The Enquirer

CONGRESS.

IN SENATE.

Friday, Feb. 11.

The bill from the House of Representatives, giving further time to the purchasers of public lands to complete their payments, was read a third time and passed.

The bill to provide for the return home of vessels detained in distant ports by the Embargo, was referred to the committee on foreign relations.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill to carry into effect the compromise with the Yazoo purchasers, recommended by the report of the Commissioners in 1813.

Mr. Morrow moved to amend the bill by inserting in the fourth section, the words, "except that certificates bearing interest as proposed in the said report, shall not be granted to the claimants or any of them; but the indemnification which the said claimants may receive shall be in lands, or in lieu thereof, and at their option, they may receive certificates without interest, not exceeding in amount the sum of $5,000,000, agreeably to the propositions contained in the aforesaid report."

This motion was decided in the negative, yeas 12, nays 13, as follows:

For the amendment--Messrs. Bibb of Geo. Bledsoe, Brent, Condit, Gaillard, Lacock, Morrow, Robinson, Taylor, Turner, Varnum, Worthington--12.

Against it--Messrs. Dagget, Dana, Gilman, Goldsborough, Gore, Horsey, Howell, Hunter, King, Lambert, Mason, Smith, Wells.--13.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, Feb 11.

Mr. Fisk of N. Y. from the committee appointed to enquire into the manner in which the army has been supplied, and in which contracts have been executed, &c. reported that the committee had entered into the enquiry, but found their progress impeded by the want of evidence which they were not at present authorized to require; and therefore moved that the committee be authorized to send for persons and papers.--Agreed to.

MR. BASSETT'S PETITION.

On motion of Mr. Bayly of Va. the House took up the report of the committee of Elections on the petition of Burwell Bassett contesting the right of Tho's Bayly to a seat in this House, as a representative from Virginia.

A motion was made by Mr. Gholson of Va. to lay the report on the table, on account of the absence of the petitioner. The motion was opposed by Mr. Bayly, and negatived.

A motion was then made by Mr. Gholson to postpone the further consideration of the subject to Monday next. This motion was opposed by Mr. Bayly and Mr. Pickering of Mass. and was negatived.

The House then proceeded to consider the report.

Mr. Alston of N.C. renewed the motion to lay the report on the table, on the ground that, as it was affirmative, it required no confirmation by the House, any more than the general report of the committee of Elections on the credentials of the Members, which is made at the commencement of each Congress, and invariably ordered to lie on the table.--This motion was negatived; 69 to 60.

The question was then taken on agreeing to the report of the committee of Elections and decided in the affirmative without a division. Mr. Bayly is therefore confirmed in his seat.

THE ORDER OF THE DAY--THE LOAN.

The House again in committee of the whole, Mr. Nelson in the chair, on the bill authorizing a loan.

Mr. Sheffey of Va. resumed the thread of his discourse against the bill, which was broken off by the adjournment of yesterday. He embraced within the scope of a very lengthy argument, not only the objections he had to this loan, but to all the measures connected with the policy of administration, conceiving as he said he did, that those measures were hurling us to ruin. The extent of the ground may be judged by the length of time he occupied. He commenced his observations to-day before one o'clock, and spoke until four o'clock.

Mr. Rhea of Tenn. followed in a short speech in favor of the bill; when The Committee rose, reported progress and obtained leave to sit again.

Saturday, Feb. 12.

Mr. Troup of Geo. reported a bill to authorize a detachment from the militia of the U. S.; and a bill to continue in force an act to raise ten additional companies of Rangers; which were twice read and committed.

THE ORDER OF THE DAY.

The House again in committee of the whole, Mr. Breckenridge of Va. in the chair, on the bill to authorize a loan for the year 1814.

This day was, as the two past days have been, entirely devoted to debate.

Mr. Rhea of Ten. Mr. Humphreys of the same state, and Mr. Findley of Pa. spoke in favor of the bill; and Mr. Culpepper against it. The committee rose for the want of a quorum, and the house adjourned, (38 to 38, the Speaker deciding in the affirmative) before Mr. Culpepper finished his speech.