A motion was made by Mr. Parker, that the further consideration of said bill be postponed until Thursday next; which motion was disagreed to by the House. A motion was then made by Mr. Whittlesey, that the said bill do lie on the table; which motion was also disagreed to by the House: when A motion was made by Mr. Hawes, to amend said bill by striking out "first day of October," and inserting, "thirtieth day of June;" And on the question to agree to this amendment, It was decided in the negative. A motion was made by Mr. Gillet, to amend the said bill by adding thereto the following, viz: "And Congress shall have power, at any time, to repeal, alter, or modify this act, any rights that the said corporations may have under it to the contrary notwithstanding." And on the question to agree to this amendment, It was decided in the negative. A motion was made by Mr. Harlan, to amend the said bill by striking out, "first day of October, 1836," and inserting, "fourth day of March, 1837." And on the question to agree to this amendment, It was decided in the negative. The question was then put: that the said bill be engrossed and read a third time, And passed in the affirmative. Ordered, That said bill be read a third time to-day. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied with sundry documents containing the report of the Fifth Auditor, and the material contents of the correspondence and other documents growing out of the inquiry of the Treasury Department, in relation to the best mode of managing the light-house establishment, prepared and furnished in answer to the call of the House, of the 12th instant; which letter and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Commerce. A motion was made by Mr. Cambreleng, that the rule setting apart Friday and Saturday in every week for the consideration of private bills and private business, be suspended for this day, for the purpose of considering the bill from the Senate (No. 65) for the relief of the sufferers by fire, in the city of New York. And the question being put to agree to the motion made by Mr. Cambreleng, It was decided in the negative. The House then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on bills of the following titles, viz: No. 1. A bill for the relief of James Tilford; No. 2. A bill for the relief of John Peirce and Daniel Van Voorhis; No. 3. A bill for the relief of Joseph Cooper; No. 4. A bill for the relief of Thomas F. Townsley; No. 5. A bill for the relief of the heirs of Guiseppe Franzoni and the heirs of Francis Jardella; No. 6. A bill for the relief of the legal representatives of William Findley; No. 7. A bill for the relief of the heirs of Marinus W. Gilbert; No. 8. A bill for the relief of Jesse Smith et. al; No. 9. A bill for the relief of Marinus W. Gilbert; No. 10. A bill for the relief of Richard Hardesty; No. 11. A bill for the relief of David Bartlett; No. 12. A bill for the relief of William Baker, of the State of New York; No. 13. A bill for the relief of Doctor William Baker ; and after some time spent in Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Ward reported the said bills to the House, with an amendment to the bill (No 8) for the relief of Jesse Smith and others, which amendment was concurred in by the House; and it was then Ordered, That the said bills be engrossed, and severally read a third time to morrow. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on bills of the following titles, viz: No. 14. A bill for the relief of Daniel Whitney; No. 15. A bill for the relief of Andrew Dodge; No. 16. A bill for the relief of George Bender; No. 17. A bill for the relief of Nathaniel P. Tatum; No. 20. A bill for the relief of Henry Knowles, sen.; No. 21. A bill for the relief of John Pollock; No. 22. A bill for the relief of Daniel Homans; No. 23. A bill for the relief of Owen Rice and others, representatives of Jacob Eyerly; No. 24. A bill for the relief of Lieutenant Washington Seawell; No. 25. A bill for the relief of Joseph Russ and Stephen Roach; No. 26. A bill for the relief of Jane Taylor and her children, heirs of the late James Plunkett; and after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Pierce, of New Hampshire, reported the said bills to the House without amendment: it was then Ordered, that the said bills be engrossed, and severally read a third time to-morrow. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on bills of the following titles, viz: No. 27. A bill for the relief of the legal representatives of Willie Blount; No. 28. A bill for the relief of Laurentius M. Eiler; No. 29. A bill for the relief of Moses Bliss; No. 30. A bill for the relief of David Campbell; No. 31. A bill for the relief of John Saunders and Purley Putnam; No. 32. A bill for the relief of the executors of Charles Wilkins; No. 33. A bill for the relief of John Downes; No. 34. A bill for the relief of Stephen Crittenden ; No. 35. A bill for the relief of Jacob B. Gilbert; No. 36. A bill for the relief of Joel Sartain ; No. 37. A bill for the relief of the legal representatives of Thomas Beacham; No. 38. A bill for the relief of Joshua Cullumber; No. 39. A bill for the relief of Abner Stetson; No. 40. A bill for the relief of the Springfield Manufacturing Company; and after some time spent in Committee of the Whole House, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Briggs reported as follows: That the Committee had made some progress in the bill (No. 33) for the relief of John Downes, and directed him to ask leave to sit again. And that he was directed to report the residue of said bills to the House, with an amendment to the bill (No. 37) for the relief of the representatives of Thomas Beacham, deceased, which amendment was concurred in by the House. It was then Ordered, That the Committee of the Whole House have leave to sit again on the bill for the relief of John Downes; and that the residue of said bills be engrossed, and severally read a third time to-morrow. The House then 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. Haynes reported that the Committee of the Whole had, according to order, the state of the Union, generally, under consideration, particularly the bill from the Senate (No. 10) entitled "An act to authorize the allowance of certain charges in the accounts of the American consul at London ;" which bill he reported to the House without amendment. Ordered, That the said bill be read a third time to-day. A motion was made by Mr. Hannegan, that when the House shall adjourn to-day, it will adjourn to meet again on Monday next. And the question being put to agree to this motion, It passed in the affirmative. An engrossed bill, (No. 169) to extend the charters of certain banks in the District of Columbia to the 1st day of October, 1836, was read the third time, And the question was stated: Shall the bill pass? And pending this question, The House adjourned until Monday next, the 18th inst. at 12 o'clock meridian. The House being about to proceed to the consideration of the appeal from the decision of the Chair, and the matters therewith connected, arising out of a petition of citizens of Massachusetts, which Mr. John Q. Adams was about to present on the 4th of January, instant, A motion was made by Mr. Hawes, that the consideration of the said appeal, and the subject matters therewith connected, be further postponed until Thursday next, the 21st instant; which motion was agreed to by the House. Mr. Mason, of Maine, presented a petition of Ammi Mitchell, of the State of Maine, who was a soldier during the war in 1812, praying that his pension certificate may be dated from the time when he first made application for the same, in 1818. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Michael Cripps, of the county of Lincoln, in the State of Maine, who was a soldier during the war in 1813, praying that his name may be inserted upon the invalid pension roll. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Jehial Soule, of Waterville, in the State of Maine, who was a soldier in the army of the United States in 1814, praying that his name may be inscribed upon the invalid pension roll. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Francis Couliard, of Waterville, in the State of Maine, who was a soldier in the army of the United States in 1814, praying that his name may be inscribed upon the invalid pension roll. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Solomon Tibbetts, of Litchfield, in the State of Maine, who was a soldier in the army of the United States in 1813, praying a pension from the date of his discharge from service, which was in May, 1815. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Oliver Bean, of Kennebec, in the State of Maine, who was a soldier during the war in 1812, praying for a pension from the time of his discharge from service. Ordered, That the said several petitions be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Mr. Evans presented the petition of Benjamin Stevens, heretofore presented February 10, 1834, and the said petition was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Mr. Evans presented a petition of Joseph Loring, praying remuneration for services rendered to his country during the late war with Great Britain, and also for losses sustained in consequence of the depreciation of Treasury notes, and the said petition was referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Hall presented a petition of sundry citizens of the State of Maine, praying for an appropriation for the erection of monuments on Fort Point ledge, Adams' ledge, and Buck's ledge, on the Penobscot river. Mr. Jarvis presented a petition of Joseph R. Folsom, of Bucksport, in the State of Maine, part owner and agent of the fishing schooner Galaxy, which was lost on the 10th of August, 1833, praying for the same bounty which said vessel would have been entitled to receive, had she continued at sea during the time required by law to entitle her to such bounty. Mr. Cushman presented a petition of sundry citizens of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, praying for an appropriation for the erection of a marine hospital at Portsmouth. Mr. Cushman presented a document relative to the erection of a customhouse, court house, and other buildings, at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Ordered, That the said petitions and memorials be severally referred to the Committee on Commerce. The under mentioned petitions, heretofore presented, were again presented, and referred to the Committee on Commerce, viz: By Mr. Jarvis: The petition of William Delesdernier, for the late firm of S. Jones & Co. presented December 18, 1834. By Mr. Jarvis: The petition of Ezekiel Foster, presented December 8, 1834. Mr. Cushman presented a petition of the gunner, carpenter, sail-maker, and boatswain of the navy yard at New York, praying for an increase of compensation. Mr. Cushman presented a petition of Charles W. Pickering, midshipman in the Navy, praying for extra pay while in the performance of the duties of lieutenant on board the United States ship Falmouth, on the Pacific station. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. Smith presented a petition of Frederick C. De Krafft, praying compensation for services rendered as surveyor of the City of Washington; and the same was referred to the Committee for the District of Columbia. Mr. Smith presented a memorial of sundry physicians of Portland, in the State of Maine, relative to the erection of a marine hospital at Portland. Ordered, That said memorial do lie on the table. Mr. Jarvis presented a petition of sundry physicians of the City of Washington, praying for the improvement of certain public grounds in said city, detrimental to the health of said city, on account of stagnant water which accumulates thereon; which petition was referred to the Committee on Public Buildings. Mr. Mason, of Maine, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the State of Maine, praying for the establishment of a mail route from Phillips, in Somerset county, to No. 3, second range, in the county of Oxford; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Donelson, his private Secretary; which was read, and is as follows, viz: To the Senate and House of Representatives: GENTLEMEN: In my message at the opening of your session, I informed you that our Charge d'Affaires at Paris had been instructed to ask for the final determination of the French Government, in relation to the payment of the indemnification secured by the treaty of the 4th of July, 1831, and that when advices of the result should be received, it would be made the subject of a special communication. In execution of this design, I now transmit to you the papers numbered from 1 to 13, inclusive, containing, among other things, the correspondence on this subject between our Charge d'Affaires and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, from which it will be seen, that France requires, as a condition precedent to the execution of a treaty unconditionally ratified, and to the payment of a debt acknowledged by all the branches of her Government to be due, that certain explanations shall be made, of which she dictates the terms. These terms are such as that Government has already been officially informed cannot be complied with; and, if persisted in, they must be considered as a deliberate refusal on the part of France to fulfil engagements binding by the laws of nations, and held sacred by the whole civilized world. The nature of the act which France requires from this Government, is clearly set forth in the letter of the French Minister, marked No. 4. We will pay the money, says he, when "the Govern ment of the United States is ready, on its part, to declare to us, by addressing its claim to us officially, in writing, that it regrets the misunderstanding which has arisen between the two countries; that this misunderstanding is founded on a mistake; that it never entered into its intention to call in question the good faith of the French Government, nor to take a menacing attitude towards France;" and he adds, "if the Government of the United States does not give this assurance, we shall be obliged to think that this misunderstanding is not the result of an error." In the letter marked No. 6, the French Minister also remarks, that "the Government of the United States knows, that upon itself depends henceforward the execution of the treaty of July 4, 1831." Obliged by the precise language thus used by the French Minister, to view it as a peremptory refusal to execute the treaty, except on terms incompatible with the honor and independence of the United States, and persuaded that, on considering the correspondence now submitted to you, you |