of a correspondence between that officer and the minister from Portugal near this Government; to which I invite the attention of Congress. JOHN TYLER.

WASHINGTON, January 10, 1844.

Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The House again resumed the consideration of the report of the select committee upon the rules and orders, made on the 2d instant.

The question recurred upon the motion made yesterday by Mr. Clinton, to postpone the subject to Tuesday, the 23d instant.

Mr. Clinton withdrew his said motion.

The question then recurred on the motion of Mr. Dromgoole to recommit the said report; and on the instructions moved by Mr. Edward J. Black, that the committee report the 25th rule.

And, after debate, the hour allotted to reports and resolutions expired; 'and

The House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and, after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Winthrop reported that the committee had had, according to order, the state of the Union generally under consideration, particularly the annual message of the President of the United States, of the 5th of December ultimo, and had come to no resolution thereon. Under the 24th rule of the House, petitions, memorials, and documents were handed to the Clerk, as follows:

By Mr. Strong: A petition of citizens of Greenport, in the State of New York, praying for a reduction of the rates of postage, and reform of the abuses of the franking privilege.

By Mr. Haralson: The petition of Orlando Saltmarsh and William Overton-heretofore presented April 28, 1842.

By Mr. Byram Green: A petition of citizens of Wayne county, New York, praying for the establishment of a mail-route from Baldwinsville to Walcott, in said State;

Also, a petition of citizens of Palmyra, New York, praying for a reduction of the rates of postage.

By Mr. Newton: A petition of citizens of King and Queen and Middlesex counties, in the State of Virginia, praying for a mail-route from Little Plymouth to Urbana.

By Mr. Simons: A petition of citizens of the town of Canaan, Connecticut, praying for a reduction of the rates of postage, and the abolition of the franking privilege.

By Mr. Washington Hunt: A like petition of citizens of Albion, New York.

By Mr. McDowell: A petition of citizens of Highland county, Ohio, praying for a mail-route from Ripley to Circleville, in said State.

By Mr. Pratt: A petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying for a mail-route from Prattsville to Shandakin, in said State.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

By Mr. Owen: A petition of citizens of the State of Indiana, praying that laws may be passed to place the Territory of Oregon under the protection of the United States.

By Mr. Daniel P. King: A memorial of citizens of Newburyport, Massachusetts, praying for remuneration for spoliations committed by the French Government prior to the year 1800;

Also, a like petition of citizens of Salem, Massachusetts.

Ordered, That the said petitions and memorial be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

By Mr. Slidell: A resolution of the Legislature of the State of Louisiana, in relation to an appropriation for the erection of a light-house at or near the mouth of the bayou Bonfouca, on the northeastern shore of the Lake Pontchartrain-heretofore presented May 18, 1840.

By Mr. Grinnell: Two petitions of citizens of Bristol, Barnstable, Nantucket, and Dukes counties, in the State of Massachusetts, praying for the erection and maintenance of a marine hospital at or near New Bedford. By Mr. Washington Hunt: A petition of citizens of Orleans county, New York, praying for an appropriation for completing the improvement of the Oak Orchard harbor, on Lake Ontario.

By Mr. Henry Dodge: A petition of citizens of Racine county, in the Territory of Wisconsin, praying for the construction of a harbor at the mouth of Root river, in said Territory.

By Mr. Henry Dodge: A resolution of the Legislature of Wisconsin, relating to appropriations for the construction of harbors on the western shore of Lake Michigan, in the Territory of Wisconsin.

By Mr. Grinnell: A petition of citizens of Westport, in the State of Massachusetts, praying for a light-house and buoys at Westport.

By Mr. McClelland: A memorial of the common council of the city of Monroe, State of Michigan, praying for an appropriation to complete the harbor at that city.

Ordered, That the said petitions, memorial, and resolutions be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

By Mr. Weller: A petition of Daniel Millikin, of Butler county, Ohioheretofore presented January 8, 1841 referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

By Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll: A petition of citizens of the State of Maryland, praying for the restoration of the navy pension fund.

By Mr. Buffington: A petition of citizens of Philadelphia, praying an appropriation for the construction of a dry dock at that port.

By Mr. Daniel P. King: A petition of Elizabeth Vandeford, of Salem, Massachusetts, widow of Benjamin Vandeford, who died on board the United States ship Vincennes, in the exploring expedition, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Byram Green: A memorial of General Hugh W. Dobbin, setting forth his services to the United States during the war of 1812 with Great Britain, and praying for compensation for said services, and remuneration for disabilities incurred in said war.

By Mr. Charles M. Reed: A petition of Joseph Brown, an invalid pen sioner, praying for arrears of pension.

Ordered, That the said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Lyon: A memorial of a committee of citizens of Detroit, praying for the construction of a ship-canal around the rapids of the St. Mary's

river, near the foot of Lake Superior, in the State of Michigan: referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

By Mr. Barnard: A petition of the heirs of Captain Daniel Mills, deceased, praying compensation for the services of said decedent in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. Benton: A document in support of the application of John Nicholas for a pension; the petition of said Nicholas heretofore presented December 18, 1843.

Ordered, That the above petitions and document be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims.

By Mr. Grinnell: The petition of George M. Jones-heretofore presented December 27, 1842.

By Mr. McClelland: The petition of Nancy Egnew-heretofore presented December 28, 1836.

By Mr. Anderson: The petition of William N. Maver-heretofore presented January 9, 1843.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. • By Mr. Grinnell: A petition of James Taylor, of New Bedford, Massachusetts, praying payment for his services as clerk in the custom-house at that place;

Also, a like petition of Francis Stoddard, of New Bedford, Massachu

setts.

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

By Mr. Stone: A petition of Jane Beam, of Marion county, Kentucky, widow of Conrad Beam, who was a soldier in the revolutionary war, praying for a pension.

By Mr. Belser: A petition of Barrett Brewer, of Union Springs, Macon county, Alabama, praying for a pension in consideration of his services in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. Pratt: A petition of Irena Marshall, of Oswego county, New York, praying that the provisions of the pension act of July 4, 1836, may be extended to widows who have second husbands.

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

And then,

On motion of Mr. Reding,

The House, at ten minutes before 4 o'clock, adjourned until to morrow, at 12 o'clock, meridian.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1844.

Mr. Smith of Indiana, from the Committee of Claims, made an adverse report upon the petition of William Neilson: which report was ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Davis of Indiana,

Ordered, That the Committee on Public Lands be discharged from the consideration of the petition of the heirs of Elihu Hall Bay; and that it be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Reding, from the Committee on Public Expenditures, reported the following resolutions; which were read, considered, and agreed to, to wit: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be directed to lay before the

House the expenditures of the Florida squadron whilst under the command of Lieutenant John T. McLaughlin; and the settlement of his accounts as purser for the same squadron; and the amount of hospital and medical stores furnished before sailing, and the amount and the items of the accounts for other medical and hospital stores furnished by him whilst in command of the Florida squadron; the number of men and the length of service under his command; the amount of money paid him as a purser or lieutenant commanding, or whilst acting in any other capacity during the time of his acting in that service; whether he presented any account, and for what sum, beyond his pay as lieutenant commanding, and the decisions thereon, and the amount actually paid him, if any, besides his regular pay, and by whom allowed.

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Navy be directed further to lay before the House any charge or charges of misconduct made against the said Lieutenant John T. McLaughlin, whilst in command of the Florida expedition, and all papers connected therewith, and the disposition made of them by the department; and that the said Secretary be directed to lay before the House the proceedings of the court-martial which tried Lieutenant Robert Tansil, of the United States marine corps, and all papers connected with the same.

Mr. James A. Black, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, made a report upon the petition of John McLaughlin, accompanied by a bill (No. 33) for his relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Brown of Indiana, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, made a report upon the petition of citizens of Louisiana, in relation to the difficulty in obtaining patents for confirmed land claims, accompanied by a bill (No. 34) to direct the issuing of patents for confirmed land claims in the State of Louisiana, and for other purposes: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Elisha R. Potter, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, to which the petition on the subject was referred, reported a bill (No. 35) to authorize the entry of certain land occupied by the branch pilots of the port of New Orleans, and others in the State of Louisiana, accompanied by a report, in writing: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Boyd,

Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the consideration of the petition of Elbridge G. Woodman; and that it do lie on the table.

Mr. Parmenter, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported a bill (No. 36) for the relief of the widows and orphans of the officers, seamen, and marines of the United States schooner Grampus: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Rodney, from the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, made a report upon the petition of Jane McGuire, widow of Major Thomas McGuire, accompanied by a bill (No. 37) for her relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Rathbun,

Ordered, That the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions be discharged

from the consideration of the petitions of Phebe Abel, widow of Alexander Torrence; of Obadiah Newcomb, John C. Budd, Lettis Pond, Huldah Saxton, E. Kellogg, Susan' Aldrick, widow of Gustavus Aldrick, Susannah Carpenter, and Reuben Taylor; and that the said petitions do lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Rathbun,

Ordered, That the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions be discharged from the consideration of the petition of Daniel Starr; and that it be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims.

Mr. Vance, from the Committee of Claims, made a report upon the petition of Joseph Kimball, accompanied by a bill (No. 38) for his relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Vance, from the Committee of Claims, made adverse reports upon the petitions of Samuel Fuller and of Mary and Eliza Periam: which reports were laid on the table.

On motion of Mr. Vance,

Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the consideration of the petition of the heirs of William Arnold, deceased; and that it be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

On motion of Mr. Vance,

Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the consideration of the petition of Jacob Snider, jr.; and that it be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Russell, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made adverse reports upon the petitions of Empson Hamilton and Samuel W. Marshall: which reports were laid on the table.

Mr. Albert Smith, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made a report upon the petition of Isaac Plummer, accompanied by a bill (No. 39) for his relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Albert Smith, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made an adverse report upon the petition of Lewis H. Finney: which report was laid on the table.

Mr. Jacob Brinkerhoff, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made adverse reports upon the petitions of Sarah Talley, widow of John A. Talley, of William Slocum, Robert E. Kelley, and John Bull, jr.: which reports were laid on the table.

Mr. Robert Smith, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made an adverse report upon the petition of Hannah Hamilton: which report was laid on the table.

Mr. Tilden, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made an adverse report upon the petition of Richard Reynolds: which report was laid on the table.

Mr. Jacob Brinkerhoff, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made a report upon the petition of Jonathan Bean, accompanied by a bill (No. 40) for his relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Nes, from the Committee on Invalid Pensions, made a report upon the petition of John P. Schuyler, accompanied by a bill (No. 41) for his relief: which bill was read a first and second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.