whole o the bill after the enacting clause and to insert as follows:

That from and after the close of the present session of Congress, the act entitled, "An act to change the mode of compensation of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and delegates from Territories," and all other acts and parts of acts relating to the pay or compen sation of the members of the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the United States, and of the delegates of the several Territories for their services. be and the same are bereby repealed.

Mr. Harrison then moved to recommit the said bill to the committee of the whole, with instructions to fill the blanks in the same with the word "six." And debate arising.

The House adjourned.

TUESDAY, January 21, 1817.

Mr. Cilley presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the county of Stafford in the State of New-Hampshire.

Mr. Parris presented a petition of sundry in habitants of the county of Oxford, in the District of Maine,

Mr. William Wilson presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Oswego, in the State of NewYork, and of Montrose, in the State of Pennsylvania. respectively praying for the establishment of post-routes.

Ordered. That the said petition be referred to the committee of Post-Office and Post-Roads.

Mr. Mason presented a petition of Stephen Jenks and others, late contractors for supplying arms for the army of the United States, praying

to be allowed an additional sum in the settlement of their accounts, as they allege the said arms cost them a sum much greater than that contracted for with the public.

Mr. Parris presented a petition of Joseph Coffin Boyd, late a paymaster in the army of the United States; stating that he paid a sum of money to a certain Joseph Westcott, a captain of volunteers in actual service. to be by him paid to the said company, which sum of money was accidentally lost by the said Westcott, and praying to be exonerat ed from his liability to the United States for the

same.

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

Mr. Irving, of N. Y. presented a petition of Willet Coles, confined in jail at the suit of the United States, praying to be released from his confinement.

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

Mr. Irving, of N. Y. also presented a petition of John M. Ryer, praying to be remunerated for his expenditures and services in fitting out a vessel with the intention of destroying the armed vessels of the enemy during the late war with Great Britain, in pursuance of the act of the 3d of March, 1813, entitled "An act to encourage the destruction of the armed vessels of war of the enemy;" in which enterprize be succeeded in destroying several armed boats and barges.

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

Mr. Root presented a petition of Henry Bradley, late a lieutenant of militia in the actual service of the United States, praying to be renumerated

for the expenses incurred by him while sick, on his way home after his discharge.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee of Commerce and Manufactures.

Mr. Jackson presented a petition of Mary Riggs, widow of Cyrus Riggs, deceased, who died of sickness contracted while in the militia service of the United States, praying that the pension allowed to the widows and children of militia soldiers who died previous to their discharge from service, may be granted to her and the five orphan children of the deceased.

Ordered, that the said petition be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

On motion of Mr. Hugh Nelson,

Ordered, That the petition of William Tatham, presented on the 14th January, 1812, be referred to a select committee.

Mr. Hugh Nelson, Mr. Murfree, Mr. Peters, Mr. Atherton and Mr. Blount were appointed the said committee.

Mr Pickens, one of the Representatives from the State of North Carolina, laid before the House the following proceedings of the Legislature of that State; which were read and ordered to lie on the table.

State of North Carolina;

The committee to whom was referred a resolution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States,

REPORT....

That the said resolution is in principle the same with that adopted by the General Assembly of North-Carolina at their last session, with a modification of one of the provisions

in the said resolutions; which meets the unanimous coneurrence of your committee. They therefore recommend that the resolution of the commonwealth of Ma-sachusetts, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, in the words following, to wit: "That for the purpose of choosing Representatives in the Congress of the United States, each State shall by its Legislature be divided into a number of districts equal to the number of Repaesentatires to which each State may be entitled. The districts shall be formed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be an equal number of inhabitants, entitled by the Constitution to be represented. In each district the qualified voters shall elect one Representative and no more. That for the purpose of appointing Electors of President of the United States, each State shall by its Legislature be divided into a number of districts equal to the number of Electors to which such State may be entitled. The districts shall be composed of contiguous territory, and contain as nearly as may be an equal number of inhabitants entitled by the Constitution to representation. In each district the persons qualified to vote for Representatives, shall appoint one Elector and no inore. The Electors when convened shall have power, in case any of them appointed as above prescribed shall fail to attend for the purposes of their said appointment on the day prescribed for giving their votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, to appoint another or others to act in the place of him or them so failing to attend. Neither the districts for choosing Representatives nor those for appointing Electors shall be altered in any State until a census and apportionment of Representatives under it subsequent to the division of the State into districts shall be made. The division of States into districts hereby provided for, shall take place immediately after this amendment shall be adopted and ratified as a part of the Constitution of the United States; and successively immediately afterwards whenever a census and apportionment of representatives under it shall be made