the House to a subject of some importance, that it might obtain an early decision, moved the following resolution. Resolved, That the petition of John F. Randolph and Randolph McGillis, in behalf of themselves and others, presented to this House at the last session, together with the report of the Secretary of War, accompanied with sundry documents respecting claims against the United States, for services of the militia of Georgia, made the 6th February, 1803, and also the report of the select committee thereon, made on the 10th of the same month, be referred to the Committee of Claims." The motion was agreed to. Mr. RANDOLPH invited the attention of the House to a subject of some importance to the revenue. Under an existing law a drawback of duties on goods exported to New Orleans was allowed. Should this act remain in force, goods sufficient to supply the Mississippi Territory and the other western country for several years might be stored in the warehouses of New Orleans, which, on possession being taken by the United States, may be carried into the United States, thereby evading the payment of duties. He therefore moved a resolution for the repeal of that act. Resolution agreed to, and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. NEWTON said he held in his hand a resolution, which it was not his wish should be immediately acted upon, but at a future day. It would be recollected that during the last session the pro priety of repealing the bankrupt law had come under the consideration of the House; but that, owing to the lateness of the day, its consideration had been postponed. As he was desirous that the subject should be investigated this session, he made the following motion: H. of R. New York, was presented to the House and read, stating certain grievances and losses to which a number of the citizens of the said State have been and are now subjected, in consequence of the unjust and oppressive practices committed by collectors appointed under an act, entitled "An act to lay and collect a direct tax within the United States ;" and submitting to the consideration of Congress sundry propositions for redress therein, which they pray may be adopted; or that such other relief may be afforded in the premises as may be best calculated to remedy the evils of which the petitioners complain. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, accompanied with a report and estimates of appropriation necessary for the service of the year one thousand eight hundred and four; also, a statement of receipts and expenditures at the Treasury of the United States for one year preceding the first day of October, one thousand eight hundred and three; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, jr., from the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom was referred, on the fourth instant, the amendment proposed by the Senate to the bill, entitled "An act authorizing the creation of a stock, to the amount of eleven millions two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the purpose of carrying into effect the Convention of the thirtieth of April, one thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States of America and the French Republic, and making provision for the payment of the same," reported that the committee had had the said Resolved, That the act entitled an act to establish amendment under consideration, and directed an uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the Uni-him to report to the House their agreement to the ted States ought to be repealed. Referred to a Committee of the Whole, and made the order for the 21st inst. Mr. EARLY said he held in his hand a manuscript copy of the original report of the Commissioners who had settled the accounts between the United States and the several States; as a document, throwing much light on this subject, he moved that it might be printed.-Agreed to. On motion of Mr. DAWSON, a resolution laid by him on the table for continuing for years an act augmenting certain salaries, was referred to a Committee of the Whole, and made the order for Monday next. Mr. ELLIOT offered a resolution for the appoint ment of a committee to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, provision was necessary to be made to produce a more general circulation of copper coin throughout the United States.-Agreed to, and a committee of five appointed. MONDAY, November 7. Another member, to wit: OLIVER PHELPS, from New York, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House. A petition of sundry inhabitants of the State of same. The House then proceeded to consider the said amendment of the Senate at the Clerk's table. And on the question that the House do concur with the Committee of Ways and Means in their agreement to the same, it was resolved in the affirmative. Mr. SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, from the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, to whom were referred, on the twenty-eighth ultimo, a letter and report from the Secretary of the Treasury, with sundry accompanying documents, relative to a survey of the harbor in the island of Nantucket, in the State of Massachusetts, and of the bar and shoals near the same, made a report thereon; which was read: Whereupon, Ordered, That the said report and accompanying documents, together with a petition of the inhabitants of the island and town of Nantucket, presented the eleventh of February last, be referred to a Committee of the Whole on Monday next. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on a motion of the fourth instant relato a farther continuance of an act passed the second of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, entitled "An act to augment the salaries of the officers therein mentioned; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee reported their agreement to the same, as amended. The House then proceeded to consider the said motion at the Clerk's table; and the resolution contained therein, as amended by the Committee of the Whole, being twice read in the words following, to wit: Resolved, That an act passed on the second day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, entitled "An act to augment the salaries of the officers therein mentioned," which was revived and continued in force by an act passed on the fourteenth of April, one thousand eight hundred and two, ought to be farther continued for the term of two years from the first day of January next: The question was taken that the House do concur with the Committee of the Whole in their agreement to the said resolution, and passed in the negative. On a motion made and seconded that the House do come to the following resolution: Resolved, That provision ought to be made, by law, for fixing the salaries of certain officers in the several Executive Departments of Government: Ordered, That the said motion be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. NOVEMBER, 1803. the act, entitled 'An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage;" which was read twice, and committed to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be directed to inquire into the expediency of exempting pilots from paying hospital money for their apprentices; and that they have power to report by bill, or otherwise. FRIDAY, November 11. The House met, but transacted little or no business, and adjourned till Monday. MONDAY, November 14. A petition of Andrew Moore, of the State of Virginia, was presented to the House and read, complaining of an undue election and return of Thomas Lewis, to serve as a member in this House, for the district composed of the counties of Greenbrier, Kenawha, Monroe, Botetourt, and Rockbridge, in the said State. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Elections. Mr. SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, from the committee appointed, on the twenty-ninth ultimo, "to take into consideration the propriety of reprinting the Laws of the United States, the Journals of the House of Representatives, and other Public Documents," made a report thereon; which was read and referred to a Committee of the Whole House on Friday next, Mr. CHITTENDEN, one of the members from the State of Vermont, presented to the House certain resolutions of the Legislature of the said State, to an amendment to the Constitution of the United States in the case of future elections of President and Vice President; which were read, and ordered to lie on the table. A petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Assist-passed the twenty-fourth of October last, relative ants of the city of Natchez, in the Mississippi Territory of the United States, in Common Council assembled, was presented to the House and read, praying that Congress will confirm to the petitioners the title of such lots and land, for the use of the said city, as may be found vacant within the present limits thereof. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. LATTIMORE, Mr. ALSTON, and Mr. STEDMAN, to examine and report thereon. The SPEAKER laid before the House sundry depositions and other papers transmitted from the Counties of Botetourt and Amherst, in the State of Virginia, relative to the contested elections of Thomas Lewis and Thomas M. Randolph, two of the members returned to serve in this House for the said State; which were read, and ordered to be referred to the Committee of Elections. THURSDAY, November 10. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to repeal the act, entitled "An act to allow a drawback of duties on goods exported to New Orleans, and therein to amend of duties on imports and tonnage;" and, after some the act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection time spent therein, the bill was reported without amendment, and ordered to be engrossed and read the third time to-morrow. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House on the report of the Committee of Claims, of the tenth instant, to whom was referred the petition of John Hunter; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee reported their agreement to the same, without amendment. The House then proceeded to consider the said twice read, in the words following, to wit: report at the Clerk's table; and the same being Another member, to wit, JAMES GILLESPIE, from North Carolina, appeared, produced, his credentials, was qualified, and took his scat in the House. a naval officer in the service of the United States, hired "The petition states that Colonel John Fitzgerald, Mr. J. RANDOLPH. jun., from the committee ap- of the petitioner a dwelling-house in the town of Alexpointed, presented a bill to repeal the act, entitled andria, and that the property of Fitzgerald had been An act to allow a drawback of duties on goods seized by the United States, 'to satisfy his delinquency.' exported to New Orleans, and therein to amend | The petitioner prays that the rent of his dwelling-house, which is in arrears for seven months, may be paid by the Government. "If the house was hired for the use of the United States, and by one duly authorized for that purpose, the claim may, at any time, be adjusted at the proper department. This, however, is not pretended; nor do your committee know of any principle, either of justice or equity, which would require the Legislature to afford relief to the petitioner. They are, therefore, of opinion, that he have leave to withdraw his petition:" The question was taken, that the House do concur with the Committee of the whole House in their agreement to the said report, and resolved in the affirmative. TUESDAY, November 15. Another member to wit: GEORGE TIBBITS: from New York, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House. A Message was received from the President of the United States, communicating a digest of the information received relative to Louisiana, which was read, and, together with the digest of information transmitted therewith, ordered to be referred to the committee appointed, the twenty-seventh of October last, on so much of the President's Message, of the twenty-first of the same month, as relates to permanent arrangements for the government of Louisiana." An engrossed bill to repeal the act, entitled "An act to allow a drawback of duties on goods exported to New Orleans, and therein to amend the act, entitled 'An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage," was read the third time, and passed. Ordered, That the committee to whom was referred, on the fourth instant, a Message from the President of the United States, relative to an act of hostility committed on a merchant vessel of the United States by an armed ship or vessel of the Emperor of Morocco, and the copy of a letter from Captain Bainbridge, of the Philadelphia frigate, accompanying the same, have leave to report thereon by bill or bills, or otherwise. Mr. EUSTIS, from the committee last mentioned, presented a bill for the further protection of the seamen and commerce of the United States; which was read twice and committed to a Committee of the whole House to-morrow. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, of the seventh instant, to whom were referred a letter and report from the Secretary of the Treasury, with sundry accompanying documents, relative to a survey of the harbor in the island of Nantucket, in the State of Massachusetts, and of the bar and shoals near the same; to which Committee of the whole House was also referred a petition of the inhabitants of the island and town of Nantucket, presented the eleventh of February last; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose and reported two resolutions thereupon, which were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follows: H. OF R. 1. Resolved, That the inhabitants of the island and town of Nantucket, in the State of Massachusetts, who presented a petition to this House on the eleventh of February last, have leave to withdraw the said petition, together with the papers accompanying the same. 2. Resolved, That the report of a select committee, made at the last session of Congress, on the subject of the fisheries of the United States, be referred to a select committee, with instruction to inquire and report whether any, and, if any, what, measures are necessary for the encouragement of the whale and cod fisheries. Ordered, That Mr. HUGER, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. GRAY, Mr. GODDARD, and Mr. RHEA of Tennessee, be appointed a committee, pursuant to the second resolution. Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before this House copies of any documents which may be in the possession of the Executive, relative to the arrest and confinement of Zachariah Cox, by the officers in the service of the United States, at Natchez, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight. Ordered, That Messrs. EARLY and THOMAS M. RANDOLPH be appointed a committee to present the foregoing resolution to the President of the United States. WEDNESDAY, November 16. Mr. FINDLEY, from the Committee of Elections, to whom it was referred to examine the certificates and other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, made a farther report, in part, thereupon; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for the further protection of the seamen and commerce of the United States. The bill was reported without amendment, and ordered to be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow. THURSDAY, November 17. Mr. JOHN COTTON SMITH, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred, on the thirtyfirst ultimo, a motion relative to a provision for relief of the owners of the Danish brigantine Henrick, together with a report of the Secretary of State, communicated by a message to this House from the President of the United States, on the twenty-third of February last, and the accompanying documents, made a report thereon; which was read, and referred to a Committee of the whole House on Tuesday next. Mr. EPPES moved the following resolution: Resolved, That it is expedient to discontinue the offices of Commissioners of Loans in the different States, and to transfer the duties of those offices to the Secretary of the Treasury, with an allowance of dollars for additional clerks. Referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. SALARIES OF OFFICERS. Mr. RANDOLPH, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill fixing the salaries of certain officers therein mentioned. The bill leaves the salaries blank. H OF R. American Seamen and Commerce. NOVEMBER, 1803. Mr. LEIB moved the recommitment of the billing to the vessels, and every dollar of the cargoes, to the Committee of Ways and Means, under the impression that it had been the intention of the House, in making the original reference to that committee, that they, understanding the resources of the country, should fix the quantum of the salaries, and not report a bill in blank. were bona fide American. And having seen this I do not wish an authority should be given to our own cruisers, whereby the merchant vessels of an unoffending nation may be captured, and their cargoes afterwards adjudicated. Mr. C. here offered the following amendment to the bill. to be introduced at the termination of the first section: "Provided nothing herein contained shall be consel bearing the flag of any European Power whatever, although such vessel may be loaded in whole or in part with goods and effects belonging to the Emperor of Morocco or his subjects-contraband goods destined to the enemies' ports excepted." Mr. RANDOLPH, the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, explained at some length the reasons which had operated with the com-strued to authorize the capture or detention of any vesmittee in reporting the bill in blank. He observed that he had himself been in favor of making a report, predicated on the previous decision of the committee, whether the existing salaries should be increased, diminished, or remain unaltered. In this opinion he had been overruled, and the committee, not being able to agree among themselves on these points, had directed a bill in blank to be drawn up. After reading the amendment in his place, Mr. C. said that he offered it to the consideration of that honorable body, wishing most sincerely that it should be incorporated into the bill, or that some other provision might be introduced guarding against the practice he had alluded to by the ships of the belligerent nations. Mr. NICHOLSON vindicated the report of the committee as perfectly regular, and conformable to the invariable practice in analogous cases. In all cases where a discretion as to the quantum of Mr. DANA observed that the alleged objection money applied to specific objects existed, commit-did not lie against the bill, as the nature of the tees had reported a bill in blank, leaving the de-instructions to commanders of American vessels cision on the proper sums to the determination of the House. Mr. LEIB's motion to recommit was lost without a division, and the bill referred to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow. PROTECTION TO SEAMEN AND COMMERCE. An engrossed bill for the further protection of the seamen and commerce of the United States was read the third time. Mr. CROWNINSHIELD, of Massachusetts, rose and said, he wished to recommit the bill to a Committee of the whole House, in order to introduce an amendment immediately at the end of the first section. He stated that as the clause now stood a power was given to our cruisers to capture the merchant vessels of friendly and allied Powers, having on board goods and effects the property of the Emperor of Morocco or of his subjects. was confided to the President, who would, no doubt, adopt such regulations as should be proper. Mr. EUSTIS opposed the recommitment, on the ground that the provisions of the bill were an exact transcript of those contained in an act passed two years since in relation to Tripoli, and on the ground that the insertion of the proposed amendment might, while it failed to affect the principle of the law of nations, produce considerable inconveniencies so far as it related to the Barbary Powers. After some debate, in which Mr. NICHOLSON supported the amendment, upon the principle that free ships ought to make free goods, it was put and lost, 39 members only being in favor of it. The question recurring on the passage of the bill, usual to require the yeas and nays to be taken to House; he moved that they should be taken on mark the disagreement of the members of the this question to show their cordial agreement. Mr. DANA observed that it had been hitherto The question was then taken by yeas and nays on the passage of the bill, and carried unanimously in the affirmative-yeas 117, as follows: I will suppose, said Mr. C., that our public ships should meet with a neutral vessel which is suspected to be loaded with enemies' goods, and a capture follows; and it should afterwards appear upon a proper examination in port, that a mistake had been committed, and that the cargo as well as the ship was neutral; I would ask whether the YEAS-Willis Alston, jr., Nathaniel Alexander, Isaac United States would not be held responsible to Anderson, John Archer, David Bard, George Michael pay heavy damages; and if an unjust condemna-Bedinger, Silas Betton, Phanuel Bishop, William tion were to take place, should we not be answer- Blackledge, John Boyle, Robert Brown, William Butable to the owner of the neutral ship or to his Gov-ler, George W. Campbell, Levi Casey, William Chamernment? berlin, Martin Chittenden, Clifton Claggett, Thomas I have known the flag of our country torn away Frederick Conrad, Jacob Crowninshield, Manasseh Claiborne, Joseph Clay, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, from the mast, and the fairest documents trampled Cutler, Richard Cutts, Samuel W. Dana, John Davenupon and thrown into the sea by the lawless free-port, William Dickson, Thomas Dwight, John B. Earle, booters of the ocean. I have also known, and the Peter Early, James Elliot, John W. Eppes, William members of this House cannot be ignorant of the Eustis, William Findley, John Fowler, James Gillesfact, that more than one thousand American mer-pie, Calvin Goddard, Peterson Goodwin, Edwin Gray, chant vessels were captured during the late war Andrew Gregg, Thomas Griffin, Gaylord Griswold, in Europe, and wantonly and unjustly condemned Roger Griswold, Wade Hampton, John A. Hanna, Joas enemies' property, when every timber belong-siah Hasbrouck, Seth Hastings, Daniel Heister, Joseph NOVEMBER. 1803. Transportation of Newspapers-Salaries of Officers. Heister, William Hoge, David Holmes, David Hough, H OF R. as an item of revenue; and a great proportion of it, as I am informed, is given to the deputy postmasters for keeping the accounts of such postage, and for collecting the same: and if information is to be relied upon, many of those deputy postmasters, who are allowed about fifty per cent. on the that the labor of keeping those accounts and of amount of postage thus collected, are of opinion collection, exceeds this compensation; and they Would be well satisfied that no such postage existed. If this statement be correct, it will go a great way to prove the measure impolitic. But perhaps it may be said that the postage to be collected on newspapers, has a tendency to insure their arrival at the places of destination, and the delivery of them to those to whom they are directed. This, upon investigation will, I believe, be found not to be the case. It is made the duty of the postmasters, by law, to forward and deliver newspapers, as well as letters, they act upon oath, and if a sense of propriety in their conduct, and the obligation of an oath, would not induce them to perform their duty in this respect, it cannot be expected that the paltry emolument acMr. G. W. CAMPBELL.-There is a subject to cruing to them from their part of one cent, or one which I wish to draw the attention of the House. and a half cents on each newspaper, would have It is, sir, the postage charged on the transporta- that effect; and even this sum must be still less tion of newspapers in the mail. This subject I relied upon as an inducement, when it is considerconceive of sufficient importance to meet the at-ed, as already stated, that the labor required in tention of this House, as it affects the means of acquiring political information in the different parts of the Union. POSTAGE OF NEWSPAPERS. I presume it will not be denied, that the most effectual way of rendering the people at large useful citizens, and of securing to them their liberties and independence, would be to increase the sources of information, make them well acquainted with their political rights, and also with the proceedings of their Government. So long as they are informed on those subjects, so long they will be disposed to acquiesce in, and support such measures as may be calculated to promote the general good, but will be prepared to resist any attempts that may be made to infringe their rights by those in power. It is believed that newspapers are the most general and effectual means of disseminating political information among the citizens at large; and it ought therefore to be the object of Government to facilitate their circulation as much as possible. I conceive, sir, the most direct way to attain this object would be to cause them to be transported in the mail free of postage. The moneys arising from the postage on newspapers cannot certainly be such an object to Government, as would justify the principle of laying a tax on information, or pursuing any measures that would have a tendency to diminish, in the least degree, the means by which it may be acquired. It seems to be admitted by all those who have considered the subject, that the Post Office establishment was never intended as a paramount source of revenue; and therefore we find that the moneys arising therefrom have not generally been taken into the calculation, in the estimates of our finances. The whole amount of the postage on newspapers I believe to be very inconsiderable, keeping accounts for this purpose and in collection, is not in reality compensated by the sum received. In order, therefore, to bring this subject fairly before the House, I move that the House come to the following resolution: Resolved, That so much of the act to establish postoffices and post roads in the United States as charges a postage on the transmission of newspapers ought to be repealed. Ordered to lie on the table. Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That, from and after the end of the present year, the following annual compensations, and no other, be and they are hereby granted to the officers herein enumerated respectively, that is to say: To the -; to the Secretary of the Secretary of State, $ the Secretary of the Navy, $Treasury, $- ; to the Secretary of War, $-; to -; to the Attorney General, $ -; to the Comptroller of the Treasury, $ -; to the Treasurer, $- ; to the Commissioner of the Revenue, $ -; to the Auditor of the Treasury, $ ; to the Register of the Treasury, $. ; to the Accountant of the War Department, ; to the Accountant of the Navy Department, |