Virginia Argus

CONGRESS.

IN SENATE.

March 19.

The Senate took up the report of the committee of conference on the bill concerning commercial intercourse.

A motion was made by Mr. Anderson to adhere to the Senate's amendments (which, unless the House recede, destroys the bill in toto.)

Mr. Leib moved to postpone the further consideration of the report till Monday next.

On the question, there were,

For the motion, Messrs. Anderson, Brent, Campbell, Condit, Gaillard, Giles, Lambert, Leib, Matthewson, Meigs, Parker, Robinson, Smith of (Md.) Sumter, Whiteside--15.

Against the motion, Messrs. Bayard, Bradley, Campbell, Clay, Crawford, Franklin, German, Gilman, Goodrich, Gregg, Hillhouse, Horsey, Lloyd, Pickering, Pope, Smith (N. Y.) Tait, Turner--18.

So the motion was lost.

Mr. Clay moved to postpone the further consideration of the subject till to-morrow,--Motion lost.

On the question to adhere, there were,

For adherence, Messrs. Anderson, Bayard, Champlin, Gaillard, German, Gilman, Goodrich, Gregg, Hillhouse, Horsey, Leib, Lloyd, Parker, Pickering, Smith, (Md.) Sumter, Whiteside--17.

Against adhering, Messrs. Bradley, Brent, Campbell, Clay, Condit, Crawford, Franklin, Giles, Lambert, Matthewson, Meigs, Pope, Smith (N. Y.) Tait, Turner--15.

So the Senate resolved to adhere. Unless the House of Representatives cede, the bill is lost.

The several bills passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday last were read and passed to a second reading.

March 20.

Mr. Pope made the same report on the census bill as was made in the House of Representatives, which was concurred in by the Senate.

The bill concerning the Post-Office Establishment was read a second time and committed to Messrs. Franklin, Anderson, Goodrich, Gregg and Meigs.

The bill for the relief of Elizabeth Hamilton was read a second time and committed to Messrs. Crawford, Bradley and Franklin.

The bill for the relief of Amy Dardin was read a second time and referred to Messrs. Bradley, Giles and Hillhouse.

The resolution of the House of Representatives for appointing a committee to enquire when it may be expedient to close the present session, was read a second time and passed to a third reading.

The Senate agreed to the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill to prevent the issuing sea-letters except to certain vessels, with an amendment thereto.

ROADS AND CANALS.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill for the improvement of the United States by public roads and canals.

A motion was made by Mr. Bradley to postpone the further consideration of the bill to the first Monday of Dec. next.

For the motion, Messrs. Bradley, Champlin, Condit, Gilman, Goodrich, Hillhouse, Lambert, Matthewson, Robinson, Turner--11.

Against the motion, Messrs. Anderson, Bayard, Brent, Campbell, Clay, Crawford, Franklin, Gaillard, German, Gregg, Horsey, Leib, Meigs, Pope, Smith of (Md.) Smith of (N. Y.) Sumter, Tait, Whiteside--19.

After further consideration the Senate adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

March 19.

Mr. M'Kee called for the consideration of his resolution relative to adjournment on the 2d of April.

Mr. Stanley moved to amend it by striking out "the 2d of April" and inserting "the third Monday in April."

--The motion was lost.

Mr. W. Alston moved to refer the resolution to a committee to be appointed by this House to join with such committee as should be appointed by the Senate for the purpose of enquiring and reporting what business was necessary to be done previous to adjournment, and also at what day Congress would in their opinion be prepared to adjourn.

[This motion was supported by several gentlemen on the ground that it was the ordinary course of proceeding, and would be but respectful to the Senate, as it was the only means of knowing what business that body had before it. If a different course was pursued, the two Houses having different business in view, might each embarrass the other's proceedings.

It was opposed on the ground that such a course would only produce delay. Mr. Smilie and others were for adjourning at the earliest possible day. It was admitted that the course proposed was usual, but it was said that the report of the joint committee formed no guide for the conduct of the House, who as often departed from as adhered to its recommendations, If the day expressed in the resolution did not coincide with the ideas of the Senate, it was at their option to amend it.]

The question was taken on referring the resolution to a joint committee and carried, 75 to 32.

Messrs. W. Alston, Pitkin, Findley, Southard, and Rhea (r) were appointed a committee on the part of this House.

DETATCHMENT OF MILITIA.

The House again resumed the consideration of the bill authorising a detachment of the militia of the United States-

Various amendments were proposed to the bill and negatived by large majorities.

About 5 o'clock, the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. And the House Adjourned.

March 20.

On motion of Mr. Clay, a resolution was adopted instructing the Post-Master General to report to the House whether any and what expedition may be given to the correspondence between the seats of the governments of North and South Carolina and Georgia, by employing for that purpose the present route to New Orleans, and what will be the expense of establishing connected lines; also the amount of money expended in making the road from Athens to New Orleans, and all other information he may possess concerning the mail route by Athens to Orleans.

Mr. Stanley reported a bill for the discharge of John Carr from his imprisonment. The bill was twice read, and, on the representation of the case given by Mr. Stanley, ordered to be engrossed for a third reading on Friday--Ayes 64.

Mr. Fisk from the committee of conference on the census bill, reported, that the committee recommended that the Senate should recede from a part of their amendments, and the House should accept the remainder, amendments thereto--The report lies on the table.

Mr. Johnston made sundry reports from the committee of claims, which were disposed of by the House.

COMMERCIAL BILL.

The House took up the message from the Senate announcing their adherence to their amendments to the bill concerning commercial intercourse, &c.

Mr. Livermore moved that House recede from its disagreement to the amendment of the Senate.

Mr. Love made a motion which took precedence of Mr. Livermore's, viz. to postpone the further consideration of the bill till Monday next. It seemed probable, he said, from information lately received, that some events had taken place which would essentially alter the state of things. The situation of the two Houses in relation to each other being somewhat embarrassing, he said he was not desirous to precipitate a decision, especially when a few days might produce a change in our relations with the belligerents.

Mr. Cook was in favor of this motion, and for the reason which had been given. He thought it very impolitic to act immediately on this important subject, when news was every hour expected which might alter their opinions very essentially. He should be sorry to register an act at this moment which they might be under the necessity of undoing in a week:

Mr. Livermore said he could not easily conceive why a decision on this subject should be further postponed. Under the expectation of great news, this system was continued from day to day to the great injury of the American people. Gentlemen would no doubt act on their own convictions; but he hoped they would consider the information received from every part of the Union of the public voice appealing to Congress to repeal the non-intercourse law. Was there any news of war being declared against us by any nation? He had, to be sure, heard some rumor of the kind as to France, but he placed little faith in it. As to England, he had heard from all quarters of favorable prospects. He compared this procrastination to the punishment of Tantalus inflicted on merchants. One day was held out an expectation of a decision, and when the day came the bill was again put off. He hoped it would now be decided.

The question on postponement to Monday next was carried as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. L. I. Alston, W. Alston, Anderson, Bassett, Boyd, J. Brown, R. Brown, Burwell, Butler, Clay, Clopton, Cobb, Cochran, Cook, Cox, Crawford, Cutts, Dawson, Desha, Findley, Fisk, Franklin, (Geromer, Gholson, Goodwyn, Rimes, Holland, Howard, Johnson, Liv, Lyle, Miller, N. R. Moore, Morrow, Mumford, Nelson, Newbold, Newton, Nicholson. J. Porter, P. B. Porter, Rea of Pen. Rhea of Ten. Roare. Root, Sage, Sammons, Sawyer, Sawyer, Seybert, Shaw, Smilie, G. Smith I. Smith, Southard, Thompson, Tracy, Troup, Turner, Waitzhell, Winn, Witherspoon--62
NAYS.—Messrs. Bacon, Bibb, Blaisdell, Breckenridge, Butler, J. C. Chamberlain, W. Chamberlin, Champion, Chittenden, Dana, Davenport, Ely, Emott, Garland, Goldsborough, Goodrich, Gray, Hale, Haven, Heister, Hubbard, J. Jackson, Kennedy, Key, Lewis, Livermore, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Matthews, M'Bride, M'Kee, Milnor, T. Moore, Moseley, Pearson, Pitkin, Potter, Quincy, Richards, Ross, Sheffey, Smilie, Stanford, Stanley, Stephenson, Sturges, Swoope, Taylor, Upham, Van Dyke, Van Horn, Van Rensselaer, Weakley, Wheaton, Whitman—56.
MILITIA VOLUNTEERS, &c.

The engrossed bill authorising a detachment of the Militia of the U. S. was read a third time. Mr. Potter and Mr. Key spoke against it, and Mr. Poindexter and Mr. Root in favor of it. The bill was passed.

For it—70.

Against it—47.

Majority 23.

And the House adjourned.