movement upon this bill, on tariff ground. He went with the gentle. men of the south, in their objections to the present tariff, which he deemed a bad one; but it had nothing to do with this question. This will relieve Georgia and Florida from an oppressive tax. He wished to defer every question concerning the tariff, until the next session, when he hoped the present tariff would be revised, and so corrected, as to prevent any further applications for tariffs, for twenty years to come. Mr. Mallary said that, although in favour of the tariff, he thought he could give a vote, consistently, in favour of this bill, the main object of which is to relieve the navigating interest by the way of regulation. He was for protecting ship building in the United States. As to the tariff, which is to be brought into every discussion, it is a settled question. No administra. tion, be it composed of what men it may, dare disturb it. Mr. Sprague moved the previous question-Ayes 71, noes 50. The house, then ordered the question to be now put-ayes 98, nays 74; and the bill was passed, ayes 101, nays 75, and sent to the senate, for concurrence. In that body, the following proceeding took place. On the second of March, the last day, when, by the rules of that body, any bill could be discussed, Mr. Woodbury moved, that the bill to repeal the duties on tonnage, be taken up. As the bill had passed the other house, and had been reported by the committee without amendment, he felt it to be his duty to move its consideration.No further time would be occupied by it, than the reading of the report. Mr. Tazewell said, if the bill was to be taken up, without any other reason than that which had been given; every gentleman would move the consideration of the bill in which he felt most interest, without reference to the orders. This be. ing the case, he would mention that there was a bill, and a very long bill, more interesting to the public, than any other. He meant the bill, for taking the next census. That bill had no friend, because every one had an equal interest in it.Another thing he would say: if the tonnage bill was taken up, no other business would be done this session. If the gentleman from New-Hampshire would not discuss it, those who were opposed to it, would. He threw out some suggestions in re gard to the question which the bill presented, and which would create much discussion. Mr. Woodbury replied, and supported the motion. He did not apprehend a long discussion of the bill. The Cumberland road bill, was passed here, in half an hour, although in the house, it had been discussed for weeks. He admitted that the census bill was highly important; and it could not, he said, be reached, unless it was taken up out of its order. There were many interesting bills on the orders which, like the tonnage bill, must be taken up, out of their order, if taken up at all. Mr. Hayne spoke against the motion. If the tonnage bill were forced up out of its order, no other, business would be transacted tonight. Mr. Smith, of South-Carolina, spoke against the motion. By the rules of the house, he had a right to speak as long as he pleased, on any question, and he pledged him. self that he would, as long as his physical powers held out, speak in opposition to the bill, if it should be taken up. Mr. Smith proceeded to comment on the present laws, relative to the navigation of the country, the tariff, &c. He would agree to postpone the orders, for the purpose of considering the census bill, but no other. The question being taken, it was decided in the negative; ayes 16, nays 23, and the bill was lost. On the last day of the session, the President transmitted the following message to congress. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America. Washington, 3d March, 1829, I transmit herewith, to congress, a copy of the instructions prepared by the secretary of state, and furnished to the minister of the United States appointed to attend at the assembly of American plenipotentiaries, first held at Panama, and thence transferred to Tacubaya. The occasion for which they were given, has passed away, and there is no present probability of the renewal of those negotiations; but the purpose for which they were intended, are still of the deepest interest to our country, and to the world, and may hereafter call again for the active energies of the government of the United States.The motive for withholding them from general publication having ceased, justice to the government from which they emanated, and to the people for whose benefit it was instituted, require that they should be made known. With this view, and from the consideration that the subjects embraced by those instructions, must probably engage here. after, the consideration of our suc. cessors, I deem it proper, to make this communication to both houses of congress. One copy only of the instructions being prepared, I send it to the senate, requesting that it may be transmitted also to the house of representatives. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. Mr. Tazewell said, before a word more of these papers was read, he moved that they be referred to the committee of foreign relations: agreed to. Mr. Chambers moved that they be printed for the use of the senate. After an animated discussion, in which the merits of the mission were freely canvassed, the motion to print was negatived-ayes 18, nays 24; and then on motion of Mr. Tazewell, the message, and the accompanying documents were transferred to the executive or secret journal of the senate, by a vote of 25 ayes, 16 nays. This attempt to suppress this document, did not prove successful. Public opinion called for its publication; and af ter keeping on the secret journal, for a fortnight, the senate, on the 17th of March, by a vote of 22 to 10, permitted it to be published. It will be found in the second part of this volume. The twentieth congress had terminated its session on the third of March; but the senate had been convened by Mr. Adams, with the view of enabling his successor to fill, without delay, the vacancies caused by the resignation of the members of his cabinet, and such others, as he might think it expedi. ent to make, by removing the incumbents. The proceedings of the next administration, fall more naturally within the limits of the next volume; and for that, we shall reserve its history. CHAPTER VI. Treasury Report for 1827.-State of Finances-Report of Finance Com mittee-Expenses of Congress-Pensions-Appropriations for 1828Expenses of Government-Naval service-Discussion on bill—Hospital fund-Slave trade-Fortifications-Light-houses, &c.-Internal improvement-Discussion on do-Military service-Indian department -Public buildings-Treasury report for 1828-State of finances-Appropriations for 1829-Congress-Executive government-Pensions-Naval service-Fortifications-Light-houses, &c.-Internal improvement--Military service-Indian department—Public buildings. PURSUANT to the act of May 10th, 1800, the secretary of the treasury, (Mr. Rush,) on the 8th of December, 1827, transmitted to congress his annual report on the state of the public finances. This report showed a balance in the treasury, on the first of January, 1827, of $6,358,686, being $1,157,036 more than the balance of the preceding year, though fall. ing $66,852 short of the balance estimated in the last annual report. The actual receipts into the treasury, during the first three quar. ters of the year 1827, were esti. mated at Viz. customs, Public lands, Dividends from the U. S. Bank, $17,488,810 Arrears of internal du ties, direct taxes, and to incidental receipts, Total receipts, 681,561 32,345 5,117,480 22,606,290 17,895,390 and miscellaneous, 2,013,521 Military service, inclu 15,142,893 1,212,011 ding pensions, fortifi Naval service, build ing, &c. Leaving an excess of receipts 3,458,576 over the expenditures, of $2,352,874. The gross amount of duties accruing during the first three quarters for the year 1827, was estimated at $21,226,000; during the fourth quarter estimated at $5,774,000. The debentures for drawbacks issued during the first three quar ters, amounted to $3,381,942. The amount outstanding on the 30th of September, was $2,516,966. of which $1,245,057 were chargeable on the revenue of 1828. The total amount of the public debt, on the 1st of October, 1827, was $68,913,541 Consisting of the same stocks that are enumerated at page 131 of the Annual Register, for 1826-7; with the exception of the loan of 1818, redeemable in 1826. This item was reduced from the amount of $11,254,197 The receipts for the year 1828, were estimated at $22,300,000 : viz. Customs, $20,372,700 By the payment from the sinkPublic lands, 1,400,000 ing fund to the amount of 420,000 107,300 Bank dividends, Other sources, $4,244,587 A further payment was to be made during the year, which would reduce the debt, on the 1st of January, 1828, to $67,413,378. Of the debt, as it stood at the date of the report, $49,001,215 were owned in the United States, and $19,912,326 by foreigners. The Secretary, after furnishing |