fer appropriations, which was read and ordered to Jie on the table.

Mr. Lowndes also laid before the House a let ter addressed to the committee of Ways and Means, by the acting Secretary of War, enclosing detailed statements, on which were founded the estimates for the expenses of the army of the United States, for the year 1817, including ar rearages, which were ordered to lie on the table,

Mr. Forsyth submitted the following resolution, which was read and ordered to lie on the table:

Resolved, That the committee on the National Currency be instructed to inquire whether the President and Directors of the Bank of the United States have adopted any arrangement by which the payment of the specie portion of the second instalment can be evaded or postponed, and if such arrangement has been made, the expediency of adopting some regulation by which the payment of the specie portion of the second instalment may be enforced at the time required by the act of ins corporation, or within a limited time thereafter,

Ordered, That the committee to whom is res ferred the letter and report of the Acting Secre tary of War, on the letter of major-general Wil liam Henry Harrison, respecting his expenditure of public money, while commanding the north western army, during the late war with Great Britain, have power to send for persons and papers,

The Speaker, laid before the House, a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting an estimate of money's necessary to be appropriated for the service of the year 1817, which were of dered to lie on the table.

The Speaker, laid before the House, a letter from the Secretary of State, transmitting the an

nual list of persons, who have invented any new and useful art, machine, or manufacture, and to whom patents have been issued for the same, in the year 1816, which were ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker, also laid before the House, a letter from Richard Bland Lee, the commissioner appointed pursuant to the act of the 9th of April, 1816,"authorizing the payment for property lost, captured, or destroyed, by the enemy, while in the military service of the United States, and for other purposes," containing a defence of his conduct, in executing the said act, and explanatory of his interpretation of the provisions of the same, which was read and referred to the committee of the whole, to which is committed the bill to amend the act aforesaid.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Cutts, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker, The Senate have passed a bill entitled," An act for the relief of the legal representatives of Ignace Chalmet Delino, deceased, and of Anthony Cruzat, and L. P. Deverges," in which they ask the concurrence of this House. And he withdrew.

An engrossed bill entitled, "An act authorizing the discharge of Oliver Spellman, from imprisonment," was read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk carry the same to the Senate, and ask their concurrence therein,

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Todd, his secretary, who delivered in the same at the Speaker's table, and withdrew.

The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill to amend the act to

authorize the payment for property lost, captured or destroyed, by the enemy, while in the military service of the United States, and for other purposes; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Coudict, reported that the committee had made further progress therein, and directed him to ask leave to sit again.

Ordered. That the committee of the whole have leave sit again on the said bill. And then the House adjourned.

TUESDAY, January 6, 1817.

Mr. Root presented a petition of Robert L. Livingston, Austin L. Sands, and Joshua Sands, heirs of Walter Livingston and Richardson Sands, on behalf of themselves and others, praying to be paid the amount of an award in favour of their ancestors, under a contract for supplying the revolutionary army with provisions.

Mr. Ingham presented a petition of Samuel Gibbs, praying to be paid the amount of two loanoffice certificates, issued in the revolutionary war. Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, presented a petition of John Halfpenny, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Mr. Little presented a petition of sundry mer. chants of Baltinore, praying further compensation for the damage they sustained by the sinking of their vessels at the entrance of the harbour of Baltimore, in the late war with: Great Britain, by order of the commanding general.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Claims.

On motion of Mr. Robertson,

Urdered, That the petition of James Villeret presented on the 5th of March, 1816, be refer ed to the same committee.

Mr. Robertson, presented a petition of William Miller and others, by Joseph S. Johnson, their agent, praying for a confirmation of their title to a tract of land in the State of Louisiana.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the commitice on the Public Lands.

Mr. Archer, submitted the following resolution, Which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Resolved, That the committee on Military Af fairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing to officers, who, during the late war, have been promoted from the ranks of the army, the bounty land to which they would have been Entitled in case they had not been promoted.

On motion of Mr. Tyler,

Resolved, That the committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency and propriety of directing the application of the funds arising under the acts of Congress "for the relief of sick and disabled seamen," at the port of Richtond, in Virginia, in aid of the funds of the corporation of that city, towards the erection and sup port of a marine hospital

On motion of Mr. Wright,

Resolved, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims be instructed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the pension now allowed by law to Thomas Gadd, of the State of Maryland, formerly a soldier of the revolutionary

wat.

On motion of Mr. Gold,

Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of m

king provision, by law, for the appointment of a judge for the northern judicial district in the State of New-York, to reside in the district.

On motion of Mr. Hardin,

Resolved, That the committee on Military Affairs, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of allowing pay and compensation to the mounted volunteers, who, in the year 1813, served in the expedition to the head waters of White River, and the Wabash, under the command of colonel Russell.

On motion of Mr. Reynolds.

Resolved, That the committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing by law, a post-road from Nashville to Clarksville, in the State of Tennessee; and also, the extension of the postroad from John Hunts, in Robertson county, Ten nessee, to Isabelville, in Kentucky.

On motion of Mr. Bennett,

Resolved, That the committce on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be directed to inquire into the expediency of placing on the pension list, James Heard, a lieutenant of dragoons in the revolutionary army.

On motion of Mr. Taul,

Resolved, That the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law, for the pay ment to Nancy Armon, the amount which may be due on loan-office certificate, No. 490, payable to Eve Weghart, signed by Francis Hopkinson, treasurer of loans, and countersigned by Thos. Smith,

commissioner of loans.

On motion of Mr. Irvin,

Resolved, That the committee of Ways and Means, be instructed to inquire into the propriety