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and report thereon by bill or otherwise; and that so much of the Message as relates to the Naval Establishment be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, to consider and report thereon by bill or otherwise.

On motion, by Mr. Dana,

Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States, of this date, as relates to the militia of the United States, be referred to the Militia Committee, to consider and report thereon by bill or otherwise.

TUESDAY, February 21.

The PRESIDENT communicated the report of the Secretary for the Department of War, made conformably to the 5th section of the act of the 3d March, 1809, entitled "An act to amend the several acts for the establishment and regulation of the Treasury, War, and Navy Departments;" and the report was read.

Mr. MORROW, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act for granting and securing to Anthony Shane the right of the United States to a tract of land in the State of Ohio," reported it without amendment.

The bill to provide a library room, and for transporting the library lately purchased from Thomas Jefferson, Esq., to the City of Washington, was read the second time.

SENATE.

organization of the courts of the United States within the State of New York;" also, a bill, entitled "An act to alter and establish certain post roads;" in which bills they request the concurrence of the Senate.

The three bills last mentioned were read, and passed to the second reading.

On motion, by Mr. ROBERTS,

Resolved, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States, of the 20th instant, as relates to the preservation and promotion of manufactures, be referred to a select committee, and that the said committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Ordered, That Messrs. ROBERTS, Barbour, TAYLOR, VARNUM, and CHACE, be the committee. Mr. GORE, from the committee to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill for the relief of Arthur Tappan and John Frothingham; and the bill was read, and ordered to the second reading.

The amendments to the bill, entitled "An act to authorize the issuing of Treasury notes for the service of the year 1815," having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time, as amended.

Resolved, That this bill pass with amendments. Mr. GILES, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to authorize the President of the United

The bill to repeal certain acts therein men-States to raise certain companies of rangers for tioned was read the second time.

The bill to repeal certain acts concerning the flotilla service was read the second time.

The bill for the better temporary accommodation of the two Houses of Congress was read the second time.

The bill to repeal so much of the several acts imposing duties on the tonnage of ships and vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty on tonnage between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, and between goods imported into the United States in foreign vessels and vessels of the United States," was read the second time.

The bill further supplementary to an act, entitled "An act providing for the indemnification of certain claimants of public lands in the Mississippi Territory," was read the second time.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill for quieting and adjusting claims to land in the Mississippi Territory, as in Committee of the Whole; and on motion, by Mr. BIBB, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the second Monday in March next.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House insist on their amendment to the resolutions expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct in the defence of New Orleans, disagreed to by the Senate. They have passed a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Joshua Sands;" a bill, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled "An act for the better 13th CoN. 3d SESS.-9

the defence of the frontiers of the United States," reported it with amendments.

Mr. GILES, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill making further provision for completing the public buildings at West Point, for the accommodation of the Military Academy; and the bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Mr. GILES, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to authorize the President of the United States to receive into the service of the United States certain corps which may be raised and organized by any State, to serve in lieu of the militia thereof," reported it without amendment; and on motion, by Mr. GILES, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the second Monday in March next.

Mr. KERR, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of Nicholas Boilevin, made report: Whereupon, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the second Monday in March next.

On motion, by Mr. BIBB, the further consideration of the bill, entitled "An act making provision for subsisting the Army of the United States, by authorizing the appointment of commissaries of subsistence," was postponed until Monday next.

On motion, by Mr. GILES,

Resolved, That the Senate adhere to their disagreement to the amendment of the House of Representatives to the resolution expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gal

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lantry and good conduct in the defence of New Orleans.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Jacob Shinnick, and Shoultz and Vogeler, of Christian Chapman, and the legal representative of John Calef, deceased," and on motion, by Mr. KING, the further consideration thereof was postponed to Friday next.

The Senate resumed, as in Čommittee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act giving the right of pre-emption, in the purchase of lands to certain settlers in the Indiana Territory," together with the amendment reported thereto by the select committee; and, having agreed to the amendment, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly.

On the question, Shall the amendment be engrossed and the bill read a third time, as amended? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act making provision for clothing the militia called into the service of the United States," together with the amendment reported thereto by the select committee; and on motion, by Mr. VARNUM, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the second Monday in March next. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Uriah Coolidge and James Burnham," and no amendment having been proposed, it passed to a third reading.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act in addition to an act regulating the Post Office Establishment;" and, no amendment having been proposed, it passed to a third reading.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled “An act for the regulation of the courts of justice of Indiana," together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee; and, having agreed to the amendments, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly.

On the question, Shall the amendments be engrossed and the bill read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill to continue in force for a limited time the act, entitled "An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes," and on the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the discharge of Edward Martin from imprisonment; and on the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill for the better temporary accommodation of the two Houses of Congress; and on the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time? it was deter

FEBRUARY, 1815.

mined in the affirmative-yeas 19, nays 7, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Barbour, Bibb, Chace, Condit, Fromentin, Gaillard, Giles, Goldsborough, Gore, Horsey, Hunter, Kerr, Morrow, Roberts, Smith, Tait, Thompson, Varnum, and Wharton.

NAYS-Messrs. German, King, Lacock, Talbot, Taylor, Turner, and Wells.

On motion, by Mr. BIBB,

Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Relations be instructed to inquire whether any of the laws respecting foreign intercourse ought to be repealed or modified; and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill to repeal certain acts therein mentioned; and, no amendment having been proposed thereto, on the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time? it was determined in the affirmative.

WEDNESDAY, February 22.

The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Joshua Sands," was read the second time, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. KING, GERMAN, and ROBERTS, were appointed the committee.

The bill, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled 'An act for the better organization of the courts of the United States within the State of New York," was read the second time, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. GERMan, Daggett, and KING, were appointed the committee.

The bill, entititled "An act to alter and establish certain post roads," was read the second time and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. BARBOUR, THOMPSON, and TALBOT, were appointed the committee.

Mr. MORROW presented several petitions, signed by a number of citizens of Butler county, in the State of Ohio, praying the establishment of a post road, between Lebanon and Hamilton, in said State, for reasons therein stated; and the petitions were read, and referred to the committee last mentioned to consider and report thereon.

On motion of Mr. TAYLOR, the petition of the citizens of the districts of Chesterfield, Kershaw and Lancaster, of the State of South Carolina, and of the county of Anson, in the State of North Carolina, presented the 3d of October last, were referred to the same committee, to consider and report.

Mr. TAYLOR, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying a direct tax upon the District of Columbia," reported it without amendment.

Mr. TAYLOR, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying a duty on lotteries," reported it without amendment.

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Mr. TAYLOR, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying a duty on gold, silver, and plated ware, and jewelry, and paste work, manufactured within the United States," reported it with an amendment. The bill for the relief of Arthur Tappan and John Frothingham, was read the second time.

The bill, entitled "An act in addition to an act regulating the Post Office Establishment," was read a third time, and passed.

The bill to repeal certain acts therein mentioned was read a third time, and passed.

The bill for the better temporary accommodation of the two Houses of Congress was read a third time, and passed.

The bill to continue in force for a limited time the act, entitled "An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes," was read a third time, and on motion, by Mr. KING, it was recommitted to a select committee, further to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. KING, MORROW, and TAIT, were appointed the committee.

The bill authorizing the discharge of Edward Martin from imprisonment was read a third time, and passed.

The bill making further provision for completing the public buildings at West Point, for the accommodation of the Military Academy, was read the second time.

The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Uriah Coolidge and James Burnham," was read a third time, and passed.

Mr. BARBOUR, from the committee to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill to provide for exploring the Chesapeake Bay and its waters, for the purposes therein mentioned; and the bill was read and passed to the second reading.

The amendments to the bill, entitled "An act giving the right of pre-emption in the purchase of lands to certain settlers in the Indiana Territory," having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended.

SENATE.

agreed to, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly. On the question, Shall the amendments be engrossed and the bill read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill to provide a library room, and for transporting the library lately purchased from Thomas Jefferson, Esquire, to the City of Washington.

On motion, by Mr. ROBERTS, the bill having been amended, the President reported it to the House accordingly. On the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill further supplementary to an act, entitled "An act providing for the indemnification of certain claimants of public lands in the Mississippi Territory;" and, no amendment having been proposed thereto, on the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time? it was determined in the affirmative. On motion, by Mr. ANDERSON,

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to consider and report upon the expediency of making provision by law for running the boundary lines designated in the treaty lately made between the United States and the chiefs, deputies, and warriors, of the Creek nation; and that the committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Ordered, That Messrs. ANDERSON, BIBB, and MORROW, be the committee.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House ask a conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendment to the resolutions expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct in defence of New Orleans, and have appointed managers on their part. They concur in the first amendment of the Senate to the bill to amend the act, entitled "An act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying a direct tax upon the United States, and to provide for assess

Resolved, That this bill pass with amendments. The amendments to the bill, entitled "An act for the regulation of the courts of justice of Indi-ing and collecting the same," and the act, entitled ana," having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended.

Resolved, That this bill with amendments. The bill, entitled "An act for granting and securing to Anthony Shane the right of the United States to a tract of land in the State of Ohio," was resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, and, no amendment having been proposed, it was passed to a third reading.

"An act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying duties on household furniture, and on gold and silver watches," with an amendment, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. They concur in the second, third, and fourth, and disagree to the fifth amendments to said bill.

On motion by Mr. TAYLOR,

Resolved, That the Senate agree to the amendThe Senate resumed, as in Committee of the ment of the House of Representatives to their Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An first amendment to the bill last mentioned, and act to authorize the President to raise certain that they insist on their fifth amendment to said companies of rangers for the defence of the fron-bill, disagreed to by the House of Representatives. tiers of the United States, and to repeal certain acts now in force for this purpose," together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee; and the amendments having been

On motion, by Mr. GILES,

Resolved, That the Senate agree to the conference proposed on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses, on the amendment to the resolutions ex

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pressive of the thanks of Congress to Major General Jackson, and the troops under his command, for their gallantry and good conduct in the defence of New Orleans.

Ordered, That Messrs. GILES, BROWN, and SMITH, be the managers on the part of the Senate.

Mr. KING, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Joshua Sands," reported it without amendment. Mr. MORROW, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to amend and extend the provisions of the act of the sixteenth of April, 1814, entitled "An act confirming certain claims to land in the Illinois Territory, and providing for their location," reported it with amendments.

Mr. ROBERTS, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Edward Hallowell," reported it without amendment.

The PRESIDENT communicated the general account of the Treasurer of the United States, from October 1, 1813, to October 1, 1814; as, also, the accounts of the War and Navy Departments for the same period, together with the reports of the accounting officers of the Treasury thereon; which were read.

DISCRIMINATING DUTIES.

The Senate resumed as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill to repeal so much of the several acts imposing duties on the tonnage of ships and vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty on tonnage between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, and between goods imported into the United States in foreign vessels and vessels of the United States.

FEBRUARY, 1815.

The effect of those discriminating duties was felt by those foreign nations with whom we had the greatest intercourse. Great Britain, in the Treaty of 1794, reserved the right of countervailing those duties, and the United States bound themselves not to impose any new discriminating duties if Great Britain did countervail-but the wars in which she has constantly been engaged since has prevented its effects from being felt to any considerable extent. The short peace she had after the Treaty of Amiens taught the merchants of South Carolina, however, to know, that the extra duty on cotton imported in an American vessel into Great Britain was so high that it was much better to employ British vessels than to have their cotton carried in their own. In the year 1802, a letter was received from Mr. King, then Minister of the United States at London, in which he advises the repeal of the discriminating duties. The President's Message (I believe at the opening of the next session) called the attention of Congress to the subject; and so much of the Message as related to the discriminating duties was referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, who made an ample report thereon, which report, I pray may be read-[Here the Secretary read the report, dated January 10, 1803.]

Mr. President, the resolution which accompanies and which is similar to the bill before you, was taken up and would perhaps have passed, but for the memorials which came from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and other trading cities and towns. I now find that gentlemen, who then opposed and petitioned, have changed their opinions. I remark, with pleasure, the change in an honorable gentleman, formerly a member of the Senate, in a published letter to Mr. Randolph. He, as well as many others, who at that time opposed by memorial the repeal of our discriminating duties, are convinced that the ir conditional repeal will tend to the security of our navigation.

Mr. S. SMITH.-Mr. President: It may not be improper for me, as chairman of the committee who presented the bill now under consideration, to give a short history of the subject, and to pre- Mr. President, the report just read shows, that sent a few details taken from official authority. the British had, by their countervailing duties, Soon after the adoption of the present Constitu- secured for their ships the carrying of many of tion, Congress passed acts laying duties on tonnage our most important objects of exportation, to and on goods imported into the United States. wit: of fish-oil, tobacco, cotton, rice, pot and The law provided that six cents per ton should pearl ashes; and having secured the carriage of be paid on ships or vessels of the United States those articles, the minor articles not being (exentering any of the ports of the United States, and cept flour and naval stores) sufficient to form enfifty cents per ton on all foreign ships, and that an tire cargoes, would also be carried by British additional duty of ten per cent. on the duties pay-ships. But, Mr. President, the British Parliaable on all goods imported in vessels of the United States, should be paid on such goods when imported into foreign vessels. These, Mr. President, are what are called "the discriminating duties."

The advantage derived therefrom to the navigation of the United States was such, that in a very few years there was American tonnage sufficient for the carrying of all the productions of our own country, and of other nations to a great extent-in fact, our navigation was second to none but Great Britain, when the late war was commenced.

ment have since increased the old and laid new duties, which include other articles of our produce and effectually secure to her ships the carriage of all our bulky articles, to wit: on flour, 6s. 9d. sterling per cwt., or 12s. per barrel, by which the American vessel will pay 1s. 24d. on each barrel more than if imported in a British ship. The whole freight of a barrel of flour in time of peace is 58. sterling. No person will agree to pay 6s. 24d. to an American for the freight and extra duty on a barrel of flour, when he can procure British ships who will carry for five shillings.

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Hemp now pays three pounds sterling per ton more if imported into Great Britain in American, than if it be imported in a British ship; which I believe is equal to the whole freight. And hemp will soon become an object of export from New Orleans.

Cotton-the duty thereon has been increased in England. It now pays 8s. and 7d. sterling per cwt., if imported into Great Britain in British ships, and 17s. and 2d. in American; that is, cotton in an American will pay 8s. 7d. per cwt. more duty than when imported in a British ship; being more than the whole freight; so that it is better to pay freight to a British ship, than to have cotton carried free of freight in an American. Rice pays 3s. 9d. sterling per tierce more duty in an American ship than in a British. The whole freight of a tierce of rice is 128. sterling.

Pot and pearl ashes now pay 6d. sterling per cwt. more duty in an American, than in a British ship. A cask of ashes of three hundred weight will pay an extra duty of 1s. 6d. sterling; the freight of such a cask is presumed to be 5s. 6d. sterling; thus a cask of ashes will pay for freight and extra duty, 7s. in an American, when it will only pay 5s. 6d. in a British ship.

Tobacco pays 18, 6d. per 100 lbs., or 18s. sterling per hhd. of 1200 net wt. more when imported into Great Britain in an American than in a British ship. The freight of a hhd. of tobacco in time of peace is 35s.

SENATE.

admitted into the ports of the other on the same terms with their own ships? Are we afraid of our want of enterprise, industry, or capital? I hope not. For one, I am ready to agree to the bill on the table, and feel confident that the American merchant is equal in a fair competition to the merchant of any other nation.

When Mr. SMITH had concluded, the bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time.

THURSDAY, February 23.

Mr. GOLDSBOROUGH, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act concerning the College of Georgetown, in the District of Columbia," reported it without amendment.

The PRESIDENT communicated a letter from the Secretary for the Department of the Treasury, together with a statement of the emoluments of the officers employed in the collection of the customs for the year 1814; which were read.

The bill, entitled "An act for granting and securing to Anthony Shane the right of the United States to a tract of land in the State of Ohio," was read a third time, and passed.

Mr. ROBINSON presented the petition of Justin and Elias Lyman, merchants of the city of New York, praying the remission of the forfeitures and penalties incurred by the violation of the nonimportation laws, as stated in the petition; which was read, and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, to consider and report thereon by bill or otherwise.

The statements I have given of the countervailing duties of Great Britain, are derived from a digest of the duties and customs brought up to the 5th August, 1811; they will show to every The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the mind, however, prejudiced, that Great Britain Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An has effectually secured by her system the car-act to amend and extend the provisions of the act rying (for her own wants and her foreign commerce) of our fish-oil, tobacco, flour, cotton, pot and pearl ashes, rice, hemp, &c. I have only presented for consideration the important articles; the minor articles bear also their discriminating duties, to the disadvantage of our navigation.

Mr. President, it will be seen by the report just read, that France did, in the third year of the French Republic, lay an extra duty of near twenty-three dollars per hhd. of 1200 wt. on tobacco imported in American bottoms. It is also shown that Sweden, Denmark, Holland, and Spain have their discriminating duties.

We are now at peace with the European nations. It is our interest that there should be no cause of future misunderstanding with them. If we continue our discriminating duties, and they continue their countervailing duties, the result must be, that our ships will be rendered useless. We cannot carry on equal terms, and of course will not be employed. To prevent the destruction of our navigation, Congress would be compelled to add to the discriminating duties, which would be met by foreign nations with new countervailing duties, and thus a commercial warfare would commence. Is it not, therefore, better, Mr. President, for us to agree to meet the nations of Europe on equal terms-the ships of each to be

of the 16th of April, 1814, entitled "An act confirming certain claims to land in the Illinois Territory, and providing for their location," together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee; and the amendments having been agreed to, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly.

On the question, Shall the amendments be engrossed and the bill read a third time? it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. DANA, from the committee appointed to consider the subject, reported a bill to establish a system of navigation for the United States; and the bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Mr. KING, from the committee to whom was recommitted the bill to continue in force for a limited time the act, entitled "An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes," reported it without amendment.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Joshua Sands;" and, no amendment having been proposed thereto, it passed to the third reading.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill for the relief of Arthur Tappan and John Frothingham; and on motion, by Mr. BIBB, the further consideration thereof was postponed to Monday next.

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