MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1827. THE hour of twelve having arrived, the Honorable JOHN C. CALHOUN, Vice President of the United States, took the Chair. The roll of Senators having been called over by Mr. LowRIE, the Secretary, it appeared that every member was in attendance, except Mr. WEBSTER, of Massachusetts, and Mr. THOMAS, of Illinois. The oath of office was then administered to such members as, having been elected since the last session, now take their seats for six years from the present time.

On motion of Mr. MACON, the Secretary was ordered to wait upon the House of Representatives, and inform them that a quorum of the Senate was present, and ready to proceed to business. He returned, and reported that the House had not yet elected their Speaker.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

Mr. JOHNSON, of Kentucky, then rose to give notice that, on Wednesday next, he should ask leave to introduce a bill "to abolish Imprisonment for Debt." Mr. J. accompanied this notice with a few remarks, stating his desire that this subject might receive the early attention of the Senate, so that its fate might, without farther delay, be made known to the nation. He considered it his duty to press the subject at the present session, and should have done so at the last, but he had forborne, in consideration of its being the short session of Congress, and a crowd of other business demanding the attention of the Senate.

A message was then received from the House of Representatives by their Clerk, announcing that a quorum of that House had assembled; that ANDREW STEVENSON, of Virginia, had been elected their Speaker, and that they were ready to proceed to business.

Soon after, a second message informed the Senate that the House had passed a joint resolution, that a Committee be appointed by each House, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that they were ready to receive any communication he might have to make.

The resolution was concurred in, and Messrs. MACON, and SMITH, of Maryland, were appointed a Committee on the part of the Senate.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1827.

PRINTER TO the senate.

the embarrassing situation of the Secretary of the Senate, who was at a loss to know who was to be considered as the Senate Printer, offered the following Preamble and Resolution :

Mr. EATON, after some prefatory remarks in relation to

In pursuance of a joint resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives, passed in 1819, regulating the subject of printing for the two Houses, respectively, an election having been had by the Senate during the last session, for a printer to the Senate, and Duff Green having, according to the provisions of the said Resolution, received the greatest number of votes: Therefore,

Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Senate, the said Duff Green is duly elected printer to the Senate.

After a debate of some animation, in which Messrs. EATON, HAYNE, BENTON, BERRIEN, and WOOD. BURY, advocated, and Messrs. MACON, HARRISON, CHAMBERS, and ROBBINS, opposed the Resolution, (ineffectual attempts having been made to lay it on the table and to postpone its consideration until to-morrow,) it was carried by Yeas and Nays, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Barnard, Barton, Benton, Berrien, Branch, Chandler, Dickerson, Eaton, Ellis, Hayne, Johnson of Kentucky, Kane, King, McKinley, McLane, Ridgeley, Rowan, Sanford, Smith of Maryland, Smith of South Carolina, Tazewell, Tyler, White, Williams, Woodbury

-25.

NAYS-Messrs. Bateman, Bell, Bouligny, Chambers, Chase, Foot, Harrison, Hendricks, Johnston of Louisiana, Knight, Macon, Marks, Noble, Parris, Robbins, Ruggles, Seymour, Silsbee, Willey-19.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1827.

writing, to both Houses, at twelve o'clock this day.

VOL. IV.-1

was read the first time, and passed to a second reading.