which shall be in the power of the party to produce."

And the question being taken to strike out these words,

It was determined in the negative.

Mr. Cannon then moved to add to the bill, the following section:

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the commissioner appointed under the act to which this is an amendment, shall issue certificates to the claimants respectively in whose favour he may have awarded.

And on the question to agree to this section, It was determined in the negative, Mr. Ingham ben moved to add to the bill, the following section:

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the ninth section of the aforesaid act, shall not he construed to extend to houses or other buildings occupied by the military forces of the United States, except the same shall have been also occupied under the authority of an officer or agent of the United States, as a place of deposite for munitious of war. And debate arising thereon, The House adjourned.

FRIDAY, January 10, 1817.

Mr. Ward, of Mass. presented a petition of Henry Rice, merchant, of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, stating that during the occupation of the port of Castine, by the enemy in the late war with Great Britain, a quantity of goods were imported into the said port, and the duties thereon paid to the British government, a considerable quantity of which were subsequently purchased

by him, and that after the evacuation of that port by the enemy, he was compelled to re-enter the goods with the United States collector, and secure the duties thereon by bonds, two of which he has paid, and praying that the moneys which he has paid as aforesaid may be refunded to him, and that the residue of the bonds may be cancelled.

Mr. Harison, presented a petition of James Matthews, who is confined in jail in Hamilton county, and State of Ohio, praying to be discharged from his imprisonment.

Ordered. That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Pitkin, presented a petition of Solomon Rockwell, and others, manufacturers of bar iron, in the State of Connecticut, praying that additional duties may be imposed on bar iron imported into the United States.

Mr. Condict, presented similar petitions from sundry manufacturers of bar iron in New-Jersey. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

Mr. Clark, of N. Y. presented a petition of Peter Kendall, praying to be paid for a quantity of merchandise which was destroyed by the enemy, during the late war with Great Britain.

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

Mr. Little, presented a petition of William Flannagan, and Willian Parsons, ship builders in Baltimore, praying to be allowed an additional sum for the building of the frigate Java, for the reasons stated in the petition.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committec on Naval Affairs.

Mr. Randolph, presented a petition of William Farr and John Maxwell, late musicians in the

Marine corps of the United States, under the command of colonel Franklin Wharton, who they allege, unjustly and without cause, withholds from them the pay to which they are entitled, and praying the interposition of Congress in their behalf. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of the Navy to report thereon

Mr. Clayton, presented a petition of the Directors of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Company, praying for the aid of the national government, in carrying into effect the objects of their

association.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on Roads and Canals.

On motion of Mr. Pope,

Ordered, That the petition of Charles M-Nabb, presented on the 18th December, 1815, be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Ordered, That William Marsh. whose petition was before this House at the last session of Congress, have leave to withdraw the same.

Ordered, That the letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, received yesterday, respecting loanoffice and final-settlement certificates, be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Mr Yancey, from the committee of Claims, to which was referred the bill from the Senate, "for the relief of the representatives of Ignace Chalmet Delino, deceased, and of Anthony Cruzat, and P. L. Deverges," reported the same without amendment.

Ordered, That the said bill be committed to a committee of the whole House, to-morrow.

Mr. Chappell, from the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, reported a bill for the

relief of the widow and minor children of Abraham Owen, which was read the first and second time and committed to a committee of the whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Chappell, from the same committee made a report on the petition of John Nelson, which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Chappell, also made a report on the expediency of placing John M-Kenney, on the pension list of the United States, which was read and the resolution therein contained was concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to place the said John M'Kenney, on the pension list.

Mr. H. Nelson, from the committee on the Judiciary, who were instructed by a resolution of the 7th instant. to inquire into the expediency of appointing a judge for the northern district of the State of New-York, made an unfavourable report which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Nelson, from the same committee who were also instructed by a resolution of the 19th ult. to in quire into the propriety of so amending or explaining the fourth section of the act of the 6th of May. 1812, for designating, surveying, and granting military bounty lands, as to authorize a devise of said bounty land, though no patent shall have been granted therefor, at the time of the devise, made a report, recommending the adoption of the following resolution:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient to alter or change the existing law in this respect in anywise whatever.

This resolution was read and disagreed to by the House.

Ordered, that the committee on the Judiciary.

prepare and report a bill in conformity to the resolution of the 19th ult.

Mr. Taylor, of N. Y. from the committee of Elections, to which was recommitted their report of the 31st December last, with certain instructions, made an additional report, which was committed to a committee of the whole House, to

morrow.

Mr. Savage, from the committee of Commerce and Manufactures, reported a bill for the relief of Thomas and John Clifford, Elisha Fisher, and company, and Thomas Clifford and Son, which was read the first and second time, aud committed to a committee of the whole House to-morrow.

Mr. Calhoun, from the committee on the national currency, who were instructed by resolution, to inquire whether the President and Directors of the Bank of the United States, had adopted any arrangement, by which the specie portion of the second instalment can be evaded or postponed, &c. made a report which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Root,

Resolved, That the act entitled, "An act to authorize certain officers and other persons to administer oaths," approved the 3d of May, 1798, ought to be so amended, as to authorize a chairman of a standing committee of either House of Congress, to administer oaths, and that the committee on the Judiciary, bring in a bill for that purpose.

On motion of Mr. Bassett,

Resolved, That the committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, be directed to inquire into the expediency of increasing the compensation of the post-masters at York, and at Hampton, in Virginia