Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

CONGRESS.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, January 7.

James Sheafe, Esq from New-Hampshire, appeared this day, was qualified and took his seat.

Mr. Speaker laid before the house a letter from the Hon. James M'Henry, Secretary of war, enclosing sundry statements relative to the Provisional Army, which was read and ordered to be printed.

The bill intituled "An act for the preservation of peace with the Indian tribes," was read the third time and passed.

Mr. D. Foster, from the committee of Claims, to whom were referred the petition of Sarah Houston, reported that the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted; and the report being read a second time, was on motion, concurred in by the house.

The bill for the relief of John Vaughan, having been taken up in committee of the whole house, Mr. Morris in the Chair, was read and agreed to without amendment and ordered to receive its third reading to-morrow.

Mr. Nicholas called up for consideration, the resolution which he laid on the table on the 1st inst.—when the same was again read, in the words following, to wit:

Resolved, That so much of the act passed the 16th July, 1798, entitled "An act to augment the army of the United States, and for other purposes." as authorizes the President of the United States to raise twelve additional regiments of Infantry, and six troops of Light Dragoons, and to appoint two Major Generals, an Inspector General, three Brigadier Generals, and an Adjutant General; and so much of the act passed the 3d March, 1799, entitled "An act for the better organizing of the troops of the United States and for other purposes," as authorizes the appointment of a Commander in Chief of the army, and a Quarter Master General—ought to be repealed.

Mr. N. then said, it was his intention to treat this subject in a manner that he hoped, would not excite the warmth common on similar occasions—and proceed to give his reasons in a speech of considerable length, why he conceived the resolution ought to be adopted.

He was followed by Mr. Marshall, who spoke near two hours against it; to which Mr. Nicholas replied—when the question being called for,

Mr. Jones said, although he had listened with the greatest attention to the eloquent observations of the gentleman who had advocated and opposed the resolution, he was not yet fully decided in which way he should give his vote—he wished further time to consider a subject of such great importance, and therefore moved that it be committed to a committee of the whole house, for the purpose of being postponed till Monday next.

Messrs. S. Smith, Harper, Hartley, Mason, Gallatin, H. Lee, J. Brown, Claiborne, Jones and Randolph, spoke in favor of the commitment; and Messrs. Otis, Bayard, Rutledge and Dana, against it, when the question for commitment was put and carried, ayes 50, noes 40.

To-day to-morrow, Thursday and Monday were mentioned as the day for which it should be the order.

The question on Monday was put and negatived, ayes 41, noes 55.

The question on Thursday was also put and negatived, ayes 42, noes 54.

The question on to-morrow was then put and carried; 74 members rising in favor of it.

…In the course of the debate on committing the resolution Mr. Dana, in replying to some observations which fell from Mr. Jones, was called to order by Mr. Christie, when the Speaker declared him to be in order,

Mr. Randolph appealed to the house; upon a division, there were in favor of the decision of the Speaker, ayes 84, noes 2.—Adjourned.