The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

CONGRESS.

SENATE, NOV. 14.

The Senate took into consideration the motions, severally made by Mr. White, Mr. Lloyd, and Mr. Reed, as heretofore stated, and agreed to the same. It will be recollected that the motion of Mr. White calls for the orders of the belligerent nations passed since 1792: that of Mr. Lloyd for the number, &c. of vessels which have sailed from the United States during the embargo; and that of Mr. Reed requires American stationery to be in future provided for the use of the Senate. The motion of Mr. White was so modified as to extend back to 1791: and that of Mr. Reed amended, by adding "as far as can be procured."

NOVEMBER 15.

No business of importance transacted.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday, November 14.

The following gentlemen are appointed on the different committees on the subjects comprized in the President's message:

On the subject of our relations with foreign powers, Messrs. G. W. Campbell, Nicholas, Mumford, Fisk, Champion, J. Montgomery, Bacon, Taylor, and Porter.

On the subject of fortifications, Messrs. Blount, Burwell, Cook, Goldsborough, Riker, J. K. Smith, and Troup.

On the subject of our military and naval establishments, Messrs. Nelson, Dawson, Tallmadge, Howard, Storer, Butler, & Shaw.

On the subject of revising and improving the militia system, Messrs. Macon, Clay, Findley, Durell, Cutts, Sturges, & Johnson.

On the subject of the disposition of the surplusage of the revenue, to internal improvements, &c. Messrs. Randolph, Quincy, Brown, Kirkpatrick, Lambert, Sawyer, and Desha.

EXECUTION AND EVASION OF THE EMBARGO LAWS.

Mr. Elliott's resolution calling for information on these subjects, was taken up and agreed to, without opposition.

INLAND NAVIGATION.

Mr. Marion presented the petition of the company for opening the Catawba and Wateree rivers, signed by J. F. Grimke, President, stating the embarrassed state of the association, and praying that the Secretary of the Treasury may be authorised to subscribe to such number of shares on account of the U. States, as Congress may in their wisdom think proper.

Mr. Marion moved a reference of the memorial to the committee on that part of the President's message relating to internal improvements.
Mr. Randolph said, with due submission to the gentleman from South Carolina he could not see the propriety of the reference moved for. He thought the petition was for a specific object. If he understood the reference of this part of the President's message, it embraced a general question, and indeed nothing short of an alteration of the constitution of the U. States. He could not therefore see the propriety of referring to it a petition for a specific aid.

Mr. Marion said, he was induced to move a reference to this committee, because he had no doubt the memorial had been preferred in consequence of an idea which had gone abroad, from the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of last session, that Congress had it in view to take the subject of the improvement of the country under serious consideration. Expecting that other applications of a like nature would be made, he thought it best that they should go to the committee on the general subject.

Mr. Randolph said, the two questions were totally distinct; or, if this petition should go to any committee already appointed by the House, it should be to the committee of claims. If not to the committee of claims, there should be some such thing as a standing committee of Benevolences and Aids, and it should go to that. Without any disparagement to the memorialists, he thought it highly improper to refer their prayer to a committee who had under their consideration the general subject of internal improvements, its expediency and constitutionality. This was entirely a matter of individual claim. The two subjects were in their nature so distinct, that it did not appear to him that the same committee could take up and consider both. With submission, therefore, to the gentleman who presented the memorial, he moved that it be referred to a select committee.

Mr. Marion consenting, that course was given to the petition, without opposition. Messrs. Marion, Trigg, Mosely, Jenkins, and Sturges form the committee.

SEAMEN.

On motion of Mr. Newton, the House came to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the committee on so much of the message of the President of the U States as relates to the military and naval establishments, be instructed to enquire into the expediency of authorising the President of the U. States to employ such additional number of seamen, not exceeding , as in his opinion the public service may require, and that the committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Burwell, from the committee appointed to wait on the President with the resolution requesting him to lay before the House copies of certain orders and decrees, &c. reported, that they had performed the duty assigned them, and had received for answer that the President would cause the papers called for to be laid before the House as soon as possible.

On motion of Mr. Bacon, a resolution, was adopted, instructing the committee of Post-Offices and Post-Roads to enquire into the propriety of providing for the transportation by mail, free of expense, of the documents accompanying the message of the President of the United States.

PENSIONS.

Mr. Rhea (T.) offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That every pension or arrearages of pension due or that may hereafter become due to any officer or soldier of the U. States, who served in the revolutionary war with Great Britain, and who doth reside in any of the U. States, & territories thereof, in which there hath not been established a commissioner of loans, or in which there may not be any resident attending commissioner of the loans, shall be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury at the city of Washington, on application of the party interested, conformably to the rules and restrictions provided by law for the payment of pensions or arrearages of pensions by a commissioner of loans.

Mr. Morrow (O.) moved to strike out the words in Italic, as he could not conceive any reason why the accommodation should be confined to pensioners of one description only. Agreed.

Mr. Poindexter moved to insert after the words "United States" the words "& territories thereof." Agreed.

Mr. Rhea's resolution as amended, was referred to the committee of Claims to consider and report by bill or otherwise.

EMBARGO.

Mr. Mumford offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the act laying an embargo on all the ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, and the several acts supplementary thereto, be repealed, so far as to allow the ships and vessels of the U. States to depart with their cargoes for those countries not subject to the decrees of France, or those subject to the British orders in council.

Mr. Mumford observed, that his object was, simply, to enquire into the propriety of opening our trade with those countries not subject to the orders and decrees of England and France, viz. Spain and her colonies in the East and West Indies, including Buenos Ayres; Portugal and her colonies in the East and West Indies, including the Brazils; China and the native ports in India; Russia; Denmark; Sweden and her island of St. Bartholomew's in the West Indies; the coast of Barbary; and the island of Hayti.

The resolution was referred to the committee of the whole, to whom several resolutions on the same subject have been referred, without opposition.

REVENUE CUTTERS.

On motion of Mr. Blackledge, the House came to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to enquire into the expediency of authorising the President of the U. States to employ an additional number of revenue cutters; and that they report by bill or otherwise.
PUBLIC LANDS.

Mr. Rhea (T.) moved that resolutions which he moved at the last session on the subject of the public lands in the Louisiana and Orleans territories, which were not acted on by the committee of Public Lands, be again referred to the same committee. Agreed.

Mr. Poindexter presented several petitions from persons in the Mississippi territory, on the subject of public lands; which were referred to the committee on Public Lands.

The Speaker laid before the House a memorial of the House of Representatives of the Indiana Territory, praying for a division of the territory; which, on account of the absence of the territorial delegate, was ordered to lie on the table.

MR. CHITTENDEN's RESOLUTION.

This resolution, together with several others, referred to a committee of the whole; having been made the order of this day, the Speaker stated the circumstance.

Mr. Chittenden said, in consequence of a wish expressed by several gentlemen, that the subject should not be discussed to-day, he would wave calling it up.

Several petitions and resolutions on the subject of post-roads, and several petitions of a private nature, were presented and referred.

Mr. Smilie observed, that since it was determined that the House were not prepared to go into a discussion to-day, as many committees had been appointed, he moved an adjournment, to give them time to meet. Carried.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15.

EMBARGO.

Mr. Sawyer begged leave to add one more resolution to those already before the House on the subject of the EMBARGO.

"Resolved, That it is expedient for the United States to open a communication and trade with the West-Indies generally."

Mr. S. said, he thought the present resolution would be found, when they were all taken up and examined by the House, the least liable to exceptions of any. For he could not go so far with trade as to vote for the resolutions of the gentleman from Vermont in favor of an indiscriminate repeal of the whole embargo system; neither could he go so far against it as to support those of the gentleman from Virginia for a total non intercourse. He thought our best policy might be found in a medium between the two. In the first place, the orders of council, which were, he supposed, a principal cause for those latter resolutions, do not affect our West-India trade; and unless that trade came under the cause which very properly influenced the gentleman in his intention of suppressing our foreign trade, he could not see the necessity of its being included in its effects. He would mention one fact, of serious importance, which was, the very great amount of revenue which we derived from that quarter. By recurring to the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of November last, it would be found that almost one half our revenue arose from that trade. He here read the report, enumerated the different articles, with their relative amount, the aggregate of which was, $7,803,195. Whether it would be prudent or wise in us to give up this large sum, to dry up this genial current, at a time when it was so much required to support the body politic under its accumulating ills, was certainly a serious question. To these considerations of a general nature, which he trusted would have some weight with the House, he added another particular reason, which had very great weight with him for introducing this resolution. The district he had the honor to represent, was engaged exclusively in this trade. Their staple article, viz. lumber, was calculated for no other market. Vast piles of that article had been accumulating in the hands of our merchants, in payment of their account; as in ordinary cases, under a supposition that some opportunity might offer of making their usual shipments, by which means alone would they be enabled to comply with their engagements. If this opportunity were now denied them, inevitable ruin must overtake a considerable portion, and infinite injury the whole of them, as their creditors would see no motives for further indulgence, but would call upon them, and the hard earnings of an active life would be wrested from them for comparatively inconsiderable claims. This would induce the merchant to heap upon his customers a share of the evils which he felt himself. He therefore felt some solicitude for the fate of his resolution.

The resolution was referred to the committee of the whole to whom several resolutions on the same subject have been referred.

Mr. Clopton, from the committee of revisal and unfinished business, made a report in part, which was ordered to be printed.

On motion of Mr. Fisk, the house came to the following resolution:-

Resolved, that a committee be appointed to enquire into the expediency of altering the time and place of holding the circuit and district courts of the U. States in the district of Vermont, and report by bill or otherwise.

CAPT. PIKE'S EXPEDITION.

On motion of Mr. Montgomery, the house adopted the following resolution:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to enquire whether any, and if any, what compensation ought to be made to Capt. Z. M. Pike and his companions for their services in exploring the Missouri and other rivers, &c. and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENTS.

On motion of Mr. Poindexter the House agreed to the following resolution, proposed by him: