National Gazette

PHILADELPHIA.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday, Jan. 2.

The bill for extending the time limited for settling the accounts of the United States with the individual states, was read a third time, and sent to the Senate for their concurrence.

The petitions of Emanuel Ebbs and William Hassell were read, praying compensation for services rendered during the war, in the army of the United States.

Also a memorial of Benjamin Lincoln, for himself, Cyrus Griffin, and David Humphreys, late commissioners for treating of peace with the Indian tribes south of the Ohio, praying for the settlement of an account of authorized expenses, incurred on their mission, amounting to the sum of sixteen hundred dollars over and above the allowance made them.—Referred, together with the petitions, to the Secretary at War.

A message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, accompanied with an official statement of the expenditures to the end of the year 1791, from the sum of 10,000 dollars granted to defray the contingent expenses of government, by an act passed the 26th of March, 1790—which statement was ordered to lie on the table.

The House then went into committee of the whole on the bill sent from the Senate, providing for the election of a President and vice President of the United States, in case of vacancy by death or resignation.

After some time spent on the bill, the chairman of the committee reported two amendments, which being read, one was agreed to and the other disagreed to.

Several amendments were proposed to the ninth section of the bill, which provides, that in case of resignation or inability both of the President and vice President of the United States, the President of the Senate pro tempore, and in case there shall be no president of the Senate, then the speaker of the House of Representatives for the time being shall act as President of the United States, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The question being put for striking out the words, "the president of the Senate pro tempore"—it passed in the negative, yeas—24, nays—27.

The question being put for striking out the words, "and in case there shall be no President of the Senate, then the speaker of the House of representatives for the time being"—it passed in the affirmative, yeas—26, nays—25.

Several amendments to the bill, were proposed, which being gone through by the committee, was ordered, together with the amendments to lie on the table till to-morrow.—Adjourned.

TUESDAY, Jan. 3.

The statement received yesterday from the President of the United States, relative to the expenditure of 10,000 dollars for governmental contingencies, was read from which it appeared that there was still a residue in his hands of eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-four dollars, and thirty ninetieths of a dollar. Ordered to lie on the table.

The committee of enrollment reported, that they had presented to the President of the United States, for his assent, the bill for carrying into effect the contract entered into between the United States, and the state of Pennsylvania, for the purchase of lands on lake Erie.

A message was received from the President that he had signed the said bill; by which it is passed into a law of the United States.

A petition was read from Christiana Rush, Cyrus Pierce, and Michael M'Clary, severally praying compensation for services &c. during the late war— Referred to the Secretary at War.

Mr. I. Smith, from the committee of reference on the 17th and 18th sections of the post office bill, made his report, which was read, and the House proceeded to take the same into consideration.

After discussing several amendments and alterations, it was proposed, and agreed to by the House, to insert a clause in the bill, directing the Post-Master General to advertise for contracts for carrying the mail—The House soon after rose, without coming to any further decision on the bill.—Adjourned.

SECOND CONGRESS
OF THE
UNITED STATES.

At the first Session, begun and held at the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday the twenty-fourth of October, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

An ACT for carrying into effect a Contract between the United States and the State of Pennsylvania.

FOR duly conveying to the state of Pennsylvania a certain tract of land, the right to the government and jurisdiction whereof was relinquished to the said state by a resolution of Congress of the fourth day of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight, and whereof the right of soil has been sold by virtue of a previous resolution of Congress of the sixth day of June in the said year;

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be authorized, on fulfillment of the terms stipulated on the part of the state of Pennsylvania, to issue letters patent, in the name and under the seal of the United States, granting and conveying to the said State forever the said tract of land, as the same was ascertained by a survey made in pursuance of the resolution of Congress of the sixth day of June one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.

Jonathan Trumbull, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

John Adams, Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate.

Approved, January the third, 1792.

G. Washington, President of the United States.