Alexandria Daily Advertiser

NINTH CONGRESS.

OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, December 17.

Further proceedings of the house of representatives, which from the late hour of adjournment could not be prepared in time for the mail of that day.

Mr. Gregg withdrew his petition respecting the lands north west of the Ohio, and moved that a committee of public lands be appointed;

Carried.

Mr. Stanton moved the following resolution.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed, to enquire into the expediency of suspending for a limited time, an act regulating foreign coins, and for other purposes in the second section thereof.

Mr. Alston observed that the business had already been before the committee of revisal and unfinished business.

Mr. Nicholson wished that the law might be read, which being done, he said: he did not see the necessity for the motion—

On the question being put there were only 29 in the affirmative,

Not carried.

Petition, presented, from the manufacturers of hats in New York similar to that from Philadelphia.

Petition of the measurers of salt and coal of the district of New York, praying an increase of salary, that instead of fifty cents for measuring every hundred bushels of salt and sixty cents for coals, they might be allowed 75 cents on each.

Both these petitions were referred to the committee of commerce and manufactures.

Petition of Ann Leggard to the committee of claims,

Mr. Southard called for the memorial of Stephen Sayre.

Mr. J. C. Smith wished it to be postponed to the first Monday in January next.

He observed that it was barred by the statute of limitation, but as a bill was pending to extend the time, he thought it would be the interest of the party to postpone it,

Agreed.

Mr. Tenney, reported in part the revisals and unfinished business of the last session of congress.

- Wednesday, December 18.

The engrossed bill for the relief of Theodorick Armistead was again read.

Mr. J. C. Smith called for the order of the day on the bill making provision for such as have been disabled by known wounds in the service of the United States in the late revolutionary war with Great Britain, whether they served as volunteers under any authorised officer. or in the militia, or in any regiment raised by any of the United States. The house resolved itself into a committee of the whole.

The applicant for relief must be examined by two reputable physicians or surgeons, who shall report upon oath or affirmation the nature of the wounds. and whether the same renders him incapable of earning his subsistence by labor.

The bill having been read, the committee rose and reported the bill without amendments.

Mr. Speaker having resumed the chair,

Mr. Alston rose, and declared himself adverse to the bill as it now stood. The state which he represented (North-Carolina) supported their own militia who had, been disabled in the war. At a period of 20 or 30 years, to open the door to all persons from the beginning of the war, will be endless. It is very possible that any man who during that time may have received a wound, not being in the service of his country, may get such a certificate, as may entitle him to the benefit of this bill.

Mr. Speaker said there was no motion before the house, when

Mr. Gregg rose, and moved an amendment, viz. to leave out the militia, and those who acted under a particular state.

Mr. J. C. Smith said that the bill was ordered to be engrossed without opposition.

He was himself once tenacious respecting admitting the militia. but now, he wished every one who had made a sacrifice at the altar of their country, should be admitted to all the benefits proposed by the bill.

Mr. Gregg's amendment was now put, and there being 16 only in the affirmative, it was not carried.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed, and to be read a third time to-morrow.

Mr. Finley, from the committee of elections, reported on the petition of Thomas Spalding against the sitting member for Georgia, Cowles Mead.

That Thomas Spalding was duly elected.

The house concurred, and the report was referred to a committee of the whole on Monday next.

Mr. Southard offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to enquire into any and what alterations are necessary in the laws respecting compensation to the Grand and other Jurors summoned to serve in the courts of the United States, and to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Elmer moved an amendment respecting the mode of taking affidavits in such courts; but Mr. Southard disagreeing, the resolution, as he offered it, was carried.

Mr. Thomas called for the order of the day on the bill granting land to certain refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia.

The House went into a committee of the whole.

Mr. J. C. Smith in the chair

Mr. Thomas observed. that during the late war, many refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia, joined the American Standard, by which they forfeited their property. An act was passed by congress to remunerate such men, but several claims were not made in the time limited by the same.

Commissioners had reported in favor of four persons, viz.

Charlotte Hazen, widow of the late general William Hazen, 1500 acres.

E. Farie, senior -1000

E. Earle, junior, 300

Anthony Burt, 250

The bill was twice read.

Mr. Varnum reported a bill, for establishing rules and regulations for the better government of the Army of the United States. Read twice, and referred to a committee of the whole for Friday next.

Mr. Tenney made a further report, from the committee of revisals and unfinished business. He then offered a bill, to revive and continue in force, an act for the regulation of Foreign coin. This bill was read twice, and referred to a committee of the whole to morrow.

Mr. J.C. Smith moved that the committee of Claims, be discharged on the petitions of Edward Lewis and John McIntire, and that the same be referred to the committee of public lands. Agreed.

PETITIONS

Presented to the House yesterday.

Petition of Thomas Campbell, who was wounded in the revolutionary war, for further compensation— also, of Philip Wilson; Referred to the committee of Claims.

Mr. Newton presented a memorial of Andrew Joseph Villeré, praying encouragement for a discovery he has made in the improvement of gun carriages. Referred to the committee appointed to take into consideration such part of the president's message, as relates to the organization of the militia and land forces.

Several petitions from the Indian territory, were referred to the committee already appointed on that business.

Petition of Francis Missinier, praying for a grant of land on the Ohio, for the cultivation of the Vine.

The petitioner says, that for six years past he has been making experiments on Vineyards, and that he finds the climate and soil of our Western Territories, congenial to the Vine. If government will grant him land on liberal terms, he hopes soon to be able to make as good wine as any imported, and at a fifth part of the expense.

Referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.