The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY JANUARY 18.

Mr. Richards, from the committee of enrollment, reported that they had laid the bill authorizing the corporation of George Town to erect a dam or causeway from Mason's island to the west bank of the Potomac, before the President of the United States.

Mr. F. Randolph reported from the committee of ways and means, on the bill from the Senate, to amend an act entitled 'An act imposing more specific duties on certain articles, and also for laying and collecting light money on foreign vessels.'

The bill and report were ordered to be referred to a committee of the whole on this day.

Mr. J. Randolph, from the committee of ways and means, asked leave to report a bill making an appropriation for the support of the military establishment for the year 1805, and leave being granted, he reported a bill accordingly, which was read twice, and referred to a committee of the whole for Monday next.

The chairman of the committee of revisal and unfinished business made a further report, that the law regulating the manner of taking evidence in cases of contested elections had expired, and ought to be revived; also

The law for incorporating the inhabitants of the city of Washington, would expire with the end of the present session, and that it ought to be renewed.

The report was referred to a committee of the whole for Monday.

Mr. J. Randolph presented the petition of Henry and William Stewart, of Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, calico printers and dyers, praying to be allowed a drawback on India goods printed by them, equal to the drawback on foreign printed articles. Referred to the committee of commerce and manufactures.

Mr. Crowninshield reported a bill from the committee of commerce and manufactures, for the establishment of new collection districts and ports of entry, on the western waters, viz. at Genesee, Buffalo Creek, and Miami, and to alter the port of entry of the district of Erie.

The bill, after being twice read, was referred to the committee of the whole for Monday next.

A message was received from the Senate by Mr. Otis, their Secretary, informing that the Senate had agreed to the bill sent from the House for the relief of Charlotte Hazen, relict of the late brigadier general Moses Hazen, with an amendment, and then he withdrew.

The Senate's amendment was taken up and considered. It went to allow her a pension for life, from the first day of January, 1805, of 200 dollars per annum.

Mr. Van Cortlandt moved to amend the amendment by striking out the first of January, 1805, and inserting in its stead the fourth of February, 1803, being the day of her husband's decease.

This motion being carried in the affirmative, the bill was returned to the Senate. Shortly after which, Mr. Otis delivered another message from that body, expressing their agreement to the amendment proposed to the House.

Mr. Crowninshield reported a bill for the relief of the sufferers by fire in the city of New-York, in the state of New-York, it was twice read, and referred to the committee of the whole for Monday next.

Mr. Root presented a petition from John York, an insolvent collector, of the direct tax of the 3d collection district, in New-York, praying to be relieved from the payment of the same, as he and his security were insolvent.

Referred to a select committee of three.

On motion of Mr. Dana, the committee of claims was discharged from the further consideration of the several petitions of disabled and wounded soldiers, and the petitions were thereupon referred to the committee of the whole, to whom was referred the bill in addition to the act making further provision for those who had been disabled by known wounds, received in the service during our revolutionary war with Great Britain.

Mr. J. Clay presented a petition from the sugar refiners of Philadelphia, praying an allowance of drawback upon sugars exported from the United States—

Referred to the Committee already appointed on that subject.

Mr. J. Clay presented a letter from Matthew Carey, offering to supply an additional number of the copies of the laws of the United States, at 7 dollars and 86 cents per set of 6 vols. usually sold for 12 dollars. Referred to a select committee of three.

Mr. Sloan laid upon the table the following motion, which was seconded by Mr. Anderson:

"Resolved, That from and after the fourth day of July, 1805, all Blacks and people of colour, that shall be born within the district of Columbia, or whose mother shall be the property of any person residing within the said district, shall be free; the males at the age of 28 and the females at the age of

3"

Mr. Stanford moved to consider the motion at this time. The House decided on the question, and there were 57 for the immediate consideration, and only 50 against it: whereupon the same was taken into consideration.

It was then moved to refer the motion to a committee of the whole.

The Yeas and Nays were called upon the question of reference, and were as follow.

YEAS—Messrs. Alexander, Anderson, Archer, Baldwin, Bard, Bedinger, Bishop, Boyle, Brown, Claggett, J. Clay, Conrad, Crowninshield, Elliot, Elmer, Findley, Gray, G. Griswold, Hanna, Hebbuck, Hastings, Heister, Hough, Knight, Larned, Leib, Livingston, Lucas, M'Cord, Mitchell, Morrow, Palmer,

Rea, of Penn. Richards, Root, Sammons, Seaver, Sloan, Smilie, Stanton, Steedman, Stewart, Swear, Tibbits, V. H. Van Horne, Varnum, Wadsworth, Whitehill—47.

NAYS—Messrs. Alston, jr. Blackledge, Boyd, Bryan, Butler, G. W. Campbell, J. Campbell, Carey, Claiborne, M. Clay, Clopton, Cooper, Davenport, Dennis, Dickson, Elle, Earle, Early, Eppes, Eustis, Fowler, Goddard, Goodwyn, Griffin, R. Griswold, Holmes, Hogg, Holland, Huger, Hunt, Jones, Kennedy, Lewis, jr. Lowndes, Lyon, M'Creery, Meriwether, N. R. Moore, T. Moore, Mott, Nelson, New, Newton, jr. Nicholson, Olin, J. Randolph, Rhea, of Tenn. Riker, Sanford, J. Smith, Southard, Stanford, Stephenson, Tenney, Thomas, Thompson, Trigg, Van Cortlandt, Van Rensselaer, Verplank, Walton, M. Williams, Wilson, Winn, Winton, Wynns—65.

Yeas 47, Nays 65, of course the reference was not carried.

The question was then taken without debate, on the original resolution, Ayes 31, Nays 78, as follow:

YEAS.—Messrs. Anderson, Archer, Bard, Bishop, Brown, Claggett, J. Clay, Elliot, Elmer, Findley, G. Griswold, Hanna, Hebbuck, Hough, Knight, Leib, M'Cord, Mitchell, Palmer, J. Rea, of Penn. Richards, Root, Sammons, Seaver, Sloan, Smilie, Stanton, Van Horne, Varnum, Wadsworth, Whitehill—31.

NAYS—Messrs. Alston, Baldwin, Bedinger, Blackledge, Boyd, Bryan, Butler, G. W. Campbell, J. Campbell, Carey, Claiborne, M. Clay, Clopton, Conrad, Crowninshield, Cutler, Davenport, Dawson, Dennis, Dickson, Earle, Early, Eppes, Eustis, Fowler, Goddard, Goodwyn, Griffin, R. Griswold, Hastings, Helms, Hoge, Holland, Huger, Hunt, Jones, Kennedy, Larned, Lewis, jun. Livingston, Lowndes, Lucas, Lyon, M'Creery, Meriwether, N. R. Moore, T. Moore, Mott, Nelson, New, Newton, jun. Nicholson, Olin, J. Randolph, J. Rhea, of Tenn. Riker, Sanford, J. Smith, Southard, Stanford, Steedman, Stephenson, Stewart, Taggart, Tenney, Thompson, Tibbits, Trigg, Van Cortlandt, Van Rensselaer, Verplank, Walton, M. Williams, Wilson, Winn, Winton, Wynns—77.

So the resolution was negatived.

Mr. Fowler presented the petition of Richard Taylor, who had been desperately wounded in the late Indian war, praying an additional allowance for his support. Referred to the committee of the whole, which has a similar subject under consideration.

The bill making appropriation for the support of the government of the United States during the year 1805, was read a third time, and passed. As was also

The bill to amend the charter of George-town.

The third reading of the bill making further provision for the extinguishment of debts due by the United States, was, on motion of Mr. Alston, postponed till Monday next.

Mr. Dana, from the committee of claims, made a report upon the application and representation of sundry citizens of Massachusetts, purchasers under the Georgia Company; of the agents of persons composing the New-England land company, purchasers under the Georgia and Mississippi companies, and the agent for sundry citizens of South Carolina, purchasers under the Upper Mississippi company. Which was referred to a committee of the whole, and ordered to be printed with the accompanying documents.

The Speaker made the usual enquiry, 'for what day shall it be made the order.'

Mr. Dana moved Monday, observing that he had no idea of the report being printed by that time, or even if it were, he should not call it up, his intention being merely to have it on the minutes as a notice to the parties interested.

Mr. Leib moved its being made the order of the day for the third of March next.

The third of March being the most distant day, was first put, and a division of the House was called upon the question. There appeared but 30 members in the affirmative; of course it was not carried.

Monday next was then agreed to without a division.

Mr. Dawson, from the committee appointed on the petition of Marcella Stanton, and others, reported a bill, entitled an act to authorize the court of the district of Columbia to decree divorces in certain cases, which was read twice and referred to a committee of the whole, on Tuesday next.

Mr. Dawson prefaced his motion on this subject when he introduced it in the manner following:

He observed that after the decision which had taken place a few days ago, he had resolved not to concern any further with the affairs of the district of Columbia, but to leave the inhabitants in the enjoyment of the blessings of that government, which they seem to have chosen and the principles of which were sanctioned by this House.

There was however one class of persons who claimed, in all situations, our particular attention—who had not made a surrender of their political rights—and if they had been defrauded out of their natural ones, were anxious to regain them.

It would be remembered, that at the last session a gentleman from Maryland, who had been absent for some time, and whom he rejoiced now to see in his place, (Mr. Nicholson) presented a petition from a person in this district, praying for a divorce, and he two others of the same kind—these were referred to a select committee, and a bill reported, which remained among the unfinished business—as he learnt that the situation and wishes of these unfortunate persons were still the same, he thought the subject ought again to be renewed.

Mr. Nicholson moved the order of the day on the report of the committee of claims, on the petition of Alexander Murray, praying to be reimbursed the value, damage, and costs of a certain vessel captured by him, and which had been decided against him by the supreme court of the United States, which being agreed to,

Mr. Tenney was called to the chair.

The committee, after some time spent in considering the report of the committee of claims, adopted the resolution therein, that the prayer of the petitioner was just, and ought to be granted, 66 members voting in favour of the resolution.

The House having concurred in the report of the committee of the whole, it was referred to the committee of claims to bring in a bill conformably to the said resolution.

Adjourned.