Alexandria Daily Advertiser

Proceedings of Congress.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday December 3.

The following message was received from the president of the United States by Mr. Coles his secretary:

To the Senate and house of representatives of the United States of America.

—I have the satisfaction to inform you that the negociation depending between the United States and the government of Great Britain is proceeding in a spirit of friendship and accomodation which promises a result of mutual advantage. Delays indeed have taken place occasioned by the long illness and subsequent death of the British minister charged with that duty. But the commissioners appointed by that government to resume the negociation have shewn every disposition to hasten its progress. It is however a work of time; as many arrangements are necessary to place our harmony on stable grounds. In the mean time we find by the communications of our plenipotentiaries, that a temporary suspension of the act of the last session, prohibiting certain importations, would as a mark of candid dispositions on our part, and of confidence in the temper and views with which they have been met, have a happy effect on its course. A step so friendly will afford further evidence that all our proceedings have flowed from views of justice and conciliation; and that we give them willingly that form which may best meet corresponding dispositions.

Add to this that the same motives which produced the postponement of the act till the 15th of November last, are in favor of its further suspension, and as we have reason to hope that it may soon yield to arrangements of mutual consent and convenience, justice seems to require that the same measure may be dealt out to the few cases which may fall within its short course, as to all others preceeding and following it. I cannot therefore but recommend the suspension of this act for a reasonable time, on considerations of justice only and the public interest.

TH: JEFFERSON.

Dec. 3, 1806.

The message was thereupon on the motion of Mr. Randolph, referred to a select committee composed of five members, viz. Messrs. Randolph, Marion, Van Cortlandt, Mac Creery and Chandler.

Committees appointed in the House of Representatives.

[It being the usage of the speaker to defer in most instances the nomination of committees until the evening or morning subsequent to the order of the house for their appointment, we shall be under the necessity of frequently placing the notice of such appointments under a head distinct from the general one allotted to the proceedings of the day.] Nat. Intel.

The following standing committees were appointed on Monday:

Committee of Ways and Means. Messrs. J. Clay, K. Nelson, Quincy, D. R. Williams, Monty. Garret and Meriwether.

Committee of Elections. Messrs. Findley, Elmer, Eppes, Chittenden, Schumacher, Bidwell and Ellis.

Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Messrs. Crowninshield, Mac Creery, Early, Dana, Newton, Marion and Richards.

Committee of Accounts. Messrs. Crown, Davenport and Custis.

Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business. Messrs. Rodney, Alison and Claiborne.

Committee on the Public Lands. Messrs. Bowie, Morrow of Ohio, Darby, Bassett, Rumsey, Campbell of Tennessee, and Hastings.

Committee of Claims. Messrs. Hughes, Moore of Maryland, Moore of S. Carolina, Bedinger, Stanford, Stanton & Tallmadge.

SENATE.

Thursday December 4.

Mr. Mitchell made a motion in the following words:

Resolved, That so much of the message of the president of the United States to both houses of congress, on the 2d Dec. as relates to the fortification and defence of our sea ports, harbors and waters, be referred to a select committee, with leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Mitchell also made a motion as follows:

Resolved, That so much of the president's message as relates to binding to be of good behavior, such persons as meditate conspiracies against the territories of nations in amity with the United States, be referred to a select committee, with leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Tracy offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the president of the U. States be and he hereby is requested to cause to be laid before the senate, such information, documents, papers and correspondence, as may be in his power, and which he may think proper to communicate, respecting the subject of his message of the 3d of December inst. in which a suspension of the non-importation act is recommended.

Ordered to lie on the table.