Phenix Gazette

In the House of Representatives.—Agreeably to rule, this being the first day's sitting of the week, petitions from all parts of the country were presented; none, however, of a general character. Reports from the various Standing Committees followed; and these, like the petitions, were mostly private in their operations: One only we select.

Mr. Stewart, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, who were instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorising a subscription on the part of the United States to the joint stock company, incorporated to construct a Turnpike Road from the City of Washington to Fredericktown, in Maryland, made a report thereon, accompanied by a bill authorising the subscription; which bill was twice read and committed.

A message was received from the Senate, giving information that they had passed a bill providing for the distribution, among the Militia Officers of the United States, of the established Book of Instructions for Military Tactics; to which Bill the concurrence of the House was asked.

On motion of Mr. Cocke of Tennessee the House proceeded to consider the resolution, submitted by him on Friday, calling on the President of the United States for certain information relative to the accounts of Mr. Monroe already settled at the Treasury Department. A short discussion ensued, in the course of which Mr. Pearce of Rhode Island spoke sensibly and patriotically of the character and public services of Mr. Monroe, and reprobated in strong terms, the unfair means made use of by some members to prejudice the House against the claims of that justly celebrated citizen. The debate resulted in laying the resolution, on the table, whence it is not probable that it will ever be called.

Mr. Haynes' resolution, offered on Friday—Directing the Secretary of War to report to the House what addition to the Military Establishment will be necessary to preserve, in time of peace, the various works embraced in the contemplated system of National defence—was considered. It being shown by Mr. Dwight and Mr. McLane that the House already possessed the information called for, the resolution was laid on the table.

A resolution was laid on the table by Mr. Metcalfe, of Kentucky, requesting the President of the United States, to communicate to the House, such information relative to the invitation given to this Government, to be represented at the Congress of Panama, by the Governments of Mexico, Central America and Colombia, as may be communicated without detriment to the public interest. In offering the resolution, Mr. M. said, that the information required was highly important, and that he could not any longer consent to wait on the gentleman from South Carolina, who had offered a similar one, but evinced no disposition to call it up.

Mr. Reed of Massachusetts, laid a series of resolutions on the table, directing the Secretary of War to lay before the House the survey of a Canal Route between Buzzard's Bay and Barnstable Bay; the surveys at the Island of Nantucket for the purpose of making a Harbor there, for the protection of ships, and for the purpose of projecting a system of defence, should it be determined hereafter to be necessary; and the survey of the Harbors of Marblehead and Holmes' Hole; to ascertain the practicability and utility of improving those Harbors by the erection of piers.

Mr. Barbour of Virginia, laid a resolution on the table, directing the Secretary of War to report to the House, how far, and in what mode, the second and fourth sections of an Act of Congress passed the 30th of March 1825, for the relief of Nimrod Farrow and Richard Harris, have been carried into effect; together with any inventory and testimony received by him in execution of the duties required by the fourth section of the said act.

The House resumed the consideration of the Bill making appropriations for the Sea-board defence; the question under debate when the House adjourned on Friday, being Mr. Forsyth's motion to discharge the Committee of the Whole from the further consideration of the Bill. Mr. McLane, of Delaware rose, and, with his usual ability, opposed the motion, and defended at large the system of national defence, for which the appropriations were to be made. Mr. Forsyth replied, briefly, explaining more fully his object in submitting the motion for which, he said, he had been denounced by the venal presses. The question on the motion to discharge the committee was then taken, and, by a very large majority, rejected, and the House adjourned.