The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24.

Mr. Gregg from the committee on public lands reported on the petitions of Roger Enos and Robert H. Stone.— The report, in both cases is unfavorable to the petitioners.

The House took into consideration the bill, received from the Senate, to prohibit commercial intercourse with the island of St. Domingo.

A motion was made by Mr. Nicholson so to amend the bill as to require bonds to be given with sureties, [The bill from the Senate only required a bond to be given by the masters and owners,] to prevent all trade to the ports of that Island which are not in the possession of the French.

Mr. Nicholson supported this amendment.

Mr. J. Clay opposed it.

Mr. Jackson spoke in favor of it.

Mr. Nicholson, for the purpose of allowing further time to examine the provisions of the bill, moved its postponement till to-morrow.

Messrs. Eppes, Bidwell, Bedinger and Alston opposed; and Messrs. Nicholson, Leib, J. Clay, and Crowninshield supported the motion, which prevailed—Ayes 57—Noes 53.

Mr. Leib, from the committee appointed to enquire into the expediency of altering the mode of keeping the Journal of the House, made a report, which was referred to a committee of the whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Crowninshield, from the committee of Commerce and Manufactures reported a new bill, to regulate trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, which was referred to a committee of the whole House on Thursday.

Mr. J. Randolph moved that the House should resolve itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the union upon the resolution amendatory of the Constitution of the United States as to the tenure of the judicial office.

Mr. Masters moved to postpone the consideration of it.

Mr. Speaker said this motion was not in order.

The question was taken on going into a committee, and carried—Ayes 65.

Mr. Gregg took the chair.

The resolution having been read, Mr. Randolph moved that the committee should concur in it, which motion was disagreed to—Ayes 51—Nays 55.

The committee rose and reported their disagreement to the resolution.

The House having agreed to consider the report, Mr. Clark moved a postponement till the 3rd Monday of March.

Mr. J. Randolph opposed this motion, and expressed a hope that a postponement for a shorter time would be agreed to.

Messrs. Gregg and Smilie opposed the postponement.

Mr. Masters moved an indefinite postponement.

Mr. Findley and Mr. J. Randolph opposed; and Mr. Conrad, supported this motion, which was lost. The Yeas and Nays being called were Yeas 42— Nays 51.

Mr. Clark withdrew his motion of postponement till the 3rd Monday of March, and moved that the resolution should be made the order for next Monday in which the House concurred— Ayes 67.

Mr. J. Randolph, after some preliminary remarks, offered the following resolutions, which were referred to a committee of the whole House on Tuesday week.

Whereas it is provided by the sixth section of the 1st art. of the constitution of the United States, that no person holding any office under the United States, shall be a member of either house of congress during his continuance in office:

THEREFORE,

1st. Resolved, That a contractor under the government of the United States, is an officer within the purview and meaning of the constitution, and, as such, is incapable of holding a seat in this house:

2nd, Resolved, That the union of a plurality of offices in the person of a single individual, but more especially of the military with the civil authority, is repugnant to the spirit of the constitution of the United States, and tends to the introducing of an arbitrary government:

3d. Resolved, That provision ought to be made, by law, to render any officer, in the army or navy of the United States, incapable of holding any civil office under the United States.

The House, having considered the bill to amend the Library act, ordered it to a third reading to-morrow.

TUESDAY, FEB. 25.

The House resumed the consideration of the bill to prohibit commercial intercourse with certain parts of the island of St. Domingo.

Mr. Nicholson's motion to require sureties, after considerable debate, was disagreed to.

A debate then ensued on the passage of the bill. Messrs. Nicholson, J. Clay, Eppes, Early, and Smilie supported, & Messrs. J. C. Smith, Quincy, Dana, Ely and Crowninshield opposed it.

When the question was taken by Yeas and Nays, and the bill passed—Yea 93 -Nays 26.