under their own municipal laws, it ought at once and without hesitation to be declared a crime by the code of international law; and that for the purpose of aiding in the establishment of a measure so beneficent and wise, so honorable to a great nation, and worthy of a philanthropic age, the President be requested to open negotiations on this subject with the leading powers of Europe, and make known to them the willingness and desire of the United States to have the African slave trade declared a crime against international law, and brought under the ban of the united voice of civilized States.

Mr. Perry submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to communicate to this House the whole amount that has been paid out of the treasury for books ordered to be published by resolutions of either or both houses of the thirty-third Congress; also, the amount paid out of the treasury for books to the new members in said Congress, under the usual resolution for supplying new members with books; also, the full amount paid the members of said thirty-third Congress as per diem compensation and mileage, specifying how much for each; also, the estimated per diem expense to the government during the sessions of Congress over and above the pay of its members and such officers and employés as are paid annual salaries.

Mr. Tappan presented resolutions of the legislature of the State of New Hampshire, on the subject of a national bureau of statistics and agriculture; which were referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Marston presented resolutions of the legislature of New Hampshire, in relation to weights and measures; which were referred to the Committee on Commerce, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Thayer submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Public Lands be, and they are hereby, instructed to report a bill creating two land districts, which shall include all the public domain situated between the western boundary of the proposed State of Kansas and the eastern boundary of the State of California, and lying between Nebraska Territory, Washington Territory, and the State of Oregon on the north, and the Indian territory and the Territory of New Mexico on the south; the easterly part of said tract to be called the Jefferson land district, and the western part the Nevada land district.

Mr. Briggs introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 23) authorizing the refunding of certain money expended by William H. Hooper, while acting as secretary of Utah Territory; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Ely submitted the following resolution; which was read, con. sidered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to communicate to this House, if, in his opinion, not incompatible with the public interests, all the information in his possession relative to the practical working of the reciprocity treaty con

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cluded with Great Britain on the 5th day of June, 1854; whether the provincial government of Canada has not, through its legislature, violated the spirit of the said treaty; what has been the practical effect of the third clause of the said treaty upon the interests of the respective countries; what measures, if any, have been taken to procure correct information touching the practical operation and effect of the third clause of the said treaty upon the interests of American citizens; and whether, in his opinion, the said third article of the said treaty could not, with advantage to American interests, be either amended or rescinded.

Mr. John Cochrane submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, directed to furnish to the House of Representatives of the thirty-sixth Congress all the information of which he may be possessed respecting the performance of the labor required and bestowed in and upon the receipt at and the delivery from the public stores of foreign goods and merchandise entered, appraised, and taxed with imposts at the port of New York, and how the same is performed--whether by laborers employed by the government or by laborers in the employ of contractors under covenant with the government for the performance of the same; together with the date of any contract or contracts that may have been thus executed and delivered, the parties thereto and the conditions thereof, the object and purpose of the same, and the reasons therefor; what is the present condition of said contract or contracts, who is now interested in the same, and especially if he has reason to suppose that any member or members of Congress now has, or at any time has had, any direct or remote or contingent pecuniary interest therein; and, further, that the said Secretary be directed to furnish the House afore said any information in his possession of the effect produced, or that may be produced, by a contract system for the performance of such labor at the public stores upon the interests of the government, upon those of the importers, and upon those of the laboring classes; and. further, whether the expense of performing such labor can be reduced below the present prices paid; together with any other and further information touching the subject of this inquiry that, in his opinion, may be either requisite or useful.

Mr. Barr submitted the following resolutions; which were severally read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Public Expenditures be, and they are hereby, discharged from the further consideration of the memorials of citizens of New York to examine into the contract made by the Secretary of the Treasury with McIntyre, Bixby & Co. for the labor in the public store No. 12 Broad street, New York, and that the said memorials be referred to a special committee of five, to be appointed by the Speaker; the said committee to have power to send for papers and persons, and report at an early day.

Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be requested to inquire into the expediency of fixing a salary for the consul at Asuncion, in South America.

Mr. Sickles submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to transmit to the House all information in the possession of the officer in charge of the Coast Survey showing the practicability of making the Harlem river navigable for commercial purposes, and the expense thereof.

Mr. Conkling introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 24) for bronze copies of United States medals; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress. Mr. Humphrey submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be required to furnish this House with copies of all correspondence held with the collector of the port of New York in reference to the practice of collecting fees at the custom-house in that city for permits to land the baggage of passengers; also, with a copy of the decision of the United States circuit court of the State of New York in the case of David Ogden and others, owners of the bark Racer, vs. Hugh Maxwell, collector of the port, for the recovery of fees thus collected; and that he be also requested to state the amount of fees refunded in consequence of said decision, and what amount, if any, is still claimed as remaining unpaid. Mr. Humphrey introduced a joint resolution and bill of the following titles, viz:

H. Res. 25. Joint resolution proposing to give back pay to retired or dropped officers who have been restored to their positions in the navy, and to a higher grade;

H. R. 498. A bill to amend an act entitled "An act to limit the liability of ship-owners, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1851; which were severally read a first and second time, and referred as follows, viz:

H. Res. 25, to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

H. R. 498, to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. John Cochrane, by unanimous consent, presented the memorial of Edward Learned, in regard to the construction of a line of railroad to connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts; which was referred to the select committee on that subject, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Florence submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Printing, viz:

Resolved, That the usual number of the report upon meteorological observations accompanying the report of the Commissioner of Patents be printed, and that the Committee on Printing be directed to inquire into the expediency of printing, for the use of the House of Representatives, 5,000 extra copies.

Mr. Palmer submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Public Expenditures be instructed to inquire into the purchase, and the contracts for the purchase, of supplies of military stores, and the means of transportation made by the War Department, in connexion with the late military expedition

into the Territory of Utah; and generally to inquire into the alleged abuses of said department in reference to its expenditure for transportation to and from said Territory, and its purchase and sale of public property on account of said expedition; with power to send for persons and papers, and with leave to sit during the sessions of the House, and to report at any time.

On motion of Mr. Whiteley,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the propriety of reporting a bill imposing a duty on notes of banks, and on any notes, bills of exchange, bonds, or other obliga tions discounted by banks.

On motion of Mr. Hughes,

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to furnish this House with a copy of a report to him from Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Roberts, United States army, on the subject of a general reorganiza tion of the militia of the United States under laws of Congress carrying into effect the Constitution of the United States.

Resolved, That a select committee of seven members be appointed by the Speaker to inquire into the present condition of the tobacco trade of the United States with foreign nations, and to report what negotiation or legislation may be necessary to improve its condition.

The Speaker appointed Mr. Hughes, Mr. Tompkins, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Leake, Mr. Bristow, Mr. Ferry, and Mr. James M. Leach the committee under the latter resolution.

On motion of Mr. Spaulding,

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury communicate to this House any information in his possession relating to the operations of the reciprocity treaty with Canada.

Mr. William Smith submitted the following resolution; which lies over one day under the rule, viz:

Resolved, That ex-members of Congress, claim agents excepted, shall be allowed admission to the floor of this House during its ses sions; and that so much of any rule thereof as denies such privilege shall be, and is hereby, repealed.

On motion of Mr. William Smith,

Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a salary for the consul at Seoatan, in China.

Mr. Spinner submitted the following preamble and resolution; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Whereas it appears from the last annual report of the Postmaster General that there was collected and expended at the post office at the city of New York the sum of $97,000 for the delivery of letters by carriers or penny-post men: Therefore

Be it resolved, That the Postmaster General be requested to furnish this House with a statement of the number of persons employed in connexion with the business of delivering letters from said post office, their respective duties, the amount of compensation allowed to each, and also an exhibit of all other expenditures made in connexion with said business.

On motion of Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne, by unanimous consent, Resolved, That the Doorkeeper be directed to furnish each of the reporters of the House for the Congressional Globe one copy of such bills and reports as are or may be ordered to be printed.

On motion of Mr. Gilmer,

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a national foundry in the valley of Deep River, in North Carolina, and that the committee report by bill or otherwise.

Resolved, further, That all the petitions and papers on this subject submitted to said committee at the last Congress be again referred for consideration.

Mr. Hardeman introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 26) constituting Macon, Georgia, a port of entry, for the time being, for purposes therein specified, and for other purposes; which was read a first and second time.

Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time.

Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate therein.

Mr. Hardeman moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

On motion of Mr. McQueen,

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of, and, if deemed fit, to report a bill for, emancipating the laboring men and women engaged in shoemaking, in the State of Massachusetts, from the tyranny of the "capital" men in that State, by repealing all duty on boots and shoes, leather, and all other imported articles used in their business.

On motion of Mr. Singleton,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing for the erection of a custom-house and post office building in the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Mr. Landrum presented joint resolutions of the legislature of the State of Louisiana, relative to mail transportation in that State; which were referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Vallandigham submitted the following resolutions; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate, if not incompatible with the public interest, any correspondence between the United States and Switzerland relating to that clause in the treaty between the two countries which discriminates against the privileges of the citizens of the United States holding the Hebrew faith, when visiting or sojourning in Switzerland.

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of immediate and adequate legislation for the punishment and suppression of cruelties in the American merchant naval service, and report measures accordingly.