The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

SENATE.
June 12.

On motion by Mr. Giles, resolved that a committee be appointed to enquire whether it be expedient and proper at this time, to make any provision by law for remitting the penalties & forfeitures incurred by the violations of some of the provisions of the act, entitled "An act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the U. States from and after the 1st of Jan. 1808." so far only as relates to the introduction of slaves into certain parts of the United States, who were lately forcibly expelled from the Island of Cuba, with the French inhabitants thereof.

Messrs. Giles, Bradley, Anderson, Crawford and Franklin were appointed the committee.

After considering the bill to amend and continue in force the act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the U. States, and G. Britain and France, &c. it was on motion of Mr. Giles, postponed till to-morrow.

The same course was then pursued with the bill to direct the sale of gun-boats.

June 13.

The President communicated two reports from B. H. Latrobe, Surveyor of the Public Buildings.—Referred to Messrs. Brent, Giles and Leib.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to amend and continue in force the act entitled "An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France and their dependencies."

On motion of Mr. Anderson the bill was postponed until to morrow.

On motion of Mr. Lloyd, resolved that the President of the U. States be requested to cause to be laid before the Senate such information, in relation to our concerns with Great Britain, as may be in possession of the Department of State, and as he may think it expedient to submit to the Senate.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to direct the sale of gun-boats.

Mr. Bradley moved to postpone its further consideration until the first Monday in January next.

This motion was negatived.

When, on motion of Mr. Anderson, the further consideration of the bill was postponed until to morrow.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, JUNE 12

Many petitions were presented and referred; amongst which were several presented by Messrs. Quincy & Gardner, from manufacturers of salt, praying for duty on imported salt.

Mr. Gardenier obtained leave of absence for the remainder of the session.

Mr. Montgomery reported a bill making compensation to Major Z. M. Pike and his companions for certain exploring expeditions. On the question whether the bill should have a second reading, it was negatived 57 to 42.

A report was received from the attorney general on the subject of sundry memorials relative to the batture at New Orleans, referred to him at the last session.—Referred to a select committee with leave to report thereon by bill.

MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY.

The Speaker presented a petition inclosed to him from a number of inhabitants of the district East of Pearl river, in the Mississippi territory, praying for the division of the territory.

Mr. Poindexter moved that the petition lie on the table; it would perhaps be disrespectful to the petitioners to reject it, although its contents would merit that course. There were three parties who must, by the ordinance or the government of the territory, consent before the territory of the Mississippi could be divided. One party was the Mississippi territory, the other the state of Georgia, and the third the United States. Neither of these parties had consented. There was therefore an absolute interdiction to all legislation on the subject; and the House would with as much propriety refer a petition from a state to be exempt from general taxation or to recede from the union, as to refer this petition.

Mr. Burwell said he felt himself bound to oppose the motion for its lying on the table. If the request was wholly improper, the report of a committee to that effect would settle the question at once.

Mr. Bibb was in favor of the motion; though, had a motion been made to reject it, he should have voted against it.

Mr. Macon was in favor of a reference of the petition. No harm could arise from an enquiry into it.

Mr. Troup admitted the correctness of the remarks of the delegate from the territory, but wished the petition to be referred to a committee for the purpose of an enquiry as well into the amount of population in that country as into its quality; whether it was lawful or unlawful. There were certain facts connected with this subject perhaps not generally known to the House. In the course of last year he had understood that a great many persons, amounting to perhaps three or four thousand, had crossed the Tennessee river, and fixed themselves on its banks, not only contrary to law, but the impression was that they had set out in defiance of the law, and had even gone so far as to organize themselves into military associations for the purpose.

Mr. Poindexter observed that there had been a settlement contrary to the existing law on Tennessee near about a year ago; but that they were ordered to be driven off by the military force, except they would take permission to reside as tenants at will. Some had done so, and some had been driven off.

Mr. Troup said he knew that orders had been given to remove them; but of their removal and dispersion he had not heard. He said he had further understood that there were in the county of Madison alone two or three thousand intruders, and many of them settled on Indian lands, whose owners they excited to hostilities. There was another fact, of which the House might keep possession. Among these intruders was one of the name of Harrison (he believed) who claimed under what was called the Tennessee Yazoo claims, and who settled on the land with his retainers, and deliberately began to apportion it amongst them. Whether he had been dispossessed, Mr. T. said he did not know. It was absolutely necessary to ascertain the situation of that country, and therefore he should vote for the reference of the petition to a committee.

The petition was ordered to lie on the table—67 to 27.

ADJOURNMENT.

On motion of Mr. Bibb, the House took up the resolution from the Senate to adjourn on the 20th instant.

Mr. J. G. Jackson moved that it lie on the table till Thursday. He thought it was unbecoming the dignity of this body to fix a day at which to adjourn, when it was impossible to say whether the business before the House could be maturely considered in that time. It was hurrying business at the hazard of its being insufficiently attended to.

Messrs. Alston and Cook were of the same opinion.

Mr. Bibb said he was not very anxious about it, but he did not before know that the dignity of a body was proportioned to the length of its sittings. He was of a very different opinion, believing that as much business might be as well done in a week as was often done in a month.

Mr. Dana was in favor of the resolution's lying on the table. He said he had supposed that quality was quite as material as quantity in legislation. It was an extraordinary thing that a legislature should serve its members as sometimes men served their horses or slaves, giving them a certain portion of work to do within a given time, and then lashing them up to it. He had no idea of legislating upon compulsion.

The resolution was ordered to lie on the table till Thursday next—ayes 87.

A bill from the Senate for extending the benefit of drawback to goods transported by land from the district of Newport to the port of Boston, was twice read and committed.

NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT

Mr. Cutts, from the committee on our naval establishment, reported a bill concerning the naval establishment.—This bill authorises the President of the United States, in case of a favorable turn, in our foreign relations, to cause to be laid up in ordinary such of the public armed vessels of the United States as he may think proper. Twice read and committed.

Mr. Cutts, from the same committee, on the resolution directing the committee to enquire into the expediency of selling any part of the public armed vessels, reported, that it is not expedient at this time to sell any of the public armed vessels.—Report ordered to lie on the table.

CONTESTED ELECTION

On motion of Mr. Findley, the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Pitkin in the chair, on the report of the Committee of Elections on the petition of Charles Turner, jr. contesting the right of William Baylies to his seat.

On this report, the acceptance of which by the House would postpone the decision of the case till the next session, a debate arose, which continued till 5 o'clock: in which Messrs. W. Alston, Bacon, Baylies, Clay, Dana, Findley, Fisk, Gannett, Giles, Gold, Holland, Livermore, Macon, Montgomery, Pickman, Quincy, Randolph, Rhea, Taylor, Varnum, Wheaton and Wilson, took part.

(The Report of the committee of Elections in this case, now excluded by other matter, shall appear in our next.)

It was contended by those in favor of postponement, that the depositions taken on the subject of this election, although the parties might have had reasonable notice, were not legal, having been taken under the authority of no existing law; that time had heretofore been allowed in similar cases on the request of the sitting members; that the constituted authority of Massachusetts having decided the first election not to be valid, & having ordered a second, it was doubtful whether Congress were not precluded from acting on the subject. It was also said by other gentlemen that it was a matter of courtesy to the sitting member, on his request in behalf of his constituents, to grant time for procuring testimony.

On the other hand it was said that the depositions were taken under the same circumstances as those under which a member (Mr. Culpepper) had during the last Congress been deprived of his seat; that time sufficient had been allowed previous to the meeting of Congress; that the returned member had not stated any specific facts which he believed he could prove, if time were given; that the constituted authority of Massachusetts had no exclusive power of deciding on the returns of members, Congress being the sole judges of the returns of their own members, and having in various instances set aside elections, declared valid by the state authorities, as in the case of Cowles Mead and John Culpepper. It was also observed that some consideration was due to the gentleman contesting the seat of Mr. Baylies, who had already attended the whole of this session at considerable expense and inconvenience.

A motion was made that the committee rise with a view to re-commit the report to the committee of elections. The committee did rise about 5 o'clock and were refused leave to sit again, 65 to 55. A motion was made to re-commit the report; which was opposed by Mr. Pitkin. A motion was made to adjourn and carried.

Previous to adjournment Mr. Newbold obtained leave of absence for the remainder of the session.

Tuesday, June 13.

Mr. J. G. Jackson, from the committee of foreign relations, reported the bill to amend and continue in force the non-intercourse act, with amendments.—Twice read, referred to a committee of the whole House, and made the order of the day for Thursday.

Mr. Stanley reported a bill for the relief of John Kerr (a sufferer by inadvertent violation of embargo laws.) Twice read and committed.

Mr. Poindexter presented a memorial of a number of citizens of the U. States, residing on Tombigbee river, stating that they are subject to an enormous duty of 12 per cent. on all exports and imports at the Mobile, to be paid to the Spanish government, and praying relief.—Referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Love reported a bill for the improvement of the navigation of the river Potomac.—This bill contemplates giving power to raise money by lottery, &c. for the purpose mentioned. —The bill having been read once, was read a second time, 50 to 48.—Made the order for to-morrow week, 53 to 42.—(Presumed to be equivalent to rejection.)—Refused to be printed, ayes 50.

CONTESTED ELECTION.

The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday.

Mr. Findley gave his reasons in favor of re-commitment.

Mr. Pickman stated at length the grounds on which the council of Massachusetts had ordered a new election in the case; and supported the right of Mr. Baylies to his seat. Mr. Cutts replied. Messrs. Rhea, Bacon and Cook also advocated re-commitment, and Mr. Quincy replied to some observations made by these gentlemen.

The report was re-committed without a division.

Mr. Bacon moved a resolution to instruct the committee of elections to enquire into and report such specific facts as in their opinion may afford good grounds for postponing the decision; and, if none should exist, to instruct them to enquire into the merits of the case.

Mr. Potter moved to amend it by adding "and likewise to report to the House whether the depositions taken were authorized by any law of the United States." Motion negatived, Ayes 36.

Mr. Bacon's motion was also negatived, Ayes 28.

MIRANDA'S EXPEDITION.

On motion of Mr. M'Kim, the house resolved into a committee of the whole, Mr. W. Alston in the chair, on the report of the committee on the petition of the thirty five American citizens confined at Carthagena, S. America.

[The report recommends the giving authority to the President of the U.S. to endeavor to effect their liberation and proposes an appropriation of - dollars for that purpose.]

Mr. M'Kim moved to fill the blank with 3,500 dollars.

On this motion gentlemen proceeded to debate the merits of the case. An animated debate took place which continued till near five o'clock. Messrs. Randolph, Smilie and Macon opposed the report. and Messrs. Emott, Bacon, Pearson and Fisk, supported it. This debate hereafter.]

On a motion that the committee rise, there were for it 52, against it 51. —the chairman tied the vote.

The committee refused to fill the blank. 49 to 38.

The resolution was agreed to in committee, 43 to 41. [There being a very thin House, this vote ought not perhaps be considered as deciding the question ]

The committee having risen the House adjourned immediately. 51 to 3