Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be authorized to pay, out of the contingent fund of this House, to Thomas Harvey, John Mathers, and Francis Durity, the sum of fifty dollars each, and to the Chaplain of this House one hundred and fifty dollars, in addition to their usual compensation. Mr. MITCHILL reported, from the joint commit tee, that they had waited on the President of the United States, who informed them that he had no further communications to make to the two Houses of Congress. MARCH, 1807. pointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States to acquaint him with the intended recess of the two Houses of Congress, and agreed thereto; and Messrs. MITCHILL and ADAMS were appointed the committee on the part of the Senate. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House having finished the business before them, are about to adjourn. The Secretary was then directed to inform the House of Representatives that the Senate having finished the business before them, are about to adjourn, whereupon, the Senate adjourn The Senate took into consideration the resolution of the House of Representatives for the ap-ed without day. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE NINTH CONGRESS, BEGUN AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 1, 1806. MONDAY, December 1, 1806. This being the day appointed by the Constitution for the annual meeting of Congress, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, and took their seats, to wit: From New Hampshire-Silas Betton, Caleb Ellis, David Hough, Samuel Tenney, and Thomas W. Thompson. From Massachusetts-Joseph Barker, Barnabas Bidwell, John Chandler, Orchard Cook, Jacob Crowninshield, Richard Cutts, William Ely, Isaiah L. Green, Seth Hastings, Jeremiah Nelson, Josiah Quincy, Ebenezer Seaver, William Stedman, Samuel Taggart, and Joseph B. Varnum. From Vermont-Martin Chittenden, James Elliot, James Fisk, and Gideon Olin. From Rhode Island-Nehemiah Knight, and Joseph Stanton. From Connecticut-Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, jr., Jonathan O. Mosely, Timothy Pitkin, jr., Lewis B. Sturges, and Benjamin Tallmadge. From New York-John Blake, jr., Silas Halsey, John Russell, Peter Sailly, Thomas Sammons, Martin G. Schuneman, Philip Van Cortlandt, and Killian K. Van Rensselaer. From New Jersey-Ezra Darby, Ebenezer Elmer, John Lambert, James Sloan, and Henry Southard. From Pennsylvania-Isaac Anderson, David Bard, From Delaware-James M. Broom. From Virginia-Burwell Bassett, John Claiborne, From North Carolina-Willis Alston, jr., Thomas Kenan, Duncan MacFarland, Nathanial Macon, Speaker, Richard Stanford, Joseph Winston, and Thomas Wynns. From South Carolina-William Butler, Robert Marion, Thomas Moore, and David R. Williams. From Georgia-Peter Early, and David Meriwether. Delegate from the Mississippi Territory-William Lattimore. Two new members, to wit: from Connecticut, THEODORE DWIGHT, returned to serve in this House, as a member for the said State, in the room of John Cotton Smith, who has resigned his seat; and, from Virginia, WILLIAM A. BURWELL, returned to serve in this House, as a member for the said State, in the room of Christopher Clark, their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats who has resigned his seat; appeared, produced in the House. DANIEL CLARK, returned to serve as a delegate from the Orleans Territory of the United States, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House. And a quorum consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, a message was sent to the Senate to inform them that a quorum of the House is assembled, and ready to proceed to business. A message from the Senate informed the House that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to proceed to business. Mr. DAWSON and Mr. GEORGE W. CAMPBELL were appointed a committee, on the part of the House, jointly, with such committee as may be the President of the United States, and inform appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make to them. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have appointed a committee on their part for the same purpose. Mr. SLOAN laid on the the table a resolution, so to alter the rules of the House that the standing committees shall in future be chosen by ballot, and that committees shall be called over by the Speaker every Monday. This motion, according to the rules of the House, was ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House cause the members to be furnished, during the present session, with three newspapers to each member, such as the members, respectively, shall choose, to be delivered at their lodgings; and that, if any member shall choose to take any newspaper, other than a daily paper, he shall be furnished with as many such papers as shall not exceed the price of - a daily_paper. Mr. DAWSON, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, reported that the President signified to them that he would make a Communication, in writing, to this House, to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, by way of Message. Mr. ELLIOT moved that the House should proceed to appoint its several standing committees. The SPEAKER observed that while the motion made by Mr. SLOAN was pending, he did not consider it in order to take up the motion last made. On the suggestion of Mr. ALSTON, that the object of the mover might be attained in a different way, Mr. SLOAN withdrew for the present his motion. Mr. ALSTON then moved that the standing committees should be appointed by ballot. Mr. J. CLAY moved to strike out the words "by ballot." This motion was supported by Mr. J. CLAY, and opposed by Mr. ALSTON and Mr. SLOAN. The motion to strike out was carried-ayes 44, noes 42; when the motion to appoint the committees was agreed to. The following committees were appointed, pursuant to the standing rules and and orders of the House, viz: Committee of Elections-Mr. FINDLEY, Mr. ELMER, Mr. EPPES, Mr. CHITTENDEN, Mr. SCHUNEMAN, Mr. BIDWELL, and Mr. ELLIS. Committee of Claims-Mr. HOLMES, Mr. MOORE of Maryland, Mr. MOORE, of South Carolina, Mr. BEDINGER, Mr. STANFORD, Mr. STANTON, and Mr. TALLMADGE. Committee of Commerce and ManufacturesMr. CROWNINSHIELD, Mr. M'CREERY, Mr. EARLY, Mr. DANA, Mr. NEWTON, Mr. MARION, and Mr. RICHARDS. Committee of Ways and Means-Mr. JOSEPH CLAY, Mr. ROGER NELSON, Mr. QUINCY, Mr. DAVID R. WILLIAMS, Mr. MOSELY, Mr. GARNETT, and Mr. MERIWETHER. Committee on the Public Lands-Mr. BOYLE, Mr. MORROW, of Ohio, Mr. DARBY, Mr. BASSETT, Mr. RUSSELL, Mr. CAMPBELL, of Tennessee, and Mr. HASTINGS. Committee of Revisal and Unfinished BusinessMr. TENNEY, Mr. ALSTON, and Mr. CLAIBORNE. Committee of Accounts-Mr. CONRAD, Mr. DAVENPORT, and Mr. CUTTS. TUESDAY, December 2. Several other members, to wit: from New York, HENRY W. LIVINGSTON, and URI TRACY; from Maryland, JOHN CAMPBELL; from Virginia. JOHN MORROW, THOMAS M. RANDOLPH, JOHN SMITH, DECEMBER, 1806. PHILIP R. THOMPSON, and ALEXANDER WILSON; from North Carolina, JAMES HOLLAND; and from South Carolina, ELIAS EARLE ; appeared, and took their seats in the House. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have resolved that two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress for the present session, one for each House, who shall interchange weekly. Ordered, That the said message do lie on the table. A Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [For which, see Senate proceedings of this date, ante, page 11.] Ordered, That the said Message, together with the documents accompanying the same, be referred to a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. WEDNESDAY, December 3. Several other members, to wit: from New York JOSIAH MASTERS and DAVID THOMAS; from Maryland, LEONARD COVINGTON; and from South Carolina, LEVI CASEY; appeared and took their seats in the House. Another new member, to wit: EDWARD LLOYD, from Maryland, returned to serve in this House as a member for the said State, in the room of Joseph H. Nicholson, who hath resigned his seat, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House. The House proceeded to consider the resolution of the Senate for the appointment of two Chaplains to Congress for the present session, one by each House, to interchange weekly, and concurred therein. A Message was received from the President of the United States communicating information of the state of the negotiation depending between the United States and the Government of Great Britain. The Message was referred to Mr. J. RANDOLPH, Mr. MARION, Mr. VAN CORTLANDT, Mr. MCCREERY, and Mr. CHANDLER. On motion of Mr. J. CLAY, it was Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and what, amendments are necessary to be made in the acts establishing a post office and post roads within the United States, and that said committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise. And a committee was appointed of Mr. VARNUM, Mr. MERIWETHER, Mr. HOUGH, Mr. Dwight, Mr. CHITTENDEN, Mr. SAMMONS, Mr. SOUTHARD, Mr. BARD, Mr. BROOM, Mr. COVINGTON, Mr. CLOPTON, Mr. WINSTON, Mr. EARLE, Mr. MORROW of Ohio, Mr. SANDFORD, Mr. G. W. CAMPBELL, and Mr. KNIGHT. Mr. J. CLAY, after a few preliminary remarks on the inconveniences to which a large portion of the population of the cities of Philadelphia and New York are exposed from their remoteness from the post offices, offered the following resolution, with a view to remove these inconveniences: Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expe DECEMBER, 1806. Reference of the President's Message. diency of authorizing the postmasters of the cities of Philadelphia and New York to establish within the said cities or suburbs any number not exceeding offices for the reception and distribution of letters. On this motion a short debate arose, chiefly turning on the propriety of making the inquiry more general, by extending it to all the principal towns of the Union, which terminated in the adoption of the original motion, modified by introducing the cities of Washington, Baltimore, and Charleston, and the towns of Boston and Salem-yeas 59, nays 21. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have appointed the Rev. Mr. SAYRS to be one of the Chaplains to Congress, on their part. On motion of Mr. BIDWELL, Resolved, That a committee be appointed to consider what provision ought to be made, by law, for taking evidence in cases of contested elections of members of the House of Representatives of the United States; and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise. Ordered, That Mr. BIDWELL, Mr. HALSEY, Mr. SMITH of Pennsylvania, Mr. SMITH of Virginia, and Mr. PITKIN, be appointed a committee pursuant to the said resolution. REFERENCE OF THE MESSAGE. Agreeably to the order of the day, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. The Clerk having read the Message of the President of the United States Mr. DAWSON offered the following resolutions, which were agreed to without a division: 1. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to an invasion of our territory by the troops of Spain, and to the adoption of measures for the protection thereof, be referred to a select committee. 2. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to the repairs of fortifications and to the further protection of our ports, towns, and rivers, be referred to a select committee. 3. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to a revision and amendment of the laws for the punishment of crimes against the United States, be referred to a select committee. 4. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to the prohibition of the African slave trade, be referred to a select committee. 5. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to a suppression of the duties on salt, to a continuation of the Mediterranean fund, and to the state of our revenue, be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. 6. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to the adoption of measures preparatory to the future appropriation of the surplus revenue of the United States, be referred to a select committee. Mr. ALSTON offered the following resolution, which was likewise agreed to without a division: H. OF R. 7. Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to the further exploring of the Western waters, be referred to a select committee. The Committee then rose and reported their agreement to the foregoing resolutions, in which the House concurred. The first resolution was referred to Messrs. J. RANDOLPH, FISK, SANDFORD, G. W. CAMPBell, BROWN, GOLDSBOROUGH, and Butler. The second to Messrs. R. NELSON, P. R. THOMPSON, TALLMADGE, REA of Pennsylvania, THOMAS, ELLIOT, and WYNNS. The third to Messrs. DAWSON, SMILIE, ELY, SLOAN, and T. W. THOMPSON. The fourth to Messrs. EARLY, T. M. RANDOLPH, J. CAMPBELL, Kenan, Cook, KELLY, and VAN RENSSELAER. The sixth to Messrs. BIDWELL, RHEA of Tennessee, BEDINGER, MORROW of Ohio, OLIN, BetTON, STANTON, STURGES, SAILLY, LAMBERT, R. WHITEHILL, BROOM, LLOYD BURWELL, Holland, D. R. WILLIAMS, and EARLY. The seventh to Messrs. ALSTON, BARKER, BLAKE, J. WHITEHILL, and MORROW of Virginia. The House proceeded, by ballot, to the appointment of a Chaplain to Congress, on the part of this House, and, upon examining the ballots, a found in favor of the Rev. Mr. ELLIOT. majority of the votes of the whole House was Mr. J. RANDOLPH, from the committee to whom was referred the Message of the President of yesterday, asked leave to report by bill; which having been given, Mr. R. reported the following bill: An Act to suspend the operation of an act, entitled "An act to prohibit the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchandise," and to remit the penalties incurred under the same. Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the operation of the act, passed on the 8th day of April last, entitled "An act to prohibit the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchandise," be, and the same hereby is, suspended until the day of next. And be it further enacted, That all penalties, fines, and forfeitures, which may have been incurred by vir tue of the provisions of the aforesaid act, be, and the same hereby are, respectively remitted. This act shall take effect from and after the passing thereof. Read twice, and referred to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. BRIDGE ACROSS THE POTOMAC. Mr. LEWIS called the attention of the House to the subject of erecting a bridge across the Potomac, which had been fully discussed the last session. Owing to the late period of the session, or to some other circumstance, the bill, which had passed the House for this purpose, had been postponed by the other branch of the Legislature to Another member, to wit: EVAN ALEXANDER, from North Carolina, appeared, and took his seat in the House. Ordered, That Mr. GARNETT be excused from serving on the Committee of Ways and Means; and that Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH be appointed of the said committee, in his place. NON-IMPORTATION ACT. On motion of Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to suspend the operation of an aet, entitled "An act to prohibit the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchandise," and to remit the penalties incurred under the same. The bill is as follows: And be it further enacted, That all penalties, fines, and forfeitures, which may have been incurred by virtue of the provisions of the aforesaid act, be, and the same hereby are, respectively remitted. This act shall take effect from and after the passing thereof. DECEMBER, 1806. opinion that the suspension should extend into the next session. They were likewise of this opinion on other grounds. If the act should be suspended to a period between this and the ensuing session, it might so happen as to take effect after our differences with Great Britain should be accommodated. They were of this opinion from another consideration. If, unfortunately, and contrary to the present prospect, the negotiation should fail, and an open rupture ensue between the two nations, the committee were not of opinion that the suspension of the prohibitory act, for a few months, would be of material importance on the interests of either party; but that measures of a stronger character would be required. Mr. R. said, he had thus given the views which influenced the committee. The committee would fill the blank with either day, as it should suit their pleasure. He would move to fill it with the 31st day of December, in order to try their sense; at the same time, he did not feel it important that the blank should be filled with that day, or any other. Mr. SMILIE observed, that there were two points which appeared to him to contain the marrow of the bill; the first was, whether the prohibitory act should be suspended? and the second, to what time the suspension should be made? The last point, it was more difficult to agree about than the other. He would suggest, whether it would not be best to leave the blank unfilled until the third reading of the bill? By pursuing this course, time would be allowed members to reflect on the subject. He was himself not altogether prepared to say what would be the proper period. He was friendly to the suspension, but he had not made up his mind as to the time. bill with the 31st December, it would be easy, when the bill should be considered in the House, to vote against concurring in the report of the committee. Mr. FINDLEY said both modes of filling blanks were usual, and either was pursued, according to the convenience of the House. As filling the blank, in this instance, was of great importance, and as the House had as yet had little time to reflect upon it, he hoped the motion to fill the blank would be postponed until the bill was carried into the House. He was friendly to the principle of the bill, but had not made up his mind with regard to the period for which it would be best to suspend the prohibitory act. Mr. J. CLAY said, it was usual to fill up the blanks in Committee of the Whole. If his colThe first section of the bill having been read-league were not disposed to agree to filling the Mr. J. RANDOLPH said, there were two periods mentioned in the select committee, which reported the bill, as proper to fill the blank in the first section; the first was the first day of June; the other, some time within the next session of Congress, say the 31st of December. It would be recollected that, in the Message of the President, the suspension of the act, entitled "An act to prohibit the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchandise," is recommended on two motives; the first a motive of conciliation towards Great Britain; the second, from a regard to our own convenience. It was supposed, in the select commit tee, that if the act should be suspended for a very short period, it would answer neither of these purposes; that the news of the expiration of the snspending law reaching Great Britain about the time the passage of the law was known, it would, as to all the purposes of conciliation, be unsatisfactory; and, at the same time, that the merchants would not be able to send their orders abroad in time to receive returns before the act should again be suspended in its operation and effect. Under this view of the subject, the major part of the committee, at the instigation of two gentlemen representing commercial towns, were of The question being put, the motion to fill the blank with the 31st of December was disagreed to-ayes 48, noes 62. The CHAIRMAN having read the second section Mr. R. NELSON declared himself unprepared to give his vote upon it. If he recollected the provisions of the existing laws, they gave to the informer a part of the penalty accruing from their infraction. The United States, however they might give up the penalties which had accrued |