The Enquirer

SENATE OF THE U. STATES.

MONDAY, May 29.

Mr. Thruston presented the petition of John Mason and others, praying that such part of the act supplementary to the act to incorporate the inhabitants of the City of Washington, as exempts the City of Washington from taxation by the Levy Court of Washington county, be repealed.

Referred to Messrs. Thruston, Anderson, and Brent.

Mr. Giles from the committee to whom was referred so much of the President's message as relates to the revision of our commercial laws, for the purpose of adapting them to the arrangement which has taken place with Great Britain, reported a 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 and for other purposes," which was read and ordered to a second reading.

A message was received, by Mr. Graham, from the President of the United States, transmitting a report of the Secretary of War, shewing the progress made in carrying into effect the act of April, 1809, for raising an additional military force, and the disposition of the troops.

The President laid before the Senate a letter from Mr. Smith, Senator from the state of Maryland, stating that he was appointed by the executive of that state, a Senator in conformity with the constitution, until the next meeting of the legislature ; that this meeting will take place on the 5th of June; and requesting the determination of the Senate as to the question whether an appointment under the Executive of Maryland, to represent that state in the Senate of the U. States, will or will not cease on the first day of the meeting of the legislature thereof.

Ordered that the consideration thereof be postponed till to-morrow.

Mr. Giles gave notice that he should to-morrow ask leave to bring in a bill to fix the time of the next meeting of Congress.

The bill, from the House, entitled, "An act respecting the ships or vessels owned by citizens or subjects of foreign nations with which commercial intercourse is permitted."
was, by unanimous consent, read three several times and passed.

May 30.

The consideration of the bill, reported yesterday, by Mr. Giles, was postponed till Thursday.

Messrs. Giles, Franklin and Hillhouse were appointed, on the part of the Senate on the committee of the two Houses on the business requisite to be done during the present session.

Mr. Pope offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to enquire whether it be expedient at this time to pass a law for taking the census of the inhabitants of the U. S. and territories thereof.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the letter from Mr. Smith of Maryland communicated yesterday.

On motion by Mr. Giles,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed to the 5th June next.

May 31.

The resolution offered yesterday by Mr. Pope, for appointing a committee to enquire into the expediency of passing a law for taking a census of the inhabitants of the United States, was agreed to; and Messrs. Pope, Meigs and Anderson, appointed a committee.

June 1.

Agreeably to the order of the day, 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; and for other purposes."

Mr. Giles offered the following amendment to the first section, to be inserted after the word assembled:

That the provisions of the two first sections of the act, entitled, "An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes," shall extend to all public armed ships and vessels of all foreign nations, and the same shall be and are hereby continued and made permanent, subject nevertheless to any modifications or regulations which may hereafter be made by treaty:

Whereupon, without coming to any decision, the further consideration of the bill was postponed till to-morrow.

(BY AUTHORITY.)

Eleventh Congress of the United States: First Session.

An act respecting the Ships or Vessels owned by citizens or subjects of foreign nations with which commercial intercourse is permitted.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That from and after the passing of this act, all ships or vessels owned by citizens or subjects of any foreign nation with which commercial intercourse is permitted by the act, intituled "An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes," be permitted to take on board cargoes of domestic or foreign produce, and to depart with the same for any foreign port or place with which such intercourse is or shall, at the time of their departure respectively, be thus permitted, in the same manner, and on the same conditions, as is provided by the act aforesaid for vessels owned by citizens of the United States; any thing in the said act, or in the act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbours of the United States, or in any of these several acts supplementary thereto, to the contrary notwithstanding.

J. B. VARNUM,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.

GEO. CLINTON,
Vice-President of the United States and President of the Senate.

May 30th, 1809,
APPROVED
JAMES MADISON.