Daily National Intelligencer

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14.

IN SENATE.

Among the petitions presented and referred to-day, was one by Mr. Sanford, from the Ocean Steam Boat Company of New York, praying a law to authorize the issuing of registers for their steam vessels, in their corporate name, and to authorize commissions to the commanders of them, or in any other mode to invest them with the character of public vessels: also to allow the usual drawback on the fuel consumed: and also to direct the Post Master General to contract for the transportation in them of the foreign mails.

Mr. Wilson, from the committee of claims, reported a bill for the relief of Pierre Denis de la Ronde.

Mr. Hunter, from the committee on the public lands, made a report on the petition of Gabriel Winter, accompanied by a bill to authorize the representatives of Elisha and William Winter to institute a bill in equity, in the nature of a petition of right against the United States.

Mr. Morril, from the committee of claims, reported a bill for the relief of John Rodriguez, a bill for the relief of Solomon Prevost, and a bill for the relief of Alexander Milne.

Mr. Lowrie, from the committee on public lands, made a report on the petition of Gabriel Berzat, accompanied by a bill for his relief.

These bills were severally read and passed to a second reading.

The Senate then took up the resolutions submitted by Mr. King, of N. Y. on the 10th inst. concerning navigation.

Mr. King explained pretty much at large his views in offering the resolutions, and the reasons which he conceived should induce this government to adopt the policy which they suggested—[his remarks will be reported hereafter;] after which the resolutions were on his motion, referred to the committee on foreign relations.

Mr. Dickerson, from the committee of commerce and manufactures, reported a bill to establish a port of entry at the town of Blakeley, in Alabama; which was read.

Mr. Dickerson gave notice that he should on to-morrow ask leave to bring in a bill to provide for the punishment of piracy and other crimes.

The Senate took up the rule submitted yesterday by Mr. King, of N. Y. to prescribe what persons shall be admitted on the floor of the Senate; which, having been amended, and after undergoing some discussion, was postponed, on the motion of Mr. Johnson, of Ky. to Monday next.

The bills yesterday reported to the Senate were severally read the second time and referred.

The Senate then took up the bill to amend the judicial system of the United States, being the bill to form a new judicial circuit of the states of Tennessee and Alabama, and for the appointment of a circuit judge therefor.

On this bill a debate of considerable length took place—not from any diversity of opinion on the propriety of affording some judicial assistance in relieving the dockets of Tennessee and Kentucky, particularly the latter, from the vast accumulation of business in their courts, and of extending some relief to the judge of the eighth circuit, but on the mode of doing it; whether by creating a new circuit, with a circuit judge, or by extending circuit powers to district judges, &c. and generally on the organization of the federal judiciary in the Western and South Western states, &c. &c. Mr. Williams, of Tennessee, Mr. Ruggles, Mr. Burrill, Mr. Lanman, Mr. Brown, Mr. King, of Alabama, Mr. Smith, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Logan, Mr. Leake, Mr. Johnson, of Lou. and Mr. Walker, of Alabama, took part in the discussion.

In the course of the debate Mr. Brown moved to recommit the bill to the judiciary committee, for the purpose of making some modifications which had been suggested in the course of the discussion; but

A motion was made by Mr. Williams, of Tenn. to postpone the bill until Thursday next, which was agreed to.

The engrossed bills for the relief of Robert Swartwout, for the relief of Rosalie P. Deslonde, and for the relief of Mary Cassin, were severally read the third time, passed, and sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

The bill from the other House making appropriations for the support of the Navy for the year 1820, having been reported from the naval committee, by Mr. Pleasants, without amendment

The Senate took up the said bill as in committee of the whole.

Mr. Pleasants took a brief view of the details of the bill, explaining the reasons for different items of appropriation; the amount of naval force intended to be employed in the present year; where and how to be employed; the necessity therefor, &c.; after which, no amendment being offered,

The bill was reported, and ordered to a third reading, and was read a third time by general consent, passed, and returned to the other House; and

The Senate adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Mr. Smith, of Md. presented a petition of sundry merchants and underwriters in the city of Baltimore, in the state of Maryland, praying to be indemnified for spoliations committed on their property on the high seas by French cruizers, between the years 1793 and 1798, under the authority of illegal orders and decrees issued by the government of France; their claims upon which for redress were relinquished by the government of the United States in the Convention of the 30th Sept. 1800: and the petition was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Smyth, of Va. from the committee on Military Affairs, reported the following bill:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of any act as unites the military academy with the corps of engineers, and subjects the professors, assistant professors, and teachers, (not being officers of the army of the U. States) and the cadets of the said academy, to martial law, shall be, and the same is hereby repealed.

And be it further enacted, That the superintendent and professors, or a majority of them, shall constitute a court for the trial of cadets charged with conduct unbecoming a gentleman, insubordination, neglect of duty, or other offence against law or morality, and may sentence any cadet found guilty, according to the nature of the offence, to be censured, suspended, or dismissed from the Academy.

And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States shall have authority to appoint visitors of the said academy, to direct examinations and reports to be made, to prescribe the course of instruction which shall be observed, and to make rules for the regulation, management, and control of the said academy.

And be it further enacted, That every cadet hereafter to be admitted, shall be healthy and well formed, and shall, together with his father or guardian, sign a promise in writing that he will, if he shall be appointed an officer in the army of the United States, serve five years, unless sooner discharged; and on failure to perform such promise, the cadet so failing, and his father or guardian, shall be jointly and severally liable to pay to the United States the expense of the education of such cadet.

The bill was twice read and committed.

On motion of Mr. Slocumb, the committee on the judiciary was instructed to enquire and report to this House, whether any, and, if any, what measures are necessary to be taken for the greater security of debts due the United States in consequence of certain loans of powder, lead, and other munitions, belonging to government, having been made to private citizens by any officer of the United States.

On motion of Mr. Cobb, it was

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to communicate to this House any information which may have been received by the Department of State, or other Executive Department, of the amount of claims of the citizens of the United States for Spanish spoliations upon their property and commerce, or those for which the Spanish government is held responsible.

On motion of Mr. Campbell, a committee was ordered to be appointed to enquire into the expediency of providing by law for the satisfaction of unlocated warrants which have issued to officers and soldiers of the Virginia line on continental establishment; and also for emanation of patents in cases where locations have been made and patents not obtained.

Mr. Bloomfield submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, That Brigadier General Boyd, of the army of the United States in the late war with Great Britain, be admitted within the House of Representatives.

The said resolution being read, Mr. Floyd moved to lay the same on the table; which motion was negatived, and

The resolve was agreed to.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill making appropriations for the support of the Military Establishment for the year 1820.

The item of Fortifications next presenting itself for consideration—and the question being on concurrence with the committee of the whole in filling the blank for the amount with the sum of eight hundred thousand dollars;

Mr. Butler, of New Hampshire, and Mr. Cocke, opposed the filling the blank with the amount, and Mr. Smith, of Md. defended it.

The question was decided affirmatively, by yeas and nays, 103 votes to 51.

The next question was on concurring in the appropriation for contingent expenses, books, maps, &c. for the Military Academy.

To try the sense of the House on the question of appropriating any thing for that institution, the question was taken by yeas and nays, and was decided in favor of the appropriation by 111 votes to 42.

On the question to concur with the committee of the whole in striking out the clause making an appropriation for the completion of the Arsenal at Augusta, in Georgia—

Some debate took place between Messrs. Cobb, Smith of Md. Reid, and Cuthbert on the subject. When, on the question being taken, the house refused to strike out that clause; and agreed to fill the blank with the sum of 27,000 dollars, viz 25,000 for completing the arsenal, and 2,000 dollars for draining the marsh near it.

The next item which excited attention was that which embraces an appropriation of 2,776,000 for the payment of the Military and Revolutionary Pensioners. Hereupon arose a debate; of which we have not room to trace even the outlines. It began by Mr. Barbour's objecting to the amount of this appropriation, because of his intention to propose certain restrictive provisions on the subject, as, if adopted, would reduce the number of Revolutionary Pensioners. The debate was kept up with some animation until near 4 o'clock; when the house decided, by yeas and nays, to agree to the above amount of appropriation, being necessary to the payment of the pensions actually granted.

The bill was then at length ordered to be engrossed for a third reading; and

The House adjourned.