On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Resolved, That when the Senate adjourns, it be till Monday next. The Senate then adjourned. MONDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 1827. The Vice-President communicated a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, enclosing his Annual Report on the state of the Finances of the United States, prepared in obedience to the directions of the act of the 10th May, 1800, "supplementary to the act, entitled, 'An act to establish the Treasury Department." The letter was read; and, On motion by Mr. Dickerson, Ordered, That 1,500 copies thereof, with the Report and Documents, be printed. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. King asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the State of Alabama; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. The Senate then proceeded to the election of a Secretary, pursuant to a resolution of the 26th of January, 1824; and Walter Lowrie, late Secretary, having obtained the votes of all the Senators present, fortysix in number, was re-elected. Whereupon, Mr. Lowrie attended, and the oaths, prescribed by law, were administered to him, as the Secretary of the Senate, by the Vice-President. The Senate then proceeded to the election of a Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper, pursuant to a resolution of the 26th January, 1824; and the whole number of ballots collected was 47, of which Mountjoy Bayly, late Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper, had 45, and was reelected. Whereupon Mr. Bayly attended, and the oaths of the office were administered to him by the Vice President. The Senate proceeded to the election of an Assistant Doorkeeper, pursuant to the last mentioned resolution, and the whole number of ballots collected was 47, of which Henry Tims, late Assistant Doorkeeper, had 31, and was re-elected. Whereupon Mr. Tims attended, and the oaths of office were administered to him by the Vice-President. Agreeably to order, the Senate proceeded, by ballot, to the appointment of the Standing Committees; and Ordered, That Mr. Macon, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Tazewell, Mr. Bell, and Mr. White, be the Committee on Foreign Relations. That Mr. Smith, of Maryland, Mr. M'Lane, Mr. Parris, Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, and Mr. Branch, be the Committee on Finance. That Mr. Woodbury, Mr. Silsbee, Mr. Johnston, of Louisiana, Mr. M'Lane, and Mr. Williams, be the Committee on Commerce. That Mr. Dickerson, Mr. Knight, Mr. Ruggles, Mr. Ridgely, and Mr. Barnard, be the Committee on Manufactures. That Mr. Branch, Mr. Bateman, Mr. Bouligny, Mr. Willey, and Mr. Barnard, be the Committee on Agriculture. That Mr. Harrison, Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Mr. Benton, Mr. Chandler, and Mr. Hendricks, be the Committee on Military Affairs. That Mr. Chandler, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Marks, Mr. M'Kinley, and Mr. Tyler, be the Committee on the Militia. That Mr. Hayne, Mr. Robbins, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Tazewell, and Mr. Woodbury, be the Committee on Naval Affairs. On motion by Mr. Smith, of Maryland, The Senate adjourned. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1827. On motion by Mr. Eaton, Resolved, That, unless otherwise ordered, the usual number of copies of any document ordered by the Senate to be printed, shall be six hundred and eighty-seven; except bills and amendments, the number of which shall not exceed four hundred, to be distributed as heretofore. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Benton asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill explanatory of an act, entitled "An act to reduce and fix the Military Peace Establishment of the United States," passed March 2d, 1821; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. The Senate resumed the appointment of the Standing Committees; and Ordered, That Mr. Barton, Mr. King, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. Kane, be the Committee on Public Lands. That Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, Mr. Berrien, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Kane, and Mr. Thomas, be the Committee on Private Land Claims. That Mr. Benton, Mr. Foot, Mr. King, Mr. Cobb, and Mr. White, be the Committee on Indian Affairs. That Mr. Ruggles, Mr. Bell, Mr. Cobb, Mr. Chase, and Mr. Rowan, be the Committee of Claims. That Mr. Van Buren, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Berrien, Mr. Rowan, and Mr. Hayne, be the Committee on the Judiciary. That Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Mr. Silsbee, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Johnston, of Louisiana, and Mr. Tyler, be the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. That Mr. Noble, Mr. Chase, Mr. Marks, Mr. Cobb, and Mr. Foot, be the Committee on Pensions. That Mr. Eaton, Mr. Bouligny, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Noble, and Mr. Ridgely, be the Committee on the District of Columbia. That Mr. Kane, Mr. Hendricks, and Mr. Chambers, be the Committee on the Contingent Expenses of the Senate. That Mr. Marks, Mr. Parris, and Mr. Willey, be the Committee on Engrossed Bills. The Senate then adjourned. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1827. On motion by Mr. Macon, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message, of the 4th instant, as relates to Foreign Affairs, be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. On motion by Mr. Smith, of Maryland, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message, of the 4th instant, as relates to the Finances of the United States, be referred to the Committee on Finance. On motion by Mr. Woodbury, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message, of the 4th instant, as relates to the Commerce of the United States, be referred to the Committee on Commerce. On motion by Mr. Harrison, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message as relates to the Army, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. On motion by Mr. Hayne, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message as relates to the Navy, be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. On motion by Mr. Chandler, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message as relates to the Militia, be referred to the Committee on the Militia. On motion by Mr. Barton, Ordered, That so much of the President's Message as relates to the Public Lands, be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. The following written message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. John Adams, his Secretary. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. WASHINGTON, 12th December, 1827. I transmit, herewith, to Congress, copies of a report of the Surveyor General of Lands, Northwest of Ohio, with a plat of the Northern boundary line of the State of Indiana, surveyed in conformity to the act of Congress to authorize the President of the United States to ascertain and designate the Northern boundary of the State of Indiana, passed the 2d of March, 1827. The message was read; and, Ordered, That it be printed. On motion by Mr. Robbins, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of purchasing a site for erecting a custom and warehouse thereon, at Newport, in Rhode Island. On motion by Mr. Hendricks, Resolved, That the papers and documents herewith submitted, of Robinson and Taylor, contractors for issuing rations at forts McHenry, Severn, and Washington, in the year 1817, be referred to the Committee of Claims. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Harrison asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill, repealing, in part, the duty on imported salt; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, asked and obtained leave to bring in the following bills, viz. A bill for the preservation and repair of the Cumberland road; A bill for the relief of the Columbian College in the District of Co. lumbia; and A bill for the relief of the legal representatives of Abraham Estes, an invalid pensioner, and for other purposes. The bills were read; and Ordered, That they severally pass to a second reading. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Parris asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill, supplementary to "An act for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels to be employed in the Coasting Trade and Fisheries, and for regulating the same;" which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Marks asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill, making an appropriation for the erection of a Breakwater near the mouth of Delaware Bay; which was read; and Ordered, That it pass to a second reading. Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, presented the petition of Henry Banks, of Virginia, praying compensation for services rendered and losses sustained during the Revolutionary war, by himself and others; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Harrison presented the petition of Henry B. Brevoort, of the Territory of Michigan, praying that his right to a piece of land in said Territory may be confirmed; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. Mr. Hayne presented the memorial of the widow of the late Commodore Stephen Decatur, praying for the payment of prize money due to the re-captors of the Philadelphia frigate, destroyed in the harbor of Tripoli, in the year 1804; and Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. Hendricks presented resolutions of the Legislature of the State of Indiana, instructing the Senators, and requesting the Representatives from that State in Congress, to use their exertions to procure the of a law to extend the time of payment on all lands now forpassage feited, or liable to forfeiture, and to authorize the purchasers whose lands have been forfeited, or liable to forfeiture, to redeem the same, on making prompt payment therefor, at a price, the amount of which, including forfeited payments, shall not exceed the minimum price of other public lands; and also, that the right of pre-emption, for a limited time, be granted to every purchaser and occupant of public lands who has made a payment, and whose lands have been forfeited, or are liable to forfeiture; and, Also, a memorial of the same Legislature, praying that the prices of the public lands may be graduated according to the value of the soil. He also presented the petition of John Duley, praying that his right of pre-emption to a tract of land in Louisiana, may be allowed; and Ordered, That the said resolutions, memorial, and petition, be severally referred to the Committee on Public Lands. |