That it appears, by the letter from the Register of the Treasury, herewith transmitted, that the statement of all the claims adjusted and allowed, by virtue of the act, entitled "An act providing for the settlement of the claims of persons under particular circumstances, barred by the limitations heretofore established," cannot be completed before the day contemplated for the adjournment of Congress, but will be prepared so as to be laid before the Senate at the commencement of their next session. That the statement (A) herewith transmitted, exhibits the amount of the balances standing on the books of the Treasury against the United States, which are barred by the statutes of limitation, and arranged under the following heads, viz: Loan Office certificates Indents for interest on the public debt Final settlement certificates Commissioners' certificates Army commissioners' do. $90,811 36 64,590 98 23,873 24 4,304 83 46,468 97 28,674 30 17,132 11 16,635 46 292,491 25 That so far as relates to the said balances, which result altogether from accounts actually settled at the Treasury, the statute of limitation can be repealed without subjecting the Government to imposition; but that considering the length of time which has elapsed since the claims have been barred, and the little value on that account affixed to them, the repeal of the statute, unless properly guarded in that respect, may not generally benefit the rightful claimants. And that with the exception of those balances, it is not believed that it would be safe to repeal the statute of limitation in relation to any other general description of claims; although there may be special cases in which, notwithstanding the lapse of time, the proper proofs and checks may still exist, so as to prevent any imposition on the public. All which is respectfully submitted. ALBERT GALLATIN. TUESDAY, May 1. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill supplemental to an act, entitled "An act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States;" and, on motion, the further consideration thereof was postponed until the first Monday in December next. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill, entitled "An act confirming the decisions of the commissioners in favor of the claimants of lands in the district of Kaskaskia;" and on motion, the bill was read the third time, by unanimous consent, and passed. The bill, entitled "An act authorizing a loan of money for a sum not exceeding the amount of the principal of the public debt reimbursable during the year 1810," was read the third time and passed. The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of John Minor, administrator of Reuben Minor," was read the third time. SENATE. The bill. entitled "An act for the relief of Margaret Lapsley, Grove Pomeroy, Arthur St. Clair, David Blackwell, Lucy Dixon, and John Murray," was read the third time. On motion, by Mr. CRAWFORD, that it be recommitted to a select committee, further to consider and report thereon, it was determined in the affirmative-yeas 15, nays 14, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Condit, Crawford, Franklin, Gaillard, Gregg, Hillhouse, Lambert, Leib, Mathewson, Pickering, Robinson, Smith of New York, Tait, Turner, and Whiteside. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bayard, Brent, Champlin, Giles, Gilman, Goodrich, Horsey, Lloyd, Meigs, Pope, Reed, Smith, of Maryland, and Sumter. Ordered, That Messrs. CRAWFORD, HILLHOUSE, and POPE, be the committee. The Senate adjourned to five o'clock this evening. Tuesday Evening, five o'clock. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act further to alter and amend 'An act providing for the third census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States;" in which bill they desire the concurrence of the Senate. They concur in some and disagree to other amendments of the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act concerning the commercial interBritain and France, and their dependencies, and course between the United States and Great for other purposes;" and they insist on their disagreement, and ask a conference on the subjectmatter thereof, and have appointed managers on their part. The Senate proceeded to consider the amendments disagreed to by the House of Representatives to the bill, entitled "An act concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes.' On motion, by Mr. CRAWFORD, that the Senate recede from their fourth amendment to the said bill, it was determined in the negative—yeas 11, nays 14, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Condit, Crawford, Franklin, Gregg, Lambert, Lloyd, Pope, Reed, Smith of New York, Tait, and Turner. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Gaillard, Giles, Gilman, Goodrich, Hillhouse, Horsey, Leib, Mathewson, Meigs, Pickering, Robinson, Smith of Maryland, and Whiteside. Resolved, That the Senate insist on their amendments disagreed to by the House of Representatives to the bill last mentioned; and that they agree to the conference proposed by the House of Representatives on the subject; and that Messrs. CRAWFORD, SMITH of Maryland, and ANDERSON, be managers at the same on the part of the Senate. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed the bill, entitled "An act to erect a light-house at the entrance of Scituate harbor; a stone column on a spit of sand at the entrance into Boston har bor; and a beacon on Beach Point, near Plymouth harbor, in the State of Massachusetts; a light at the entrance of Bayou St. John into lake Pontchartrain; and two lights on lake Erie ;" with amendments, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. The Senate proceeded to consider the amendments of the House of Representatives to the bill last mentioned, and concurred therein. The bill, entitled "An act further to amend 'An act providing for the third census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," was three times read by unanimous consent, and passed. Mr. HILLHOUSE, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Margaret Lapsley, Grove Pomeroy, Arthur St. Clair, David Blackwell, Lucy Dixon, and John Murray," reported it with amendments, which were read and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and, having been agreed to, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly, and the bill was read the third time as amended, by unanimous consent, and passed with amendments. MAY, 1810. on the bill, entitled "An act concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes," made report. Whereupon, Resolved, That the Senate recede from that part of their fourth amendment which consists of the fourth section of the bill as amended, and that they adhere to all their other amendments to the said bill. Mr. POPE, from the committee to whom was referred the bill entitled "An act for the relief of William W. Weymouth and Joseph P. Weeks," reported it without amendment; and the bill was read the third time by unanimous consent, and passed. The PRESIDENT communicated a letter from the Surveyor of the Public Buildings on the ap propriation necessary for the completion of the north wing of the Capitol, which was read. Messrs. CRAWFORD and LLOYD were appointed a committee on the part of the Senate, with such as the House of Representatives may join, to wait on the President of the United States and notify him that, unless he may have any further Mr. HILLHOUSE, from the same committee, fur-communications to make to the two Houses of ther reported as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary for the Department of the Treasury report to the Senate, at their next meeting, the necessary provisions for guarding the Treasury of the United States from fraud and imposition on the removal of the statute of limitations, in relation to the following claims mentioned in his report of the 28th of April, 1810, viz: Congress, they are ready to adjourn. Ordered, That the further consideration of the bill, entitled "An act for the relief of John Minor, administrator of Reuben Minor," be postponed until the first Monday in December next. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act making further appropriations for completing the Capitol, and for other purposes;" also, a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of P. C. L'Enfant;" in which bills they desire the concurrence of the Senate. The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of P. C. L'Enfant," was three times read by unanimous consent, and passed. Mr. CRAWFORD, from the joint committee, rethe United States, who informed them that he ported that they had waited on the President of had no further communication to make to the two Houses of Congress. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House Representatives that the Senate, having finished the business before them, are about to adjourn. of The Secretary having performed that duty, the President adjourned the Senate without day. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE ELEVENTH CONGRESS, BEGUN AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 27, 1809. MONDAY, November 27, 1809. This being the day appointed by law for the meeting of Congress, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, and took their seats, to wit: From New Hampshire-Daniel Blaisdell, and Nathaniel A. Haven. From Massachusetts-Ezekiel Bacon, Richard Cutts, William Ely, Barzillai Gannett, Josiah Quincy, Sam'l Taggart, Charles Turner, jr., Jabez Upham, Joseph B. Varnum, (the Speaker,) and Laban Wheaton. From Vermont-William Chamberlin, Martin Chittenden, Jonathan H. Hubbard, and Samuel Shaw. From Rhode Island-Richard Jackson. From Connecticut-Epaphroditus Champion, Sam'l W. Dana, John Davenport, Jonathan O. Moseley, Timothy Pitkin, jun., Lewis B. Sturges, and Benjamin Tallmadge. From New York-James Emott, Jonathan Fisk, Thomas R. Gold, Robert Le Roy Livingston, Peter B. Porter, Erastus Root, Ebenezer Sage, Thomas Sammons, John Thompson, Killian K. Van Rensselaer. From New Jersey-Adam Boyd, James Cox, William Helms, Jacob Hufty, Thomas Newbold, and Henry Southard. From Pennsylvania-William Anderson, David Bard, Robert Brown, William Crawford, Aaron Lyle, William Milnor, John Porter, John Rea, Matthias Richards, John Smilie, George Smith, Samuel Smith, and Robert Whitehill. From Maryland-Charles Goldsborough, John Montgomery, Nicholas R. Moore, Roger Nelson, and Archibald Van Horn. From Virginia-Burwell Bassett, James Breckenridge, John Clopton, John Dawson, John W. Eppes, Thomas Gholson, jun., Peterson Goodwyn, John G. Jackson, Joseph Lewis, jun., John Love, Thomas Newton, John T. Roane, John Smith, and James Stephen From Georgia-Howell Cobb, and George M. Troup. From Ohio-Jeremiah Morrow. From Kentucky-Joseph Desha, Benjamin Howard, Richard M. Johnson, and Samuel McKee. From Tennessee-Pleasant M. Miller, John Rhea, and Robert Weakley. From Mississippi Territory-George Poindexter. From Indiana Territory-Jonathan Jennings. From Orleans Territory-Julien Poydras. ADAM SEYBERT, returned to serve as a member of this House, for the State of Pennsylvania, in the room of Benjamin Say, resigned, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat. JONATHAN JENNINGS, returned to serve as a Delegate from the Territory of Indiana, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat. A quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, Mr. GOODWYN and Mr. Roor were appointed a committee on the part of the House, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make to them. On motion of Mr. NELSON, the Clerk was directed to procure newspapers from any number of offices that the members shall elect, provided the expense do not exceed the amount of three daily newspapers. On motion of Mr. NELSON, it was Resolved, That, unless otherwise ordered, the daily hour to which this House shall stand adjourned, during the present session, be eleven o'clock in the forenoon. TUESDAY, November 28. Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, JOHN C. CHAMBERLAIN and JAMES WILSON; from Rhode Island, ELISHA R. POTTER; from Pennsylvania, WILLIAM FINDLEY and DANIEL HEISTER; from Virginia, Matthew ClaY The SPEAKER also laid before the House a memorial of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Indiana Territory, stating that, by certain acts of Congress, the number of members composing the Legislature of that Territory was so deranged as to render it necessary to make a new apportionment of members of the said Legislative Council and House of Representatives, which has been done; and praying the sanction of Congress to the apportionment aforesaid. Referred to Mr. POINDEXTER, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. BRECKENRIDGE, Mr. WITHERSPOON, and Mr. JENNINGS, with leave to report by bill, or otherwise. NOVEMBER, 1809. Mr. Butler, Mr. R. Brown, Mr. Stanley, Mr. Gholson, and Mr. P. B. Porter. Committee of Commerce and Manufactures-Mr. W. Alston, Mr. Tallmadge, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Committee on the Public Lands-Mr. Morrow, Mr. Goodwyn, Mr. Ely, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Howard, Mr. Gold, and Mr. Cobb. Committee of Revisal and Unfinished BusinessMr. Southard, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. R. Jackson. Committee for the District of Columbia—Mr. Love, Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads-Mr. Committee of Accounts-Mr. Milnor, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Turner. WEDNESDAY, November 29. Several other members, to wit: from New York, JOHN NICHOLSON; from Maryland, JOHN BROWN; and from Virginia, WALTER JONES; appeared, and took their seats in the House. A Message, in writing, was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [For this Message see Senate proceedings of this date, ante page 478.] THURSDAY, November 30. The said Message, together with the documents Mr. TAYLOR presented a petition of Thomas accompanying the same, was committed to a Galphin, of the State of South Carolina, only sur-Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union; viving partner of the late firm of Galphin, Holmes, and five thousand copies thereof ordered to be and Co., traders with the Creek Indians, and exprinted for the use of the members. ecutor of the will of his father, praying that an act may be passed to compel certain persons, resident in the Creek nation of Indians, to pay the amount respectively owing by them to the estate of the father of the petitioner and to the firm aforesaid.-Referred to Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. DANA, Mr. SAMMONS, Mr. CRAWFORD, and Mr. CHAMBERLIN of Vermont, to examine and report their opinion thereupon to the House. Mr. GOODWYN from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, reported that the committee had performed the service assigned to them, and that the Pre sident signified that he would make a communication, in writing, to the two Houses of Congress, to-morrow at twelve o'clock. STANDING COMMITTEES. Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, WILLIAM HALE; from Massachusetts, GIDEON GARDNER and EZEKIEL WHITMAN; and from New York, VINCENT MATTHEWS; appeared, and took their seats in the House. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have resolved that two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress for the present session, one by each House, who shall interchange weekly. On motion of Mr. Roor, Resolved, That the Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads be instructed to report a bill au thorizing members of the Senate and House of Representatives to frank the President's Message and accompanying documents, transmitted to both Houses at the opening of the present session, not A motion was made, by Mr. SMILIE, that the House do proceed to the appointment of the stand-withstanding the same may weigh more than two ing committees, pursuant to the rules and orders of the House: Whereupon, the following standing committees were appointed viz: Committee of Elections-Mr. Findley, Mr. Clay, Mr. Sturges, Mr. Troup, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Van Rensselaer, and Mr. Gannett. Committee of Claims-Mr. Johnson, Mr. Pitkin, ounces avoirdupois: Provided, That each member so franking shall endorse on the wrapper, in substance, that the enclosure contains the said Message and documents, and them only, and subscribe his name to such endorsement. The SPEAKER, laid before the House the following letter, which was read. DECEMBER, 1809. President's Message-Navigation Laws. H. of R. the city aforesaid, on such conditions as may tend to the improvement and health of the city. To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: SIR: An occurrence having recently taken place between a member of the House of Representatives and Mr. MORROW presented a petition of sundry inmyself, produced by circumstances not at all connected habitants of the State of Ohio, stating that, in with his official duties or opinions, which from the time and place may be considered disrespectful to the consequence of the restrictions under which the House of Representatives, I take the liberty of tender-commerce of the United States at present labors, ing through you my most respectful declarations, that they are unable to complete their payments for I am the last who would wilfully manifest a deficiency lands purchased from the United States; and of that reverence which is due to the Representatives of praying such revision and amendment of the laws my country, or that sacred regard which is also due to providing for the sale of the public lands as is their privileges. therein expressed. Also, expressing their "unequivocal and entire approbation of the administration of the General Government."-Referred to the Committee on the Public Lands. To yourself, sir, personally, I tender the assurances of my very great resspect. I. A. COLES. NOVEMBER 29, 1809. [No order having been taken on it, the letter lies on the table of course.] PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. On motion of Mr. DAWSON, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. The President's Message having been read, Mr. SMILIE said that the common mode of proceeding, when in Committee of the Whole on the President's Message, was to refer the several subjects embraced in it to different committees. The Message was not yet printed and laid on the table. He had seen inconveniences arising from too hasty a reference of these subjects on former occasions; he remembered last winter, unfortunately, the subject of our foreign relations had been divided and committed to two separate committees, which had interfered with each other. Perhaps, if the House proceeded too hastily on this occasion, similar inconveniences might again occur. In order to give further time for consideration, he moved that the Committee now rise. This motion was agreed to without debate and without a division. Mr. MACON said he wished early to call the attention of the House to two motions, the object of which he deemed to be very important. The first of them had been formerly submitted to the House by a gentleman from Georgia (Mr. EARLY,) but never acted on, and afterwards by a gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. D. R. WILLIAMS;) the other had been presented by Mr. MACON himself at the last session, but at so late a period that it had not been acted on. It appeared to Mr. MACON that these motions, combined with one submitted at different times by a gentleman from Connecticut, (Mr. DANA,) would form something like a system. The object of the first motion he was about to submit, was to prohibit any foreign vessel from coming from any port or place to which the vessels of the United States could not go. Gentlemen would at once observe that there were many places whence vessels came to this country, to which we cannot go, and would perceive the extent of the motion. The other motion related to sea-letter vessels only. Mr. MACON said he wished to put them The House proceeded, by ballot, to the appoint-out of the nation, and to have no vessels belongment of a Chaplain to Congress on their part;ing to the United States which were not perfectly after several ballotings a majority of the votes American. He would have our vessels wholly were found in favor of JESSE LEE, who was therefore declared duly elected. FRIDAY, December 1. Two other members, to wit: from Virginia, EDWIN GRAY; and from North Carolina, MESHACK FRANKLIN; appeared, and took their seats in the House. On motion of Mr. SMILIE, a committee was appointed to prepare and report standing rules and orders for the government of the House. The committee consists of Messrs. MACON, SMILIE, RHEA of Tennessee, SOUTHARD, and SHAW. Mr. W. ALSTON offered the following resolution, which being varied on the suggestion of Mr. POINDEXTER, SO as to refer the subject to the Committee of Public Lands, was agreed to: Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the propriety of confirming the right of the city of New Orleans to the Common of said city, including the ground occupied by the fortifications of the same, and also of vesting in the said city or in the Territory of Orleans the public and vacant lots of ground within American, or they should not at all partake of the character of American vessels. After declaring that he considered his motions as calculated for permanent regulations, Mr. MA CON submitted the following resolutions: Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting the entry of any vessel into the United States from any port or place to which a vessel of the United States is not admitted by permanent regulation of the Government owning such port or place by treaty. Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the registering anew of vessels built in the United States, which are owned in whole by citizens of the United States, any disability incurred |