Virginia Argus

CONGRESS.

IN SENATE, March 17.

The bill from the House to enable the people of Mississippi territory to form a constitution, &c. was read a second time, and referred to Messrs. Crawford, Taylor, Anderson, Franklin and Gregg.

The bill from the House to relinquish to the corporation of New-Orleans the use and possession of a lot of ground in the said city, was read a second time, and referred to Messrs. Gregg, Condit, and Campbell of Ten.

Mr Smith of Maryland submitted the following motion for consideration:

"That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before this House, a view of all the appropriations made by the several acts passed during the present session, and to include therewith the interest payable on the Louisiana debt, and the amount payable during the present year, (under the act making provision for the redemption of the whole of the public debt of the U. States,) for the interest and reimbursement of the domestic debt of the United States: and also a statement of the balance remaining in the Treasury of the United States on the 31st of December last, and of the balances unexpended on the same day in the hands of the Treasurer of the War and Navy Departments."

The Senate proceeded to consider the disagreement of the House to the amendments of the Senate to the navy bill; and

On motion of Mr. Giles, the Senate insisted on their amendments, and Messrs. Giles, Lloyd & Crawford, were appointed a committee to manage a conference with the House on the subject of the disagreeing votes.

The joint resolution respecting a digest of the returns of the arts and manufactures of the United States, was read a third time, and, with an amendment, passed.

The bill to carry into effect an act of the Legislature of the state of Maryland; the bill to alter the time of holding the circuit court of the first circuit: and the bill to incorporate the Georgetown Lancastrian School Society; were each read a third time and passed.

The bill for improving the navigation of the river Potomac came next under consideration; and Mr. Anderson having moved an amendment thereto, the bill was postponed to Friday.

The bill for the admission of the state of Louisiana into the Union, and to extend the laws of the United States to the said state, was read a second time.

The bill from the House for repealing the tenth section of the act to incorporate the subscribers to the Bank of the U. States, was ordered to a third reading.

March 18.

The bill providing for the removal of causes pending in the respective district courts of the United States in case of the disability of the Judges thereof, was read, with the amendments reported the third time and passed.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to incorporate Messrs. John Austin, Rice Jones, Henry Austin and others into a Company by the name of the Louisiana Lead Company, which after being amended was ordered to a third reading.

The further consideration of the bill making further provision for the sale of public lands was made the order of the day for Monday next.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill for the relief of the representatives of Saml. Lapsley, deceased.

Mr. Bradley moved to amend the bill by adding an additional section in the following words: "And be it further enacted, That the accounting officers of the Treasury be and they are hereby directed to adjust and settle a final settlement certificate, No. 46,473, for 58 dollars and 89/90 and interest from the first day of January, 1783, issued in the name of Joseph Young by John Pierce, Commissioner of Army Accounts for the U. States, on the 1st March, 1784, and that the amount due on said certificate be paid to the said Joseph Young, or bearer, out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—provided, That said certificate shall be lodged with the Register of the Treasury and cancelled prior to the payment thereof;" which was determined in the negative—Yeas 5—Nays 92.

On the question shall the bill be engrossed and read a third time. it was determined in the negative—Yeas 14, Nays 15.

The further consideration of the bill to provide for the designating, surveying and granting the military bounty lands, was postponed until Tuesday next.

The bill repealing the 10th section of the act incorporating the subscribers to the bank of the U. S. was read the third time and passed.

The Senate resumed as in committee of the whole, the consideration of the bill for the relief of the Collectors of the ports of Baltimore, Norfolk and Portsmouth—and on the question shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time, it was determined in the negative.