Herald Of The United States

United States.
NINTH CONGRESS. - SECOND SESSION.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1.

Both Houses of Congress this day formed a quorum, and appointed a committee to wait on the President; notifying their being ready to receive any communication he might have to make.

Mr. Eliot moved that the House proceed to the appointment of the standing committees.

To the Speaker (Mr. Macon) reminded the House that there lay on the table, from last session, a motion (of Mr. J. Sloan) for altering the rules of the House, so that the committees should be elected by ballot and appoint their own chairman. This motion must be disposed of, on the present occasion. first.

At the request of Mr. Alston, Mr. Sloan withdrew his motion, and he moved that the House proceed to the appointment of the standing committees by ballot.

Mr. J. Clay opposed this motion, and moved to strike out the words "by ballot."

Former experience, he said, proved that this mode of proceeding would be productive only of a fruitless consumption of time, that nearly the whole week might be spent in that mode of election; and that when it was made, moreover very different from the ends of the appointment might be found to influence the choice.

He referred to the appointment of the managers on Chase's impeachment, in illustration of his observations.

On the question to strike out the motion of Mr. Clay was carried— Ayes: 84— Nays: 42.

Mr. Dawson, reported, from the committee appointed to wait on the President, that he would send a message the next day, at noon.

TUESDAY, DEC. 2.

The following message from the executive of the United States, was presented to both Houses of Congress, this day at noon, by the President's private Secretary, Mr. Coles.

[The Message was published in the Herald of the 13th ult.]

After the Message had been read, an order was passed for printing 1300 copies of the same; and the commitment of the Message, with the documents accompanying the same, to a committee of the whole, on the state of the Union.

The regular Standing Committees were then appointed. That of Claims, consists of Messrs. Holmes, Munroe, Moore (of S. C.) Belknap, Stanford, Stanton, and Tallmadge. That of Commerce and Manufactures, of Messrs. Crowninshield, M'Creery, Early, Dana, Newton, Marion, and Richards. That of Accounts, Messrs. Canrod, Davenport, and Cutts. That of Ways and Means, Messrs. J. Clay. (of New-York) R. Nelson, Quincy, O. R. Williams, Mosely, and Merriweather.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3.

The House took up the President's Message; and disposed of its several recommendations, to various committees. Mr. J. Randolph was placed at the head of that, which is to take up the subject of Spanish Affairs.

A second communication was received from the President this day, and immediately acted on. It recommends the expediency of repealing the Non-Importation Law.—[See Herald of the 13th ult.]

The Rev. Mr. Gayer was appointed chaplain to the Senate; and the Rev. Mr. Elliot, to the House.

THURSDAY, DEC. 4.

A bill, for repealing the Non-Importation Act, was read twice, and referred to a Committee of the whole, for to-morrow.—

[This bill provides, "that all penalties, fines and forfeitures, which may have been incurred by the provisions of the act, shall be respectively remitted."]

FRIDAY, DEC. 5.

The bill for repealing the Non-Importation Law, was called up, and debated three days.

Two principal difficulty arose in fixing the period of its suspension. Mr. J. Randolph moved that the act be suspended until the 1st December, 1807. This was negatived, ayes 48, nays 62; after some further discussion, the further consideration of the bill was postponed until to-morrow. [The bill will certainly pass; but either in a limited form, or left to be controlled by the success of our present negotiators with England.]

Mr. Thomas (of New York) has called for the reading of the letters from our Minister at London, and the other papers accompanying the message. Mr. Tracy, son of the Senate, has moved, that the President cause to be laid before that body such information, documents, papers and correspondence as may be in his power, relative to the subject of his message of the 3d inst. recommending a suspension of the Non-Importation Act.

SATURDAY, DEC. 6.

The Non-Importation Suspension Bill was passed this day, Ayes 101— Nays 5. The period of Suspension is July 1, 1807.

MONDAY, DEC. 8.

Mr. Crowninshield moved this day, that the Deposits in the several Branch Banks of the U. S. be in future taxed 6 per cent. The resolution was accepted by the House.

A statement of the Expenditures of 1805; and Estimate for 1807, were received from the Secretary of the Treasury.—[See first page.]

The reading and committing of private petitions, occupied the principal part of Tuesday and Wednesday.

THURSDAY, DEC. 11.

Mr. Clopton, after some preliminary observations, offered the following Resolution:

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United-States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring. That the following article be submitted to the Legislatures of the several States, which, when ratified and confirmed by the Legislatures of three fourths of the said states, shall be valid and binding as a part of the Constitution of the United States.

The last clause of the 8th section of the 1st article of the Constitution, which contains the following words: "to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof," shall be so construed as to comprehend only such laws as shall have general connection with and immediate relation to the powers enumerated in the said section, or to such other powers as are expressly delegated by this constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

The House immediately considered the said amendment, and referred it to a committee of the whole on the state of the union.

On motion of Mr. Stanton, resolved that a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and if any, what description of claims against the United States are barred by the statute of limitations, which in reason and justice ought to be provided for by law, and that said committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise. Referred to a committee of seven members.

FRIDAY, DEC. 12.

After discussing the bill, prescribing the mode of taking evidence in cases of contested election; and dispatching sundry private petitions, the House adjourned until Monday, in order to give time for some repairs to be made in the Representatives Hall.

SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 1806.

The bill from the House of Representatives, for suspending the operation of the Non-Importation Law, was referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Mitchell and Baldwin.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10.

The bill which had yesterday been reported without amendment by the select committee, was considered as in committee of the whole house, when Mr. Mitchell proposed a new section to the bill, empowering the President to give a further suspension to the law beyond the 30th June 1807, until the 31st of December, if in his opinion the public interest should require it. On this the bill with the amendment were recommitted.

THURSDAY, DEC. 11.

Mr. Giles reported the bill with the new section, and another amendment; and Mr. Mitchell's proposition being thus incorporated into the bill, the whole was ordered to be printed.

FRIDAY, DEC. 12.

The Senate has passed the bill, Suspending the Non-Importation Law, with an amendment authorizing the President to suspend it for a longer time not exceeding the 2d Monday in December next, if in his Opinion the public good should require it.