and that the committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise. Ordered, That Messrs. DANA, ROBINSON, CONDIT, BRADLEY, and FRANKLIN, be the committee. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act to fix the compensation of the additional Postmaster General," in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. The bill last brought up for concurrence was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. GILES, from the committee to whom was referred, on the fourth instant, the petition of Larkin Smith, Collector of the district of Norfolk and Portsmouth, in Virginia, reported a bill for the relief of the collectors of the ports of Norfolk, Baltimore, and Philadelphia; and the bill was read, and passed to the second reading. DECEMBER, 1810. eral," was read the second time, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. BRADLEY, LEIB, and SMITH of Maryland, were appointed the committee. The bill for the relief of the collectors of the ports of Norfolk, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, was read the second time. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill declaring the laws now in force in the Territory of Orleans, to extend to and to have full force and effect to the river Perdido, pursuant to the treaty concluded at Paris on the 30th day of April, 1803, and for other purposes; and on motion, by Mr. LLOYD, that the bill declaring the laws now in force in the Territory of Orleans, to extend to and to have full force and effect to the river Perdido, pursuant to the treaty concluded at Paris on the 30th day of April, 1803, The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the and for other purposes, be referred to a commitWhole, the bill declaring the laws now in force tee, with instructions to report their opinion on in the Territory of Orleans, to extend to and to the title of the United States to the territory in have full force and effect to the river Perdido, question, and the grounds on which that opinion pursuant to the treaty concluded at Paris on the may be founded, it was determined in the negative 30th day of April, 1803, and for other purposes,-yeas 5, nays 17, as follows: and on motion, it was agreed that the further consideration thereof be postponed until to morrow. On motion, by Mr. DANA, Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before this House a statement of the proceedings which have been had in execution of the act of the 10th of February, 1807, entitled "An act to provide for surveying the coasts of the United States." On motion, by Mr. DANA, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before this House information of such measures as have been pursued for mak ing a survey of the coast of the Territory of Orleans, in virtue of the authority committed to him by the thirteenth section of an act, approved the 21st of April, 1806. FRIDAY, December 21. Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, presented the petition of the President and Directors of the Union Bank of Georgetown, praying a charter of incorporation, for reasons stated at large in the petition; which was read, and on motion that it be referred to the committee to whom was referred, on the 11th instant, the petition of the President and Directors of the Bank of Potomac, it was determined in the negative; and, Ordered, That it be referred to Messrs. SMITH, of Maryland, ANDERSON, and PICKERING, to consider and report thereon by bill or otherwise. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of George Armroyd and Co." in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. The bill last brought up for concurrence was read, and passed to the second reading. The bill, entitled "An act to fix the compensation of the additional Assistant Postmaster Gen YEAS-Messrs. Dana, Goodrich, Horsey, Lloyd, and Pickering. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bradley, Campbell, Clay, Condit, Crawford, Cutts, Franklin, Gaillard, Gilman, Lambert, Leib, Mathewson, Pope, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, and Tait. On motion, by Mr. HORSEY, that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until Friday next, it passed in the negative. And, on motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, it was agreed that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until Wednesday next. On motion, by Mr. HORSEY, that the President of the United States be requested to cause to be laid before the Senate, all the documents, papers, or other evidences in his possession, relating to the title of the United States to the territory south of the Mississippi Territory, and eastward of the river Mississippi to the river Perdido, and to the boundaries of the said territory, it was determined in the negative-yeas 7, nays 13, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Dana, Goodrich, Horsey, Lambert, Lloyd, Mathewson, and Pickering. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Campbell, Clay, Condit, Crawford, Cutts, Franklin, Gaillard, Leib, Pope, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, and Tait. MONDAY, December 24. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act to continue in force, for a further time, the first section of the act, entitled 'An act further to protect the commerce and seamen of the United States against the Barbary Powers:" also, a bill, entitled "An act making an additional appropriation to supply a deficiency in the appropriation for the relief and protection of distressed American seamen during the year one thousand eight hundred and ten;" in which bills they desire the concurrence of the Senate. DECEMBER, 1810. Petition of Importers, Philadelphia. The bills last brought up for concurrence were read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. ANDERSON, from the committee on the subject, reported a bill to incorporate the Bank of Potomac. And the bill was read, and passed. Mr. ANDERSON, from the same commitiee, also reported a bill to incorporate the Bank of Washington; which was read and passed to the second reading. The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of George Armroyd and Company," was read the second time, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. LEIB, BRADLEY, and LLOYD, were appointed the committee. SENATE. which they will be liable, by the expected revival of the non-intercourse with Great Britain. For this purpose, they beg leave to state the situation of this branch of trade with some particularity. Many of your petitioners have, according to the usual course of business, sent orders to Great Britain for goods as early as August, and from that time to the middle of October. These orders, when received, are given out to manufacturers to execute; and the goods, when received from them and packed up, are on account and at the risk of the American merchant. issued, the only precautionary measures, which time At the time when the President's proclamation was would permit your petitioners to take, were to direct the goods they had ordered not to be shipped. The goods will therefore remain at the risk of your petitioners, who, in cases where the goods are paid for, are will soon be subjected to a heavy charge of interest. On motion, by Mr. SMITH of Maryland, the bill, entitled "An act making additional appro-deprived of the use of their capital, and in other cases priation for the relief and protection of distressed American seamen during the year one thousand eight hundred and ten," was read the second time by unanimous consent; and referred to the committee to whom was referred, on the 12th instant, the Message of the President of the United States of that date, on the same subject, to consider and report thereon. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill for the relief of the collectors of the ports of Norfolk, Baltimore, and Philadelphia; and on motion, by Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, the further consideration of the bill was postponed until the first Monday in January next. Mr. POPE gave notice, that to-morrow he should ask leave to bring in a bill authorizing a subscription on the part of the United States to the stock of the Ohio Canal Company. PETITION OF IMPORTERS. Your petitioners would further represent, that, in consequence of the increase of capital in this country, a material change, the extent of which is not generally understood, has taken place in the business of importing goods. Formerly, goods were imported almost exclusively on credit. The American merchant was a debtor; and, in fact, traded on foreign capital, and chiefly on that of Great Britain. But, in consequence of the great increase of capital in this city, and probably in other parts of the Union, not only is the old debt liquidated, but the importer is enabled to make adpetitioners state, with confidence, that about one-third vances for a great part of his importation. And your of the goods imported from Great Britain are paid for in advance. merchant, but to the country at large, which thereby This course of business is not only beneficial to the obtains its supplies on better terms, and the advantages arising from it have made it habitual. Almost all your petitioners have remitted, in part, and some of them in full, for goods which are ordered to come out the ensuing Spring; and if the non-intercourse should be revived, with respect to Great Britain, on the first of February next, the country will not only be deprived ally, be great sufferers, by having their property placed of a considerable capital, but your petitioners, individuout of their power for an indefinite length of time. Mr. LEIB presented the petition of Samuel Carswell and others, merchants of the city of Philadelphia, stating that they are engaged in the importation of manufactured goods, and have ordered a supply for the coming season, which it is out of their power to countermand; and praying, if Congress shall deem it proper to enforce a non-intercourse with Great Britain, which may operate with still greater severity against Some of your petitioners are placed in circumstances provision may be made by law authorizing the them. They have ordered goods which will have been entry of goods imported from that country, to shipped so early, that it was not possible to countersuch date as will relieve them from the embar-mand them after the issuing of the President's proclarassments apprehended and stated at large in the petition; which was read, and referred to the committee appointed on the 7th instant on so much of the Message of the President of the United States as concerns the relations between the United States and France and Great Britain, to consider and report thereon by bill or other-ests of all classes of citizens, respectfully pray your wise. mation; and which goods, by detention at the shipping port, by long passages, or accidents at sea, may not arrive until after the first of February, and of course may be liable to seizure and condemnation. of their Government, and in its attention to the interWherefore, your petitioners, confiding in the equity honorable body to take into consideration the peculiar hardship of their case; and, if Congress shall deem it proper to enforce a non-intercourse with Great Britain, that a law may be passed authorizing the entry of goods imported from that country, to such date as will relieve your petitioners from the embarrassments before mentioned. SAMUEL CARSWELL, And thirty-eight other subscribers. PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 11, 1810. BANK OF THE UNITED STATES. Mr. LEIB presented the memorial of the Chamber of Commerce of the city of Philadelphia, praying a renewal of the charter of the Bank of the United States, for reasons therein stated; and the memorial was read, and referred to the committee appointed on the 18th instant, to consider the petition of the President and Directors of the Bank of the United States on the same subject. The memorial is as follows: SENATE. in the purchase of its stock, in the establishment of similar institutions, and in the extension of commercial enterprise. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the Uni-subscription, which has been paid from faith in the manted States, the memorial of the subscribers, members of the Chamber of Commerce of Philadelphia, respectfully represents : That your memorialists regard, with interest and concern, the approach of that period at which the charter of the Bank of the United States will expire; and that, from an intimacy with the institution, and an immediate knowledge of its direction; from a view of the interests plainly interwoven with its existence, and an anticipation of the ruin which must follow its dissolution, they are induced, on this occasion, to address you. Your memorialists, in presenting to your view such considerations as they deem to be urgent for a renewal of the charter of the Bank of the United States, design to confine themselves to such facts, circumstances, and impressions, as are immediately within their own experience and observation. They are sensible that it would be unnecessary to urge upon your consideration any inducement for the continuance of the bank, which may be drawn from its convenience and aptitude to the financial operations of the Government; nor do they deem it proper to obtrude upon your deliberations arguments in favor of the Constitutional existence of an institution which for twenty years has had the support of Legislative and Judicial sanction, and the express respect of our united Confederacy. They are aware that these points are of the first importance, and that they, with every other national consideration connected with the question of renewal, will command your pointed attention. Their views simply are, to present before you such facts, connected with the interest of the citizen, and the well-being of the community, as, in their conception, lay the foundation for practical reasoning in favor of a prolongation of the charter. The Bank of the United States derives its existence from an act of Congress, passed in February, 1791coeval with the organization of the Government, and its arrangement of the system of revenue and finance. It had its origin, not from individual solicitation, interest, or speculation, but directly from the Government itself, and avowedly for its purposes. By the striking declaration in its charter, that "a Bank of the United States shall be established," and the still more striking provisions which it contains, in relation to the payment of three-fourths of its capital in the public debt-to the inspection of its accounts and transactions by the officer at the head of the Treasury-to the receipt of its bills or notes in all payments to the United States-to its loans to the government of a particular State, or a foreign Prince-by a direct investment of interest on behalf of the nation, to the extent of one-fifth of its capital-and by a positive pledge of the faith of Government, for its exclusive existence under the laws of the United States,-were impressed upon it the most unquestionable features of national character and lasting continuance. From its origin, its form, and its principles, its duration has been confidently trusted to, In the purchase of its stock, your memorialists regard, within the immediate sphere of their connexion and observation, an interest to the amount of one million of dollars in the citizens of Pennsylvania. This interest, extending to the proportion of one-tenth part of the capital of the bank, and, as is stated, to one-third part of the stock holden in the United States, has been principally invested at an advance upon the original agement and confidence in the duration of the institution. This interest, in a large proportion also, it may truly be stated, is the property and dependence, invested upon a principle of security and confidence, of widows, orphans, and charitable associations. To stockholders of this description, the dissolution of the bank must inevitably produce a loss of income and interest to which they look for support, and of capital to an extent which no calculation can ascertain. And your memorialists cannot but think that a sacrifice of interest of such a description can never be required, and will never be made, but to answer national purposes the most important. To the extent of nearly seven millions, your memorialists understand, the stock of the bank to be holden by foreigners, or persons not residing within the United States. That there has existed no objection, either of policy or propriety, on the part of the Government, to the holding of this stock by aliens, is evinced by the charter's containing no prohibition, and by the recent sale, directly to foreigners, of that portion of the stock holden by the United States. That this extensive interest has been invested from a firm reliance upon the With continuance of the bank cannot be doubted." what propriety and upon what foundation that reliance has been placed your memorialists do not undertake to decide, but content themselves with expressing their confidence that your wisdom and justice will scrupulously guard the faith of the Government from every imputation. In the establishment of similar institutions under the sanction of the different State Governments, your memorialists conceive that there has been displayed a reliance upon the continuance of the Bank of the United States. In all parts of the Union, where this bank or its branches exist, other banking associations have been established, the interest and concerns of which are materially interwoven with the existence of the National Bank. In the city of Philadelphia, the capital of the banks, exclusive of that of the Bank of the United States, amounts to nearly six millions of dollars, in which the State of Pennsylvania has an interest to the amount of nearly two millions of dollars, and citizens of the State to almost the whole of the residue. From the collection of the bonds for duties, at the Bank of the United States, it unavoidably results that there is in that bank a great and constant accumulation of the paper of the other banks. This cause, combined with its weight of capital and extensive deposites, has given to the Bank of the United States an obvious importance, in the connexion with other banks, which now renders its continuance almost indispensable to their safety; for, your memorialists are without fear of contradiction when they assert, that, if the Bank of the United States be dissolved, an effect extensively and deeply injurious will be felt by all other banking institutions within the range of its operations. In their apprehension, it is impossible that the Bank of the United States should exact payment from its debtors, and close its concerns, without its producing all the evils of prostrated credit and general delinquency. In these evils the other banks must largely share, and from them must most severely suffer. Your memorialists, on this point, submit to your consideration, that neither the individuals who have thus extensively embarked their interests in other institutions, nor the governments which have brought them into being, and made them the depositories of the public wealth, could have ever contemplated their exposure to this incidental injury, or perhaps destruction, by the dissolution of the National Bank; and, even if such an exposure might have been contemplated, the event could only be anticipated to proceed from the most pressing public exigency, or a sure calculation of the greatest public gain. SENATE. that the limitation in the charter of the Bank of the United States was a standing admonition to the various interests connected with that institution, that a period was appointed for its legal existence, which it could not reasonably be expected to pass. From the existence of this limitation, open and notorious to all, it is argued, that no injustice can arise from the refusal of Government to grant a continuance of privileges, beyond the time for which they were originally conferred; but your memorialists are confident that they speak the language of general opinion, when they state, that the limitation was designed as a check, by which the institution might be controlled, as a guard against the mischiefs of a defective administration, or as a point of time when it might come to an end, if it were required, by decisive reasons of public necessity; but that it never was designed, and never has been received, as the period of its dissolution, if its administration was marked by ability, integrity, and impartiality, and its existence productive of public good. To the administration of the bank, your memorialists freely yield the testimony of their decided approbation; so far as the transactions of the bank have been open to their observation, its direction has displayed a liberal desire to subserve the great objects of the institution, by diffusing, with impartiality, its accommodations to the greatest extent, compatible with its fundamental interests. It is but justice to this direction, further to add, that during the current year, a crisis of the greatest interest to the bank, as your memorialists fully believe, its accommodations. have not been contracted within the limits appointed by sound considerations of safety and propriety. In the extension of commercial enterprise, your memorialists present to your view, further and stronger evidence of reliance upon the continuance of the bank. The establishment of the bank may justly be regarded as the era which marks the rise of commercial credit, confidence, and enterprise. A recurrence to the state of our country, antecedently to this establishment, will show the truth of the remark, and leave no doubt upon the mind, as to the instrumentality of the bank in effecting the change. The formation of the bank called into circulation a mass of torpid wealth, opened large and liberal sources of accommodation to enterprise, and enforced, and insured, punctuality in commercial dealing; the effect was soon and sensibly felt by the commerce and agriculture of the country, and its salutary character has been shown, in the general diffusion of confidence and prosperity. How far the convenience of the Government may No sooner was the bank established upon that sure be affected by the dissolution, or by a material alterafoundation, on which faith in its permanence and tion of the bank, your memorialists do not undertake direction caused it to rest, than its stock advanced to declare; they entertain, however, the strongest perin value, and attracted a large amount of foreign suasion, that considerations, not only of great convecapital to the country; from the introduction of this nience, but of necessity, as regards the interest of indiforeign capital, which was invested at a high advance, viduals, and the prosperity of the community, urge proceeded these important results; that the citizen the continuance of the bank. On this point your atrealized a gain in the advance paid by the foreigner, tention is earnestly solicited to the existing state of and the country was enabled to trade upon the foreign the country; its unavoidable reliance upon accommocapital at an interest below its market value. Other dations from the banks; the use, convenience, and institutions rose upon the liberated capital of the citi-importance of the Bank of the United States, in its zen, and a general system of accommodation gave a present form, to the community, and the evils which spring to enterprise; the merchant, mechanic, and impend from its destruction. manufacturer, whose probity and industry inspired confidence, was enabled to obtain the means of exertion, and to extend his transactions. The borrowers have calculated with confidence upon a continuance of the loan, so long as they are deemed safe for its repayment, and have not anticipated a demand which may find them unprepared, and cost them a sacrifice of either property or credit. It is upon this foundation, that extensive commercial and manufacturing concerns have arisen in the country; and large investments have been made upon the faith of a general credit. To dissolve the Bank of the United States, is not only to check, but to destroy, this credit, inasmuch, as not only that bank, but all others at all connected with it, must compel the payment of their debts. In such an event, it cannot be supposed that the debtors could find adequate resources to enable them to meet their engagements; and an extensive delinquency would mark the loss of the banks, and the destruction of credit. Your memorialists are aware that it may be urged, 11th CoN. 3d SESS.-2 In a view of the state of the country, at the present moment, as connected with this subject, the following particulars, they trust, will receive your attention: The commerce of the United States, from a combination of causes, has been, for a period of no inconsiderable duration, subject to great embarrassments. During the current year, this embarrassment has been much increased, and the merchant is laboring under the pressure of a heavy sequestration of property abroad, and a failure of resources at home. Of the property which is sequestered, a large proportion had long lain unproductively on the merchants' hands, and was exported with the hope of being converted into the means by which his engagements might be. met. Under such circumstances, the reliance of many is necessarily upon a temporary use of the capital found in the banks, to which they have confidently trusted, as a resource, whilst their credit shall continue, and until their property shall be relieved. In the current year the exportation of specie from the United States has been to its accustomed extent, SENATE. Proceedings. DECEMBER, 1810. and the importation has been inconsiderable in amount. From the view which your memorialists have taken This circumstance has, of course, tended to increase of this subject, and the observations which they have the embarrassment of the merchant, inasmuch as it submitted to your consideration, it is apparent, that has necessarily contracted his accommodations. From their earnest prayer to you is, that a renewal of the these causes it has resulted, that the demand for charter of the Bank of the United States may be money is uncommonly great, and the means for sup-granted; and a confirmation thereby be given to pubplying that demand are unusually limited. lic confidence, private tranquillity, general credit, and national prosperity. CONDY RAGUET, In this state of things, the mercantile part of the country sees before it, in the coming year, an extraordinary amount of debt to the United States, for duties, a large proportion of which, is payable upon goods that have hitherto been unproductive; and it anticipates the privation of that aid, which the bank has always been accustomed to give towards the payment of the Custom House bonds. In addition to this, with the expiration of the charter of the Bank of the United States, it sees a suspension of the circulation of fifteen millions of dollars, the stated amount of its ordinary accommodations. It sees an accumulation of the precious metals in the bank, to the amount of its capital; it sees seven millions of that capital withdrawn from the country; and it sees, that payment of duties can no longer be made to the Government in the notes of the National Bank, but that payment must be made in specie. With this prospect, and the additional certainty, that accommodation and confidence will be universally succeeded by exaction and distrust, your memorialists are persuaded, that it will be in vain for individuals, for the chartered institutions, or the Government itself, to expect the fulfilment of engage ments, or to rely upon the performance of contracts. And one hundred others. WEDNESDAY, December 26. The Senate assembled; and on motion, adjourned to 11 o'clock to-morrow morning. THURSDAY, December 27. JENKIN WHITESIDE, from the State of Tennessee, took his seat in the Senate. Mr. LEIB, from the committee, appointed on the 7th instant, to consider the subject, reported a bill to incorporate the subscribers to the Farmers' Bank of Alexandria; and the bill was read and passed to the second reading. The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the re port of the Secretary of the Treasury, prepared in obedience to the directions of the act, entitled in the United States," passed April 10, 1806; and "An act regulating the currency of foreign coins, the report was read and ordered to lie for consideration. ask leave to bring in a bill for the establishment Mr. LEIB gave notice that to-morrow he should of a quartermaster's department. The bill, entitled "An act to continue in force, for a further time, the first section of the act, entitled 'An act further to protect the commerce and seamen of the United States against the Barbary Powers," was read the second time. The bill to incorporate the Bank of Washington was read the second time. To the minds of your memorialists, the Bank of the United States, in its present form, presents a striking character for its use, convenience, and importance to the community. In addition to the various points of view in which its value has been already considered, its uses are further to be regarded, in its affording a convenient and safe medium of circulation throughout the United States; and in the facilities which it grants, by means of its drafts, in the transposition of funds from one part of the country to another, with perfect security. In a national and individual point of view, its utility is also displayed, in having and exercising, by means of its peculiar connexion of several branches Mr. SMITH of Maryland, presented the memoin one common interest, the power of guarding against rial of Thomas Corcoran and others, citizens of the inconvenience and evil, which might result from Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, stating the balance of trade between different parts of the that they had commenced certain improvements Union, producing a local deficiency of the circulating in the channel of the river Potomac, near that medium. But, above all, your memorialists regard as town, but that they were impeded in their proinestimable, an institution which, in its ample re-gress by a legal injunction, on suggestion that sources, possesses the power, and in the independent and liberal spirit of its direction, manifests the will, effectually to aid both Government and the private citizen, in case of a sudden and serious emergency. they might do injury to the bridge lately erected over the aforementioned river: And that the petitioners are constrained to lay their case beTo predict, with certainty, the extent of the evils relief. And the petition was read and referred fore Congress, and to ask their interposition and which must inevitably flow from a dissolution of the bank, is beyond the power of your memorialists. They to a select committee, to consist of five members, conceive that, among these evils, however, may certainly to consider and report thereon, by bill or otherbe placed an extensive and aggravating loss, by all wise; and Messrs. SMITH, of Maryland, FRANKpersons interested in the banking associations of the LIN, CHAMPLIN, GAILLARD, and BRADLEY, were country, a destructive disregard of punctuality in the appointed the committee. performance of contracts, both towards the Government and the citizen; a wide spreading bankruptcy, which will be felt by the commercial, manufacturing, and agricultural interests; a diffidence of the stability of Government, both at home and abroad, and a prostration of that confidence and credit, which have so happily and successfully administered to the enter prise and prosperity of the country. Mr. HORSEY gave notice that to-morrow he should ask leave to bring in a bill authorizing the sale and grant of a certain quantity of public land to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act to authorize the Secretary of War to ascertain and settle, by the appoint |