee, to whom were referred the bill, entitled "An act to authorize the appointment of a Surveyor for the Virginia Military District, within the State of Ohio;" and the bill entitled "An act for the relief of Gabriel Godfroy and John Baptiste Beaugrand," reported them, with an amendment to each. Mr. Barton, from the same committee, to whom was referred the petition of the inhabitants of the Territory of Michigan, for a donation in land to aid in the building of a Poor House and Hospital, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioners ought not to be granted. On motion by Mr. Marks, Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Charles Yeaton, and that it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. On motion by Mr. Foot, Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Samuel Potter, and that it be referred to the Committee of Claims. On motion by Mr. Foot, Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Thomas Lucas, and of the resolution of the Senate of the 31st December last, directing an inquiry into the expediency of placing Nathaniel Whittemore on the pension roll. . Mr. Foot, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred, on the 12th instant, the claim of Nathaniel Whittemore, for certain arrears of pension, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted. Mr. Prince, from the same committee, to whom was referred the petition of Benjamin Boardman, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted. Ordered, That David Bartlett have leave to withdraw his petition, presented to the Senate at the last session. Mr. Prince, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the petition of George Burk, made a report, accompanied by the following resolution: Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted. The following motion, submitted by Mr. McKinley, was considered and agreed to: Resolved, That so much of the President's message, as relates to the appointment of the King of the Netherlands, umpire for the decision of the controversy with Great Britain, relating to the North-eastern boundary of the United States, be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations; and that said committee inquire whether, by the treaty of Ghent, and according to the Constitution of the United States, the President alone has power to make said appointment. On motion by Mr. Barnard, and by unanimous consent, Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of State to furnish the District Court for the Western district of Pennsylvania, at Williamsport, with one copy of the Laws of the United States, and one copy of Cranch and Wheaton's Reports, now published; and one copy of the said Laws and Reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States, as may be hereafter annually published for the use of the said Court. The following motion, submitted by Mr. Berrien, was considered: Resolved, That the Judiciary Committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of amending the Judicial act of 1802, so far as it relates to the time within which it requires the assemblage of a quorum of the Justices of the Supreme Court, at Washington, after the day appointed by law for the annual session of that Court. On motion by Mr. Hayne, Ordered, That it lie on the table. The bill for the relief of Payson Perrin, was read the second time, and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance. The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill for the relief of the securities of Amos Edwards; and, On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Ordered, That it be postponed to, and made the order of the day for, Wednesday next. Mr. Iredell, from the committee, reported that they had examined and found duly enrolled, the bill entitled "An act to amend an act, entitled 'An act for the better organization of the Medical Department of the Navy,' approved 24th May, 1828." A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Clarke, their Clerk: Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill, I am directed to bring it to the Senate, for the signature of their President. The House of Representatives have passed the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act to allow a salary to the Marshal of the Eastern district of Virginia." They have passed bills of the following titles, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate, viz: "An act to exempt the Fire Companies of Washington, Alexandria, and Georgetown, from military duty, and for other purposes;" "An act for the relief of Thomas F. Cornell;" "An act for the relief of Augustus Aspinwall;" "An act for the relief of Samuel Chesnut;" "An act for the relief of Robert L. Kennon;" "An act for the relief of sundry Revolutionary and other officers and soldiers, and for other purposes;" "An act to provide for an exploring expedition to the Pacific Ocean and South Sea;" "An act for the relief of William Morrison;" and "An act for the relief of Joshua Foltz." The Vice-President signed the enrolled bill last reported to have been examined and signed, and it was delivered to the committee, to be laid before the President of the United States. The nine bills last brought from the House of Representatives for concurrence, were severally read; and Ordered, That they pass to a second reading. The sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth of said bills, were severally read the second time, by unanimous consent, and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and Ordered, That the sixth mentioned bill be referred to the Committee on Pensions. Ordered, That the seventh mentioned bill be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Ordered, That the eighth and ninth mentioned bills be referred to the Committee of Claims. The Vice-President communicated a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting copies of the returns made to that Department by the incorporated Banks in the District of Columbia, showing the state of their affairs at the close of the year 1828. Agreeably to the order of the day, the Senate resumed, as in Committec of the Whole, the bill for the relief of Thomas L. Winthrop, and others, Directors of an Association called the New England Mississippi Land Company; and, On motion by Mr. Seymour, The Senate adjourned. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1829. Mr. Kane presented the memorial of the Legislature of the State of Illinois, praying that donations in land may be made to the citizens of the town of Galena; and Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Kane presented a resolution of the Legislature of the State of Illinois, instructing the Senators and requesting the Representatives from that State in Congress, to use their exertions to procure the passage of a law, declaring the assent of Congress to the sale of all saline reservations within that State, except the saline reservation in Gallatin county; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Noble presented the petition of the inhabitants of the county of Allen, in Indiana, praying that the right of pre-emption, to purchase at the mimimum price, the land on which Fort Wayne is erected, so soon as the same shall cease to be used an Indian Agency; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Marks presented the memorial of a number of importing merchants of the city of Philadelphia, praying that the additional duties which have accrued on importations of foreign merchandise which arrived in the United States prior to the first of September, 1828, may be remitted; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Benton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill for the relief of the heirs of John Gwynn, reported it without amendment. |