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V ? Congress. ^ ~ SENATE. MONO AY, DEC. i>\ Sundry petitions were this day presented ; ?u:oi?.-:s( tbiim was one by mt. W-tloou 1 io 11 j curiam tnanufao, Hirers of copperas in New-Jersey,1 praying fur the protection of Con gress to tlit1 domestic article. J\1w no*ke, of Jf/ississippi, laid Upon the table tbe-fuflovving luotion : livaolccdp*That the committee on public kinds be instructed to enquire into the expediency of so altering the laws concerning public lauds, as to divide the sections and fractions of sections into half quarter sections. And also, where lauds have revetted to the United States for non-pay ment, to direct the sale thereof fegain at public auction, upon terras . and conditions of other public sales* And also, that, from and after the ? day of credit shall not be given on sales of public land, but the same ahall be sold for money only. Two x>r three bills were read a second time in course; and* Tlie Senate adjourned. TUESDAY, DEC. 11. -V Noble submitted for conside ration th3 following resolution : W&Resolred, TJiat the committee on pi&blic LaUds be instructed to en quire into the expediency of continu ing in force the act entitled " An act to suspend for a limited time the sale or forfeiture of lands for failure in completing the payments thereon," until the 81.st J/arch, 1822,. .r The Senate resumed the conside ration of the inontion for instructing 1he committee on Public Lands to vnquire into the exjiediency of alter ing the sale of Public Land, and agreed thereto. The Senate resumed,the conside ration of the motion for tin? sale of tlit old furniture of the Senate Chamber, and referred the subject to the corn v- luittee on the public buildings. The bill authorising (he purchase of a certain umnherof copies of Hinn's Declaration of Independence, was ordered to a third reading. ? % Jhmne of Representatives 7 MONDAY, Pf.C. 2<). Kumerous petitions were present ed this morning, and referred in > course; amongst them were several . from northern towns, praying addi tional encouragement and protection for domestic manufactures, one of which, that from the '? convention of the friends of national industry, as sembled ai New-Vorli," was, bv a y**, * 7 7 % + tclose vote, ordered to be printed. There were also several from com llticreial sections of the country, pray ing the enactment of a general system of bankruptcy. Ah. Sergeant, from (he select com jniltee appointed on the. memorial of the surviving Officers of the Hevolu tionary Army made a report thereon, favor&blcHo the prayer of the peti tions, accompanied by a bill for their relief; which bill was twice read, and committed. 'I lie following Message wris re ceived from the President of the United States, by the hands of Mr. J. J. Monroe, bis Secretary. T* the Senate and ihe Home (\f R t fx re senictiivf* of the United State*. * J"4 ? * V \ Some doubt being entertained re fcpecting the true intent and meaning Ol the act of tbe Inst session, enti tled " An act in addition to the acts 'prohibiting the slave trade," as to the duties of the agents to be a'-noint-i ed, on tlie coast of Africa. I think it proper t<i state the interpretation ' which has been given of the act, and the measures adopted to carry it into effect, that Congress may, should it l>o deemed ad\isal>le, amend the s*we. ho fore further proceeding had under d. \ l.e obligation to instruct the com wanders of all our aimed vesvda ?4> tff.iiu* and hting into port all^hips or \e.ssrU of the United Statpfc, wiie.re noever found, having oj* board any negro, inulam*, ?n* prison o* rotor, in violation of Ioit.ht act* tor tin* ysioij **f i|io vradcj beyi^ imperative, was executed without delay. No seizures have yet been made, hut as they were contemplat ed by the law, anil might be presum ed, it seemed pro|>er to make the ne 'cessary regulations applicable to 1 socii seizures, for carrying the sev- i ieral provisions of tlie act into effect. 11 is enjoined on the executive to cause all negroes, mulattoes, or per sons of color, who may'bo taken under the act, to be removed to Afri ca. It is the obvious import of the law, that none of the persons thus, taken should remain within the Unit ed Statesaud no place other than the coast of Africa being designated, their removal or delivery, whether carried front; the United States or landed immediately from the vessel? in which they were taken, was sup posed to be confined to that coast. No settlement or station t>eing speci fied, the whole coast was thought to be left open fo r the selection of :t pro per place, at which the persofis thus taken should be delivered The executive is authorised to appoint o?u< or more agents, residing there.to re ceive such persons, and one hundred thousand dollars are appropriated for the general purposes of the law. sfln due consideration of the sev eral sections of the act, of its hu mane policy, it was supposed to he the intention of Congress, that all the persons above described, who might be taken under it and landed in Africa, should be aiiled in their return to their former homes, or in their establishment -at or near the place where landed Some shelter aud food would be iicce*s,irv for them there, as soon as landed, h?t their subsequent disposition be what it might. Should they be landed without such provision having Uten previously made, they must perish* It was supposed, by the authority given to the Executive to appoint agents residing on that coast, that they should provide such shelter and food, aud .perform the other benefi cent and charitable oftices; contem plated by the act.?-The coa*t of Africa having been little explored, aud iio persons residing there, who i it. me requisite ^lUlilUrnt'Oll to entitle them to tlic trust, bring known to the executive, to none such conld it ho committed. It w?s be lieved that ritizeuH onlv, who would go hence, well instructed in the views of their, Government,* and zealous to give them effect, would he competent to these duties, and that it was not the intention of thi. law to preclude their ap|H>intmen:. It was obvious lhat the longer these persons should be detained in the li? Stales, in the hands ?,f the marshals, the greater would be the .expense, and that for the same term would the main purpose ol* the law be sus pended. It seemed,. therefore, to be incumbent on me to make the ne cessary arrangements for carrying diis act inio effect in Africa, in iimn to meet the delivery of any persons who might betaken by our public vessels, and landed there under it. On this view of the policy and sanctions of the law, it has been de cided to send a public whip to the coast of Africa, w ith two such agents who will take with them too hi and other implements necessary for the purposes above mentioned. To each of these agents a jama 11 salary has been allowed. 1300 dollars to |the principal, and f2(K) to the other. All our public agents on the coast of Africa receive salaries lor their ser vices,and it was understood that none of our citizens, possessing the mpii site qualifications, would accept these trusts, by which they would be con fined to parts the least frequented and civilized, without a reasonable com pensation. Such allowance, there fore. seemed to be indispensable to the execution of the act. It is intended aUo to subject a por tion of tbe sum appropriated, to the order of the principal a&ent, for the special oWects Above stated, amount pecialomec llg ill lUUr W hole, including the sa lary of the HgenU for one veav, to ..'her less than one thiul of the r*p ?i opriatir.n. special instructions will be jiveit to these ajjenU, deiia* iug, in precis? terns, ilieir duties in regard to-the jiersuns thus delivered to them; the disbursement of the money by the principal agent ; ami his accountability for the same.? ?? They will also lmve power to selecl the most suitable place on the coast of Afrit.a, at which nil persons who may l/e taken under tins act, sbali be delivered to tl em, with an ex press injunction to exercise no [?ower founded ou the principle of coloni zation, or other power than that of performing the benevolent offices above recited, by the permission and sanction of the existing, govern ment, under which they may esta blish themselves. Orders will be given to the commander of the pub lic ship, in which they wil l sail, to cruise along the coast, to give the more complete e fleet to the principal object of the act. JAMEvS MONRO!:. If'ashinjztfon, the. 17. 181*;. The Message was read, and, on motion of Mr. Lincoln,: referred to the committee'on the slave trade, ami ordered to be printed. 1 he following Message w.vs also received from tile President of the United States: 7o the Scr.oie a:u{ 7lt.*utir n'f /?> /, rv-cv'i* cCf"t of ' l'n:r? J Xi.i/'W : In co ^pliaiice with a resolution of Congress, of ?~'t!i 'March, ISIS, the journal, acts, and proceedings of the Convention which formed the present Constitution of the United States* have been published. The resolution directs that one thousand copies should be printed, of which one copy should be furnished to each member of Fifteenth Congress, and tin*" residue to be subject to the future disposition of Congress, The number of copies sufficient to supply the memltfns of the late Congress having beeh reserved for that pur pose, the remainder are now deposit ed at the department of State, sub ject to the orders of Congress.? The. otjier documents mentioned in the resolution of 27th March 18 lb, are in the process of publication. ' JAMUS MONKOK. Which .jnessa^o was read, arid oiilt iou to lie on the table. X^.S))AY,' df.o. Si. Mr. llofme*, of Mass. from the select coininittee. appointed- on the Mihjet;t. reported a hill providing for the admission of the l'?striet of Maine into llie. union, on an equal footing the criminal states. Air. i kvd, of Ya. moved that the biil be made tho order of the day for jhc second Monday in Janir-1 ary, and committed Jo t!ie same com mittee of the s\hoie house as the. hill for admitting the- Territory of Mis souri i'.ilo t!ir uoioti. This motion was opposed by Mr. Hoi mes, ami was negatived?ayes about 5*0, and the twit whr then made, t'm order of the day forto morrow . Mr. Cannon, of Tenn. submitted the following resolution. Kh*iAv*d% 'I hat a committer on military ? flairs bo instructed to en quire into tl? ex|>ediency of extend ing to the. widows and otphans who ha\e lieo!i placed 011 the pension list of the I'niied Stater, or who may hereafter h*> placed <41 said pension list, under the provisions of the act of April 10. 1816, making further provision for military services during theOate;waK & further provision so as to aTOw to each orphan, whether an officer or soldier, after the expi ration of the five years' pay allowed by the provisions of the before re cited art, a certain sum to be paid annually until they arrive at a sufFi* cient a<;e to provide tor themselves, also, to allow each widow, wbethei of an officer or soldier, a cet tain sum to bo j>aid annually during life, or to the time of her inter marriage, or to make such other provisions for said widows and orphtyis as may be thought just and necessary. The question l>eing taken on a t growing to this resolution, it was de cided in the negative. On motion of Mr. Whitman, ii vmi* resolved, that the committee 01 Hevolutionary Pensions be directed to entire an to providing by law foj the application for p* unions, under ,k An act to piovide for certain per sons enjrased iti (he lam) and naval n c ^erYice of the United states in ihe Revolutionary * NV ar,v?.ij?. rc<. .March IS, !St*t, by sniardian, in ? ? ? ^ case ot the incapacity of the person entitled thereto. On motion of Mr. Shaw, it was Jic^ulcedy That the President of -ihe Lulled States he requested to lay before this House, at as early a da v as may he con\t!.ieut, an ac count of Ok: CNpen.lituie oi die h*v era I sums apptoj.iMro for building -iot'iiiiculion*, Iroiii the year lotfj to the year (Sti), I>otli inCiusive, indi cating the places ai which works of defence have been be^un, (he magni tude of the works contemplated at each place, their proM'nt audition, the amount aheady e\pended> and ihe estimaud siim requisite lor the completion oi each . ae;o the mode >h\ which hie tortkcniious are built, whether by contract, or^otherwise, On motion of .Mr. Koot, it was n f(f '1 hat the committee on 1'ub.ic ] j\];efhi;;re.> he. instructed to enquire and rcporl f > this House, the iiniount of the several items which .ire <harmed upon the contingent hind ; anil whi (her, in their opinion, the expenditure may no* in future he d:m.nshcd, consistently with the pub lie interest and the accommodation ot the two Houses of Congress. On motion of JWr. Foot, it was lit xnlred. That the several com mie res on so much of the public ac counts and expenditures as relates to the Department of btate, Treasury. V\ ar. Navy, Post-OflVe, and Fublic. ihiihlipi^s, he instruc ted to enquire and report to this House, w hether, in the;/ .opinion, ihe expenditures in tho ?e Departments may not he di minished, without prejudice to the public interest. Mr. Uloomfield ottered a joint res olution, proposing that the two Horfctfc should adjourn from the 31th iust. to Monday the 3d of January. This resolution was supported by the mover, and by Messrs. Nelson, Vn. and W nifield. on the ground that the time propose.; wa* necessary to allow certain alterations of the Hall and arrangements necessary to enable the Mounts 4o proceed with any kind of facility or comfort, ui the pu!)lic business, and that, so far from its be ing a waste of time, it would be the' reverse in iU consequences, &c. The question on ordering the res olution to a thud reading, was de cided in the negative, by yens and nays?ayes f>9, noes 100. ? On motion of Air. I'ocUe of Tenn. ;t was Resolved, that the committee on Military A flair* be instructed to impure into the allowances which have been made to the officers of (Sic army of the United States, for the transportation of linkage, quarter*, and fuel since the first day of Janu ary 18(8; and also into the expedi ency of regulating the same in future. On motion of Mr. Cocke, it was also Resolved, That the commits ? on Military Aflaiis be instructed to enquire into and report to this House the objects intended to be accomplish ed by the expedition ordered to the mouth of the Vellow Stone, oil the Missouri river. The IJouse then went into com mittee of the whole, Mr. Smith in the chair, on the hill for the relief of \V illinm.?M'Donald?which was re ported to the House, ami ordered to he engrossed fur a third reading. 1j089?9 in the Seminole War. The House then resolved itself in to committee of the whole, Mr. Livertnore in the chair, on the hill to provide for the payment of ho rues and other property lost, captured or destroyed, during the Seminole war. This hill gave rise to conaiderchle discussion, and was reported from the committee of the whole house -when A motion was njAile hy Mr. Htorrs to postpone the Inft indefinitely, on ?he ground that the principle of the hill was incorrect, and not the less so because of there being no precedent for it. The house adjourned before de ciding on Mr. StonY ?? ? C VMDKN. Till' K>1) AY. 1)K('KM151 K ,*li. \\ o have be tore us 11?p annual Keport of the SecrHuy <>J' (h? Ti etianri/.?The public will ?><? c;rat iliet! lo learn, that the national ex penditure lia-s hitherto nut excee illM I the means of ti:e Treasury. The receipts during the piesent year, u\ cludiii? the. small b.-lauce 'remaining; from last year, aie climated b^ the Secretary at $^.">.>^7 ,:>s * ;>;3 cts.; ami the expenditure at Si.", (lJ2,,?8j ]3 cts.' leaving a balance tor next year of 8,i3U)iK> "DO cts. For tlm next year, h??we\er, for reasons which are explained in Hie i eport, Hie Revenueisesiimntedat 822.000, 000; while the expenditure will amount to leasing a deficit of 8fi,0W,lKH).?l-uless Con gress should reduce the expenditure; the Secretary pi opuses to supply this deficit, by an issue of Treasury nut Sea(inf* interest. The total t^ales of Public J.ands, since the opening of the offices, are stated to exceed 17*000,(KX) of acres, and '14T0(K\,000 of dollars: of which upwards of 1300,(XX) acre*, and more than l-MHXMXK) dollars, are i for the year ending SOtlr September lasU It is stated that* an important I licprrrt on the i> ncveuaj, by the Se cretary of the Treasury, in pursu ance of a Resolution of Congress, may he shortly expected. ilrkantoix Territory.?The new government lias ?otie into efleet.? The. judges, who are by law the le gislature, met at toe Post, ami pas si-d a judicial law. James Bate?, Ks(j. is appointed circuit judge.? Tiie people are/ petitioning to be changed In Co the second grade. of government. The emigrations anil improvements in the territory are im mense, and the time is rapidly aff proaching, when the population* will justify tiie establishment of a new state. * J)lis8. Uax. K- Emigration to 'Cuba.?The Phi* latlelpliia Daily Advertiser of.Jm ?d insi. sa\8<? The schooner Three sallys, capt. Warner, sailed from ? iliis city on Sunday last, wFernan (lina de Yuaga, a new port and set tlement on the south side of .Cuba, with tot passengers, principally res pectable mechanics, and their fami lies, and late residents of this city." Si ng u lar Enterpriw. During the revolutionary war, two Kritisli vessels were sunk near New-York, one of which had on bogrd, it is be lieved, a million of Dollars. It is now proposed to descend to the ves sel hy means of a diving bell, pecu liarly constructed for the purpose, tand which, from experiment enn ?easily be effected. The projector of the enterprise, Mr. Samuel Davis of I in I limore, submits the plan to Ins fellow citizens, through tin* new*pH|>crs, and proposes to create a stock to procure the machinery hy subscription. He has rated tha shares at 15 dollars each, so thai almost any person who may have sufficient confidence in the chance of success, may become a stockholder. Application is to be made to Mr. D. at the Coffee House, iialtimore. COLUMN! A, DEC. 28. On Saturday evening last, a wag goner, from Buncombe, by the name of Jacob Hickam, while ruling on horseback near his waggon, in this place, received a blow from some hand as yet unknown, which factor ed his skull, and occasioned hi* death in a few bonis afterwards; tho instrument used by the assassin, is l>elieved to have been a brick-bat.? Mr. Hickam's son, a lad of lfi or 18 years of age, was driving the waggon, and saw the blow given by a person on horseback. 1 hfc susj>ected person has been arrested ami committed, and a more full in vestigation of the transaction is now going forward. ? The following persons were placed on the pension list, at the last session nf tLo <>r this Slate, vw :