passed. H. of R. tion to money, were never before as embarrassing. for other purposes, was read the third time, and If the amendment was adopted, it would stimulate all the public debtors to make every exertion Ordered, That the title be, "An act to authoto raise the money before the expiration of the rize the building, erecting, and placing lightterm to which the bill was limited. That our houses, beacons, and buoys on places designated Treasury would be more embarrassed in the pres-in Boston, Buzzard, and Chesapeake bays, Lakes Ontario and Erie, and for other purposes." ent year than in any subsequent one, from the heavy instalments of the public debt which were to be paid this year. The public, therefore, would be gaining by any measure which would expedite the collection of their debts. It was true that the back interest would amount to a larger sum than the Government would be obliged to give if they were to borrow the money; but, as the back interest was intended to stimulate purchasers to punctuality, it would be in the highest degree unjust to exact it under circumstances like the present, when the want of punctuality was produced by events which those who were subject to pay it could not control. Mr. HENDRICKS's motion was negatived, and the bill was ordered to a third reading; and, after an ineffectual attempt by Mr. MERCER to lay it on the table, until the House should have acted on the bill requiring cash payments for public lands, the bill was read the third time, passed, .and returned. TONNAGE DUTIES. The House took up the bill from the Senate in addition to the act concerning tonnage and discriminating duties, [extending the provisions of that act to the vessels of Prussia, Hamburg, and Bremen.] This bill was explained and supported in a short speech by Mr. PITKIN. An engrossed bill confirming certain claims to land in the Territory of Illinois was read the third time, and passed. Ordered, That the title be, "An act confirming certain claims to land in the State of Illinois." An engrossed bill for the relief of Robert Kidd, of Philadelphia, was read the third time, and, passed. Ordered, That the title be, "An act for the relief of Robert Kidd, Seth Webber, and Thomas Page." Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill authorizing the sale of certain military sites; which was read the first and second time, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time to-morrow. On motion of Mr. SPENCER, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to transmit to Congress, at an early period in the next session, a general statement of the condition of the Bank of the United States and its offices, similar to the returns made to him by the bank; and a statement exhibiting, as nearly as may be practicable, the amount of capital invested in the different chartered banks in the several States and in the District of Columbia; the amount of notes issued by those banks and in circulation; the public and private deposites in them; the amount of loans and discounts made Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, was opposed to the by them and remaining unpaid; and the total bill in its present shape, and entered into some quantity of specie they possess; and that he be commercial statements to show that it was inex-requested also to report such measures as in his pedient, particularly as it was in the nature of a convention, and could not be altered for five years. Among his objections, Mr. S. said that a very heavy transit duty was laid by Prussia on our tobacco, passing through the Netherlands, up the Rhine, into her dominions, which had greatly affected the price of that staple in Holland; and Engrossed bills of the following titles, viz: An he proposed an amendment, substantially, to re-act extending the term of half pay pensions to quire of Prussia to lay no higher duty on our to- the widows and children of certain officers, seabacco, passing thither through the Netherlands, men, and marines, who died in the public service; than was imposed on it if it entered in a Prussian an act for the relief of John McCausland; and an port, as Dantzic, Stetten, Stralsund, &c. act for the relief of James Orr, were severally read the third time, and passed. Mr. TRIMBLE made a few remarks, observing, that if this extraordinary duty wes laid by Prussia on our tobacco, we ought to impose a corresponding duty on her Silesia linens, &c., and thus beat her with her own weapons. Mr. SMITH'S proposition to amend was negatived by a large majority, and the bill was then read a third time, passed, and returned to the Senate. MONDAY, March 1. An engrossed bill for erecting a light-house upon Galloo island, near the outlet of Lake Ontario; for placing sundry spindels and buoys, and opinion may be expedient to procure and retain a sufficient quantity of gold and silver coin in the United States, or to supply a circulating medium in place of specie, adapted to the exigencies of the country, and within the power of the Government. The House, on motion, proceeded to the consideration of the bill from the Senate to continue in force an act regulating the currency within the United States of the gold and silver coins of Great Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain, and the crowns and five franc pieces of France. On motion of Mr. LOWNDES, the bill was amended by an entire substitute, without, however, materially changing its provisions; which amendment was ordered to be engrossed, and was subsequently read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed bills of the following H. OF R. Connecticut Asylum—Occupation of Florida. titles, to wit: "An act making provision for the civilization of the Indian tribes adjoining the frontier settlements;" and "An act granting a donation of land to the State of Illinois, for the seat of government of said State," in which two bills they ask the concurrence of this House. The bill from the Senate granting a donation of land to the State of Illinois for the seat of government, was twice read, passed, and returned. The bill from the Senate, entitled "An act making provision for the civilization of the Indian tribes adjoining the frontier settlements," was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. SURVIVING REVOLUTIONARY OFFICERS. On motion of Mr. POINDEXTER, the Committee of the Whole, to which is committed the report of the select committee on the petition of William Jackson, solicitor on behalf of the surviving officers of the Revolutionary army, were discharged; and the House then took up and proceeded to consider the said report. The report concludes with the following resolution : "Resolved, That each officer of the Revolutionary army who was entitled to half pay for life under the several resolves of Congress upon that subject, and afterwards, in commutation thereof, received the amount of five years' full pay, in certificates or securities of the United States, shall now be paid, by the United States, the nominal amount of such certificates or securities, without interest, deducting therefrom one-eighth part of the said amount." The report and resolution having been read, and the question having been stated on concurring with the Committee in the resolution Mr. McCoy moved that it be indefinitely postponed; which motion was decided in the affirmative, as follows: For postponement, 60; against it 48. MARCH, 1819. and he was unwilling to tax the poor for their support; and it was furthermore a precedent which might hereafter be regretted when too late. He moved the commitment of the bill. Mr. TERRY replied that the institution was strictly charitable, as it was almost exclusively used for the benefit of the indigent. Mr. POINDEXTER was unwilling to vote a donation of the public lands for this object; a similar donation had been refused to the individual States for the benefit of an university, &c. Mr. PITKIN replied to the opponents of the bill at some length, and supported the humanity and extensive usefulness and benign effects of the institution. The motion to commit the bill was lost; and the question being on a third reading, the debate became more extensive-it being supported by Messrs. ORR, TERRY, COLSTON, and MERCER; and opposed by Messrs. BASSETT and BARBOUR; the last named gentleman moving the indefinite postponement of the bill, which was negativedayes 43, noes 60, and the bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-day. OCCUPATION OF FLORIDA. The House then, on motion of Mr. HOLMES, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole' on the state of the Union, to which was referred the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession, under the treaty with Spain, of East and West Florida, and providing for the temporary government of the territory. Mr. HOLMES moved to amend the bill, by inserting a provision to authorize the appointment of commissioners for the adjustment of the claims and of the western boundary, in pursuance of the stipulations of the treaty, and providing the sum of dollars to defray the expenses of the said commission. Mr. H. in proposing this amendment, remarkSo the motion was rejected, and the subjected, that it was made rather in pursuance of the dismissed for the present session. CONNECTICUT ASYLUM. The House next agreed, on motion of Mr. TERRY, by the casting vote of the Speaker, to take up the bill for the benefit of the Connecticnt asylum for the deaf and dumb, [granting to it a donation of six sections of the public lands.] Mr. TERRY briefly adverted to the humane object of this institution, its general and extensive utility, the number of unhappy objects who were already receiving the benefits of the asylum, &c. The bill was also supported by Mr. HARRISON, who agreed in opinion as to its general utility there being numbers of the unfortunate beings for whose benefit it was intended, scattered through many of the States, if not all, &c. The bill was opposed by Mr. BASSETT, who deemed the institution entirely a local one, not deserving, more than any other local object, the expenditure of national funds on it. He sympathized with the subjects in the institution, but it was not a charitable one, as the rich alone, he understood, received the benefits of the asylum; suggestion of one of the Executive Departments, (the Secretary of State,) by whom it was considered necessary, than because it had been deemed essential by the committee. It remained for the House to decide whether it was now proper or not. Mr. POINDEXTER thought that Congress would act more understandingly on this subject, if it waited for the ratification of the treaty. It was not now known what the duties of those commissioners would be; how extensive, what amount of spoliations they would have to adjust, &c. The bill constituting the commissioners ought to point out the place of their sitting, what kind of evidence they should receive, &c. All these points could be better settled and provided for after the treaty was ratified-until then, the provision would be premature. Mr. HOPKINSON replied, in substance, that there was little doubt of the ratification of the treaty; and that by authorizing the appointment of commissioners now, much time would be saved; that many of the sufferers from these spoliations looked to this settlement for relief from their distress; MARCH, 1819. Slave Trade. H. OF R. amendment, it was believed it would expedite the settlement of the claims and be a saving to the United States. Mr. POINDEXTER, among other remarks, said, the President could not make original appointments in the recess of the Senate; all he could do was to fill vacancies-therefore, he could not appoint the commissioners during the recess of Congress. Mr. JOHNSON, of Virginia, remarked that every day discovered some improvement in legislation; every day brought forth some novelty in the proceedings of this House. Mr. J, then expressed his strong disapprobation of the practice of having salaries and appropriations pointed out to the House by Executive officers; and contended that the House could fix the salary of an officer, and know what was proper without any advice from that quarter. The question was then taken on the proposed amendment, and decided in the negative without a division; and the bill was ordered to be engrossed, and was subsequently read a third time, passed, and sent to the Senate for concurrence. that as the treaty would, in all probability, be ratified by July, five or six months of delay would be avoided; that, supposing the Government should allow the sufferers interest on their claims, a prompt settlement would be an important saving to the Government; that the proceedings on the Louisiana convention were similar to what was now proposed; and finally, that as some good might result from the amendment, and no inconvenience whatever, it had better be adopted. Mr. CLAY expressed great confidence in all the committees of the House, but desired to make an inquiry of the chairman of the Committee of Foreign Relations, which was, whether the blank in the amendment for the compensation of the commissioners was also proposed in pursuance of the suggestion of the same Executive officer, who it seemed had suggested the amendment itself, and if so, what that sum was intended to be? Mr. C. proceeded to remark, in reply to Mr. HOPKINSON, that he might spare himself any trouble about interest on these claims; if the claimants should get the principal, they would, in his opinion, do very well, as the amount of the claims probably exceeded the five millions to be paid. But the truth was, Mr. C. said, legislation on this subject was premature, and not justified by the necessity of the case. There was no doubt the treaty would be ratified by the King of Spain, unless, on this as on some other subjects, he should be mad; and when the House had authorized the President Mr. MIDDLETON took a succinct view of the merely to take possession of the territory, there provisions of this bill, the evils it was intended legislation, at present, ought to stop. As, how-to remedy, the necessity for its enactment, &c. ever, Ferdinand might think proper to withhold his assent from the treaty, this Government would cut rather a ridiculous figure, if it should now proceed in anticipation to execute its stipulations. Another objection Mr. C. observed was, that these commissioners required the confirmation of the Senate, and no time would be gained by this amendment, unless the commissioners were permitted to act before their appointment should be confirmed by the Senate. But, at any rate, very little time would be gained-a month or two at most, before the meeting of the next session of Congress, and he did not think, even if were proper, that it would be worth while now to act on it. Mr. HOLMES replied that he was prepared to propose a sum for the blank, if the amendment should prevail. As to the suggestions of the Executive officer referred to, Mr. H. said, there were frequent occasions, on subjects like the present, where an Executive officer might be consulted advantageously to the public interests. A sum, it was true, had been suggested to the committee, which was considered requisite to provide for the service proposed by the amendment, but the House could decide if that sum was proper. The objection to this amendment derived from the necessary confirmation of the appointment of the commissioners by the Senate, Mr. H. said, had weight in it; and unless they could be appointed this session, they would be unable to act in the recess. Indeed he thought the bill, as it was, sufficient for the present purposes; but in offering the THE SLAVE TRADE. The House, on motion of Mr. MIDDLETON, went into Committee of the Whole Mr. PITKIN in the chair, on the bill in addition to the acts prohibiting the slave trade. Much debate arose on different features of this bill, as they came under consideration. The third and fourth sections, which provide bounties for the officers and crews of the public vessels which shall capture slaves importing into the United States, and to the informers who lead to the conviction of smugglers of slaves into the Union, were warmly opposed by Mr. STROTHER for various reasons of expediency, and not from unwillingness to destroy the traffic and kidnapping, &c., of slaves. Mr. NELSON, Opposed these sections because the penalties were not heavy enough for the offence, which he thought ought to be punished with death. Mr. MERCER Supported the bill throughout, explaining and defending its provisions against all objections. In the course of the discussion, Mr. BUTLER, of Louisiana, proposed the following as an additional section, which he prefaced by a few remarks to show that the clause he offered was called for by a due regard for the interests of the State which he represented. The amendment was in the following words, and was agreed to without opposition, viz: "That it shall be the duty of the commander of any armed vessel of the United States, whenever he shall make any capture under the provisions of this act, to bring the vessel and her cargo for adjudication into some of the ports of the State or Territory to which such vessel so captured shall belong, if he can ascertain the same, if not, then to be sent into any convenient port of the United States." Mr. PINDALL, after some prefatory remarks, offered the following, as an additional section which was agreed to, viz: "That every person who shall import into the United States, or knowingly aid or abet the importation into the United States, of any African negro, or other person, with intent to sell or use such negro, or other person, so to be imported, as a slave, or shall purchase any such slave, knowing him or her to be thus imported, shall, on conviction thereof, in any circuit court of the United States, be punished by death." After unsuccessful attempts of Mr. STROTHER, to strike out the third and fourth sections, the Committee rose and reported the amendments to the House which were concurred in; and the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The engrossed bill for the benefit of the Connecticut Asylum, for the instruction of the deaf and dumb, was read the third time. MARCH, 1819. Military Committee were discharged from the further consideration of all such petitions referred to them at the present session, upon which they have not yet reported; and the said petitions were laid on the table. Mr. PLEASANTS, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred a report of the Commissioners of the Navy Pension Fund, made to the House during the present session, made a report thereon; which was read, and the resolution therein contained, after some explanatory remarks by Mr. P., was concurred in, as follows: "Resolved, That the Commissioners of the Navy Pension Fund be instructed to use all the means which the laws place within their power, to coerce payment of the balances due to the fund from all persons who may be found indebted to the same, and that they report to the House of Representatives at an early period of the next session of Congress, a particular Mr. STROTHER Spoke some time in opposition statement of the means which have been used, and to the bill, and was replied to by Messrs. TERRY, jects of this resolution: And also, that they report the success of those means in accomplishing the obPITKIN, and LIVERMORE; when the bill was pass-whether any, and what, additional legislative provisions ed, ayes 57, noes 45, and sent to the Senate for may be necessary to compel a compliance with the different provisions of the laws on this subject." concurrence. TUESDAY, March 2. Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, from the Committee of Ways and Means, to which was referred the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act making appropriations to carry into effect treaties concluded with several Indian tribes therein mentioned," reported the same, without amendment; and the bill was committed to a Committee of the Whole to-day. Mr. RICH, from the Committee of Claims, to which was referred bills from the Senate, of the following titles, to wit: "An act for the relief of Rosalie P. Deslande," and "An act for the relief of Francis B. Languille," reported the said bills, with an amendment to the latter, and the bills were committed to a Committee of the Whole to-day. Mr. H. NELSON, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to which is referred the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act for the relief of Nathan G. Birdseye and Daniel Booth," reported the same without amendment, and the bill was ordered to be read a third time to-day. Mr. POINDEXTER, from the Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the resolution of the Senate, requesting the President of the United States to employ an artist to ascertain the latitude of 36 degrees 30 minutes north, reported the same without amendment; and, on motion, the resolution was laid on the table. The House took up the bill from the Senate, to regulate and fix the salaries of the registers and receivers of public moneys. Mr. TALLMADGE moved to amend the bill by striking out $4,500, the amount of salary fixed by the Senate, and to insert $3,000; which motion, after some discussion, was agreed to; and then, On motion of Mr. TAYLOR, the bill was indefi. nitely postponed. On motion of Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, the Mr. PLEASANTS, from the same committee, reported, without amendment, the bill from the Senate to incorporate into one act the several acts concerning hospitals, and sick and disabled seamen; and then, on motion of Mr. P., made by the instruction of the Naval Committee, the bill was indefinitely postponed. The Committee on Naval Affairs were discharged from the consideration of all such petitions, and other matters referred to them at the present session, upon which they have not reported. Mr. SOUTHARD, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, to which was referred the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act making provision for the civilization of the Indian tribes, adjoining the frontier settlements," reported the same without amendment; and the bill was committed to the Committee of the Whole, to which is committed the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act making appropriations to carry into effect treaties concluded with the several Indian tribes therein mentioned." A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed a bill of this House, entitled "An act regulating the payments to invalid pensioners," with amendments; and they have passed bills of the following titles, to wit: An act relative to the Patent Office, and to the salary of the superintendent thereof; an act for the relief of Vincent Grant; an act for the relief of Joseph Lefebre; an act for the relief of Labedoyere de Kermion; and an act providing for the correction of errors in making entries of land at the land offices; in which amendments, and five last mentioned bills, they ask the concurrence of this House. The bill from the Senate, entitled "An act for the relief of Nathan G. Birdseye and Daniel Booth," was read the third time, and passed. Engrossed bills of the following titles, to wit: An act authorizing the sale of certain military sites; and an act in addition to the acts prohibiting the slave trade; were severally read the third time, and passed. Bills from the Senate of the following titles, to wit: An act for the relief of Joseph Lefebre; an act for the relief of Labedoyere de Kermion; an act for the relief of Vincent Grant; and an act relative to the Patent Office, and to the salary of the superintendent thereof; were severally read twice, and referred; the first and second to the same Committee of the Whole, to-day; the third to the Committee of Claims, and the fourth to the Committee on the Judiciary. H. OF R. Mills, Samuel Moore, Murray, Jeremiah Nelson, Ogle, Palmer, Patterson, Pawling, Pitkin, Rice, Rich, Richards, Rogers, Ruggles, Sampson, Schuyler, Sergeant, Sherwood, Silsbee, Southard, Tallmadge, Tarr, Taylor, Terry, Tompkins, Upham, Wallace, Wendover, Westerlo, Whiteside, Wilkin, Williams of Connecticut, and Wilson of Pennsylvania. NAYS-Messrs. Abbot, Anderson of Kentucky, Austin, Baldwin, Ball, Barbour of Va., Bayley, Beecher, Bloomfield, Blount, Burwell, Butler of Louisiana, Campbell, Cobb, Colston, Cook, Crawford, Culbreth, Davidson, Desha, Earle, Edwards, Ervin of South Carolina, Floyd, Hall of North Carolina, Harrison, Hogg, Holmes, Huntington, Johnson of Virginia, Johnson of Illinois, McCoy, Marr, Mason of Massachusetts, of Kentucky, Jones, Lewis, Little, Lowndes, McLean Mercer, Middleton, H. Nelson, T. M. Nelson, New, Newton, Ogden, Owen, Parrott, Pegram, Peter, Pindall, Pleasants, Poindexter, Reed of Georgia, Rhea, Ringgold, Robertson, Settle, Seybert, S. Smith, Ballard Smith, Alexander Smyth, Speed, Stewart of North Mr. FOLGER, from a select committee, to whom Carolina, Strother, Stuart of Maryland, Terrell, Trimwas referred the bill from the Senate for the re- ble, Tucker of Virginia, Tucker of South Carolina, lief of Daniel Pettibone, (renewing his patent for Tyler, Walker of North Carolina, Walker of Kenwelding steel to iron.) reported that it was inex-tucky, and Williams of North Carolina. pedient to pass the bill; and the bill was ordered to lie on the table. The amendments proposed by the Senate to the bills of this House, of the following titles, to wit: An act regulating the payments to invalid pensioners; and an act for the relief of Hannah Ring and Luther Frink; were read, and severally concurred in by the House. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed a bill, entitled "An act to revive the powers of the Commissioners for ascertaining and deciding on claims to land in the district of Detroit, and for settling the claims to lands at Green Bay and Prairie du Chien, in the Territory of Michigan" in which bill they ask the concurrence of the House. The said bill was read twice, and referred to the Committee on the Public Lands. The bill from the Senate providing for the correction of errors in making entries of land at the land offices, was read the third time, passed, and returned to the Senate. MISSOURI STATE. The House took up the amendments of the Senate to the bill authorizing the formation of a State government for the Territory of Missouri, and concurred in all of them, except that which struck out the prohibitory clause concerning the admission and toleration of slavery. Some debate arising again on the principle of this amendment, Mr. TALLMADGE moved the indefinite postponement of the bill. This motion was discussed at some length; Messrs. MILLS, TAYLOR, and TALLMADGE, SUPporting the postponement, and Messrs. SCOTT, ANDERSON, of Kentucky, POINDEXTER, TUCKER, of Virginia, BARBOUR, of Virginia, and BEECHER, opposing it; and was decided in the negative yeas 69, nays 74, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Adams, Anderson of Pennsylvania, Barber of Ohio, Bateman, Bennett, Boden, Boss, Comstock, Crafts, Cushman, Darlington, Ellicott, Folger, Fuller, Gage, Gilbert, Hale, Hall of Delaware, Hasbrouck, Hendricks, Herkimer, Herrick, Hopkinson, Hostetter, Hubbard, Hunter, Irving of New York, Kinsey, Kirtland, Lincoln, Linn, Livermore, W. Maclay, W. P. Maclay, Mason of Rhode Island, Merrill, All the said amendments were then concurred in, except that which proposes to strike out the following clause: "The further introduction of 'slavery or involuntary servitude, be prohibited, except for the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. And that all children of slaves born within the said State, after the admission thereof into the Union, shall be free, but may be held to service ' until the age of twenty-five years;" and insert, "the Legislature of the said State shall never in'terfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States, nor with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the titles in such soil, to the bona fide purchasers; ' and that no tax shall be imposed on lands, the property of the United States; and in no case 'shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents." Mr. ADAMS opposed the concurrence at some length. The question was then taken to concur with the Senate in striking out the said clause, and determined in the negative-yeas 76, nays 78, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Abbott, Anderson of Kentucky, Ausfield, Blount, Burwell, Butler of Louisiana, Cobb, tin, Baldwin, Ball, Barbour of Virginia, Bayley, BloomColston, Cook, Crawford, Cruger, Culbreth, Davidson, Desha, Earle, Edwards, Ervin of South Carolina, Fisher, Floyd, Garnett, Hall of North Carolina, Harrison, Hogg, Holmes, Johnson of Virginia, Johnson of Kentucky, Jones, Lewis, Little, Lowndes, McLane of Delaware, McLean of Illinois, McCoy, Marr, Mason of Massachusetts, Mercer, Middleton, H. Nelson, T. M. Nelson, New, Newton, Ogden, Owen, Parrott, Pegram, Peter, Pindall, Pleasants, Poindexter, Quarles, Reed of Maryland, Reed of Georgia, Rhea, Ringgold, Robertson, Settle, S. Smith, Bal. Smith, Alex. Smyth, Speed, Stewart of N. Carolina, Strother, Stewart of Maryland, Terrell, Trimble, Tucker of Virginia, Tucker of South Carolina, Tyler, Walker of North Caro |