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H. OF R.]

Proceedings.

[NOVEMBER, 1792.

A petition of sundry masters and owners of coasting vessels, and others, trading between the ports of New London and New York, was presented to the House and read, praying that the tonnage and fees of office imposed on vessels employed in the coasting trade, may be lessened.

Á petition of John Manley was presented to the House and read, praying to be allowed the prize money on certain British ships captured by the petitioner, while a Captain in the Navy of the United States, during the late war.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instructions to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

weighs 1,000 oz. avoirdupois; and a body when immersed in water, displaces a mass of water equal to the bulk of the immersed body, in displacing which mass of water, the body, if suspended to a pair of scales, is found to lose a weight exactly. equal to the weight of the mass of water so displaced; so that, if any piece of money be weighed Ordered, That the said petition be referred to first in air, and then in water, its loss of weight in the committee appointed to prepare and bring in water will be exactly the weight of an equal bulk a bill or bills for regulating ships or vessels emof water, which must at once give the compara-ployed in the coasting trade and fisheries.. tive weight of that piece of money and of water. And as by this method pure gold has been found to be about nineteen times heavier than water, and copper nine times, which has been generally the alloy used in gold coins, if copper be mixed in any proportion (or any other metal whose specific gravity is known) the specific gravity of the compound may be found, and the exact proportion of each ingredient ascertained; and here I will remark, that as, in the act establishing a Mint, and The House again resolved itself into a Comregulating the coins of the United States, the pro-mittee of the Whole House on the bill sent from portion of silver and copper, which are declared to the Senate, entitled "An act regulating Foreign be the composition of the alloy for our gold coins, Coins, and for other purposes;" and, after some is not exactly fixed; there must be a difficulty of time spent therein, the Committee rose and refinding the real value of that coin without an ac- ported several amendments thereto; which were tual and accurate assay, and also room for varying severally read twice, and agreed to by the House. its value. But, as this is happily left to the discre- Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendtion of the Director of the Mint, whose abilities, ments, be read the third time to-morrow. accuracy, and integrity, are so remarkable, no inconvenience need be apprehended, as there is no doubt that he will observe the trust reposed in him, and that he will point out, from time to time, the exact proportion of these two ingredients of the alloy, which are left by the bill to his discretion. This I looked upon as a defect in the bill, and mentioned when it was before us the last session, as a reason why I wished to have it recommitted; but to return to the question. As I have found that the specific gravity of the gold coins of England, France, Spain, and Portugal, was, as well as I can now remember, about seventeen and an half, and that of some German coins not fifteen; that is, that the former weighed seventeen and a half times more than an equal mass of water, and the latter not fifteen times as much, or, in other words, that a cubic foot of the former weighed 17,500 oz. whilst a cubic foot of the latter would not weigh 15,000-I say, as I have found this to be the case, I wish to know now whether any later experiments on those coins have been made to prove that there is a difference stated in the bill; if there have been such experiments I shall withdraw my motion, if not, I must insist upon it.

MONDAY, November 26.

JEREMIAH WADSWORTH, from Connecticut, appeared, and took his seat.

A bill to reimburse certain extra expenses of the late Commissioners for treating of Peace with the Creek Indians was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

An engrossed bill concerning the registering and recording of ships or vessels was read the third time, and passed.

A memorial and representation of Warner Mifflin, one of the people called Quakers, was presented to the House and read, stating certain reflections for the consideration of Congress, in relation to the African slave trade, and to the humane treatment of slaves in the United States.

Ordered, That the said memorial and representation do lie on the table.

Resolved, That the Commissioners for the settlement of the accounts between the individual States and the United States, report to the House the time at which they suppose they will be ready to make their final report; and whether any, and what, obstacles remain, to prevent such final report.

TUESDAY, November 27.

Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, from the committee appointed, presented a bill to ascertain the fees demandable on Admiralty proceedings, in the District Courts of the United States, and to amend, in part, the act, entitled "An act for the government and regulation of seamen in the merchants' service;" which was received, and read twice, and committed.

Mr. GOODHUE, from the committee appointed, presented a bill for enrolling and licensing ships or vessels, to be employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for regulating the same; which was received, read twice, and committed.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Governor of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the river Ohio, covering a petition of a number of inhabitants of St. Vincennes, on the Wabash, praying that the resurvey of their lands, directed by a late law, may be made at the public expense; which were read, and or

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dered to be referred to Mr. LIVERMORE, Mr. MUHLENBERG, and Mr. LEONARD, with instruction to examine the same, and report their opinion thereupon to the House.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, respecting lost and destroyed certificates; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose, and reported progress.

WEDNESDAY, November 28.

Mr. PARKER, from the committee appointed, presented a bill to make compensation to the widows and orphans of persons who were killed by Indians, under the sanction of flags of truce; which was received, read twice, and committed.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills granting farther compensation to certain Receivers of Continental Taxes; and that Mr. GILES, Mr. SHEARJASHUB BOURNE, and Mr. SYLVESTER, be the said committee.

The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the Message from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, of the 9th instant, together with the papers accompanying the same, on the subject of the boundary between the State of Virginia and the Territory of the United States south of the river Ohio: whereupon,

Resolved, That the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES be requested and authorized, with the concurrence of the States of Virginia and Kentucky, to cause the line to be extended from the western termination of the line formerly run by Fry and Jefferson, on the part of Virginia, and by other surveyors on the part of North Carolina, by a surveyor of sufficient abilities, in the proper latítude, whereby the northern boundary of the territory ceded to the United States by the State of North Carolina may be determined; and that Congress will provide for the necessary expense attending the same.

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under consideration, and made an amendment thereto; which was read.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendment, do lie on the table.

WARNER MIFFLIN'S PETITION.

Mr. STEELE called the attention of the House to the memorial and representation of Warner Mifflin on the subject of Negro slavery. Mr. S. said, that after what had passed at New York on this subject, he had hoped the House would have heard no more of it; but, to his surprise, he found the subject was started anew, and had been introduced by a fanatic, who, not content with keeping his own conscience, undertook to become the keeper of the consciences of other men, and in a manner which he deemed not very decent, had intrusted his opinions into this House. Had an application been made to him to present such a petition, he thought he should have avoided a Compliance with it. Gentlemen in the Northern States do not realize the mischievous consequences which have already resulted from measures of this kind, and if a stop were not put to such proceedings, the Southern States would be compelled to apply to the General Government for their interference. He concluded, by moving "that the paper purporting to be a petition from Warner Mifflin, be returned to him by the Clerk of the House; and that the entry of said petition be expunged from the Journal."

Mr. AMES rose to explain his motives in presenting the petition. He said it was his opinion, which he had expressed to the House long ago, that this Government could not, with propriety, take any steps in the matter referred to in this petition; but, on the general principle, that every citizen has a right to petition the Legislature, and to apply to any member to present his request to the House, he had handed it in. The petitioner is a citizen of Delaware; and had the member from that State been in the House, he should not have thought himself obliged to have introduced it; but that gentleman being absent, the petitioner had a Ordered That a bill or bills be brought in pur-right to apply to a member from any other State. suant to the said resolution; and that Mr. BouDINOT, Mr. WILLIAMSON, and Mr. PAGE, prepare and bring in the same.

The bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act regulating Foreign Coins, and for other purposes," together with the amendments thereto, was read the third time; and, on a motion made and seconded,

He had no idea of supporting the prayer of the petition, his mind having been long made up on the subject. He considered it as totally inexpedient to interfere with the subject, and had uniformly opposed the applications made at a former session of Congress.

Mr. LIVERMORE did not consider the motion in order, the subject not being properly before the House; nor did he believe there was any dispo

Ordered, To be recommitted to a Committee of the Whole House on the first Monday of Ja-sition to bring it forward. nuary next.

Mr. GILES, from the committee appointed, presented a bill granting farther compensation to certain Receivers of Continental Taxes; which was received, read twice, and committed.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to reimburse certain extra expenses of the late Commissioners for treating of Peace with the Creek Indians; and, after some time spent therein, the Chairman reported that the Committee had had the said bill

Mr. W. SMITH said he had seconded the motion, with a view of putting it out of the power of any member to call it up when persons might be absent who would find it their duty to oppose it. Mr. S. said he admitted, in its full extent, the right of every citizen to petition for a redress of grievances, and the duty of the House to consider such petitions; but the paper in question is a mere rant and rhapsody of a meddling fanatic, interlarded with texts of Scripture, and concluded with no specific prayer. He observed it was the general

H. of R.]

Proceedings.

[DECEMBER, 1792.

On a motion made and seconded, Resolved, That the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES be requested to cause assays and other proper experiments to be made, at the Mint of the United States, of the gold and silver coins of France, England, Spain, and Portugal; and a report of the quantity of fine metal, and of alloy, in each of the denominations of the coins, to be laid before this House.

Ordered, That the said resolution be transmitted to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, by the SPEAKER.

FRIDAY, November 30.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of

practice of Legislative bodies for members presenting petitions to read them, in order to make known their objects, and to have them entered on the Journal. In this particular instance, the practice might be attended with danger. Citizens of the Southern States learning that papers of this kind meet with countenance here, would be alarmed. The gentleman who presented this paper had not, on this occasion, shown his usual regard to Southern interests. Had he stated its dangerous object, the House would undoubtedly have refused its reception. After the proceedings at New York, when a similar application was made, his constituents had a right to expect that the subject would never be stirred again. He would assure the House, that while he continued a member of it, the Whole House on the report of the Secretary he should never fail to express his abhorrence of the Treasury on the petition of the executors against all such applications, as they could have of Edward Carnes, deceased; and, after some time none but a mischievous tendency. So far from being calculated to meliorate the condition of the spent therein, the Chairman reported that the race who were the object of them, they had a ten-deration, and come to a resolution thereupon; Committee had had the said report under considency to alienate their affections from their mas- which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, ters, and by exciting in them a spirit of restlessas follows: ness, to render greater severity towards them necessary. He therefore earnestly called on the House to agree to the motion, and thereby convince this enthusiast, and others, that they can never meet countenance in the Legislature of the Union. The part of the motion directing the petition to be returned by the Clerk was agreed to. The remain-settlements made, by any officer or officers, hereder was withdrawn by Mr. STEELE, the mover.

THURSDAY, November 29.

Mr. WHITE, from the committee appointed, presented a bill to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes; which was received, read twice, and committed.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Treasurer of the United States, accompanying his account of the receipts and expenditures of public moneys, from the first of July to the thirtieth of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, inclusive; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the estimates of the sums necessary to be appropriated for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninetythree; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose, and had leave to sit again.

The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of Lewis Garanger, in behalf of himself and his brother, Charles Garanger: whereupon,

Resolved, That the Comptroller of the Treasury be empowered and directed to adjust and settle the accounts of Lewis Garanger, as a Captain of Artillery, from the twenty-ninth of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, until the establishment of peace.

Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolution; and that Mr. MADISON, Mr. WILLIAMSON, and Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, do prepare and bring in the same.

"Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and what, measures are necessary to facilitate the settlement of claims against the United States, not barred by acts of limitation, founded upon certificates granted, or

tofore authorized by the United States to issue certificates or make settlements in their behalf, and who have not settled their accounts; and to report the result of their inquiries."

Ordered, That Mr. GOODHUE, Mr. FITZSIMONS, Mr. DAYTON, Mr. PARKER, and Mr. NILES, be a committee, pursuant to the said resolution.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and report a bill to amend the act establishing a Mint and regulating the coins of the United States, so far as respects the copper coinage; and that Mr. WILLIAMSON, Mr. PAGE, and Mr. KITTERA, be the said committee.

mittee of the Whole House on the report of the The House again resolved itself into a ComSecretary of the Treasury of the estimates of the of the year one thousand seven hundred and sums necessary to be appropriated for the service the Chairman reported that the Committee had ninety-three; and, after some time spent therein, again had the said report under consideration, and made a farther progress therein.

be directed to lay before the House the accounts Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury of the Commissioners of Loans, for the current year, by which his estimate is formed for approlars and twenty-eight cents, for the salaries of priating thirty-five thousand and sixty-three dolclerks and for stationery, in the Loan Offices of the United States, to the thirty-first of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.

MONDAY, December 3.

Ordered, That the petition of Woodrop and Joseph Sims, which was presented to this House on the 8th ultimo, be referred to Mr. KEY, Mr.

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GROVE, and Mr. TUCKER, with instruction to examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying his report of a plan for the redemption of the Public Debt, and for the reimbursement of a certain loan made of the Bank of the United States, pursuant to the orders of the 21st and 22d ultimo; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

A petition of sundry merchants and traders, inhabitants of the State of South Carolina, was presented to the House and read, stating the disadvantages under which they labor, for the want of a bankrupt law, and praying that Congress will take the subject into consideration, and pass an act thereupon.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to establish an uniform system on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United | States.

Mr. BOUDINOT, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, a bill for determining the Northern boundary of the territory ceded to the United States by the State of North Carolina; which was read the first time.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to lay before this House a list of the names of the persons returned to his office for pensions, by the Circuit Courts, in pursuance of the act entitled, "An act to provide for the settlement of the claims of widows and orphans, barred by limitations heretofore established, and to regulate the claims to Invalid Pensions," together with the rates of the said pensions, and the causes assigned for disability, accompanied with a statement of such facts and circumstances as may relate thereto.

The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the estimates of the sums necessary to be appropriated for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three; and, after some time spent therein, the Chairman rose and reported progress.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the bill to ascertain the fees demandable on Admiralty proceedings in the District Courts of the United States, and to amend, in part, the act entitled "An act for the government and regulation of seamen in the merchants' service;" and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose, and reported progress.

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WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.

Mr. DAYTON's motion, laid on the table on Friday last, was called up by that gentleman, viz: That the Secretary of War be directed to lay before this House a list of the names of the persons returned to his office for pensions, by the Circuit Courts, in pursuance of the act, entitled 'An act to provide for the settlement of the claims of widows and orphans, barred by the limitations heretofore established, and to regulate the claims to invalid pensions,' together with the rates of said pensions, and the causes assigned for disability, accompanied with a statement of such facts and circumstances as may relate thereto."

[H. OF. R.

Mr. DAYTON observed, that he considered it the indispensable duty of the Legislature to inquire into this subject, in order to avoid imposition. He held a paper in his hand containing an account of a number of persons admitted on the pension list by the Circuit Courts, on account of complaints, which if they were generally admitted, would increase the pension list in such manner, as ten times the present revenue of the United States would not be adequate to supporting.

Mr. B. BOURNE observed, that the Government had vested a discretionary power with the Secretary of War to check the grant of pensions in improper cases; that the Secretary was preparing a report on this subject; and that a full statement of the whole matter would be laid before the House. He therefore saw no necessity for the resolution.

Mr. SEDGWICK said, he hoped nothing was intended by the motion to counteract the benevolent views of the Legislature, in the only act of Legislative generosity ever exhibited by this Government, the law of the last session making particular provision for invalids. Mr. S. said, he thought the necessary information on the subject would come before the House in course; but he was anxious that no steps should be taken, on account of some improper grants of pensions, to frustrate the designs of Government, or divert the justice and humanity of the country from a class of citizens who have fought the battles of the Union and to whom the United States are so much indebted for their present freedom and happiness.

Mr. CLARK, Mr. W. SMITH, Mr. LAURANCE, and Mr. HILLHOUSE, supported the motion. It was said that the law was found inadequate to the purpose for which it was made; that while in some cases it was not carried into execution, in others very improper grants of pensions had been made. Information was wanted; this information may be obtained; the law is defective, and ought to be revised. Justice, therefore, to real objects, to guard against impositions, and to make that provision which the finances of the country are competent to, impose a necessity that the motion should be adopted. In reply to the objection, that information would come in of course from the War Office, it was said, the motion went to several points, on which it was not the duty of the Secretary to report, unless he was required to do it.

TUESDAY, December 4.

A bill for determining the Northern boundary of the territory ceded to the United States by the State of North Carolina was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole on Thursday next.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanying the Register's detail of the estimate of thirtyfive thousand and sixty-three dollars and twentyeight cents, for the clerk hire and stationery of the several Loan Offices of the United States, to the thirty-first of March next, made pursuant to the order of Friday last; which was read, and ordered to be referred to the consideration of the

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Appropriations-Creek War-Moses Young.

Committee of the Whole House, to whom are referred the estimates of appropriation for the current year.

ESTIMATES OF APPROPRIATIONS.

The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the estimates of the sums necessary to be appropriated for the service of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three. The papers on which the estimate of the expense of the Loan Offices was founded,

were read.

[DECEMBER, 1792.

The question being taken, that the House do concur with the Committee in the said amendment for filling up the blank in the said bill with the words "twelve thousand dollars:"-it passed in the negative—yeas 24, nays 25, as follows:

YEAS.-Fisher Ames, Abraham Baldwin, Robert Barnwell, Egbert Benson, Elias Boudinot, Shearjashub Bourne, William Findley, Thomas Fitzsimons, Nicholas Gilman, Benjamin Goodhue, Daniel Heister, Daniel Huger, Amasa Learned, John Milledge, Frederick AugusTheodore Sedgwick, William Smith, Jonathan Sturges, tus Muhlenberg, William Vans Murray, John Page, George Thatcher, Thomas Tudor Tucker, Jeremiah Wadsworth, and Artemas Ward.

NAYS.-John Baptist Ashe, Benjamin Bourne, Abraham Clarke, Jonathan Dayton, William B. Giles, James Gordon, Christopher Greenup, William Barry Grove, James Hillhouse, Israel Jacobs, Aaron Kitchell, Richard Bland Lee, Samuel Livermore, Andrew Moore, Nathaniel Niles, Alexander D. Orr, Cornelius C. Schoonmaker, Peter Sylvester, Israel Smith, John Steele, Thomas Sumpter, Abraham Venable, Alexander White, Hugh Williamson, and Francis Willis.

The accounts of the Loan Officers of Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, were particularly called for, and read in detail. The expenses of these offices were very different, owing to the business being much greater, by reason of transfers, in some States than in others. The amount of the expense was generally complained of. It was observed that some other mode of doing the business ought to be adopted, or, that those for whose advantage these numerous transfers are made, should bear a due proportion of the And then, a motion being made, and the quesexpense occasioned thereby. Several alterations tion put, to fill up the said blank with the words or corrections were made in the estimate respect-"nine hundred dollars," it was resolved in the afing this article. firmative.

The sum of fifty thousand dollars for the contingencies and incidental expenses of the War Department, having been struck out, Mr. STEELE moved that the blank be filled with five thousand dollars.

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This motion was withdrawn, and was succeeded by another, to the following purport: That the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES be requested to cause to be laid before the House a statement of the items constituting the sum in the estimate proposed to be appropriated for contingent, incidental, and conjectural charges in the War Department." This motion was objected to as informal in itself, and contrary to the practice of the House; it was urged that the proper mode would be to call on the officer at the head of the War Department, to lay before the House the necessary documents. It was accordingly moved that the words "the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" be struck out of the motion, and that the Secretary of War should be directed to lay before the House, &c. The motion for striking out was lost; and then the question on the motion as originally made, was put and carried.

Ordered, That the said bill, with the amendment, be engrossed, and read the third time tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY, December 5.

An engrossed bill to reimburse certain extra expenses of the late Commissioners for treating of Peace with the Creek Indians was read the third time; and, on the question that the said bill do pass, it passed in the negative-yeas 20, nays 21, as follows:

YEAS.-Fisher Ames, Abraham Baldwin, Robert Barnwell, Egbert Benson, Elias Boudinot, Shearjashub Bourne, Thomas Fitzsimons, John Laurance, Samuel Livermore, John Milledge, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, John Page, Theodore Sedgwick, William Smith, Jonathan Sturges, George Thatcher, Thomas Tudor Tucker, Jeremiah Wadsworth, Artemas Ward, and Francis Willis.

NAYS.-John Baptist Ashe, Benjamin Bourne, Abraham Clark, Jonathan Dayton, James Gordon, Israel Jacobs, Philip Key, Aaron Kitchell, George Leonard, John Francis Mercer, Andrew Moore, Nathaniel Niles, Mr. FITZSIMONS, from the committee to whom Alexander D. Orr, Josiah Parker, Peter Sylvester, Israel was referred so much of the Message from the Smith, John Steele, Thomas Tredwell, Abraham VenaPRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES of the 7th ul-ble, Alexander White, and Hugh Williamson. timo as relates to a statement of the administration of the fund appropriated to certain Foreign purposes, together with the papers accompanying the same, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

EXPENSES OF THE CREEK TREATY. The House proceeded to consider the amendment reported by the Committee of the Whole House the 28th ultimo, to the bill to reimburse certain extra expenses of the late Commissioners for treating of peace with the Creek Indians: whereupon,

And so the bill was rejected.

PETITION OF MOSES YOUNG.

The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee on the memorial of Moses Young. Whereupon,

The resolution reported by the said committee, in the words following, was read, to wit:

"That the said Moses Young hath a just claim on the United States for the full amount of his salary, at the rate of five hundred pounds sterling per annum, from the eighteenth of October, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, to the thirtieth of August,

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