Daily National Intelligencer

WASHINGTON
MONDAY—FEBRUARY 24.

Among the numerous visitors at present at the seat of government, are Major General Brown, of the Army, and Commodore Bainbridge, of the Navy.

CONGRESS.

IN SENATE—FEBRUARY 19.

Mr. Roberts, from the committee of claims, made an unfavorable report on the petition of Joseph C. Boyd; and a like report on the petition of Thomas Ewell.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion of the 17th instant, for instructing the committee on finance to enquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to purchase, or cause to be erected, suitable buildings for custom houses and public warehouses, for the safe and convenient collection of the revenue of the United States, and agreed thereto.

The Senate resumed the consideration of Mr. Mason's motion for instructing the committee on finance to report a bill for establishing a Bank in the city of Washington; which was, on motion of Mr. Goldsborough, postponed to a day beyond the session.

The bill "respecting the transportation of persons of color for sale, or to be held to labor," was read a third time, and passed.

The bill to provide for reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court, (the blank for the annual compensation of the Reporter having been filled with one thousand dollars) was read a third time, and passed by the following vote:

YEAS.—Messrs. Ashmun, Barbour, Brown, Campbell, Chace, Daggett, Dana, Fromentin, Gaillard, Goldsborough, Hanson, Hardin, Horsey, Howell, Hunter, King, Mason, of N. H. Mason, of Va. Morrow, Noble, Ruggles, Sanford, Smith, Stokes, Talbot, Tait, Taylor, Thompson, Tichenor, Troup—30.

NAYS.—Messrs. Condit, Lacock, Macon, Roberts, Varnum, Wilson.—6.

Mr. Chace, from the committee on the judiciary, to whom was recommitted the bill to provide for the punishment of crimes and offences within the Indian boundaries, reported the same.

Mr. Fromentin submitted for consideration the following resolution:

Resolved, That the committee on the judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing to the Judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of the United States, a sum equal to the salary of the Judge of the District Court of South Carolina, for the term of one year, during which time the said Circuit Judge was compelled, by law, to perform the duties of the Judge of said District Court.

Mr. Chace, from the committee on the judiciary, reported a bill in addition to the act "for the more convenient taking affidavits and bail in the civil causes depending in the courts of the United States;" and a bill to divide the state of Pennsylvania into two judicial districts; and both bills were read.

Two or three bills from the House of Representatives were read a second time and committed.

Mr. Goldsborough submitted the following motion for consideration:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be reported to the Senate, at the next session of Congress, such measures as he may deem most effectual for the security of the country watered by the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary streams, against the maritime force of an enemy.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill "respecting persons escaping from the service of their masters."

On motion of Mr. Talbot, that the further consideration thereof be postponed to to-morrow week, it was decided as follows:

YEAS.—Messrs. Barbour, Brown, Campbell, Condit, Daggett, Dana, Fromentin, Gaillard, Goldsborough, Hardin, Hunter, King, Macon, Mason, of Va. Sanford, Smith, Stokes, Talbot, Tait, Thompson, Troup.—21.

NAYS.—Messrs. Ashmun, Chase, Hanson, Horsey, Howell, Lacock, Morrow, Noble, Roberts, Ruggles, Taylor, Tichenor, Varnum, Wilson—14.

On motion of Mr. Goldsborough, the committee of finance were discharged from the further consideration of the memorials of the Bank of the Metropolis, and of the Patriotic and Central Banks in this District, and they were referred to the committee on the District of Columbia.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to incorporate the Columbian Institute; and, on motion of Mr. Wilson, it was postponed until a day beyond the session.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to establish a separate territorial government for the eastern part of the Mississippi territory, and ordered the same to a third reading.

After the consideration of Executive business, the Senate adjourned.

THURSDAY, FEB. 20.

Mr. Mason of Va. presented the petition of the Union Bank of Alexandria, asking for a charter, and of the Farmers Bank of Alexandria, praying for an extension of their charter; which were referred to the committee on the District of Columbia.

Mr. Tait, from the naval committee, reported a bill for the relief of the legal representatives of John I. Yarnall; which passed to a second reading.

Mr. Tait, from the same committee, made an unfavorable report on the memorial of Edward Shubrick and others officers of the late United States' brig Chipewa.

The motion of Mr. Goldsborough, yesterday submitted, was resumed; and on motion of Mr. Barbour, was postponed to a day beyond the session.

The motion yesterday submitted by Mr. Williams calling for papers respecting Spanish affairs, was considered and agreed to.

The motion yesterday submitted by Mr. Fromentin, was considered and agreed to.

The reports of the committee of claims made on yesterday, were considered and agreed to.

The bill from the House of Representatives, "concerning the navigation of the United States," was considered, amended, and ordered to a third reading.

The bill to set apart and dispose of certain lands for the encouragement of the cultivation of the vine and other exotic plants, was considered and ordered to be read a third time, 29 Yeas to 5 Nays.

[Those who voted in the negative were Messrs. Daggett, Hardin, Mason, of N. H. Ruggles and Smith.]

FRIDAY, FEB. 21.

Mr. Williams reported, from the military committee, a bill to secure in certain cases the bounty in land to the heirs of deceased soldiers.

Mr. Campbell, from the committee on finance, reported a bill to continue in force an act further to provide for the collection of duties on imports and tonnage, passed 3d March, 1815, and for other purposes.

Mr. Chace reported a bill providing additional compensation to the Circuit Judge of the Sixth Circuit of the United States.

Mr. Campbell reported the general appropriation bill, with amendments.

The report yesterday made by Mr. Tait, was considered and agreed to.

The bill to establish a separate territorial government in the Eastern part of the Mississippi Territory, was read a 3d time and passed.

The bill to encourage the cultivation of the vine and other exotics, was read a third time and passed.

The bill concerning the navigation of the United States, was read a third time and passed.

The amendments to this bill yet require the concurrence of the other house.

The proposition to reduce the Army to five thousand men was resumed, but on motion of Mr. Williams, it was further postponed to Monday.

The consideration of the bill to preserve more effectually the neutral relations of the United States with foreign powers, was resumed; when, on motion of Mr. Barbour, the bill was recommitted to the Committee of Foreign Relations.

The bill for the relief of Sarah Dewees was ordered to a third reading.

Eight bills received from the House of Representatives, were read a first time, and some of them read a second time, and committed.

The bill to provide for the purchase and distribution of eight hundred additional copies of the new edition of the Laws of the United States, was ordered to a third reading.

The Senate then resumed the consideration of the bill to provide for the appointment of Hospital Surgeons and Hospital Surgeon's Mates in the Navy of the United States; which, on motion of Mr. Lacock, was postponed to a day beyond the session.

SATURDAY, FEB. 22.

Mr. Williams, from the military committee, reported a bill to amend the act organizing a general staff, and making further provision for the Army of the United States.

Mr. Mason of Va. reported a bill to incorporate the subscribers to certain Banks in the District of Columbia, and also a bill to extend the charters of certain Banks in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Tait, agreeably to notice, leave being given, introduced a bill to alter the time for the next meeting of Congress.

Mr. Noble, from the committee on public lands, reported a bill giving the right of pre-emption in the purchase of a tract of land in the reservation at the Lower Rapids of Sandusky.

The bill to set apart certain lands for the purpose of securing a supply of live oak timber for the Navy, was resumed, and ordered to a third reading, as were two or three other small bills.

The bills yesterday ordered to a third reading, were read a third time and passed.

The bill from the other House, directing the application of the bonus and profits of the United States stock in the National Bank, to the purpose of Internal Improvement, was set apart and made the Order of the Day for Tuesday next.

The bill for the relief of Park Holland, was ordered to a third reading.

Considerable other business was done, of which the particulars were not ascertained in time for this paper.

Every Senator of the United States is, at the present moment, at his post; in number thirty eight. This is an evidence of exclusive attention to public duties, not often witnessed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SATURDAY, FEB. 22.

Mr. Yancey, from the committee of claims, reported a bill for the relief of James Villiere; which was twice read and committed.

On motion of Mr. Yancey, the committee of claims were discharged from the further consideration of all the petitions and other matters referred to them at this session, on which they had not reported.

Mr. Ingham, from the committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, reported a bill to alter and establish certain post roads; which was twice read and committed.

The committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims were, on motion of Mr. Cobb, discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Daniel Simonds.

Mr. Forsyth, from the committee on Foreign Relations, reported their agreement to the amendments made by the Senate to the bill concerning the navigation of the United States, and they were then concurred in by the House.

Mr. Cannon moved that the several orders of the day be postponed to Monday, and that the House proceed to the consideration of the resolution offered by him some weeks ago, to reduce the army; which motion was negatived—ayes 39, noes 69.

The following engrossed bills were severally read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate, to wit:

The bill concerning Invalid Pensioners;

The bill to amend the act making further provision for military services during the late war; and

The bill concerning the pay and emoluments of brevet officers.

The last named bill was very earnestly opposed by Mr. Harrison, who contended for a compensation corresponding to their brevet rank, to those officers who, by their eminent service, had received the distinction of brevet promotion, and cited cases in which services had been so essential and so brilliant, as to have been rewarded with two brevets, and some instances in which a captain in the line was a Lieut. Colonel by brevet, which rank ought to be supported by suitable emoluments.

The bill from the Senate for the relief of Com. Richard Taylor, was read the third time, as amended by the committee, and passed.

The House then took up the bill concerning Invalids of the revolutionary war, and of the widows and children of the militia, and of the soldiers of the army during the late war, as reported by the committee of the whole—the motion made yesterday by Mr. Taylor of N. Y. to postpone the bill indefinitely being under consideration.

This motion gave rise to considerable discussion; in which Messrs. Jackson, Edwards, Johnson of Ky. Harrison and Comstock opposed the postponement: and Messrs. Hardin and Taylor of N. Y. supported it. The motion was finally decided in the affirmative by a decisive majority, and the bill indefinitely postponed.

On motion of Mr. Reynold's, the House took up the bill for opening and cutting out a road from the Tennessee line through the Chickasaw country, &c. and (after an unsuccessful motion by Mr. Cady to postpone the bill indefinitely, and an unsuccessful attempt by Mr. King to recommit it) the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

Mr. Goldsborough, from the committee appointed on the 20th instant, to present a resolution to the President of the United States, requesting him to report to the next session of Congress the best practicable mode of defending the waters of the Chesapeake, reported that the committee had performed that duty, and that the President answered it would not be in his power to comply with the request of the resolution, but that he had no doubt his successor would pay all due attention to it.

The House then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Condict in the chair, on the bill to amend the act granting bounties in land to certain Canadian volunteers. [Providing that no bounty shall be given to any of the said volunteers, except where it shall appear they have served the full term of months, and whose name shall appear on the muster roll of the said corps, except prevented by wounds received in battle, &c.—and instead of the mode of granting the bounty directed by the former act, to allow a bounty of --acres, agreeably to rank.]

This bill occupied a good deal of time, and gave rise to considerable debate, partly on the policy of having granted the bounty at all, so widely discussed at the last session; but principally on the details of the bill, and the proper steps to prevent the frauds which it appears have been so extensively attempted by persons not entitled to the benefit of the act of last session. After the adoption of various amendments, the committee rose and reported the bill, which was then ordered to be engrossed as amended.

The same committee of the whole reported, without amendment the bill granting donations of land to the disbanded officers of the late army, and then the bill was, on motion of Mr. Cannon, laid on the table.

After an attempt by Mr. Yancey, which he afterwards withdrew, to discharge the committee of the whole house from the further consideration of the bills to establish an Invalid Corps, and for authorizing additional Military Academies, for the purpose of having them laid on the table:-

The House adjourned.