by law, for the relief of such of the officers and soldiers of the revolutionary war, who faithfully served, and are now reduced to want, and unable to support themselves. On motion of Mr. Taylor, of N. Y. Ordered, That the several orders of the day which precede the report of the committee of Elections, on the petition of Rufus Easton, contesting the clection of John Scott, the delegate from the Territory of Missouri, be postponed until to-mor row. The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the said report of the committee of Elections; and after some time spent therein Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr Smith, of Maryland, reported that the committee had made some progress therein, and directed him to ask leave to sit again. The question was taken, Shall the committee of the whole House have leave to sit again? And determined in the negative. Mr. Webster then moved to re-commit the said report to the committee of Elections, with instruction "to receive evidence that persons voting for either candidate were not entitled to vote in the said election." Mr. Telfair moved to amend the motion of Mr. Webster, by striking out the words “for either candidate." And the question being taken so to amend, It was determined in the negative. The question then recurred on the motion to re-commit as aforesaid; and debate arising thereon The House then adjourned. SATURDAY, January 4, 1817. Mr. Atherton presented a petition of sundry inhabitauts of Francestown and Hancock, in the State of New-Hampshire, praying that the mails may not be transported or opened on sundays. Mr. Taylor, of N. Y. presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Ontario, Gennessee and Niagara, praying for the establishment of a post-route. Ordered, That_the said petitions be referred to the committee on Post-Office and Post-Roads. Mr. Irving, of N. Y. presented a petition of Daniel Oakey, on behalf of Richard Pullan and Charles A. Pullan, praying that the forfeiture incurred by the importation of certain goods of British manufacture, previous to the late war with Great Britain, may be remitted, as they were shipped previous to the arrival in England of the act prohibiting the importation thereof. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Foreign Affairs. On motion of Mr. Milnor, Ordered, That the petition of Thomas and John Clifford, presented on the 30th January, 1811, be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Wright presented a petition of Magnus Nelson, confined in prison at the suit of the United States, praying to be discharged from his imprisonment. Mr. Little presented a petition of Marcellino Gonet, praying to be allowed further time to discharge a judgment obtained agaisnt him at the suit of the United States. Mr. Tyler presented a petition of Edward Cheeseborough, praying to be exonerated from the payment of two bonds given to secure the duties of his distillery, for the reasons stated in his petition. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Lewis presented a petition of the members of the Rock Creek Church, in the District of Colambia, praying to be authorized to sell a part of glebe lands belonging to the said Church. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee for the District of Columbia. On motion of Mr. Robertson, Ordered, That the petition of Thomas Owings, presented on the 27th February, 1816, be referred to the committee on Private Land Claims. The Speaker presented a petition of the Legislature of the Mississippi Territory praying that such persons as have settled upon public lands in that Territory, may be permitted to remain thereon until the same shall be exposed to sale. Mr. Pope presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Madison county, in the Illinois Territory, praying that their respective land titles may be confirmed. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on the Public Lands. Mr. Lowndes, from the committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill directing the discharge of Oliver Spellman from imprisoment, which was read the first and second time and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time on Monday next Mr. Hugh Nelson, from the select committee, appointed on the 30th ult. reported a bill extending the time for locating Virginia military landwarrants, and for returning the surveys thereon to the general land-office and for giving further time to complete the surveys and to obtain patents for lands located under Virginia resolution-warrants, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole House on Monday next. On motion of Mr. Cannon, Resolved, That the committee on Roads and Canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of improving the navigation of the Muscle Shoals, in Tennessee river. On motion of Mr. Brooks, Resolved, That the committee on the PostOffice and Post-Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post-route from the village of Canandaigua, by Bristol, Richmond, Livonia, Gennessee, Leicester and Warsaw, to Shelton, in the State of New-York. Ordered, That the report of the committee on Naval Affairs, on the petition of Thomas I. Allen, be committed to a committee of the whole House on Wednesday next. The House resumed the consideration of the report of the committee of Elections on the case of the contested election between John Scott and Rufus Easton, and the question depending yesterday at the time of adjournment, to recommit the said report to the committee of Elections, with instruction" to receive evidence, that persons voting for either candidate were not entitled to vote in the election," was again stated; when A motion was made, by Mr. Betts, to postpone, indefinitely, the further consideration of the report of the committee of Elections. And the question being taken, It was determined in the negative. The question then again recurred on recommitting with instructions; when a division thereof was called for. And on the question-"Shall the said report be recommitted ?" |