Resolved, That so much of the annual message of the President of the United States to the two houses of Congress at the present session as relates to our treaties, diplomatic intercourse, and relations with foreign nations, together with the accompanying correspondence in relation thereto, be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

2d. That so much of said message as relates to the existing tariff, and recommends a revision and change thereof; so much as relates to the revenue, and the prevention of frauds in its collection; the state of the Treasury; the public debt; the general condition of the finances; the esti mated receipts and expenditures for the next fiscal year; the establishment of a mint in California, and authorizing gold bullion which has been assayed and stamped to be received in payment of government dues; together with the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, and the documents and estimates accompanying it,-be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

3d. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the state and condition of the army of the United States, its increase and operations, and authorizing officers of the army to be retired, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

4th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the navy of the United States, authorizing officers of the navy to be retired, and the revision of the code for the government of the navy, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

5th. That so much of the said message and accompanying documents as relates to the appointment of a commission to settle all private claims upon the United States, and the appointment of a solicitor to represent the government before such commission, be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

6th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the Indian treaties, and our intercourse with them, be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

7th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the Post Office Department, the transportation of the mail, and the reduction of postage, be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

8th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents, and of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, as relates to the commerce and navigation of the country, the improvement of rivers and harbors, and the survey of the coast of the United States, be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

9th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the public lands and to the organization of commissions to examine and decide upon the validity of the subsisting land titles in New Mexico and California, be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

.10th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to roads and canals be referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

11th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the establishment of an agricultural bureau, to be connected with the Department of the Interior, be referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

12th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the act providing for taking the seventh census be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

13th. That so much of said message as relates to the District of Colum-bia be referred to the Committee for the District of Columbia.

14th. That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the health, comfort, and safety of the city of Washington, and the security of the public buildings and records, be referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

The said resolutions having been, read, and the question being upon agreeing thereto,

Mr. Bayly moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered and put, viz: Will the House agree thereto ? And it was decided in the affirmative.

So the said resolutions were agreed to, and the annual message of the President of the United States referred accordingly.

Mr. Schenck moved that the rules be suspended, so as to enable him to introduce the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire and ascertain the necessary expense therefor, and to report forth. with a bill appropriating an amount of money sufficient to enable the President of the United States to fit out the ship-of-the-line Pennsylvania, and to send her to England, to convey thither, under such regulations as he shall prescribe, the works of art and productions of the United States intended by citizens of this government to be exhibited at the world's fair" which is to assemble in London in May next.

Pending which,

Mr. Richardson moved, at 2 o'clock and 40 minutes p. m., that the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed to.

The question then recurring upon the motion submitted by Mr. Schenck, it was put, and decided in the negative-two-thirds not voting in favor thereof.

And then,

On motion of Mr. Jacob Thompson, at 2 o'clock and 45 minutes p. m., the House adjourned until to-morrow, at 12 o'clock m.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1850.

The following petitions, memorials, and other papers were laid on the Clerk's table under the 24th rule of the House, to wit:

By Mr. Parker: The petition of citizens of the State of Virginia, praying the establishment of a mail route from Charlestown to Perrysville, in said State.

By Mr. Howe: The petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying the establishment of a mail route from Meadville, in Crawford county, to Warren Post Office, in Warren county.

By Mr. Potter: The petition of citizens of the State of Ohio, praying for relief to the Ohio and Mississippi Mail Line Company.

By Mr. Howe: The petition of citizens of Crawford, Warren, and Venango counties, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying for the estab lishment of a mail route from Meadville to Warren Post Office, in Warren county.

By Mr. Thaddeus Stevens: The petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying for the establishment of a mail route from the city of Lancaster to the borough of Lebanon, in Lebanon county.

By Mr. Spaulding: The petition of citizens of Cattaraugus county, in the State of New York, praying for a reduction of postage.

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

By Mr. Hall: The petition of Jolin Smith for a pension on account of disability incurred in the military service of the United States during the last war with Great Britain.

By Mr. Hampton: The petition of Frederick A. Heisely, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, praying for arrears of pension from the 24th of August, 1814, to the 1st of February, 1844.

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

By Mr, Robbins: The petition of the heirs of Colonel Daniel Broadhead, praying commutation pay for his services in the war of the Revolu

tion.

By Mr. Seddon: The petition of Clard Me Williams, of Fredericksburg, in the State of Virginia, praying for relief on account of the services of her father in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. Danner: The petition of the heirs of Peter Straber, late of York county, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying compensation for the services of said deceased in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. Morton: The petition of Samuel W. Skinker, administrator of Dr. John Julian, a surgeon in the war of the Revolution, for five years' full pay, under the act of Congress of March 22, 1783.

By Mr. Waldo: The petition of the heirs of Major John Ripley, praying for commutation pay for his services in the war of the Revolution. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Revolu tionary Clains.

By Mr. Hampton: The petition of Tobias Myers and Chambers McKib ben, praying to be released from their contract with the Navy Department. By Mr. Crowell: Two petitions of citizens of Trumbull county, in the State of Ohio, praying for the repeal of the "fugitive-slave law," approved September 18, 1850.

By Mr. Giddings: Four petitions of citizens of Trumbull county, in the State of Ohio, of like import with the foregoing.

By Mr. Cable: The petition of citizens of Carroll county, in the State of Ohio, of like import with the foregoing;

Also, the petition of citizens of Salem, in the State of Ohio, of like import with the foregoing!

By Mr. Andrews: The petition of citizens of Clintonville, in the State of New York, of like import with the foregoing.

By Mr. Morton: The petition of Fayette Mauzey and Robert G. Ward, praying for relief against a judgment obtained against them by the Post Office Department.

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

By Mr. Disney: The petition of Joseph C. Linn, praying for further allowance for transporting the Indiana volunteers from New Orleans to

Madison, Indiana, on their return from Mexico, and also for damages done to the steamboat Pike, No. 8, by said volunteers.

By Mr. Potter: The petition of the legal representatives of Whitmore. Knaggs, praying for compensation for property destroyed by the enemy during the war of 1812-heretofore presented January 12, 1835.

By Mr. La Sère: The petition of Major Osborn Cross, quartermaster of the United States army, praying for relief in relation to a certain sum of money stolen from his office in October, 1842.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Morton: The petition of James C. Wilson, clerk in the office of the Chief Engineer, praying for an increase of his salary.

By Mr. Thaddeus Stevens: The petition of citizens of Blair county, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying for a modification of the tariff.

By Mr. Hampton: The petition of the Board of Trade of the city of Pittsburgh, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying for an appropriation for the erection of a custom-house in said city.

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

By Mr. Holladay: The petition of Clara McWilliams, praying for indemnity for French spoliations prior to 1800.

By Mr. Brooks: The petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying for indemnity for French spoliations prior to 1800.

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

By Mr. Young: The petition of the register and receiver of public lands at Vandalia, in the State of Illinois, praying compensation for locating military bounty-land warrants.

By Mr. Bokee: The petition of the same,' of like import with the foregoing.

By Mr. Job Mann: The petition of the same, of like import with the foregoing.

By Mr. Thomas L. Harris: The petition of the same, of like import with the foregoing.

By Mr. Leffler: The petition of the register and receiver of public lands at Mineral Point, in the State of Wisconsin, of like import with the foregoing;

Also, the petition of T. McKnight and M. Mobley, register and receiver, and George McKinney and Warner Lewis, late register and receiver of public lands, of like import with the foregoing.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

By Mr. Marshall: The petition of Lieutenant Thomas Churchhill, of the State of Arkansas, praying for relief in his settlement with the department of his accounts as commissary; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Seddon: The petition of Jaquelin Taylor, of Richmond, Virginia; of Thomas Ellis and Charles Ellis, administrators of Charles Ellis, senior, deceased, of said city; and. Andrew Low, senior, the sole owner of the effects of the late firm of Low, Taylor, & Co., of Savannah, Georgia, praying Congress to refund to them certain duties exacted from, them, under peculiar circumstances, contrary to equity and the just expectations of the importers;

Also, the petition of merchants and citizens of Richmond, in the State of Virginia, praying for the erection of a suitable building for a customhouse in that city.

·Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Com

merce.

By Mr. Millson: The petition of John C. Cohoon, administrator of Francis W. C. Muren, deceased, praying for arrears of pension due said deceased.

By Mr. Richard H. Stanton: Additional testimony in the claim of William V. Morris.

Ordered, That said petition and additional testimony be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Hampton, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That leave be granted for the withdrawal from the files of the House of the petitions, and papers in the cases of Eleanor Davidson, Susannah Tarn, Mary Chess, widow of James Alexander, and William B. Foster, for the purpose of reference to one of the departments. The said papers were thereupon delivered to Mr. Hampton.

On motion of Mr. Alexander Evans, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That leave be granted for the withdrawal from the files of the House of the petition of William H. Prentiss, for the purpose of having it presented to the Senate.

The said petition was thereupon handed to Mr. Alexander Evans.

Mr. Bowlin presented certificates of the election of William S. Messervy to represent New Mexico in the present Congress; which were referred to the Committee on Territories.

Mr. Strong, by unanimous consent, in pursuance of previous notice, introduced a bill (No. 402) to prescribe the mode of obtaining evidence in cases of contested elections; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Taylor, by unanimous consent, in pursuance of previous notice, introduced a bill (No. 403) to grant certain public lands in the State of Ohio to that State, to aid in the construction of certain railroads therein named; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Wentworth, by unanimous consent, in pursuance of previous notice, introduced a bill (No. 404) to amend the act of the 4th of September, 1841, granting pre-emption rights to actual settlers, and to extend the time of payment therefor; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Hall, by unanimous consent, in pursuauce of previous notice, introduced a bill (No. 405) granting to the State of Missouri the right of way and a portion of the public lands to aid in the construction of a rail. road from Hannibal to St. Joseph, in said State; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Chandler, by unanimous consent, in pursuance of previous notice, introduced a bill (No. 406) for the encouragement of dramatic literature, by securing to the authors the sole right of representation; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on the Judi ciary.

Mr. Thomas L. Harris, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: