APRIL, 1814. Revision of the Revenue Laws. ther consideration of the several petitions which have been presented to this House, during the present session, and referred to them, from sundry inhabitants of the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, who are non-resident proprietors of land and houses in the State of Ohio; and the said petitions were laid on the table. Mr. FISH, of New York, from the select committee appointed to inquire into the manner of making contracts for supplying the Army of the United States, and to what extent general officers have interfered in such contracts prejudicial to the public interest, and to rights of individuals, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting a letter from the Comptroller of the Treasury, accompanied with sundry statements prepared in obedience to an act establishing a Mint and regulating the coins of the United States; which were ordered to lie on the table. The bill from the Senate, "authorizing the appointment of certain officers for the flotilla service," was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. The bill from the Senate, "to incorporate a company for the purpose of supplying Georgetown with water," was read twice, and ordered to be read the third time on Monday next. The House resumed the consideration of the amendment of the Senate, to the bill "declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned;" and the said amendment being again read, was disagreed to by the House. An engrossed bill to extend relief to certain purchasers of public lands in the Mississippi Territory was read the third time, and passed. An engrossed bill to authorize the subdivision of the quarter sections of the lands of the United States, was read the third time, and passed. H. of R. Laysel Bancroft, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and, after being amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The bill for the relief of Arthur Tappan, John Frothingham, and Ithamar Eaton, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and, after an unsuccessful motion by Mr. EPPES to postpone the same indefinitely, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senat insist on their amendment to the bill "declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned," and ask a conference on the subject-matter of the said amendment. The Senate have concurred in the resolution sent from this House, to fix the time for the adjournment of the present session of Congress, with amendments. The Senate have passed a bill "fixing the salary of the Paymaster of the Army of the United States, and allowing a sum for the employment of additional clerks in his office, for the year 1814, and providing for the appointment of assistant district paymasters;" in which bill and amendments they ask the concurrence of this House. The House spent some time in Committee of the Whole, on the bill for the relief of Thomas Cutts, which excited much debate, on account of the principle involved in it. And the Committee having risen without deciding on it, the report was, on motion of Mr. SEYBERT, recommitted to the Committee of Claims. The House took up the message from the Senate announcing their agreement to adjourn on Monday the 18th instant. Mr. GHOLSON, of Virginia, moved to substitute the 14th for the 18th instant, which motion was negatived. And the decision of the Senate in this respect was concurred in. REVISION OF THE REVENUE LAWS. Mr. McKIм presented a petition of sundry The resolution for making an allowance to the manufacturers in the city and neighborhood of person employed to superintend the post office of Baltimore, praying that the revenue laws may this House, was again taken up; and two dollars be amended so as to ascertain, with greater cerper day having been fixed upon as the compensa-tainty, the amount of duties payable on importion, the resolution was agreed to. pre The House resumed the consideration of the unfinished business of yesterday, viz: the bill scribing the mode of commencing and prosecuting and deciding controversies between two or more States; and Mr. HUMPHREYS, of Tennessee, having withdrawn his motion to postpone the further consideration thereof indefinitely, the question was taken for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on the said bill, and decided in the negative. The bill authorizing the Secretary of State, during the continuance of the present war, to make an additional allowance to the owners and masters of vesels for bringing back to the United States destitute and distressed American seamen, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The bill for the relief of Augustus McKinney and tations of goods; and, that the importation of cotton goods, from ports beyond the Cape of Good Hope, may be prohibited. The petition is as follows: To the honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, your petitioners, manufacturers of the city and neighborhood of Baltimore, and others, who feel interested in the promotion of domestic manufactures, respectfully represent: That they have long understood, it is the opinion eign manufactured merchandise, that the mode at of many merchants engaged in the importation of forpresent used to ascertain the duties thereon is, in many respects, very defective, not calculated either to protect the interests of the United States in a full receipt of revenue, or the honest importer from the practices of the fraudulent one, and that some amendment to the present collection law is absolutely necessary. They are now under the impression, that a law will soon be passed, which will have the effect to produce an entire change in the usual manner of introducing such manufactures, at least those which are of British origin, through the medium of neutrals, and, therefore, it is more desirable than ever, that such an amendment should be made without delay, because, if this law should pass, an immense importation of goods will no doubt take place in the course of a few weeks, and if the proposed amendment to the collection law should not be made previous thereto, the United States will no doubt suffer a great loss of revenue, and an injury proportional thereto will be done to domestic manufactures. It is of little moment to the importer what is the rate of duty which he has to pay, because he always calculates on its reimbursement; but it is of vital importance to him, and to the security of the revenue, that the same duty is paid on the same kind and quality of goods by every importer in the United States. To endeavor to obtain such an amendment to the present collection law as will have this effect, is the principal object of this petition, and your petitioners are the more solicitous for it from a full belief, that while it will protect the interests of the fair trader, and increase the revenue, it will also support the manufactories already established in the United States and forward and encourage the erection of many others now in contemplation. Your petitioners further represent, that they believe a prohibtion of the importation of cotton goods the manufacture of countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope, would very materially tend to benefit the agricultural interest of the country, by creating a constant and steady demand for raw cotton, and that, while it would encourage the manufacture of coarse cotton fabrics, it would serve as an important check to the exportation of specie. Your petitioners therefore pray that an act or acts may be passed for the purposes stated, or that such other relief may be granted in the premises as to both Houses of Congress may appear to be right, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c. Signed by the subscribers, a committee appointed for this purpose, at a meeting held at the Merchants' Coffee House, in Baltimore, the 6th day of April, 1814. JOHN HILLEN, JOHN GILL, APRIL, 1814. sembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned:" Whereupon, Resolved, That this House do agree to the conference asked by the Senate, and that Mr. GRUNDY, Mr. EPPES, and Mr. TELFAIR, be the managers at the same on their part. On motion of Mr. WRIGHT, a committee was appointed to inquire into the expediency of raising the floor and completing the House of Rep resentatives' Chamber for the accommodation and health of the members. Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. SHEFFEY, Mr. PITKIN, Mr. FORSYTH, and Mr. SHARP, were appointed the committee. : The House resumed the consideration of the bill "authorizing the payment for property captured or destroyed whilst in the public service by the enemy of the United States;" and the bill was, on motion of Mr. Fisk, of New York, recommitted to a Committee of the whole House. The engrossed bill for the relief of Augustus McKinney and Laysel Bancroft, and the engrossed bill, "authorizing the Secretary of State, during the present war, to make an additional allowance to the owners and masters of vessels for bringing back to the United States destitute and 'distressed American seamen," were each read a third time, and passed. The bill from the Senate "to incorporate a company for the purpose of supplying Georgetown with water" was read three times, slightly amended, and finally passed. The bill authorizing the President of the United States to cause certain parts of the coast of the United States to be surveyed, passed through a Committee of the Whole, was amended, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The bill "granting pensions to officers and seamen serving on board of revenue cutters in certain cases," was passed through a Committee of the whole House, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The bill for quieting and adjusting claims to lands in the Mississippi Territory, passed though a Committee of the Whole, was amended, and then, on motion of Mr. McCoy, of Virginia, the further consideration of the bill was postponed indefinitely. The bill concerning certificates of claims to lands in the State of Louisiana, passed through The petition was referred to the Committee of a Committee of the Whole, and was ordered to Commerce and Manufactures. be engrossed for a third reading, and the House adjourned. MONDAY, April 11. The bill from the Senate, "fixing the salary of the Paymaster of the Army of the United States, and allowing a sum for the employment of additional clerks in his office, for the year 1814, and providing for the appointment of assistant district paymasters," was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. The House proceeded to consider the message from the Senate, asking a conference upon the subject-matter of the amendments depending between the two Houses to the bill declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General As TUESDAY, April 12. Mr. MURFREE, of North Carolina, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, reported a bill to revive and continue in force an act declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the State of Georgia passed on the 12th day of December, 1804, establishing the fees of the harbor master and health officer of the ports of Savannah and St. Mary's in Georgia.-Twice read and committed. Mr. LOWNDES, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, reported the bill from the Senate, "au thorizing an augmentation of the marine corps, and for other purposes." without amendment; and the bill was committed to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow. Mr. LOWNDES also reported the bill from the Senate "authorizing the appointment of certain officers for the flotilla service;" and the bill was committed to the Committee of the whole House last mentioned. Mr. LOWNDES also reported a bill authorizing the purchase of the vessels captured on Lake Erie; which was read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole last mentioned. Mr. TROUP, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported the bill from the Senate "fixing the salary of the Paymaster of the Army of the United States, and allowing a sum for the employment of additional clerks in his office, for the year 1814, and providing for the appointment of assistant district paymasters," without amend ment. Mr. GRUNDY, from the managers appointed by this House, to confer with the managers appointed by the Senate, on the subject-matter of the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the bill "declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned," made a report thereon; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. An engrossed bill authorizing the President of the United States to cause certain parts of the coast of the United States to be surveyed was read the third time, and passed. An engrossed bill granting pensions to officers and seamen serving on board of revenue cutters, in certain cases, was read the third time, and passed. An engrossed bill concerning certificates of confirmation of claims to lands in the State of Louisiana was read the third time, and passed. H. or R. to take up by the following vote: For taking it up 42, against it 52. The bill from the Senate for the relief of David Porter, officers, and crew, (for seizing and prosecuting, at his own cost and risk, certain vessels, smugglers or pirates, at New Orleans, some years ago,) was called up by Mr. ROBERTSON, of Louisiana, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and ordered to a third reading, and was accordingly read a third time, and finally passed. The bill authorizing two lotteries in Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, having been called up by Mr. Lewis, the House refused to take it up. The Committee of the Whole were then discharged from the further consideration of the bill, which is now immediately before the House. The House, on motion of Mr. McKIM, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill to continue in force an act declaring the assent of Congress to two acts of the Legislatures of Georgia and Maryland. [These acts, to which the assent of Congress is proposed to be renewed, impose certain port duties on tonnage, applicable to the improvement of ports in said States.] To this bill considerable opposition was made by Mr. DAVENPORT and Mr. TALLMADGE, of Connecticut, and Mr. REED and Mr. KING, of Massachusetts, to which Messrs. McKIM and WRIGHT, of Maryland, and TROUP, CUTHBERT, and HALL, of Georgia, replied. The bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow, by the following vote: For the bill 56, against it 44. The bill for the relief of Archibald McCall (on motion of Mr. SEYBERT, of Pennsylvania,) passed through a Committee of the Whole, and was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow. On motion of Mr. CHAPPELL, of South Carolina, the bill for the relief of Joseph Brevard passed through a Committee of the Whole, and On motion of Mr. McKIM, the order of the day was ordered to be read a third time, and was acon the bill authorizing the President of the Uni-cordingly read a third time, and finally passed. ted States, during the continuance of the present embargo, to allow the transportation, by water, of lime from Thomastown and Hampden. in the District of Maine, to Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, was postponed indefinitely. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to authorize the President of the United States to accept the service of such volunteers as shall organize themselves for the public service. On motion of Mr. Fisk, of Vermont, the bill to fix the compensation of the clerks in the office of the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and was reported to the House. On the question that the bill be read a third time, there were for the third reading 38, against it 43. A quorum not having voted on the first count, before the second count was had, a motion was made by Mr. FISK, of Vermont, to lay the bill on The bill to incorporate the Columbian Manufacturing Company of the town of Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, passed through a Committee of the Whole, and was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. Mr. TROUP explained the object of the bill, which appears to have been predicated on a let-the table, and agreed to. ter from the Secretary of War, suggesting the propriety of giving such an authority to the Government, in consequence of certain offers of service made by corps of this description from more than one section of the country. No objection being made to the bill, the Committee rose and reported the bill; which was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. Mr. NELSON, of Virginia, called up the bill for making good the land promised by Virginia in the Revolutionary war, which the House refused A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed the bill to repeal the act, entitled 'An act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, and so much of any act or acts as prohibit the importation of goods, wares, H. OF R. Excise on Liquors—Exportation of Gold and Silver. and merchandise, of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of Great Britain or Ireland, or of any of the colonies or dependencies thereof, or of any place or country in the actual possession of Great Britain, and for other purposes," with amendments; in which they request the concurrence of this House. The Senate have so far receded from their amendment to the bill "declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned," as to accept of the modification proposed by the committee of conference, and they have modified the bill accordingly. The Senate have also passed a bill" for the relief of Israel Thorndike" in which bill they desire the concurrence of this House. The House proceeded to consider the message from the Senate, informing this House of their agreement to the modification proposed by the joint committee of conference, on the subjectmatter of the disagreeing votes of the two Houses to the bill "declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, therein mentioned ;" and the report of the same being read: Whereupon, Resolved, That this House do so far recede from their disagreement to the amendment of the Senate to the said bill as to accept of the modification proposed by the joint committee of conference. The bill from the Senate "for the relief of Israel Thorndike," was read twice, and committed to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures. EXCISE ON LIQUORS. APRIL, 1814. Tannehill, Thompson, Udree, and Wilson of Pennsylvania. NAYS-Messrs. Archer, Barnett, Baylies of Massachusetts, Bigelow, Bradley, Champion, Cilley, Comstock, Cooper, Cox, Cuthbert, Davenport, Ely, Fisk of Vt., Fisk of N. Y., Forsyth, Gholson, Goodwyn. Gourdin, Hale, Hall, Hungerford, Irving, Jackson of Rhode Island, Johnson of Va., Kent of Md., King of Massachusetts, King of North Carolina, Lowndes. Nelson, Oakley, Parker, Potter, John Reed, William Markell, McKim, Moffitt, Moore, Moseley, Murfree, Reed, Rich, Ridgely, Robertson, Sage, Seybert, Sherwood, Smith of New York, Sturges, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Telfair, Vose, Ward of New Jersey, Wheaton, Wilcox, Winter, and Wright. EXPORTATION OF GOLD AND SILVER. The order of the day on the bill for prohibiting the exportation of gold and silver coin and bullion, having been called up by Mr. CALHOUN, of South Carolina, chairman of the Committee who reported it— Mr. WILLIAM REED, of Massachusetts, moved to postpone indefinitely the said order of the day, on which motion the vote was as follows: For the postponement 43, against it 72. The motion for indefinite postponement being negatived, the House then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on said bill. The bill having been read throughMr. CALHOUN said that in relation to the subject of this bill he had not much to say, not being conversant in this matter. Its object, however, was to protect our moneyed institutions from drains from abroad. Whether the bill would have this effect or not, he could not say; his were conversant on it. Candor required him to say he had some doubts of the entire efficacy of this bill, and feared that the facility of exporting would evade the most strenuous efforts of our an article of so small a bulk as specie or bullion custom-house officers. The bill to change the tax on domestic dis-opinion must be regulated by that of those who tilled liquors from the capacity of the still to the quantity distilled, having been called up, a motion was made by Mr. ALSTON, of North Carolina, in pursuance of a decision of the Committee of Ways and Means subsequent to the bill's being reported, to postpone the further consideration of this order of the day indefinitely; which the bill by striking out the fourth section, which Mr. McKIM, of Maryland, moved to amend motion was supported by the mover, Mr. GRUN- permits, under strict regulations, the exportation DY and Mr. HUMPHREYS, of Tennessee, Mr. of specie coastwise. His idea was that specie CREIGHTON, of Ohio, and Mr. TAYLOR, of New would never be transported by sea, because of the York, principally on the ground of the lateness risk, unless intended to be conveyed to the eneof the session, and the propriety of ascertaining my; and, therefore, though he felt no great solimore accurately the operation of the present sys-citude about this bill, he was desirous, if it passed, tem before it should be changed; and was opposed that this section should be struck out. by Mr. McKIм, of Maryland. The question on indefinite postponement was decided in the affirmative by the following vote by yeas and nays. For the postponement 61, against it 59, as follows: The motion to strike out the section was negatived by a large majority. Mr. WILLIAM REED, of Massachusetts, objected to this bill because likely to be inefficient; and as a remaining feature of the restrictive sysYEAS-Messrs. Alexander, Alston, Anderson, Bard, Beall, Bowen, Brown, Butler, Caperton, Calhoun, tem, which, if it was to go down, he wished to Chappell, Clark, Clopton, Condict, Conard, Crawford, go down altogether. The bill would have no Creighton, Crouch, Culpeper, Davis of Pennsylvania, other effect than to put the exportation of specie Desha, Duvall, Findley, Gaston, Geddes, Griffin, Grun-into the hands of smugglers instead of honest dy, Hanson, Hawes, Hawkins, Humphreys, Ingersoll, merchants; and would rather increase than diJohnson of Kentucky, Kennedy, Kerr, Kershaw, Kil- minish it. bourn, Law, Lefferts, Lewis, Lyle, Macon, McCoy, McLean, Montgomery, Ormsby, Pearson, Pickering, Pickens, Pleasants, Rea of Pennsylvania, Rhea of Tennessee, Roane, Sevier, Sharp, Sheffey, Stanford, Mr. INGERSOLL, of Pennsylvania, moved an amendment to the bill, the object of which was to allow the exportation, in vessels bound to ports beyond the Cape of Good Hope, of specie in sufficient amount to pay the duties on the cargo of the vessel on its arrival at its port of destination, &c. Without such an amendment, the effect of the bill would be, he conceived, to prohibit all trade to ports in China or India, as the duties were there required to be paid in specie immediately on the arrival of the vessel. This amendment was opposed by Mr. CALHOUN, and negatived by a large majority. The Committee then rose and reported the bill to the House. Mr. POTTER, of Rhode Island, moved to strike out the first section of the bill, and spoke in support of his motion. He said you might as rationally and almost as certainly expect a law to be effectual to prevent the ebb and flow of the tide, as a law to prevent specie from finding its level. Mr. GROSVENOR, of New York, spoke in favor of the motion. His objection was not to the principle of the bill, but to the futility of such a law to accomplish the object in view. Such an act, he contended, must be ineffectual, and was further objectionable in his view as a remaining feature of a system for which he felt almost an instinctive abhorrence. The provisions of the bill were of an odious character, and, as the bill could have no effect, he hoped it would not pass. Mr. CALHOUN said that no gentleman, he believed, conceived that this bill, if passed, would be completely effectual. The only question was, would it deaden the current of exportation of specie? Some appeared to think it would; and this was the opinion of many of the banks in the country. Others thought differently, however, and, for himself, he had not made up his own mind on the subject, though at present inclined to support the bill. Mr. TALLMADGE, of Connecticut, spoke in favor of striking out the first section of the bill. If the measure had not been recommended by the President, it would never have been thought of by any member of either House. He objected to the details of the bill, which were of the same odious character as the provisions of the embargo laws. He stated several other objections to the bill; among which were, that it was trifling with the solemnity of oaths, and demoralizing the people of our country, to exact oaths in relation to trivial matters; and that it was a continuation of the system of arming citizen against citizen, and setting neighbors as spies upon each other, &c. Especially he objected to these provisions, when he believed they could not produce any possible beneficial effect. Mr. POTTER again spoke in support of his motion, and Mr. HALE, of New Hampshire, also spoke against the bill. He said the bill, although it would not prevent the exportation of specie, would have the effect to prevent its importation, and thus diminish instead of increasing the specie capital of the country. The question on striking out the first section of the bill was decided as follows: For striking it out 50, against it 59. H. of R. So the House refused to strike out the first section. Mr. INGERSOLL renewed the motion which he had made in Committee of the Whole, which was again negatived. Mr. WILLIAM REED then moved to amend the bill so as to strike out that part of the bill which limits its duration to two years or the close of the present war, and insert "to the end of the next session of Congress;" which motion, being acceded to by Mr. CALHOUN, was agreed to. Mr. HALE moved to lay the bill on the table.Negatived. Mr. KING, of Massachusetts, moved to strike out the fifth section of the bill. Negatived-ayes 36. The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading to-morrow. REPEAL OF THE EMBARGO. The House took up the message of the Senate announcing their passage of the act repealing the embargo, &c., with amendments (to strike out the third and fourth sections.) Mr. CALHOUN moved that the House do agree to the amendments. This question was decided without debate by yeas and nays-For the amendments 68, against them 52, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Alston, Anderson, Baylies of Massachusetts, Bigelow, Bradley, Brigham, Caperton, Calhoun, Champion, Chappell, Cilley, Clark, Comstock, Cooper, Cox, Creighton, Culpeper, Davenport, Duvall, Ely, Forney, Forsyth, Gaston, Geddes, Grosvenor, Hale, Hanson, Hungerford, Ingersoll, Jackson of Rhode Island, Kennedy, Kerr, King of Massachusetts, King of North Carolina, Law, Lewis, Lovett, Lowndes, Macon, Markell, Miller, Moffit, Montgomery, Moseley, Murfree, Oakley, Pearson, Pleasants, John Reed, William Reed, Ridgely, Robertson, Seybert, Sheffey, Sherwood, Stanford, Sturges, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Vose, Ward of Massachusetts, Ward of New Jersey, Wheaton, White, Wilcox, Winter, and Wright. Beall, Butler, Caldwell, Condict, Conard, Crawford, NAYS-Messrs. Alexander, Archer, Bard, Barnett, Crouch, Davis of Pennsylvania, Desha, Eppes, Findley, Fisk of New York, Franklin, Gholson, Goodwyn, Gourdin, Griffin, Grundy, Hall, Harris, Hasbrouck, Hawes, Humphreys, Irving, Johnson of Virginia, Johnson of Kentucky, Kershaw, Kilbourn, Lefferts, Lyle, McCoy, McLane, Moore, Nelson, Ormsby, Parker, Pickens, Piper, Potter, Rea of Pennsylvania, Rhea of Tennessee, Ringgold, Roane, Sage, Sharp, Tannehill, Udree, and Wilson of Pennsylvania. WEDNESDAY, April 13. Mr. EPPES, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill making additional appropriations for the service of the year 1814; which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the Whole to-day. Mr. MURFREE, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, reported the bill from the Senate, "for the relief of Israel Thorndike," without amendment; and the bill was committed to a Committee of the Whole to-day. |