Mr. McKean submitted a document in relation to the improvement of the harbor of Chester, on the Delaware river; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Young presented the petition of a number of the citizens of the town of Burlington, in the Territory of Iowa, praying the extension of a mail route; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Wall presented the petition of a number of citizens of the State of New Jersey, praying the erection of a light-house at the new inlet of Little Egg Harbor; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and ordered to be printed.

The Vice President laid before the Senate a report of the Postmaster General, made agreeably to law, exhibiting the contracts, allowances, and deductions, by the department; which was read, and ordered to be printed. On motion by Mr. Ruggles,

Ordered, That the petition of Edward Collins, and the petition of Winslow Lewis, on the files of the last session, be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion by Mr. Wright,

Ordered, That the Committee on Finance be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (S. 58) providing for the final settlement of the claims of States upon the United States, for interest on payments or advances made during the last war; from the further consideration of the bill (H. R. 331) for the relief of Thomas H. Perkins, of Boston; and from the further consideration of the petition of William Redmond.

Mr. Wright, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 847) for the relief of the owners, officers, and crew of the armed brig Warrior, or their legal representatives, reported it without amendment; and that the bill ought not to pass.

Mr. Wright, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1081) to provide for the erection of public buildings in the Territory of Florida, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Wright, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 982) to revive and extend an act to authorize the issuing of Treasury notes to meet the current expenses of the Government, approved the 21st of May, 1838, reported it without amendment.

On motion by Mr. King,

Ordered, That the Committee on Commerce be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Jones Shaw; and that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. Hubbard, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of James Williams, reported a bill (S. 298) for the relief of the legal representatives of James Williams, deceased; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Williams, of Maine, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1002) granting a pension to John Clark, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Williams, of Maine, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom the following bills were referred:

H. R. 965. "An act for the relief of Gideon Sheldon ;"

H. R. 972. "An act granting a pension to John F. Wiley;"

H. R. 1069. "An act for the relief of the executors of Robert McFarland;"

reported them, severally, without amendment; and that the bills ought not

to pass. Mr. Linn, from the Committee on Private Land Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 418) for the relief of certain settlers living on what is called the Salt Lick Reservation, in the western district of Tennessee, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Williams, of Mississippi, from the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 866) for the relief of the representatives of Ann Levacher Van Brun, reported it without amendment.

Mr. Foster, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, to whom was referred the memorial of the Eagle Railroad and Lumber Company, reported a bill (S. 299) for their relief; which was read, and passed to the second reading.

Mr. Benton submitted the following motion; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury and Postmaster General be directed to report to the Senate what drafts on banks, having public funds in deposite, have been protested since the 1st day of January, 1837; the amount of public money in deposite in each bank, at the time of each protest; and whether, in any case, such protests have been made in violation of special arrangements; and, if so, what those arrangements were.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion to reconsider the vote on the indefinite postponement of the bill (S. 234) to incorporate the Washington City Silk Company, in the District of Columbia; and,

On motion by Mr. Allen,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 82) for the relief of the owners of the ship Alleghany, and their legal representa

tives.

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are,

Messrs. Allen, Brown, Calhoun, Clay, of Alabama, King, Linn, McKean, Morris, Mouton, Nicholas, Niles, Norvell, Pierce, Roane, Robinson, Swift, Wall, White, Williams, of Maine, Williams, of Mississippi, Wright.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Bayard, Clayton, Crittenden, Davis, Fulton, Hubbard, Knight, Prentiss, Robbins, Sevier, Smith, of Indiana, Strange, Tallmadge, Young. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Burch : Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed the following bills; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate:

H. R. 1103. "An act making a donation of land to the Territory of Iowa, for the purpose of erecting public buildings thereon ;"

H. R. 1135. "An act granting to the judges of the supreme court of Iowa, the same compensation as by law is given to the judges of the supreme court of Wisconsin ;"

H. R. 1140. "An act making provision for a court-house in Duval county, in the Territory of Florida."

The President of the United States approved, the 13th instant, the following acts:

An act making appropriations for the payment of revolutionary and other pensioners of the United States for the year 1838; and

An act to provide for the location and temporary support of the Seminole Indians removed from Florida.

And, the 16th instant, the following acts:

An act to amend "An act to reorganize the district courts of the United States in the State of Mississippi," approved June 18, 1838; and

An act to repeal the proviso to the second section of an act approved the 3d of March, 1837, which authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to compromise the claims of the United States against certain banks.

The bill (S. 258) more effectually to secure public money in the hands of officers and agents of the Government, and to punish public defaulters, having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, was read a third time.

On motion by Mr. Clay, of Kentucky,

That the bill be recommitted to the Committee on Finance, with instructions to report amendments, providing:

1st. That all payments on account of the public revenue in the principal seaports; and, as far as practicable, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, all payments, on account of the public revenue, in the other ports; and all payments on account of the public lands; and all other payments to the United States; shall be made into some sound bank or banks, to be designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, instead of being made directly to collectors, receivers, and other official agents.

2d. That all deposites of public money in any bank shall be made directly to the credit of the 'l'reasurer of the United States, and not to the private credit of the officer depositing the same; and,

3d. To strike out all parts of the bill which give a legislative sanction to the indefinite custody of the public money in the hands of public officers and agents:

Yeas

It was determined in the negative, {Nays

On motion by Mr. Clay, of Kentucky,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are,

16, 25.

Messrs. Clay, of Kentucky, Crittenden, Foster, Knight, McKean, Merrick, Prentiss, Rives, Robbins, Ruggles, Smith, of Indiana, Spence, Swift, Tallmadge, Webster, White.

Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Allen, Benton, Brown, Buchanan, Clay, of Alabama, Cuthbert, Fulton, Hubbard, Linn, Lyon, Morris, Mouton, Nicholas, Niles, Norvell, Pierce, Roane, Robinson, Sevier, Smith, of Connecticut, Walker, Wall, Williams, of Maine, Wright, Young.

On the question, "Shall this bill pass?"
It was determined in the affirmative, Nays

Yeas

On motion by Mr. Clay, of Alabama,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are,

28,

15.

Messrs. Allen, Benton, Brown, Buchanan, Clay, of Alabama, Cuthbert,

Fulton, Hubbard, King, Linn, Lyon, Morris, Mouton, Nicholas, Niles, Norvell, Pierce, Roane, Robinson, Sevier, Smith, of Connecticut, Strange, Walker, Wall, Williams, of Maine, Williams, of Mississippi, Wright, Young. Those who voted in the negative are,

Messrs. Bayard, Clay, of Kentucky, Crittenden, Davis, Foster, Knight, McKean, Merrick, Prentiss, Robbins, Ruggles, Smith, of Indiana, Swift, Tallmadge, White.

So it was

Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be "An act further to prescribe the duties of collectors of the customs and other officers and agents in the employment of the United States; prohibiting the admission of certain offsets in suits against the debtors of the Government; and to provide for the punishment of certain defaulters."

Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein.

The bill (S. 229) in amendment of the acts respecting the judicial system of the United States was read the second time, and considered, as in Committee of the Whole; 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 the following bills, as in Committee of the Whole:

S. 86. Bill authorizing the selection of lands for the benefit of the University of Michigan, instead of other lands heretofore selected;

S. 269. Bill to authorize the Washington County Turpike Company, in the State of Missouri, to construct a road through the public lands; and having been severally amended, they were reported to the Senate, and the amendments were concurred in.

Ordered, That the said bills be engrossed, and read a third time.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill (S. 246) to repeal certain acts respecting navy pensions, and making further provisions in relation to navy pensions; and having been amended, it was reported to the Senate, and the amendment was concurred in.

Ordered, That this bill be engrossed, and read a third time.

The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 85) to explain and amend the fifth section of the act passed the 30th day of June, 1834, "for the better organization of the United States marine corps;" and,

On motion by Mr. Williams, of Mississippi, The Senate adjourned.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1839.

The Vice President laid before the Senate a report of the Secretary of State, made agreeably to law, showing the number and designation of passengers who arrived in the United States from foreign countries during the year 1838; which was read, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Robinson presented a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, instructing the Senators and requesting the Representatives of the said State in Congress to use their best exertions to procure the adoption of an amendment to the constitution, to limit the term of office of the President of the United States to four years; which was read, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Robinson presented resolutions passed by the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, in relation to the inexpediency of an Independent Treasury or Sub-Treasury system, and instructing the Senators and requesting the Representatives of the said State in Congress to vote against any law having for its object the adoption of the Independent or SubTreasury system, in any form whatever; which were read, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Wright presented the petition of a number of the citizens of Erie county, New York, praying the passage of an act to authorize the importation of certain articles of Canadian produce free of duty; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Wright presented the petition of William Dickinson, praying remuneration for losses sustained in the execution of a contract with a Government agent, for the construction, under treaty stipulations, of certain works for the Memoninee Indians; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Mr. Young presented two petitions of a number of the citizens of McLean and Tazewell counties, Illinois, praying the establishment of a mail route; also, the petition of a number of the citizens of Warren county, Illinois, praying the extension of a mail route; which were severally referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Niles submitted documents in relation to the claim of Elijah Blodget, a revolutionary soldier, for a pension; which were referred to the ComImittee on Pensions.

Mr. Nicholas presented the petition of Samuel T. Harrison, praying the reimbursement of duties paid on the importation of apparatus for the manufacture of sugar, and that certain articles may be imported free of duty; which was referred to the Committee on Finance, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Tallmadge, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of Henry Hall Sherwood, submitted a report; which was read, and considered; and, in concurrence therewith,

Ordered, That the memorial of Henry Hall Sherwood be printed, together with the report of the committee thereon; and that five thousand additional copies be sent to the Senate.

Mr. Wall, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1089) to incorporate Washington's Manual Labor School and Male Orphan Asylum Society, of the City of Washington, and District of Columbia, reported it without amendment.

On motion by Mr. Benton,

Ordered, That the papers on file relating to the purchase of the island at the confluence of the St. Peters and Mississippi rivers, be transmitted to the Secretary of War.

Mr. Benton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom the subject was referred, reported a bill (S. 300) for the erection of certain military works on the northeast frontier of the United States; which was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the accompanying papers be printed.

Mr. Sevier, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 493) for the relief of George C. Johnson, reported it without amendment; and that the bill ought not to pass.

Mr. Wall, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 381) for the relief of William C. Colquhoun, reported it without amendment.