The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the additional report of the committee of Elections on the petition of Rufus Easton, contesting the election of John Scott, as the delegate from the Territory of. Missouri, and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Condict, reported that he was directed by the committee to report the resolution of the committee of Elections, with an amendment to strike out all that occurs after the word "Resolved," and to insert in lieu thereof the following:

That the election in the Missouri Territory has been illegally conducted, and the seat of the delegate from that Territory is vacant;

That the Speaker inform the governor of said Territory, of the decision of this House, that a new election may be ordered.

The House proceeded to consider the said report: When

Mr. Wright, moved to amend the amendment reported by the committee of the whole House, by striking out from the said resolutions, all after the words "Resolved" and to insert as follows:

"Rufus Easton, was entitled to the certificate of the governor of the Missouri Territory, of his election as a delegate from that Territory to the Congress of the United States, agreeably to the laws of the said Territory: Therefore

Resolved, That the said Rufus Easton, is entititled to a seat in this House, as the delegate from the said Territory, in the place of the sitting delegate."

The question was taken to agree to this amend

ment,

And was determine in the negative.

The question was then taken to concur in the

amendment reported by the committee of the whole House, except so much as is contained in these words, "That a new election may be ordered."

And passed in the affirmative.

And on the question to concur in the resolution as amended.

It passed in the affirmative.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the acting Secretaty of War, transmitting a statement of the number of officers and privates composing the whole military force of the United States, in obedience to the resolution of the 11th instant, which were referred to the committee on Military Affairs.

The Speaker also laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmiting a report in obedience to the resolution of the House of the 9th of March, 1816, directing him "to report whether any, and if any, what alterations are necessary to equalize the duty on the capacity of stills, boilers, and other instruments used in distillation," which were referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Ordered, That the several orders of the day which precede the bill allowing compensation to the members of Congress, and the Delegates from Territories, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed for that purpose, be postponed until the 15th instant.

And then the House adjourned.

TUESDAY, January 14, 1817.

Mr. Ward, of. Mass. presented a petition of sundry merchants and manufacturers in Boston, in Massachusetts, praying that the act laying a

new tariff of duties on imported articles may be so altered or modified as to admit the importation of plute, braziers', and still copper free of duty.

'The Speaker presented a petition of the messengers of the Departments of State, War, Treasury, and Navy, praying for an increase of compensation.

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

Mr. Ward, of Mass also presented a petition of Winslow Lewis and Henry Lewis, praying to be paid the sum of 21,613 dollars, that sum being applied by the American consul at the port of Tunis, in Barbary, out of moneys in his hands belonging to them, to the payment of certain bills of exchange drawn on the Department of State, by the said consul, for the ransom and release of American citizens who were captives in Algiers.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of State.

Mr. Wendover, presented a petition of Oliver H. Hicks, and Lockwood Deforrest, merchants of the city of New-York, praying to be exonerated from the payment of full duties on a quantity of coffee imported by them into the port of NewYork..

Mr. Smith, of Md. presented a memorial of William Thornton, keeper of the patent Office, stating that no direct provision exists in the laws upon the subject of patents, inventions, and discoveries embracing the case of statuary, and solicit ing that an additional act may be passed upon the subject.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures. Mr. Brooks, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the twenty-first congressional district

in the State of New-York, in opposition to the pratice of opening and transporting the mails on the Sabbath, which was referred to a committee appointed on a similar petition from inhabitants of Southampton, in Massachusetts.

Mr. Wm. P. Maclay, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Centre and Clearfield, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying that the act passed at the last session of Congress, fixing the compensation of members of Congress at fifteen hundred dollars per annum, may be repealed.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of the whole House, to which is committed the bill to allow compensation to the members of Congress, and to repeal the acts heretofore passed for that purpose.

Mr. Kent, presented a petition of the inhabitants of the village of Sackett's Harbour, in the State of New-York, representing their losses and sufferings occasioned by the late war with Great Britain, and praying that commissioners may be appointed to audit and adjust their accounts upon the spot.

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

The Speaker presented a document in support of the claim of Peyton Short, which, together with the petition of the said Peyten Short, presented on the 5th day of March, 1816, was referred to the same committee.

Mr. Clayton, presented a petition of Allan M-Lanc, stating that he commenced his military life as a volunteer in the year 1775, and continued to act in various stations of important trust, of active enterprize, of imminent peril throughout the checkered scenes of the revolutionary war, which

left him at its close a major of infantry, and that in the great cause of independence he offered up the flower of his life, and expended a handsome patrimony, for which he has never, as he alleges, received the promised rewards; that he is now old, infirm, and poor, and praying that Congress will take his case into their serious consideration and pass such act in the premises for his relief as to them, in their wisdom, shall seem just and right.

Mr. Peter, presented a petition of Catharine Young, mother of doctor John Young, jun. deceased, lately surgeon of the United States ship Peacock, praying to be allowed a pension, as she derived her support solely from the exertions of her said son.

Mr. Herbert, presented a petition of Charles Waggoner, a free man of colour, who was wounded in the naval service, during the late war, praying for a pension.

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

On motion of Mr. Hopkinson,

Ordered, That the petition of John Polhemus,, presented on the 13th day of December, 1815, be referred to the same committee.

Mr. Randolph, presented a petition of the President and board of Managers of the American society, for colonizing the free people of colour of the United States, praying that Congress will aid with the power, the patronage, and the resources of the country, the great and beneficial object of their institution, which was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Robertson, presented a petition of Garrique