Mr. Norvell presented the memorial of William Hunt and others, reporters of Congressional proceedings for distant papers, praying that such accommodations may be provided for them, in the gallery or on the floor of the Senate, as will enable them to fulfil the duties which they are expected to discharge; which was referred to the Committee on the Contingent Expenses of the Senate.

Agreeably to notice, Mr. Lyon asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 132) for the relief of J. and W. Beeson and others; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

Agreeably to notice, Mr. King asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 133) to grant to the States and incorporated companies engaged in the construction of roads and canals, the right of way through the public lands of the United States; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

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

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to communicate to the Senate such information as may be in his possession, in reference to the defence of the frontiers of the State of Maine, and the number of troops. now employed within that State, and the posts at which they are stationed. The following motion, submitted by Mr. Tipton, was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Pensions be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing an agency for the payment of pensions at Indianapolis, Indiana.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Burch:

Mr. President: The House of Representatives have, in pursuance of the joint rules of the two Houses, appointed a Committee on Enrolled Bills, consisting of Mr. Yell and Mr. Noyes.

On motion by Mr. Wright,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed on Enrolled Bills, in pursuance of the 7th joint rule.

It was agreed that the Vice President appoint the committee; and Mr. Williams, of Mississippi, and Mr. Foster, were accordingly appointed. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. Mr. Williams, of Mississippi, reported from the committee that they had examined and found duly enrolled the bill (H. R. 891) making appropriations, in part, for the support of Government for the years 1838 and 1839. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Burch:

Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed an enrolled bill, I am directed to bring it to the Senate for the signature of their President.

The Vice President signed the enrolled bill this day reported to have been examined; and it was delivered to the committee, to be laid before the President of the United States.

On motion by Mr. Norvell,

It was agreed that when the Senate adjourn, it be to Wednesday next;

and,

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1838.

The following message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Van Buren, his secretary:

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit, for your consideration, the enclosed communication and accompanying documents, from the Secretary of War, relative to the present state of the Pea Patch island, in the Delaware river, and of the operations going on there, for the erection of defences for that important channel of

commerce.

It will be seen from these documents, that a complete stop has been put to those operations, in consequence of the island having been taken possession of by the individual claimant, under the decision, in his favor, of the United States district court for the district of New Jersey; and that, unless early measures are taken to bring the island within the jurisdiction of the Government, great loss and injury will result to the future operations for carrying on the works. The importance of the subject would seem to render it worthy of the early attention of Congress.

WASHINGTON, December 21, 1838.

The message was read.

M. VAN BUREN.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs, and printed.

Mr. Clay, of Alabama, presented the memorial of Simon Geron, praying to be allowed to locate a land warrant on the public lands in the State of Alabama; which was referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Hubbard presented the petition of John P. Converse and Henry J. Rees, praying that an amount deducted from their pay, under a contract for carrying the United States mail, may be allowed, together with interest on certain protested drafts on the Post Office Department; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Mr. Hubbard submitted documents in relation to the claim of Walter Loomis and Abel Gay for compensation for work on the Cumberland road; which were ordered to be printed.

Mr. Linn presented the petition of a number of citizens of Manchester, in the State of Missouri, praying Congress to confirm the claim of Williani Triplett to a certain tract of land; which was referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Wright presented the petition of L. R. Lyon and D. S. Howard, praying compensation for a steam dredging-machine, constructed under a contract with an agent of the United States; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Wright presented the petition of Robert Townsend, praying the passage of an act to repeal the duty on foreign coal; which was referred to the Committee on Manufactures.

Mr. Allen presented two petitions from a number of the citizens of Erie county, in the State of Ohio, praying Congress to charter a national bank; which were referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. Fulton presented a preamble and resolution of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, instructing the Senators and requesting the Representative of the said State in Congress to use their exertions to procure

the

passage of a law to authorize the relinquishment of such 16th sections as are unproductive, and the entry of other lands in lieu thereof; which were referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Fulton presented a preamble and resolution of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas, instructing the Senators and requesting the Rep resentative of the said State in Congress to use their exertions to procure the passage of a law, to remunerate the settlers on the seminary lands, for their improvements, by a donation of other lands; which were referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Mr. Knight presented the petition of Betsey Vial, widow of John Vial, deceased, an officer in the army of the revolution, praying to be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions.

Mr. Benton submitted documents in relation to the bill (S. 1) for the graduation and reduction of the price of the public lands; which were ordered to be printed.

On motion by Mr. Wall,

Ordered, That the bill (S. 131) to prevent the interference of certain Federal officers in elections be printed.

Mr. Linn submitted the following motions; which were considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing marine hospitals on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, and, also, on the northern lakes; and that the late report of the Secretary of the Treasury and documents accompanying the same, be referred to the same committee.

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire. into the expediency of making an appropriation to improve the harbor of St. Louis, Missouri.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War send to the Senate the report (if any has been made) of the engineer who had the superintendence of the public works undertaken for the purpose of improving the harbor of St. Louis, Missouri.

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to improve the navigation of the Missouri river, from its mouth to Fort Leavenworth.

Resolved, That so much of the different reports of the commissioners appointed under the acts of July, 1832 and 1833, for the final adjustment of private land claims in Missouri and Arkansas, as have not been acted on by Congress, be referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

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

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads inquire into the propriety of affording relief to the securities of William B. Ferguson, and report by bili or otherwise.

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

Resolved, That the Judiciary Committee be instructed to inquire into the propriety of raising the salary allowed by law to the district judge for the districts of East and West Tennessee.

Mr. Robinson, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom the following bills were referred:

S. 107. A bill for the relief of Jabez White and Asa White;

S. 129. A bill for the relief of the Nantucket Steamboat Company; S. 88. A bill for the relief of certain persons therein mentioned; reported them, severally, without amendment.

Mr. Tipton, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred a memorial of the clerks attached to the office of the Second Auditor, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 134) for the benefit of the clerks in the office of the Second Auditor of the Treasury.

The bill was read, and passed to the second reading.

Ordered, That the report be printed.

On motion by Mr. Prentiss,

Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Eliza Causin; and that it be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims.

On motion by Mr. Strange,

Ordered, That the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Charles M. Keller and Henry Stone.

On motion by Mr. Williams, of Maine,

Ordered, That the Committee on Pensions be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of Esther Cleveland.

Mr. Clay, of Alabama, agreeably to notice, asked and obtained leave to bring in the following bills:

S. 135. A bill for the relief of certain settlers on the public lands, who were deprived of the benefits of the act granting pre-emption rights, which was approved on the 19th of June, 1834;

S. 136. A bill authorizing the relinquishment of the 16th sections granted for the use of schools, and the entry of other lands in lieu thereof; which were severally read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Agreeably to notice, Mr. Tipton asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill (S. 137) to authorize Peter Warner, of Indiana, to purchase a certain half section of land; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and, with the documents on file, referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 53) for the continuation of the Cumberland road in the States of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois; and,

On motion by Mr. Hubbard,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed to, and made the order of the day for, next Wednesday, the 2d of January.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill (S. 67) in addition to an act for the relief of Walter Loomis and Abel Gay, approved July 2, 1836; and,

On motion by Mr. Hubbard,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 1) providing for the reduction and graduation of the price of the public lands; and,

On motion by Mr. Clay, of Alabama,

Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed to, and made the order of the day for, Monday next, the 31st instant.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 56) for

the relief of the owners of the British brig Despatch, together with the amendment reported thereto; and the bill 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 following bills:

S. 57. A bill to remunerate the captors of the privateer Lydia;

S. 76. A bill for the relief of Jechonius Pigott and Benjamin Lecraft, sureties of James Manney, late collector of the customs for the district of Beaufort, in the State of North Carolina;

S. 77. A bill to remit or refund to the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad Company, the duties upon certain railroad iron; and no amendment being made thereto, they were severally reported to the Senate.

Ordered, That they be engrossed, and read a third time.

The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (S. 60) to relinquish to the State of Alabama the two per cent. fund reserved by the act for her admission into the Union to be applied to the making of a road or roads leading to said State; and,

On motion by Mr. Benton,

Ordered, That the further consideration of the bill be postponed until

to morrow.

After the consideration of Executive business,
The Senate adjourned.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1838.

The Vice President laid before the Senate a report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made in compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 20th instant, in relation to the operations of the Treasury Department, and to its deposites in the United States Bank of Pennsylvania; which was read.

Ordered, That it be printed, and that five thousand additional copies be printed for the use of the Senate.

The Vice President laid before the Senate a report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made in compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 17th instant, exhibiting the sums paid out of the Treasury, under private appropriations, since December, 1833.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and printed.

Mr. Wright presented the petition of a number of the inhabitants of the city of New York, praying that a port of entry may be established at Indian Key, in the Territory of Florida; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Mr. Davis submitted documents in relation to the claim of Charles H. Todd for repayment of duties upon certain goods imported by him; which were referred to the Committee on Finance.

Mr. Robbins presented the petition of J. L. Edwards and others, members of an association called Washington's Manual Labor School and Male Orphan Asylum," praying an act of incorporation; which was referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia.

On motion by Mr. Linn,