北春 pensating the officers and crew of the Syren, whom he sage of the bill now pending for graduating the prices of stated shared in the gallant exploit of destroying the frigate public land. A petition from certain umbrella makers of Philadelphia, caused a desultory debate between Messrs. Philadelphia, praying that the duty on imported umbrels Hayne, Chambers, Harrison, Tazewell, &c; it was final- las may be increased. A memorial from sunday citily decided in the negative by yeas and nays-yeas 15-zens of Illinois, who were engaged in the expedition connays 30. A motion of Mr. Hayne to fill the blanks in the ducted in 1778 and 1779, under col. Rogers Clark, on bill with certain specified sums was then agreed to, as the northern frontier, praying compensation in land ur also a proviso to the bill for the more effectual distribu- money. tion of the several sums awarded to the claimants, when the senate adjourned. February 8. The vice president communicated a let‐ ter from the secretary of war, transmitting a statement of the appropriations for the service of the year 1827, showing the amount appropriated under each specific head, the amount expended under each, and the balance remaining unexpended in the treasury on the 31st December last. The vice president also communicated a letter from the secretary of war, transmitting an abstract of the several annual returns of the militia of the United States, and of the arms, accoutrements and ammunition, by states and territories, prepared from the latest returns received at the department, which was ordered to be printed. The vice president also communicated a letter from the secretary of war, transmitting an abstract of all licences granted by the superintendants and agents of Indian affairs, to trade with the Indians, &c. The resolution submitted by Mr. Berrien on Friday last was taken up and agreed to. The bill for the relief of gen Thomas Flournoy, was taken up, read a third time, and passed. The engrossed bill for the relief of Susan Decatur was taken up, and, after some explanation by Mr. Hayne, passed and sent to the house for concurrence. On motion of Mr. Ridgely, the report of the committee, to whom was referred a resolution authorizing a revisal of the rule of the senate, was taken up. Mr. Tazewell made some inquiries of Mr. Ridgely whether the committee had examined the sixth and seventh rule, and the circumstances of a decision, made two years since by the president of the senate; to which inquiries Mr. R. replied that those rules had been considered, and no alteration in them thought necessary. This was the opinion of all the members of the committee, but one. Mr. Kane also made some remarks. Mr. Foot said that he was the member of the commit tee who dissented from the rest, and in the committee he After the transaction of other business, unnecessary to had proposed an amendment to the 6th rule, which not notice at present, the bill for the relief of Abraham Og-being adopted, he would now offer it to the senate: after den and others, was taken up. Mr. Woodbury explain- the words "called to order," insert, "by the president, ed the grounds of the bill; after considerable discus- or a senator, he shall sit down; and every question of sion the blank was filled with $1,000, and the question be-order shall be decided by the president, without debate, ing taken on the passage of the bill, it was decided by yeas and nays-yeas 21,-nays 22-so the bill was reJected. The bill to compensate Susan Decatur, widow of com. Decatur, and others, was taken up, and, after some explanation by Mr. Chambers as to the individual whose claim and paper he pres nted yesterday, ordered to be engrossed for a third reading by yeas and nays, as tollows; YEAS-Messrs. Barnard, Barton, Benton, Berrien, Bouligny, Chambers, Chase, Dickerson, Ellis, Foot, Harrison, Hayne, Hendricks, Johnson, Ky., Johnston, La., Kane, King, McKinley, McLane, Parris, Ridgley, Robbins, Rowan, Silsbee, Smith, Md., Smith, S. C., Tazewell, Tyler, Van Buren, White, Willey, Woodbury-32. YAYS.-Messrs. Bateman, Bell, Branch, Chandler, Cobb, Eaton, Knight, Macon, Noble, Ruggles, Seymour, Thotas, Willams.-13. Mr. Rowan offered the following resolution, which lies on the table one day. subject to an appeal to the senate; but the president may call for the sense of the senate on any question of order." On this amendment a long debate took place, in which Messrs. Ruggles, Macon, Foot, King, Dickerson, Van Buren, Benton, Chambers, Smith, of Md. M'Lane, Smith, of South Carolina, M'Kinley Tazewell, and Hayne, participated. Mr. Eaton then rose and said, that he was convinced, from the course the debate had taken, the subject would not be decided this day, and having a proposition to make which could not be made after this day, he hoped the senate would concur in a motion to lay the report on fire table. This motion was then put and carried. Adjourned. February 12. Nearly the whole of to-day's session was day-being the report of the committee appointed to reoccupied in discussing the unfinished business of yestervise the rules of the senate, which was taken up, and the Foot being under consideration. The speakers were amendment to the 7th rule, proposed yesterday by Mr. Messrs. Barton, Bell, Rowan, Van Buren and Cham bers. Resolved, That the committee on military affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of compensating col. Jonathan Taylor, for his services in mustering decision of the vice president on a former occasion, the Allusion having been made by Mr. Chambers to the into and out of service the detachments of Kentucky vice president made an explanation of his views of the militia, called into service by the governor of that state for the suppression of the supposed conspiracy of Aaron power placed in his hands, and the grounds upon which Burr, and for settling with, and paying off, the said de- that former decision had been made; declaring that the Catchments of militia, and to report by bill or otherwise.peared to be ministerial only, and not judicial: therefore, prerogatives of the presiding officer of the senate apThe following resolution was offered by Mr. Berrien: Resolved, That the president of the United States be requested to communicate to the senate copies of the instructions of the government of the United States to A. Elliott, esq. commissioner on the part of this government, for running the line between the United States and Spain, under the treaty of San Lorenzo et Riel, and of any journal or report made by the said Andrew Elfiot, and thre commissioner of Spain, of the execution of the sail commission, or such parts thereof as may be communicated without injury to the public service. The bill for the relief of gen. Thomas Flournoy was considered, and ordered to a third reading. not extending to calling members to order during debate. Mr. Berrien then, at a late hour, accompanied an amendment of the amendment of Mr. Foot, by a few remarks. Mr. B's proposition contemplated such a change in the 6th rule, as to make the power of the president to extend to all other calls to order, with the exception of that for words spoken in debate, for which a member should only be called to order by a senator, the president to decide whether the speaker was in order or not, his decision being subject to an appeal to the senate. After considerable explanation between Messrs. Berrien and Foot, the question was taken on the amendment offered by the former, (the ayes and noes having been called by Mr. Chambers), and it was rejected. Ayes, 20-Noes, 24. The senate then adjourned till Monday. February 11. The following were among the petitions presented this day. From certain inhabitants of Massa- The question then recurring on the amendment to the chusetts and Maine for a breakwater at the mouth of the 6th and 7th rules, proposed by Mr. Foot, the yeas and Delaware bay; a resolution from the legislature of Penn-nays were called by Mr. Chase. sylvania on the same subject was presented by Mr. Mr. Rowan moved a division of the amendment and Marks. A petition from Missouri praying for the pas- that the question on striking out be first taken. Mr. Cobb, suggested that the gentleman's object would be attained by moving to amend the amendment, by striking out a certain portion of it. Resolved, That the committee on the post office and post roads, be instructed to inquire in the expediency of appropriating the surplus revenue, arising from the post office department, exclusively to the improvement of important post roads; the money to be expended for work done Before the division proposed by Mr. Rowan took place, Mr. Johnston, of Lou, moved an adjournment, which being put, the vote stood 20 to 20; the vice presi-under the direction of the postmaster general. dent voted in the affirmative, and the senate adjourned. February 13. Several memorials and petitions were presented this day and referred. On motion of Mr. Rowan, the senate went into consideration of the bill to regulate processes in the courts of the United States, admitted into the union since the 29th September, 1789. This bill establishes the modes of proceeding in suits in the courts of the United States, in those states admitted into the union since the year 1789-in those of common law the same as in the supreme court of the same state; in proceedings of equity, according to the principles, rules, and usages of the courts of equity of the said states; and in those of admiralty and maritime jurisdie tion, according to the rules and usages of courts of admirality, as contra-distinguished from courts of common law, except so far as may have been otherwise provided for by acts of congress, and subject to such alterations and additions as the court of the U. States may think expedient, or to such regulations as the supreme court of the United States shall from time to time prescribe. Mr. Stower presented the resolutions adopted by the legislature of New York, as to the expediency of affording which were committed to the committee on manufactures. further protection to the growers of wool, hemp, flax, &c. The secretary of the treasury, in obedience to a resolution of the house adopted on the 11th May, 1826, presented a report on the growth and manufacture of silk, which was read and referred to the committee on agriculture. [We will give this report a place as soon as convenient.] A message, received yesterday, from the president of the United States, was laid before the house by the States and Sweden. speaker, communicating the treaty between the United The joint resolution authorizing the speaker of the house of representatives to frank letters and packages, was read the third time, and passed, and sent to the senate for their decision thereon. The engrossed bill for the relief Marigny D'Auterięvė, came up for its third reading, and the question being Shall the bill pass? The amendment of Mr. Rowan, to strike out all the bill after the enacting clause, and insert a first section similar to the first portion of the original bill, and a second section in the following words: "That so much of any act of congress as authorizes the courts of the Uni-length, in opposition to the bill. Mr. Livingston moved that the question be taken by yeas and nays, and they were ordered by the house. Mr. Miner then rose, and addressed the house at He was followed by Mr. Barnard, who opposed that ted States, or the supreme court thereof, at their discre-feature of the bill which allows the claimaut compensa tion, to add or modify any of the rules, forms, modes, tion for the deterioration in the value of his slave, from and usages, aforesaid, of the forms of writs of execution, the wounds which he had received while working at the and other process, except their style, shall be, and the intrenchments. same is hereby repealed." On this amendment, a debate arose, which continued until a late hour, in which Messrs. M'Kinley, Sanford, Tazewell, Johnson, of Kentucky, Berrien, Van Buren, Kane, M'Lane and Rowan, participated. him, and advocated the bill. Mr. Barnard had done, and referred to the decisions Mr. Taylor opposed the same feature in the bill which had at the first congress in 1790. He concluded by movThe yeas and nays having been taken, the original billing a recommitment of the bill to the committee of claims, was stricken out-yeas 22, nays 21. The vote was then with a view to the omission of this part of it. taken on the first section moved by Mr. Rowan, and passed-ayes 28-nays 16—the yeas and nays were then taken of the second section of the bill offered by Mr Rowan, and rejected-ayes 18-nays 26; Mr. White moved to amend the bill, by striking out the words "supreme court"-and inserting in their stead, "the highest court of original general jurisdiction," which motion was agreed to, and the bill ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. Adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, Feb. 7. Thirty-five resolutions, principally on the subject of pensions and post roads, were received this day and referred; we give place to the following of a general interest. On motion of Mr. Little, it was Resolved, That the committee on military pensions, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of directing the secretary of war to pay to the invalids of the late war, now receiving pensions, and whose pensions were at any time reduced or stopped, and subsequently restored, the amount of such reduction or stoppage. On motion of Mr. Bunner, it was Resolved, That the committee on commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of framing a systein of revenue and navigation laws, solely applicable to the navigation of our frontier lake waters. On motion of Mr. Barney, it was Resolved, That the committee on roads and canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the postmaster general to construct the necessary bridges, and make such repairs on the road between Philadelphia and Baltimore, out of the surplus revenues of the post office departinent, as will effectually facilitate the transportation of the mail between those cities. On motion of Mr. Lawrence, it was The speaker decided that this allowance having been inserted by the house as an amendment, it could not be stricken out; but that the general recommitment would be in order. ground that the testimony furnished did not prove that Mr. Bates, of Massachusetts, opposed the bill on the the slave had been impressed. Mr. Oakley supported the views which had been given by Mr. Bates. He was answered by Mr. Drayton and Mr. Livingston, who commented on the testimony, and insisted that it contained full proof of the impressment. Mr. Mc Duffie said a few words in support of the bill, contending that, even if the slave had been taken on agreement, no price had been stipulated, and it was for congress to fix the compensation. Mr. Williams referred to the former decisions of the house, who had twice deliberately rejected amendments proposing to make compensation for slaves lost or injured in the public service. The question was then put on the recommitment of the bill to the committee of clairns, and decided in the affirmative-ayes 82, noes 79. So the bill was recommitted; and then the house adjourned. The following gentlemen comprise the select committee, appointed on the subject of retrenchment. Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Ingham, Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Rives, Mr. Everett, Mr. Wickliffe, and Mr. Wright, of New York, have been appointed the committee. Friday, Feb. 8. Mr. McDuffie, from the committee on ways and means, reported a bill to authorize the post master general to erect an additional building, and employ five additional clerks; which was twice read, and com mitted. Mr. McDuffie, from the same committee, also reportResolved, The the committee on the post office and posted a bill to authorize the president of the United States to roads, he instructed to inquire into the propriety of pro- employ an agent to procure from the plantation office Pribiting the conveyance of the mail on the Sabbath day. and other offers, in England, copies of such documents as will serve to illustrate the early history of the states of this union; which was twice read, and committed. legislature, representing the feelings and will of the pesple, and the sovereignty of the state of Georgia, in the Mr. McDuffie, from the same committee, also re- name and in behalf of the state of Georgia, denying the ported the agreement of that committee to the amend-right, solemnly protest against the exercise, or any attempt ments of the senate to the bill making appropriations for to exercise, such unconstitutional power by the congress the support of government for the year 1828. These of the United States. amendments were then committed to the committee of And be it further resolved, That copies of the above the whole on the state of the union. report and resolution be forwarded to our senators and representatives in the congress of the United States, and that our senators be instructed, and our representatives be requested, whenever circumstances may render the same necessary, to present the said resolution to both houses of cougress, as the protest of the state of Georgia, against the right of congress, constitutionally, to appropriate moneys in aid of the American Colonization SocieY. Mr. Mc Duffie, also, reported the non-agreement of the committee to the amendment of the senate to the bill making appropriations for the payment of pensions. This amendment was then, also, committed to the committee of the whole on the state of the union.. The following resolution, moved by Mr. Sloane, yesterday, was taken up and read: "Resolved, That the secretary of war be instructed to furnish this house with copies of all letters and corresAnd be it further resolved, That a copy of the above pondence between the secretary of war and general An-report and resolutions be forwarded to the governor of drew Jackson, from the commencement of the Creek war each slave holding state of the union, with a request that until the 1st March, 1815, on the subject of the draft, the same shall be laid before the respective legislatures, service and discharge of the several corps of Tennessee asking their concurrence in such constitutional mode as to them shall seem best, to prevent the exercise of such power by the congress of the United States." militia." Mr. Sloane, referring to a statement made yestesday by Mr. Hamilton, chairman of the committee on military affairs, that that committee would shortly report on the communication from the war department, (in relation to the six militia men), said, that he wished the correspondence referred to in the resolution might go to that committee, and be considered, with the others before the report was made. Mr. Wickliffe called for the reading of the former resolution, calling for documents on this subject, and it was read accordingly. Mr. Hamilton called for the reading of Mr. Sloane's resolution; and it having been aga'n read, It was agreed to by the house, nem, con. The following resolution, moved by Mr. Cambreleng yesterday, was taken up and read: The report and resolutions were referred to the select committee, appointed some days ago, on various memorials in favor of the Colonization Society. The speaker laid before the house a communication from the secretary of war, transmitting a report and plan of the survey of Cape Fear river, below the town of Wilmington; which was read, and referred to the committee On commerce. The speaker also laid before the house a communication from the secretary of war, transmitting an abstract of the annual returns of the militia; which was read, and referred to the committee on the subject of the militia. (See page 401) Mr. Wright, of New York, who had been appointed one of the committee on the subject of retrenchment, was "Resolved, That the secretary of the treasury be di-excused from serving on said committee; and it was orrected to furnish this house with a statement of the nett revenue collected annually, from the year 1790 to 1826, inclusive, on each of the following articles, viz: hammer ed and rolled bar iron, wool, hemp, flax, sail cloth, molasses, foreign distilled spirits, cotton manufactures, and woollen manufactures, and of the revenue which occur-propriations for the support of government for 1828, and red on each of the said articles during the year 1827." Mr. Strong moved to amend, by adding as follows: "Together with the quantity and value of the respecfive articles imported in each year, and the rates of duty thereon." This was accepted by Mr. Cambreleng as a modifica tion, and the resolution was agreed to as modified. On motion of Mr. Wright, of Ohio, it was Resolved, That the committee appointed to revise the rules of the house, be instructed to inquire into the propriety of establishing a standing committee, to consist of seven members, to be called the committee on retrenchments, who shall be charged with the investigation of the manner of discharging the public business, in the different public offices, and to report any measures they may deem expedient to facilitate the public business, and to secure its economical performance. [On this resolution there was a division-the ayes being 80, noes not counted; question being evidently with the affirmative side.] On motion of Mr. Cambreleng, it was Resolved, That the committee on naval affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of continuing, for a further term of five years, pensions to the widows and, children of officers, seamen, and marines, who were killed in battle, or who died in the naval service of the United States, during the late war. dered that another member be appointed in his place. The amendments to the first mentioned bill were agreed to by the committee, and that to the last mentioned bill was disagreed to, and so reported to the house. The report of the committee of the whole was then concurred in by the house. And so the general appropriation bill has passed both houses of congress. After the transaction of other business, the house adjourned to Monday. Monday, Feb. 11. Mr. Hamilton, from the committee of military affairs, to which was referred the documents communicated by the secretary of war, in obedience to the order of the house, of the 16th ult. relative to the proceedings of a court martial which convened its sittings at or near Mobile, on the 5th of December, 1814, for the trial of certain Tennessee militiamen; together with the correspondence between the governor of that state, and the secretary of war, respecting the length of service of militia drafts of that state, during the late war, made a report, which was read, and laid on the table. Mr. Wickliffe, from the committee on the judiciary, to which was referred the bill from the senate, entitled, "An act to abolish imprisonment for debt," reported the same with an amendment, going to strike out the whole bill, after the enacting words, and to insert a substitute, The bill and amendment were then committed. Mr. Gilmer laid before the house a copy of a report of a joint committee of the general assembly of the Mr. Van Rensselaer, from the committee on agriculstate of Georgia, "on the right and propriety of the con- ture, to which was referred the letter of the secretary of gress of the United States to appropriate money from the treasury, accompanied by a manual and report upon the public treasury of the union, in aid of the colouiza- the subject of the growth and manufacture of silk, made tion society: which report recommends to the general assembly of Georgia to adopt the following resolutions: "Resolved, &c. That the congress of the United States have no constitutional power to appropriate moneys to aid the American Colonization Society, or for objects to effect which that society was established; and that this in obedience to the resolution of the house of representatives, or the 11th May, 1825, made a report, which was read, and the resolution therein submitted was agreed to by the house, viz: Resolved, That six thousand copies of said manual and report be printed for the use of the house. Mr. Hamilton, (chairman of the military committee), | Charles A. Wickliffe, Richard H. Wilde, Epharaim K. moved the following resolution, viz: Wilson, John J. Wood, George Wolf, Silas Wright, jr. Resolved, That the report of the committee on milita- Joel Yancey-108. ry affairs, made to this house on certain documents communicated by the department of war, touching the pro-liam Armstrong, John Bailey, John Baldwin, Noyes ceedings of a court martial which convened at Mobile on the 5th December, 1814, and a correspondence between the secretary of war and governor Blount respecting certain drafts of the militia of the state of Tennessee, be printed, with said documents, which have been previously ordered to be printed by this house. Mr. Storrs moved to amend this resolution by striking out these words: "with said documents, which have been previously ordered to be printed by this house." And on this amendment a debate arose, which occupied the house till near 7 o'clock, when it was finally terminated by the previous question. NAYS. Samuel S. Allen, Samuel Anderson, Wil- The turning points of the debate were, whether the report of the secretary of war, and documents should accompany the report, or should be printed separately from it, (as ordered to be printed), when first laid before the house: whether they should be printed in the order in which they had come from the war department, or in a different order, as arranged by the committee; or whether they should not be printed twice, first in the one order, as forming part of an executive communication, and then in the other order, as pertaining to the re-lution underwent an alteration, by substituting, for the port of the committee on military affairs. The debate was characterised by a good deal of animation, though necessarily limited in its scope. Several attempts were made to lay the motion of Mr. Hamilton on the table, (the effect of which would have been, it was supposed, to have the documents printed as received from the war department), but all motions to this effect were negatived. A motion was made by Mr. Beecher to postpone the consideration of the motion before the house, to Monday next-but equally in vain. The yeas being 71, the nays 110. A motion to adjourn was rejected by a still larger majority-yeas 36, nays 155. [At some period during the proceedings, Mr. H's resowords moved to be stricken out by Mr. Storrs, these words: "And that the documents heretofore ordered to be printed, shall, when printed, be appended to said report, in the order in which they have been arranged by the committee."] So the documents from the war department were ordered to be appended to the report thereon from the committee of military affairs, and printed in the order designated by the committee. Those gentlemen who engaged in the debate were Messrs. Hamilton, Polk, Weems, Ingham, Floyd, Haynes, Stevenson, of Pennsylvania, Storrs, Dorsey, Burges, Whittlesey, Whipple, Bartlett, Woodcock, Tay The amendment of Mr. Storrs was then negatived-or, Wright, Woods, Sprague, Sloan, Marvin, Brown, yeas 82, nays 107. When, after some further debate, Mr. Wickliffe, of Ken. moved the previous question. The house sustained the motion-ayes 99, noes 71. And the question being put, "Shall the main question now be put?" (which excludes all amendments and all further debate), it was carried by yeas and nays-yeas 105, nays 75. The question was then put upon the resolution of Mr. Hamilton, and it was adopted by yeas and nays as fol lows: | Beecher, Reed, Dorsey and Drayton.] ed. After the decision of this question, the house adjourn Tuesday, Feb. 12. Mr. Floyd of Virginia, moved the following resolution; which was read and laid on the table until to-morrow, viz: Resolved, &c. That the president of the senate, and speaker of the house of representatives, be authorized to close this session, by adjournment of their respective houses, on the 8th day of April next. Mr. Mallary submitted some amendments to the bill in alteration of the several acts imposing duties on imports; which were committed to the committee of the whole house on the state of the union, to which that billis committed. On motion of Mr. McDuffie, the house went into com mittee of the whole on the state of the union, Mr. Condict in the chair, and took up the bill making appropriations for the naval service for the year 1828. The bill was read through and then taken up by sections; and the clause of appropriation for the pay and subsistence being under consideration, some debate arose, which continued to the usual hour of adjournment, when the committee rose reported and obtained leave to sit again and the house adjourned. YEAS.-William Addams, Mark Alexander, Robert facture, which was committed to the committee of the whole house. Several committees made reports on the subjects referred to them, and some minor business was transacted, when Mr. Stevenson, of Pennsylvania, rose, and said, as the minutes of evidence taken before the committee was now printed, and on the tables of the house, he gave notice that, on Tuesday next, a motion would be made that the house resolve itself into a committee of the whole on the state of the union, with a view to consider the bill reported by the committee on manufactures, entitled "A bill in alteration of the several acts imposing duties on imports." On motion of Mr. Strong the house went into committee of the whole on the state of the union, Mr. Condict in the chair, on the bill establishing the terrritory of Huron, but there being a general desire to take up the navy appropriation bill, it was accordingly considered, on motion of Mr. McDuffie. Much conversation and debate occurred on several items of this bill, and various amendments were offered and adopted. An amendment offered by Mr. Hoffman to fill the blank in the section which provides for the pay and subsistence of officers, with $1,100,081 75, instead of $1,176,312, which had been proposed by the committee of ways and means, in conformity with the estimates from the navy department, caused a debate which lasted until four o'clock. Mr. Hoffman advocated the amendment at length, being opposed to the increase of officers proposed by the secretary of the navy. Extract of a letter from Mr. Adams to Mr. Rush, dated department of state, Washington 23d June, 1823. "With regard to the right of that portion of our people to navigate the river St. Lawrence, to and from the ocean, The motion was opposed by Messrs. Sprague, Gil- it has never yet been discussed between us and the Brimer, Ingersoll, Wood, of New York, Bartlett, Drayton tish government. I have little doubt that it may be and Weems, and again advocated by Mr. Hoffman, in a established upon the sound and general principles of closing speech, in which he replied to the several gentle-the law of nature; and if it has not been distinctly and men who had opposed the motion. explicitily asserted in negotiation with the British govThe question being then put first upon the larger sum ernment, hitherto, it is because the benefits of it have moved by the committee of ways and means, it was car-been, as the committee remark, tacitly conceded, or ried in the affirmative-Ayes 104. Noes 53. because the interest, now become so great, and daily acquiring additional moment, has, it may almost be said, orignated since the acknowledgment of our independence by the treaty of 1783. The committee then rose and reported the bill; but, before any order was taken thereon, the house adjourned. THURSDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The senate was chiefly occupied in considering the report of the select committee on the rules of the senate, the amendment to the sixth rule, proposed by Mr. Foot, being under consideration, which was finally agreed to after a spirited debate-ayes 44, nays Messrs. Smith, of Md. and Macon. The vice president then rose, and said, that he took this opportunity to express his entire satisfaction with that portion of the amendment giving to senators the right of appeal from the decision of the chair, as it was not only according to strict principle, but would relieve the chair from a most delicate duty. As to the power conferred upon the chair, it was not for him to speak; but he assured the senate that he should always endeavor to exercise it with strict impartiality. "The memorial from the committee of the inhabitants of Franklin county, New York, is perfectly correct, when it asserts this right upon the principles asserted at the period when our right to the navigation of the Mississippi was in question; and so far as the right, by the lar nature, was maintained on the part of the United States, in that case, so far is the government of the United States bound to maintain, for the people of the territory of Michigan, and the states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont, the natural right of communicating with the ocean, by the only outlet, provided by nature, from the waters bordering upon their shores. Mr. Foot then moved to amend the 7th rule by insert-the right of obstructing or interdicting the navigation of ing, after the words "called to order," the words "by a senator," making it requisite to write down the offending words uttered by a member, only when a senator should have called him to order; which was agreed to. The house, in committee of the whole, took up the bill making appropriations for internal improvements, in which it was engaged until near four o'clock, when the committee rose, reported progress, and the house adjourned. NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. "We know that the possession of both the shores of a river, at its mouth, has heretofore been held to give it to the people of other nations, inhabiting the banks of the river, above the boundary of that in possession of its mouth. But the exclusive right of jurisdiction over a river, originates in the social compact, and is a right of sovereignty. The right of navigating the river is a right of nature, preceding it in point of time, and which the sovereign right of one nation cannot annihilate, as belonging to the people of another. "This principle has been substantially recognized by all the parties to the European alliance, and particularly by Great Britian at the negotiation of the Vienna conMessage from the president of the United States, trans-gress treaties. It is recognized by the stipulations of mitting a report from the secretary of state, and those treaties, which declare the navigation of the Rhine, the correspondence with the government of Great Bri-the Necker, the Mayne, the Mozelle, the Maese, and the tain, relative to the free navigation of the river St.Scheldt, free to all nations. The object of those stipu Lawrence. WASHINGTON, 7th January, 1828. lations, undoubtedly, was, to make the navigation of those rivers effectively free to all the people dwelling upon their banks, and to abolish all those unnatu To the house of representatives of the United States. In compliance with a resolution of the house of repre-ral and unjust restrictions, by which the people of the sentatives, of the 17th of last month, I transmit to the house a report from the secretary of state, and the correspondence with the government of Great Britian, relative to the free navigation of the river St. Lawrence, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. interior of Germany had, before that time, been deprithat right of sovereignty which imputed an exclusive ved of their natural outlet to the sea by the abuse of jurisdiction and property over a river to the state possessing both shores at its mouth. There is no principal of national law upon which those articles of the Vienna congress treaties could be founded, which will not apply to sustain the right of the people of this union to navigate the St. Lawrence river to the ocean. The secretary of state, to whom has been referred a resolution of the house of representatives, of the 17th. ult. requesting the president of the United States to communicate to that house, "if not in his opinion, incompa- "These ideas are suggested to you, to be used, first, tible with the public interest, the correspondence of this in conference with the British minister of foreign affairs, government with that of Great Britian, relative to the and, afterwards, if necessary, in correspondence with him. free navigation of the river St. Lawrence," has the honor The manner and the time of presenting them, will be to submit to the president the accompanying papers, be- best judged by your discretion. By the two acts of paring extracts and copies of letters and documents, con-liament, of 3d Geo. 4. chs. 44 and 119, the navigation nected with that subject and explanatory of the same. II. CLAY. Department of state, of the St. Lawrence, from our territories to the ocean is, in fact, conceded to us. By the first, from the ocean to Quebec; and, by the second, from any part of our territories to the same port. But a discretionary power |