The New Hampshire Gazette

Congress of the United States.

IN SENATE, June 7.

The bill for suspending commercial intercourse between the United States and France, or the dependencies thereof, was taken up, and after some amendments made thereto, the yeas and nays were called for on the final passing the bill.

YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Bingham, Bloodworth, Chipman, Clayton, Foster, Goodhue, Hillhouse, Latimer, Lawrence, Livermore, Martin, North, Paine, Read, Stockton, Tattnall, Tracy.--18.

NAYS.--Messrs. Brown, Mason, Marshall, Tazewell.--4.

Agreeably to the above bill, all intercourse with the French republic and her dependencies, will cease, after the 1st day of July next.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

THURSDAY, June 7.

The House was chiefly employed in discussing the amendments of the Senate, to the bill making appropriations for the military establishment for the year 1798. These amendments went to reduce a number of specific appropriations to one general appropriation, and to increase the appropriation for the quarter master department 74,000 dollars, they were agreed to. The question was taken by yeas and nays on both propositions together, and carried 46 to 34. The bill for regulating the compensation of officers employed in the collection of the internal revenue of the United States, and to provide for a more effectual settlement of their accounts, was read a third time and passed by the yeas and nays being taken, 49 to 32. The bill for making alterations in the judicial department, in order to extend Circuit Courts to the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, was postponed until next session. Mr. Sewall from the committee for the protection of Commerce, and defence of the country, reported a bill to rectify two errors which had escaped in two laws passed this session, viz. in the law respecting revenue cutters, which are by that law confined to thirty men, though some of them require seventy; and in the law providing a number of small vessels, to be used as galleys otherwise, it is said the officers shall have the same rank, pay and subsistence, with the officers on the naval establishment, which Mr. S. stated, would be very improper, and shew a great want of economy.

Mr. Dawson proposed the following resolution, which was ordered to lie on the table for to-morrow:

"Resolved, That the President of the United States, be requested to cause to be laid before this House, such information as he possesses, respecting the conduct which has been observed by the British government, or by persons acting or pretending to act by or under the authority thereof, towards the neutral rights of commerce, of the United States, since the ratification of the subsisting treaty of amity, commerce and navigation."

FRIDAY, June 8.

This day Mr. Dawson called up his resolution of yesterday. The question was taken without any debate, and it was negatived, yeas 38, nays 47.

Mr. Foster's Resolutions were then called up; whereupon Mr. Coit moved, that the consideration of the same should be postponed for one week, which was negatived, 38 members only rising in its favor.

After considerable debate upon the question of reference to the committee on that part of the President's speech which relates to the protection of commerce, and the defence of the country, the yeas and nays being called for were as follow:

YEAS.--Messrs. Allen, Bartlett, Bayard, Brooks, Chaplin, Cochran, Craik, Dana, Dennis, Edmond, A. Foster, D. Foster, J. Freeman, Glen, Goodrich, Griswold, Grove Harper, Hindman, Homer, Imlay, Kittera, Lyman, Matthews, Morris, Otis, I. Parker, Reed, Rutledge, Schureman, Sewall, Sinnickson, Sitgreaves, N. Smith, Thatcher, Thomas, Thompson, Tillinghast, Van Allen, Wadsworth, J. Williams.--41.

NAYS.--Messrs. Baer, Baldwin, Bard, Benton, Blount, Brent, Bullock, Burgess, Chapman, T. Claiborne, W. Claiborne, Clopton, Coit, Davis, Dawson, Dent, Gallatin, Gillespie, Gregg, Hanna, Harrison, Haven, Heister, Holmes, Jones, Locke Lyon, Macon, M'Clenachan, M'Dowell, Milledge, New, J. Parker, Wm. Smith, Sprigg, Stanford, Sumpter, A. Trigg, Van Cortlandt, Varnum, Venable.--42.

A motion was then made for postponing the considerations of these resolutions, until this day fortnight, which was carried, yeas 44, nays 40.

Immediately after this decision, Mr. Blount moved to annul the existing treaties between the United States and Great-Britain, for the reasons detailed in the preamble to Mr. Foster's resolutions with regard to France.--After a desultory conversation of a few minutes, and a considerable deal of laughter--the question being loudly called for Mr. Blount withdrew his motion.

A bill for providing arms for the militia of the United States, was read and committed.

SATURDAY, June 9.

A long bill providing for the valuation of lands, and dwelling-houses, and the enumeration of slaves, previous to the laying a direct tax on them, was discussed. The blanks were not filled up, and the committee had leave to sit again.

Bill now under consideration in the Senate.

A bill authorizing the President of the United States, to accept any armed vessel, offered for the use of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to accept any armed vessel built within the United States, and voluntarily offered to him for the use of the United States, to be employed in public service. And such armed vessel when so offered and accepted by the President, shall be deemed an armed vessel belonging to the United States, and may be equipped, officered, manned and employed by him, on the like terms and conditions, and in the like manner, as other armed vessels of the United States.

Monday, June 11.

Mr. Harper presented the following Resolutions to the House, which were referred to a Committee of the whole House:

"Resolved, That the sum of dollars ought to be appropriated for the support, during the year 1798, of the regiment of artillery and engineers, to be raised pursuant to the act entitled "an act for raising an additional regiment of artillery and engineers."

Resolved, That provisions ought to be made by law for enabling the President of the United States to borrow such sums of money as may be necessary for the public service during the year 1798, in addition to the present revenue of the United States."

On Motion of Mr. Otis, a call of the House was agreed to be made this day at half past eleven, in order to insure a full attendance on the passing of two important Bills, viz. the Bill for making a valuation of lands and Houses and an enumeration of slaves, preparatory to laying a direct tax, and the Bill authorizing the defence of the merchant vessels of the United States, against French depredations.

Wednesday, June 13

CALL OF THE HOUSE.

The House being called over, 87 Members appeared; five were absent, one of whom is deceased, and one sick, 14 have leave of absence.

THE VALUATION BILL

Passed to be engrossed. Yeas, 69. Nays, 19.

The bill, entitled, "An Act to authorize the defence of the merchant vessels of the United States, against French depredations," one entitled,"An act providing a naval armament," and the "Act authorizing the President of the United States to cause to be purchased or built, a number of small vessels to be equipped as galleys or otherwise," passed without a division.

The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate to the Bill, entitled, " An act supplementary to and to amend the act establishing an uniform system of naturalization."

A message was received from the President of the United States, informing the House, that he had approved and signed, the following Bills, viz.

"An act respecting loan office and final settlement certificates, indents of interest and the unfunded or unregistered debts accredited in the books of the Treasury;" also, "An act making appropriations for the military establishment for the year 1798; and "An act to suspend the commercial intercourse between the United States and France and the dependencies thereof."

THURSDAY, June 14.

The bill " providing arms for the militia throughout the United States," was amended and passed to be engrossed.

Adjournment of Congress.

Mr. Sewall reported, that in the opinion of the joint Committee on the subject,it is probable Congress may adjourn about the middle of July, at least until the beginning of October next; but that the state of public affairs renders it expedient to resolve at present, upon the subject.

An act " authorizing the President, &c. to accept and receive vessels armed. or suitable to be armed. for the use of the United States. in addition to those heretofore provided." came down from the Senate for concurrence.

Provisional Army.

An additional act, on this subject, was discussed, --It contains three sections-the first goes to exempt the volunteers from militia duty ; the second authorizes the ap-
Appointment of field officers; and the third, the sale, or loan of such pieces of artillery, small arms and accoutrements, from the public arsenals as shall be found necessary for the equipment and training of such volunteers. On motion of Gen. Smith, an amendment was made, which rendered the section positive, that all volunteers shall submit to such rules as the President shall direct and establish in their training and discipline.

FRIDAY, June 15.

The additional provisional army bill was taken up, several amendments proposed—a new section was added, authorizing the President to appoint the Officers to the provisional army, when he shall think proper. Yeas 41, Nays 39. The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow.

The bill providing arms for the militia throughout the United States, passed. Yeas 55. Nays 17.

Bills for making appropriations of money for the public service, were ordered.

SATURDAY June 16.

The Sedition Bill, was taken up in committee of the whole. Mr. Gallatin (in order to destroy the bill) moved to strike out the first section, as unconstitutional. The debate continued through the day, and was not finished.

The Provisional army additional Bill passed, Yeas 42, Nays 30.

In expectation of receiving dispatches from our Envoys, at Paris, on Monday or Tuesday, the House did not take up the subject of a recess.