The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

CONGRESS.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WEDNESDAY, January 23.

A COMMUNICATION from the executive of the state of Maryland was read, by which it appears that William Hindman, Esq. is elected a Representative in Congress from that state, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Joshua Seney, Esq.

A petition of William Crow, relative to an improvement in fire arms, was read, and referred to a select committee.

Mr. Giles moved the following resolutions, viz.

Resolved, that the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before this House, copies of the authorities under which loans have been negotiated, pursuant to the acts of the 4th and 12th of August 1790, together with copies of the authorities directing the application of the monies borrowed.

Resolved. That the President of the United States be requested to cause this House to be furnished with the names of the persons by whom, and to whom, the respective payments of the French debt have been made in France, pursuant to the act for that purpose, specifying the dates of the respective draughts upon the commissioners in Holland, and the dates of the respective payments of the debts: A similar statement is requested, respecting the debts to Spain and Holland.

Resolved, that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before this House, an account, exhibiting half monthly, the balances between the United States and the bank of the United States, including the several branch banks, from the commencement of those institutions to the end of the year 1792.

Resolved that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before this House an account of all monies, which may have come into the sinking fund, from the commencement of that institution, to the present time, specifying the particular fund from which they have accrued, and exhibiting, half yearly, the sums uninvested, and where deposited.

Resolved, that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report to this House the balance of the unapplied revenues, at the end of the year 1792, specifying whether in money or bonds, and noting where the money is deposited; that he also make report of all unapplied revenues, which may have been obtained by the several loans authorised by law, and where such monies are now deposited.

The House took the resolutions into consideration, and agreed to all of them without a division.

Mr. Greenup laid before the House a representation and resolution from the legislature of the state of Kentucky, respecting the act of Congress making provision for the debts of the United States, so far as respects the assumption of the state debts, and a copy of the instructions to their Senators and Representatives, relative thereto.

In committee of the whole, on the bill to authorize a loan in the notes or certificates of the several states, &c. Mr. Steele in the chair.

Mr. Williamson's proviso was taken into consideration.

Mr. Macon offered another in lieu of Mr. Williamson's; the purport specifying particularly certain notes of the state of North-Carolina, which that state had proscribed, and which he proposed should be excluded from the loan now under consideration. The certificates are those issued at Warrenton in 1786; certificates to pay for a militia expedition against the Indians in 1788: and certificates signed Patric Travers.

Mr. Williamson withdrew his motion, and that moved by Mr. Macon was agreed to.

Several other amendments were moved but not agreed to.

The committee having gone through with the discussion of the bill, rose and reported it with sundry amendments.

The House took the same into consideration--and agreed thereto.

Mr. Mercer then renewed his motion for a proviso, respecting assignments or transfers of state certificates; the object is to exclude from the loan all certificates so transferred or assigned, from the first day of January, 1793, to the first day of June following.

The Ayes and Noes were moved on Mr. Mercer's proposition; but the debate continuing until after three of the clock, the House adjourned without calling the names.

THURSDAY, January 24.

After reading and referring several petitions, the House resumed the consideration of the bill authorizing a loan in the notes or certificates of the several states, &c. The amendment moved by Mr. Mercer, respecting transfers and assignments, was further discussed--A long debate ensued--The question being at length taken, it was negatived, Ayes 30--Noes 33.

Mr. Gerry moved an amendment, by the addition of a clause, to recognize and provide for receiving on the loan the new emission bills, so called-- This motion was not seconded, and fell of course.

Mr. Williamson moved, as an amendment, to add the following words to the second section, for supplies furnished, or services rendered, during the late war.

After some debate. this motion was negatived. Ayes 29-Noes 3d.

Mr. Dayton moved to amend the first section, by altering the same so as to postpone the commencement of the subscriptions to the loan to the 15th of January, 1794.

Mr. Gerry made some observations in opposition to this motion.

The House, without taking a question on it, adjourned.

FRIDAY, January 25.

A bill to provide for the adjustment of the claim of Joseph Henderson against the United States, was twice read, and committed for to-morrow.

A bill granting further compensation to certain receivers of continental taxes, on motion of Mr. Giles, was taken up in committee of the whole--Mr. Key in the chair. The object of this bill is to grant an additional allowance to such receivers as continued in service after December 31st, 1782. After some observations from several members, the committee rose and reported the bill without amendment--The House took the same into consideration, no motion of amendment being made-the question was, on engrossing the bill-This was opposed--and after some remarks, was determined in the negative--Ayes 22, Noes 24-by which decision the bill is lost.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill to authorize a loan in the notes or certificates of the individual States, &c.

Mr. Dayton's amendment to postpone the subscriptions to the loan to January, 1794, was further discussed the object of which is, that the balances on the settlement of the accounts shall be known and reviewed. if it shall be thought necessary, previous to the commencement of the loan. This amendment was carried in the affirmative--Ayes 39-Noes 20.

An amendment, by way of proviso, was moved by Mr. Boudinot, the object of which is to give a preference in the loan to certificates issued expressly for services and supplies during the war -this was adopted.

Mr. Tucker moved another proviso ; the purport of which is, that certificates, issued in lieu of certificates given for services and supplies should be considered as original certificatesThis was not agreed to.

The question on engrossing the bill was determined by ayes and noes- these being equally divided, viz. Ayes 32, Noes 32

The Speaker gave the casting vote in the affirmative,--Adjourned until to-morrow.

SATURDAY, January 26.

The speaker laid before the House a letter from the Treasurer of the United States, covering an account of the expenditures on behalf of the War Department, from the first October to the 31st December last, inclusively, attested by the auditor and register of the treasury, one hundred copies of this were ordered to be printed.

Mr. Gordon presented two petitions, one from J. Roof,a farmer, in the neighborhood of Fort Schuyler, and the other from Abraham Fort and Jacob Fort, in the same place, praying compensation for property lost or destroyed during the late war ; a motion was made by Mr. Gordon, seconded by Mr. Sylvester, to refer these petitions to a select committee ; this motion not being agreed to, the petitions were then laid on the table.

The report of the Secretary of the Treasury, on the subject of lost and destroyed certificates, was called and read, and one hundred copies thereofordered to be printed.

Mr. Kittera presented the petition of James M'Clue, praying compensation for services ; he states in his petition, that he was taken prisoner at Fort Washington, and detained in captivity a considerable time-the motion of Mr. Kittera referred to the Secretary at War.

The engrossed bill, " to authorize a loan in the certificates or notes of such states as shall have balances due to them upon a final settlement of accounts with the United States," was read and by mutual consent laid on the table.

MONDAY, January 28.

On motion of Mr. Benson, the committee on the supplementary judiciary bill, was discharged, and the subject referred to a select committee.

The engrossed bill, for assuming the balances of the state debts, was next taken into consideration. The previous question was called for by Mr. Page, on which the yeas and nays are as follows, viz. Ayes 33-Noes 31.

The main question was then taken -Shall the bill pass ? and the yeas and nays again called, when it appeared there were 32 ayes and 32 noes ; (Mr. Key who in theabove previous question had voted in the affirmative, now voting against the bill, but all the other votes were the same) so it fell to the Speaker, to decide the fate of the main question, and he gave it in the affirmative ; the bill is therefore passed to the Senate for concurrence, under the title of " An act to authorize a loan in the certificates or notes of such states as shall have bal- ances due to them upon a final settle- ment of accounts with the United States."
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On motion of Mr. Findley, the house in committee of the whole, took up the motion made some days ago by Mr. Hartley, for giving seven years half pay, or some adequate provision, to the widows and orphans of the officers &c. who have been killed, whilst in the service of the United States since June, 1784, or who shall be hereafter killed. -After some time spent in the consi- deration of this subject, the committee rose and reported progress, and the House adjourned.