malleable iron; the number, description, and relative weight of all the cannon and howitzers already made of that material for the department, and the cost thereof per pound, including all incidental expenses; also, a like statement with reference to brass cannon and howitzers; also, a like statetement with reference to wrought iron cannon and howitzers; also, a comparative statement of the cost, durability, and utility of cannon and howitzers made of cast iron, malleable iron, wrought iron, and brass, as applicable to field service, and, also, to fortifications. Mr. Williams, of Maine, submitted the following motion; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to communicate to the Senate all correspondence, if any has been had since his last annual message, between this Government and the Government of Great Britain, respecting the northeastern boundary, or the establishment of a convention for the settlement thereof. Mr. Foster reported from the committee that they had examined and found duly enrolled the bill (S. 80) entitled "An act further to regulate the transportation of the mail on railroads." A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Burch: Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 491) to reorganize the district courts of the United States for the State of Alabama; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed two enrolled bills, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President. The President of the United States approved and signed, the 18th instant, a resolution authorizing an examination and payment of the claims of the workmen upon the public buildings. The Vice President signed the following enrolled bills: S. 80. An act further to regulate the transportation of the mail upon railroads; H. R. 961. "An act for the relief of Bradbury T. Jipson ;" and They were delivered to the committee, to be laid before the President of the United States. The bill (H. R. 491) to reorganize the district courts of the United States in the State of Alabama, was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The resolution (S. 9) for the purchase of the island at the confluence of the St. Peters and Mississippi rivers; and the bill (S. 185) for the relief of Gad Humphreys, of the Territory of Florida, having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, were severally read a third time. Resolved, That the said resolution and bill pass, and that their respective titles be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 2) to prohibit the giving or accepting, within the District of Columbia, of a challenge to fight a duel, and for the punishment thereof. On motion by Mr. Clay, of Alabama, To strike out the 4th section, as follows: "SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That, if any person or persons, for the purpose of evading the provisions of this act, shall leave the District of Columbia, by previous arrangement or concert within the same, with intent to give or receive any such challenge without said District, and shall give or receive any such challenge accordingly, the person or persons so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and be subject to the same penalties as if such challenge had been given and received within said Dis The yeas and nays being desired by one fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, 11. 31. Messrs. Allen, Brown, Clay, of Alabama, Cuthbert, King, Nicholas, Norvell, Preston, Roane, Spence, White. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Buchanan, Clay, of Kentucky, Davis, Foster, Fulton, Hubbard, Knight, Linn, Lumpkin, McKean, Merrick, Morris, Mouton, Niles, Pierce, Prentiss, Robbins, Robinson, Ruggles, Smith, of Connecticut, Smith, of Indiana, Southard, Strange, Swift, Tallmadge, Tipton, Walker, Wall, Williams, of Maine, Wright, Young. No amendment being made to the bill, it was reported to the Senate. The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 100) to abolish imprisonment for debt in certain cases; and no amendment being made thereto, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it be engrossed, and read a third time. The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 4) for the relief of Pierre Menard and others. On motion by Mr. King, To amend the bill by striking out the words, section 1, lines 7, 8, 9, 10, "with interest thereon at the rate of five per centum per annum, from the fifth day of February, 1799, to the passage of this act ;" and the parts of the bill allowing interest, where they subsequently occur: It was determined in the negative, On motion by Mr. King, Yeas 15, 25. The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, Messrs. Allen, Brown, Clay, of Alabama, Davis, Hubbard, King, Knight, Lumpkin, Mouton, Niles, Pierce, Prentiss, Smith, of Connecticut, Wall, Williams, of Mississippi. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Buchanan, Clay, of Kentucky, Crittenden, Cuthbert, Foster, Fulton, Linn, Merrick, Nicholas, Norvell, Preston, Roane, Robbins, Robinson, Sevier, Smith, of Indiana, Southard, Spence, Strange, Swift, Tallmadge, Tipton, Walker, White, Young. No amendment being made, the bill was reported to the Senate. The Senate resumed the third reading of the bill (S. 18) to prevent the counterfeiting of any foreign copper, gold, silver, or other coin; and to prevent the bringing into the United States, or uttering, any counterfeit foreign copper, gold, silver, or other coin. Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Senate resumed the third reading of the bill (S. 67) in addition to an act for the relief of Walter Loomis and Abel Gay, approved July 2d, 1836. Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. After the consideration of Executive business, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1839. Mr. Young presented resolutions passed by the Legislature of the State of Illinois, instructing the Senators and requesting the Representatives of the said State in Congress, to use their exertions to procure an appropriation for the immediate survey of the public lands in that State; which were referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Pierce presented the petition of Levi Folsom, a soldier during the war of the revolution, praying a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Norvell submitted documents in relation to the claim of the heirs of General Thomas Nelson, for advances made, and supplies furnished by him, to the troops of the United States during the revolutionrry war; which were referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims. Mr. Allen presented the petition of William Tracy, praying to be allowed bounty land for his services during the last war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. On motion by Mr. Southard, Ordered, That Rebecca Hawley have leave to withdraw her petition. Mr. Roane, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill (S. 234) to incorporate the Washington City Silk Company of the District of Columbia; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Roane, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill (S. 235) to incorporate Washington's Manual Labor School and Male Orphan Asylum Society of the City of Washington and District of Columbia; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Robinson, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred a memorial of the Petersburg Railroad Company, submitted a report; which was read. The Senate proceeded to consider the report; and, in concurrence therewith, Resolved. That the committee be discharged from the further consideration of the subject. Ordered, That the report be printed. On motion by Mr. Prentiss, Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of documents in relation to the claim of William Warden. On motion by Mr. Hubbard, Ordered, That the Committee of Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Marshal A. Mathias. On motion by Mr. Benton, Ordered, That the Committee on Military Affairs be discharged from the further consideration of documents relating to the claim of Robert Kirkham. On motion by Mr. Lumpkin, Ordered, That Robert Kirkham have leave to withdraw his papers. Mr. Benton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill (S. 236) for the relief of certain companies of Michigan militia; which was read, and passed to the second reading. Agreeably to notice, Mr. Norvell asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 237) making grants of public lands to certain States for purposes of internal improvement; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Agreeably to notice, Mr. Fulton asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 238) in relation to certain railways in the State of Arkansas; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Tallmadge submitted the following resolutions for consideration; which were ordered to be printed : Resolved, That sound specie paying banks ought to be selected, under suitable regulations, to be prescribed by law, for the safe-keeping of the public money. Resolved, That the payment of the public revenue ought to be made in gold and silver, or in the notes of sound specie paying banks, under suitable regulations, to be prescribed by law. Resolved, That such payments of the public revenue from customs and from lands, ought to be made, as far as practicable, by deposites in the selected banks to the credit of the Treasurer of the United States, and the certificates of deposite taken by the collectors and receivers, as evidence of such payments. Resolved, That the selected banks, in consideration of such deposites, ought to perform, without charge, the same duties to the Government, in transferring the public funds and distributing the same in payment of the public creditors, as were performed by the late Bank of the United States. Mr. Clay, of Alabama, submitted the following motion; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee of Claims be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making payment to Abel Pennington, for a horse eployed in the service of the United States, which was killed by order of the commanding officer. Mr. White submitted the following resolutions; which were considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he hereby is, required to report to the Senate the name of each individual, other than officers of the army, who has received any appointment, or agency, under the authority of the United States, to aid in carrying into effect the provisions of the treaty with the Cherokee Indians, dated 29th December, 1835, with the duty he was directed and expected to perform, and the sum promised or paid to each, and by whom such appointments were made. Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and he hereby is, required to report to the Senate, what species of funds were furnished by the United States to their agents, to carry into effect the provisions of the treaty with the Cherokee Indians, dated 29th December, 1835; and if funds of different species have been furnished, state the amount of each, together with the time when sent, and to whom, and whether any of such funds have been exchanged, and by whom, for funds less valuable, and a premium received for the difference of value, and whether such premiums have been accounted for to the Government. Resolved, That the Secretary of War be, and hereby is, required to report to the Senate the name of each Indian whose improvements have been valued, under the provisions of the treaty with the Cherokees, dated 29th December, 1835, and the sum at which each has been valued, together with the instructions given to the persons making such valuations. The Senate proceeded consider the resolutions submitted the 21st instant, by Mr. Linn; which were amended, and agreed to, as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to communicate to the Senate any information he may possess in relation to the banks, or institutions exercising banking privileges, in any Territory of the United States, whether they are exercising such privileges in pursuance or in violation of the laws of the United States, and whether their notes are received in payment for the public lands. Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to disaffirm, disapprove, and render null and void, any act of any Territorial Legislature, creating banking institutions, whose charters have not been approved by Congress, or when the provisions of their charters, or the acts of Congress approving them, have been violated. Resolved, That the committee also inquire into the expediency of reporting a bill to give jurisdiction to the courts of the Territories of the United States over all banking institutions in said Territories, and to provide punishments for the violation of the act of Congress of the 1st July, 1836, or of any other act that has been or may hereafter be passed, approving bank charters. The Senate proceeded to consider the report of the Committee on Indian Affairs, on the memorial of Joshua Kennedy; and, in concurrence therewith, Resolved, That the prayer of the memorialist ought not to be granted. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution reported by the Committee on Pensions on the petition of Betsey Booth; and agreed thereto. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution reported by the Commitiee on Pensions on the petition of John Grigsby; and agreed thereto. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution reported by the Committee on Pensions on the petition of Stephen F. Hemenway; and agreed thereto. The Senate proceeded to consider the report of the Committee on Pensions on the petition of John Bosworth; and, in concurrence therewith, Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted. The bill (S. 2) to prohibit the giving or accepting, within the District of Columbia, of a challenge to fight a duel, and for the punishment thereof, having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, was read a third time. On the question, "Shall this bill pass?" It was determined in the affirmativé, {Nays 29, 7. |