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it 27. Several other proposed amendments were acres of public lands next west of the Mississippi rejected. In the course of the remarks Mr. Brown as a fund for the purpose of, in the first place, emsaid "had the resolution come from the other ploying a naval force, competent to the annihilation house in the shape it now was, he should perhaps of the slave trade. Secondly, the gradual emancivote for it, for the sake of closing this long stand-pation of slaves, by a voluntary exchange of the ing and disagreeable question, to accomplish which lands for them; and, lastly, colonizing such emancihe was willing to make great sacrifices; but he was pated slaves in such way as may be conducive to not ready to play so bold a game as to volunteer to their happiness in their original country, Africa: the other house a surrender of the whole principle Provided, That no such exchange of lands for slaves for which they contended; especially as the senate shall ever be suffered or allowed, except upon the had already tendered to it one proposition, which perfectly ascertained consent of such slaves, to be had been there rejected. A compromise to the colonized in Africa: and provided also, That, whereextent the proviso went, would be time enough ever such exchanges are, or shall be made, no sewhen it came from the other house. paration of husband and wife, or parent and child, shall be permitted contrary to their well ascertain ed consent.

The question was put on ordering the resolution to be engrossed and read the third time; and was decided by yeas and nays as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Barbour, Edwards, Elliott, Holmes, of Maine, Horsey, Johnson, of Ky. Johnson, of Lou. Lowrie, Morril, Parrott, Pleasants, Roberts, Southard, Stokes, Talbot, Taylor, Thomas, Walker, of Geo. Williams of Ten.-19.

NAYS-Messrs. Brown, Chandler, Dana, Dick

erson, Eaton, Gaillard, Holmes, of Miss. King, of Alab. King, of N. Y. Knight, Lanman, Macon, Mills, Noble, Otis, Palmer, Ruggles, Sanford, Smith, Tichenor, Trimble, Van Dyke, Walker, of Alab. and Williams, of Miss..-24.

So the resolution was rejected-[but the National Intelligencer expresses an opinion that if such a one should come from the other house, it would be agreed to by the senate!]

The rest of the day was spent on the bill for reducing the army, and in executive business.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday Feb. 15. Among the petitions presented this morning, was one, by Mr. Sergeant, from Catharine Gale, wife of Anthony Gale, late, lieutenant colonel commandant of the marine corps, stating that in consequence of mental derangement her husband, was dismissed from his command in Sept. last. and is now a confirmed maniac, confined in the Pennsylvania hospital, and praying to be allowed a pension out of the navy pension fund, for the support of herself and the children of col. Gale; which petition was referred to the committee on naval affairs.

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The question on proceeding to consider the resolution was decided in the affirmative, 63 to 50 votes.

Mr. Floyd having made a proposition to amend the resolution, it was, on motion of Mr. Clarke, of N. Y. laid on the table-66 to 55.

On the motion of Mr. Cocke, the house resolved

itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Hugh Nelson in the chair, on the bill to equalize the pay of officers of the army.

Mr. Cocke explained to the house, much in detail, the amount of emoluments now received by the officers of the army, &c.

The consideration of this bill, and the questions on filling the blanks with the various sums proposed, involving a discussion of the amount of compensation proper for the different grades, positively and relatively--occupied the committee until the usua¦ hour of adjournment. Having got through the

bill.

The committee rose and reported it to the house with amendments; and

[The rest of the proceedings of this day, so far as they are interesting, were briefly noticed in our last-page 414.

A bill was reported, from the post office committee on Wednesday, in addition to the act to regulate the post office establishment.

[This bill contains provisions, to reduce the compensation to postmasters to three per cent. on any excess of receipt of postage over 3,600 dollars per quarter; to repeal the extra allowance of one thouThe speaker laid before the house a letter from sand dollars per annum to the postmaster at Washcol. Decius Wadsworth, of the ordnance depart-ington city; to prohibit any postmaster, or editor ment, explanatory of the circumstances attending or printer of a newspaper, from contracting for the loans of powder, lead, &c. belonging to the the transportation of the mail; to require bouds of United States, to private individuals, and which persons stipulating for the carriage of newspapers have been made the subject of enquiry in this other than in the mail, that they shall carry all pa house, as also containing a defence of his conduct pers delivered to them and on equal terms; to comin those transactions. Some conversation took pel postmasters to reside in the city, town, village, place as to the mode of disposing of this paper. It or place in which their offices are established, and was finally ordered to lie on the table. to limit their privilege of franking, to letters, newspapers, and packets, directed to and from their respective offices.].

[The speaker laid before the house a letter from the secretary of war on fortifications-a further notice of which is laid over because we expect to give the letter at length.]

Various reports were received not necessary to detail-among them one rejecting forty-three applications for revolutionary pensions.

Mr. Meigs, after an appropriate speech of considerable length, submitted the following resolution-

Whereas slavery in the United States is an evil acknowledged to be of great and increasing magnitude and which merits the greatest efforts of this nation to remedy; therefore,

This bill was twice read and committed.

Friday Feb. 16. In calling over the states for the reception of petitions, when petitions were cal led for from Tennessee

Mr. Jones, of Tennessee, rose, and said, that, from the commencement of the session, he had discovered that the presiding officer of the house had, in his call for petitions from the states, uniformly called for petitions from "the delegate from Missouri;" when, in his opinion, there was no such personage in this house, and therefore moved a discontinuance of such call.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to en- Mr. Speaker declared such motion out of order quire into the expediency of devoting 500,000,000 at this time, and Mr. J. reluctantly gave way, ap.

parently with an intention to renew the proposition The following gentlemen were appointed to su3

when it should be in order.

perintend the funeral ceremonies:

A message, yesterday received from the presi-Messrs. Nelson, of Va. dent of the United States, was read, transmitting to the house the following letter from the director of the mint:

Mint of the United States, Jan. 1st, 1821. SIR-I have now the honor of laying before you a report of the operations of the mint for the last year.

From the statement of the treasurer, herewith transmitted, it will appear that, during this period, there have been struck at the mint,

In gold coins, 263,806 pieces, amounting to $1,319,030 00.

In silver coins, 1,821,153 pieces, amounting to $501.680 70.

And in copper coins, 4,407,550 pieces amounting to $44,075 50.

Making, in the whole, six millions four hundred and ninety-two thousand, five hundred and nine pieces; amounting to one million, eight hundred and sixty-four thousand, seven hundred and eighty, six dollars, and twenty cents.

Randolph,
Newton,
Barbour.

McCoy,
Tyler,
A. Smyth,

And the house then adjourned at 10 o'clock to morrow, at which hour the funeral will take place from the representatives chamber.

Saturday, Feb. 17. No business was transacted in this house (or in the senate) in consequence of the arrangements made to pay the last respects to the remains of Mr. Burwell. The corpse was brought into the hall of the house, where appropri ate exhortations were delivered by the officiating clergymen; after which the members of both houses accompanied it some distance on the road towards Baltimore.

Monday, Feb. 19. The speaker laid before the house a letter from the secretary of the treasury, transmitting a statement of the precise amount of the special deposites, to the credit of the treasury of the United States, which is referred to in his supplementary report of the 28th ult. as not being available during the current year; which was ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed..

Mr. Baldwin, from the committee of manufactures, reported an amendment to the tariff bill, containing several sections, embracing important pro

The above coinage of gold and silver has, in fact, been the work of no more than nine months; for, from the deficiency of deposits, the actual coinage did not commence till the beginning of April, and was even afterwards frequently interrupted, from the same cause. The press employed in the cop-visions. per coinage did not continue in operation more than six months, as the quantity of copper coins had accumulated far beyond the public demand.

From the above statement, with other well ascertained data, it may, I presume, be confidently affirmed, that the mint, in its present improved state, will be found fully adequate to all the purposes for which it was originally established.

I have the honor to be, with pefect respect, your most obedient servant,

R. PATTERSON.

JAMES MONROE, president of the U. S. The whole was ordered to lie on the table. The house then resumed the consideration of the report of the committee of the whole on the bill to fix and equalize the pay of the officers in the army of the U. States.

Various amendments were proposed, and negatived-others were about to be offered when

Mr. Nelson, of Virginia, rose, and announced to the house that his colleague, Mr. BURWELL, had just departed this life. He therefore moved that the bill should be laid on the table.

Which motion was unanimously agreed to.

Mr. Nelson then stated, that it was the wish of his late colleague, that his remains should be carried to Baltimore for interment, and that it was proposed to move the corpse from the lodging of the deceased to 10 o'clock to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Nelson, of Va. the house then unanimously came to the usual resolutions, to wear crape for thirty days in testimony of their respect for the deceased, and to attend the funeral from the capitol at 10 o'clock to morrow.

Mr. Burwell's late wife was of Baltimore, and her remains lie in this city--he wished that his might be put by the side of her's. William A. Burwell was about 46 years of age, and for 15 years has been a member of congress. He was not a man who talked much, but he thought a great deal, and is a more severe loss to the councils of his country than some scores of speakers would be. He was a inost amiable gentleman-a man rarely to be met with.

En. RrG.

The amendment was ordered to lie on the table and to be printed.

Mr. Clay, from the committee (himself and Mr. Allen, of N. Y.) appointed to wait on the president of the United States with the resolution declaring the feelings of this house in regard to the Spanish provinces of South America, reported that the committee had, according to order, presented the resolution to the president; that the president assured the committee that, in common with the house of representatives, he felt a great interest in the suc cess of the provinces of Spanish America, which are struggling to establish their freedom and independence; and that he would take the resolution into deliberate consideration, with the most perfect respect for the distinguished body from which it had emanated.

[Mr. Smith, from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill to prevent any clerk or other persons holding offices under the United States, from making or being concerned in any contracts, for his or their benefit or advantage, &c. A strong bill and a very necessary one. It was twice read and committed.]

The house then resumed the consideration of the report of the committee of the whole on the bill to fix the compensation of the officers of the army.

After several attempts at amendment had been rejected

On motion of Mr. Crowell, the several orders of the day were postponed, in order to take up the bill from the senate for the relief of certain pur chasers of public lands; and the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Allen, of N. Y. in the chair, on the said bill.

Some time was spent in committee of the whole on the bill; in the course of which Mr. Crowell made some remarks in favor of the bill, Mr. Mc Coy and Mr. Allen, of Tenn. against it, and Mr. Wood rather in doubt on the subject than in opposition to the bill. Mr. Campbell, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Hendricks and Mr. Cook, suggested and supported the propriety of the committee's rising and obtaining leave to sit again, it being obvious that the house had

prematurely entered on the subject, and were not prepared to act upon it. [There were barely a hundred members in the house, many being absent, attending the argument on the great question this day argued in the supreme court. See page 417] On motion of Mr. Anderson, the committee rose, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. On motion of Mr. Culbreth, the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the state of the union, Mr. Fuller in the chair, to take into consideration the bill for a general reduction of the salaries of the officers of the government.

The bill having been read

Some debate took place and several amendments were made-a motion to discharge the committee of the whole from the further consideration of it was rejected, 63 to 48-and the house adjourned. Tuesday, Feb. 20, A good deal of business was done not needful to mention just now. A bill for the relief of com. Samuel Tucker was rejected, by a majority of one vote.

The bill entitled "an act to fix and equalize the pay of the officers of the army of the United States," was read the third time, and passed, by a vote of 106 to 39, by yeas and nays. And the bill was sent to the senate for concurrence.

The committee of the whole house on the state of the union was discharged from the further consideration of the bill to reduce the salaries, and fix the maximum of the compensation of certain officers and other persons employed in the civil departments of the government.

The house then proceeded to consider the said bill, and the remainder of the day was spent in the discussion of the many amendments proposed to the bill, some of which prevailed, and others did not -as will be shewn hereafter, if the bill passes.

Mr. Campbell moved to add new provisions to the bill, the object of which was to fix the daily pay of the senators and representatives in congress at six dollars, instead of eight, and the allowance for travelling expenses at six, (instead of eight) dollars for every twenty miles.

Before acting on this amendment-
The house adjourned.

Wednesday, Feb. 21. Mr, Brown, of Ky. submit ted for consideration the following resolution:

Mr. Sergeant, from the same committee, reported the following resolution:

Resolved by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That where any state or states, having complied with the recommendation of congress in the reso lution of the 23d of September, 1789, shall have withdrawn, or shall hereafter withdraw, either in whole or in part, the use of their jails for prisoners committed under the authority of the United States, the marshal, in such state or states, under the direction of the judge of the district, shall be, and here. by is authorized and required, to hire a convenient place to serve as a temporary jail, and to make the necessary provision, until provision shall be made by law for that purpose, and the said marshal be allowed his reasonable expenses incurred for the above purposes, to be paid out of the treasury of the United States.

The resolution, having been briefly explained by Mr. Sergeant to have become necessary by the re cent proceedings of the state of Ohio, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, without a division.

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The case of com. Tucker was re-considered, and being amended, the vote on ordering it to be read a third time was 70 to 70-but the speaker decided in favor of its passage, and it was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.

The rest of the day was spent on the bill for the reduction of salaries and, after wasting much time, it was "put to sleep" on the table-84 to 62. THURSDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

In the senate, no business of immediate importance was transacted this day. It was chiefly occupied on the bill, from the house of representatives, to reduce the military peace establishment: nothing decisive was done.

In the house of representatives-After other business-Mr. Clay rose to make his expected motion respecting Missouri, which was in the following shape:

union on the same footing as the original states; and for the due execution of the laws of the United States, within Missouri; and, if not, whether any other, and what provision, adapted to her actual condition, ought to be made by law.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed, on the part of this house, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the senate, to consider and report to the senate and to the house, reResolved, That the committee on the judiciary be spectively, whether it be expedient or not to make directed to enquire into the expediency of repeal-provision for the admission of Missouri into the ing the 8th section of the act of congress, approved March 6, 1820, entitled "an act to authorize the people of the Missouri territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the union on an equal footing with the original states, and to prohibit slavery in certain territories," said 8th section, imposing a prohibition and restriction upon the introduction of slaves in all that territory ceded by France to the U. States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of 36 degrees 30 minutes, north latitude, not included in the state contemplated by that act.

On this motion there took place a debate of about an hour's length.

It resulted in the adoption of the resolution; yeas 101, mays 55.

The following message was received from the president of the United States, by Mr. Gouverneur, his private secretary.

Mr. Brown supported his resolution in a speech of considerable length-but the house refused to To the senate and house of representatives of the U. Sconsider it, 79 to 43-and it was laid on the table. The treaty of amity, settlement, and limits, beThe bill from the senate amendatory of the char-tween the United States and Spain, signed on the ter of the bank of the United States, was twice read and committed.

Mr. Sergeant, from the judiciary committee, to whom was referred the bill from the senate to establish an uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States, reported the same without amendment; and, on motion of Mr. Sergeant, the bill was ordered to lie on the table, with a view to being called up hereafter.

22d of February, 1819, having been ratified by the
contracting parties, and the ratifications having
been exchanged, it is herewith communicated to
congress, that such legislative measures may be
taken as they shall judge proper for carrying the
same into effect.
JAMES MONROE.

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Washington, Feb. 22d, 1821. The message was read, and referred to the committec of foreign relations.

CHRONICLE.

Mr. Forsyth, late minister of the United States at Madrid, has arrived at New-York.

Com. Barron. A Norfolk paper says "We are authorized to state, that the application of commodore James Barron to the government, for active service, has been answered by an intimation, that a prerequisite to a compliance with his wishes, in this respect, would be an investigation of his conduct from the year 1807; and that, while the government was not disposed to call a court for this purpose, a demand to that effect from him, would meet with immediate attention.

Indiana. The name fixed upon for the permanent seat of the government of this state is ‘Indianapolis.” The state bank has recently suspended specie payments.

Mississippi. David Holmes, now a senator from the state of Mississippi, has been re-elected for six years from the third day of March next, when his present term of service will expire.

Robbery. St. Patrick's cathedral, in New York, was recently robbed of many costly articles of silver, among them a crucifix, 36 inches high, and about 100 dollars, which had been collected for the relief of the poor.

The offer has been promptly accepted by the "Liquoring." The late annual report for the commodore." prevention of pauperism in New York, says "By The Ontario sloop of war has sailed for the Me-the most accurate computation there are 1680 Lditerranean. She will touch at Hayti to land Mr. Wier, appointed consul and agent for claims in that island.

The Constellation frigate has arrived at Rio Ja. neiro, and was very politely received. It was found that she wanted some repairs, and the use of the naval arsenal was freely granted.

censes for retailing ardent spirits, in actual force. in the city of New York; making an average of one tippling house to every fourteen houses in this metropolis. And, by adopting the mode of calculation used by the managers for the year 1812, to ascertain the sum annually expended in New York, in the consumption of spiritous liquors, we arrive at Mr. Girard, of Philadelphia. The Schuylkill the frightful result, that, in 1820, the sum of 1,893,navigation company, who are proceeding with a 011 dollars was squandered in the use of this sinmost interesting improvement of the navigation of gle article! And this, too, principally among that that river, by dams and locks, of great importance portion of our population, who are destitute of any in opening a communication with the interior, hav-permanent means of support, depending upon maing found that a further subscription of $200,000 nual labor for their daily bread." would be required, opened their books. Mr. Girard Court martial. The auditor general of Pennsyltook 100 shares, and told the gentlemen present that they might take what they pleased, but that if they did not, he would make up the balance. Several subscriptions were made, but a deficiency of 56,000 dollars remained, which, on the book being presented to Mr. G. he immediately took.

vania has reported to the legislature, the items for pay and expenses attending a court martial, held on major Elisha L. Antrim, of the 81st reg. militia, which lasted from the 14th Oct. to the 14th Dec. 1819, the members being reported for pay at two dollars per day: the whole expense, $1899.

Died, near Charlotte-Hall, Maryland, Nell Cour- Real estate. Statement of the aggregate of the sey, aged 130 years! Also, in the same neighbor-valuations of real and personal estates in the state hood, another negro woman, aged 105. They were of New-York, as far as they have been returned to both natives of Maryland. the comptroller's office, for the years 1818, 1819, and 1820:

at Providence, R. I. in last month, Dick Rhodes, a black pensioner, a soldier of the revolution, who distinguished himself in the capture of gen. Prescott, and at the siege and surrender of Cornwallis.

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For the year 1818,

Ditto 1819,

Ditto 1820,

$314,913,695 281,018,280 256,603,300

This shews the depreciation of the value of The 8th of January was observed with great cere- articles compared with that of money-because it mony at New-Orleans-there was a civil and mili-cannot be doubted that the property scheduled tary procession, and at the Cathedral a Te Deum must be really more valuable, either as the means was sung, agreeably to law, to thank the Omnipo- of supporting life or in making it more comfortable tent for preserving the city in 1815. in 1820 than it was in 1818, except so far as that Letters. A packet ship that lately arrived at New-support or comfort depends on the exchanges of York from England, brought out 5,533 letters, of which 2,191 were for that city.

108.

things.

The funds of the state exclusive of those appropriated for common schools, and for the promotion of literature, amounts to $3,222,446 39: to which may be added 970,000 acres of unappropriated

Stocks. The 6 per cent. U. S. stocks of 1815, are quoted at 110-in the belief that they will not be paid off, as promised, we presume. But if there is no reduction of the public debt, there will pro-lands. bably be a reduction of the rate of interest payable Esquimaux Indians. A male and female, with her upon it. United States bank stock is quoted at about child, represented as a chief and his wife, have lately been exhibited at New-York, to raise money, Maryland penitentiary. This institution has hith-by a certain captain Hadlock. It appears that these erfo been a pretty sore burthen on the state; but poor creatures, strangers to each other, had been the hope is now entertained that, under its present feloniously kidnapped, and, by threats, compelled regulations, it will produce a profit of 7,000 dollars to exhibit themselves. The civil ruthorities have a year. A committee of the house of delegates, have taken the matter up, and cast captain H. into have made a very able and interesting report on prison. The man speaks English, having been the subject at large-Mr. J. P. Kennedy, chairman. taught the language, as well as to read in his own, Delaware. The legislature has declined to go by the Moravian missionaries. The Indians are into an election of a senator to supply the vacancy given, for the present, in charge of the overseers I which will be occasioned by the expiration of Mr. of the poor, and will be sent home. Actions for Horsey's term of service. So that the governor will damages against Hadlock have been instituted in have to make an appointment pro tem. their behalf. END OF VOLUME NINETEEN.

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