The Enquirer

Seat of Government.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY January 17.

As soon as the journal of the preceding day was read Mr. L. Randolph said he had a motion to make which required the galleries previously to be cleared. The galleries were accordingly cleared and continued to for about two hours; when the doors were opened, and a written message from the President of the United States was presented by Mr. Coles. This message being partly of a public, and partly of a confidential nature, the galleries were cleared for a short time, while the latter part was read. The doors being again opened the Clerk read the former part of the message, relative to British aggressions on neutral rights. The message contains a copy of a letter transmitted by the Secretary of State to Mr. Monroe, dated April 1, 1805, on the impressment of American seamen; and the copy of a letter from the Secretary to Mr. Monroe, dated April 12, 1805, on the doctrine lately set up by Britain, relative to neutral trade. Besides these papers, the message enclosed memorials from the merchants of New-York, of Newburyport, of Philadelphia, and of Charleston, and from the United Insurance Company of New-York, from the Newport Insurance Company, and from the Norfolk Marine Insurance Company.

Mr. Thomas moved the reference of the message to a committee of the whole on the state of the union.

Mr. Nicholson observed that a subject intimately connected with that of the message had been already referred to the committee of ways and means; and moved the reference of the message to that committee.

Mr. Thomas replied that the memorial from the merchants of the cities of New-York and Philadelphia, on the same subject, had been referred to a committee of the whole on the state of the union.

The question of reference to a committee of the whole House was taken and passed in the negative, Ayes 29.

Mr. Nicholson then moved to refer the message to the committee of ways and means.

Mr. Crowninshield said he could not conceive why a reference should be made to the committee of ways and means. It had no connection, or a very remote one with revenue. Surely, said Mr. Crowninshield, we are not going to settle our differences on this point by pounds shillings and pence. He concluded by moving a reference to a select committee.

Mr. Dana observed that the message embraced two distinct points, one relative to spoliations on our trade, which might go to the committee of ways and means, and the other relative to the impressment of our seamen, which would most properly be referred to a select committee.

Mr. Nicholson varied his motion in the way suggested by Mr. Dana.

The house concurred in his motion to refer so much of the message as relates to spoliations to the committee of ways and means--Ayes 58--Noes 13.

So much of the message as relates to the impressment of seamen was referred to a select committee of seven members.

Mr. Gregg from the committee on the public lands, made a report on the memorial of the directors and agents of the Ohio company. The report says that since the date of the memorial legislative provision had been made for all the objects prayed for except one. This is that a grant may be made in aid of schools, of a lot of land twenty miles square in the lieu of the existing appropriation of land. The report concludes with a resolution that the prayer of the memorial, so far as relates to the application for a lot of land of twenty miles square ought not to be granted.

The House immediately considered the report and concurred in it without division.

Mr. John C. Smith from the committee of claims made a report on the petition of Daniel Potter, stating that the only object of the petition which is reasonable, may be adjusted by the proper accounting officer, and concluding with a resolution that the petitioner have leave to withdraw his petition, in which the House concurred.
Mr. G. W. Campbell presented a petition from a number of citizens of the Illinois country, in the counties of Randolph and St. Clair, stating certain grievances under which they labour, from the manner in which the territorial government is conducted, praying that a certain district may be incorporated into a separate territorial government, and that they may be permitted to hold slaves conditionally or unconditionally.

Referred to the committee appointed on memorials from Indiana.

Mr. G. W. Campbell likewise presented a memorial from a committee of citizens of Indiana, of the same tenor with the foregoing memorial, and further representing that a law had been passed by the territorial legislature allowing slavery, which, though they wish allowed, ought in their opinion, to be sanctioned by a different authority.

Referred to the same committee.

Mr. Gregg said that he had early in the session offered a resolution, which he thought had been at the time referred to a committee of the whole House. Finding that this was not the case, he rose to move that it should be so referred. This resolution, as follows, was taken into consideration--Ayes 58--Noes 21--and referred to a committee of the whole House on the 1st Monday in February.

Resolved, That so much of an act entitled "An act regulating the grants of land, and providing for the disposal of the lands of the U. States, south of the state of Tennessee." as appropriates any portion of said lands for the purpose of satisfying, quieting, or compensating any claims to the said lands derived from any act, or pretended act of the state of Georgia, and neither recognised by the articles of agreement and cession between the United States and the State of Georgia, nor embraced by the two first sections of the above mentioned act, be repealed.

Mr. Tazewell, from the committee of revisal and unfinished business, having obtained leave, submitted a bill further to continue in force an act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes, which was referred to the committee of commerce and manufactures.

Adjourned until Monday.