The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

Congress.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4.

Considerable debate took place this morning relative to the Journal, which, on account of the question of order and appeals taken last evening, was found somewhat defective.

When the Journal had been settled, Mr. Love rose and offered a resolution relative to the Bank of the United States--before any question was taken,

Mr. Randolph rose and declared it as his opinion that the House could not take up any new business until the business of last evening should be completed. Mr. Love's resolution was laid on the table, and the House proceeded to discuss the question of order. At half past one they finished the questions of order, or rather as Mr. Boyd called them, of die-order.

And the Clerk proceeded to count the votes on the first member of Mr. Pearson's resolution--The votes stood ayes 87, noes 24. The ayes and noes on the second member stood ayes 78, noes 31. On the whole resolution, the votes were ayes 80, noes 29. A committee of five was ordered.

Mr. Pitkin moved a resolution to appoint the committee by ballot, and fixing to-morrow to make the appointment.

The question on this motion was taken by ayes and noes, and lost--ayes 52, noes 64.

Mr. W. Alston called up his resolution to adjourn on the 23d inst.--The question was taken and carried 84 rising in the affirmative.

The House then adjourned until to-morrow.

THURSDAY, APRIL 5.

The following gentlemen compose the committee of inquiry into the conduct of Gen. Wilkinson, appointed by the Speaker agreeably to Mr. Pearson's resolution:--

Messrs. Butler, Champion, Desha, Root and Pearson.

A letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering a statement of the expenses of the army and navy since the year 1789, agreeably to a call of the House, was read and ordered to be printed.

Sundry bills from the Senate were read and referred.

On motion of Mr. Rhea, the House went into committee of the whole on the bill to establish post-roads--Mr. Basset in the chair. The committee went through the consideration of the bill, and the examination of the post-routes as far as the State of Virginia, when, on motion of Mr. Randolph, the committee rose and reported progress, and had leave to sit again.

A Message from the President covering a letter from the Secretary of State agreeably to a call of the House, was read and ordered to be printed.

FRIDAY, APRIL 6.

This being the day appointed for private business, the House went into committee of the whole, Mr. Desha in the chair--on the petitions of John Murray, Lucy Dixon, Arthur St. Clair, and David Blackwell; also, on the bills for the relief of Margaret Lapsey, John Thompson, John Minor, and Moses Young. The committee rose and reported in favour of the above petitioners.

A bill for the relief of the petitioners was laid on the table and ordered to be printed.

The bills for the relief of John Thompson, John Minor, and Moses Young, were ordered to a third reading to-morrow.

The bill for the relief of William Baylen passed through the committee of the whole, and was ordered to a third reading.

The House went into committee of the whole on the report of the committee of commerce and manufactures, on the petition of George Armroyd and Co.--Mr. Desha in the chair. The resolution, which was favourable to the petitioners, was reported; the House concurred and ordered a bill to be brought in for the relief of the said George Armroyd and Co.

[This is a dull day to reporters, as you will readily perceive--but as it is likely to be a beneficial day to many old soldiers, and soldiers' widows and children, we shall not complain. I shall close my letter though the House is yet in session.

[There is a non-descript bill--a substitute for the non-intercourse, to be reported to-morrow or Monday.--Macon's bill was said to be milk and water. This, I am told, is water without milk. I have not seen it.]

SATURDAY, APRIL 7.

Mr. Smilie's resolution to adjourn each day until 10 in the morning, instead of 11, was passed.

LOAN BILL--at last.

Mr. Eppes, from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill to authorize the President of the United States to borrow a sum of money not exceeding the interest of the publick debt. Read twice and made the order of the day for Monday next.

MACON'S BILL, No. 2.

Mr. Macon, from the committee on foreign relations, reported the following:--

A bill concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great-Britain and France, and their dependencies.

Sect. 1. Be it enacted, &c. That the third section of the act, entitled, An act to amend and continue in force certain parts of the act, entitled, An act to interdict commercial intercourse between the United States and Great-Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all the penalties and forfeitures which may have been incurred under the act last mentioned, or which may hereafter be incurred under so much thereof as is not repealed by this act, and until the expiration of the same; And also, all the penalties and forfeitures which may have been incurred under the act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbours of the United States, or under any of the several acts supplementary thereto or to enforce the same, or under the act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great-Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes, shall be awarded and distributed, and may be remitted in the manner provided by said acts respectively, and in like manner as if the said acts had continued in full force and effect.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That in case either Great-Britain or France shall, before the third of March next, so revoke or modify her edicts as that they shall cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States, which fact the President of the United States shall declare by proclamation; and if the other nation shall not, within three months thereafter so revoke or modify her edicts, in like manner, then the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth sections of the act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great-Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes, shall from and after the expiration of three months from the date of the proclamation aforesaid, be revived, and have full force and effect, so far as relates to the dominions, colonies and dependencies, and to the articles the growth, produce and manufacture of the dominions, colonies and dependencies of the nation thus refusing or neglecting to revoke or modify her edicts in the manner aforesaid.

The bill was read twice and made the order of the day for Monday next.

The private bills ordered to a third reading yesterday, were read and passed.

The House resolved itself into committee of the whole--Mr. Basset in the chair--on the Post Road bill.

The examination of the bill was continued until the state of North-Carolina, when the committee rose and reported progress.

UNITED STATES BANK.

Mr. Taylor reported A BILL TO CONTINUE IN FORCE THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED STATES BANK FOR TWENTY YEARS. Read twice and made the order of the day for Monday next,--[We are glad to find Congress at last invoking Wisdom; and it is devoutly to be wished that each individual member may be much wiser at the close of the session than he was at its commencement.]

Adjourned.

The Senate have passed the resolution to adjourn on the 23d instant--23 to 7.

There is no doubt therefore but an adjournment of the session will take place on that day.