the whole House on the bill for the relief of infirm, disabled, and superannuated officers and soldiers. On motion of Mr. Pope,

Resolved, That the committee on Military Affairs, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of paying the officers of the general staff of governor Edwards, while in the service of the United States, in the year 1812.

On motion of Mr. Ormsby,

Resolved, That the committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing by law, Louisville, in the State of Kentucky, a port of entry and delivery. On motion of Mr. Taul,

Resolved, That the committce on the Post-Office and Post-Roads, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of discontinuing the post-route from Danville, in Kentucky, by Casey court-house, Pulaskie court-house, Wayne court-house, Burksville and Columbia to Danville, and to establish in lieu thereof, a post-route from Danville, by Liberty and Somerset, to Monticello, from Monticello, by Burksville to, Glasgow, and to extend the present route from Greensburgh, by Columbia to Burksville.

The bill from Senate directing the discharge of William Smith from imprisonment, was read the first and second time and committed to the committee of the whole House, to which is committed the bill of this House of the same title.

The bill from the Senate making an appropri ation to enable the President of the United States to hold treaties with the Indian tribes for the purpose therein mentioned, was read the first and second time and committed to a select committee.

Mr. Williams, Mr. Robertson, Mr. Thomas,

Mr. McLean, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Herbert, and Mr. Cady, were appointed the said committee.

The bill from the Senate, providing for the division of certain quarter sections in future sales of the public lands, was read the first and second time and committed to the committee on the Public Lands.

The bill from the Senate for the relief of John Haslett, was read the first and second time and referred to the committee of Ways and Means.,

The amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill "to explain the act to authorize certain officers and other persons to administer oaths, approved May 3d, 1798," were read and agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

Mr. Culpepper moved to postpone until to-mor row, the several orders of the day, for the pur pose of again taking into consideration the proposition of amendment to the constitution of the United States, submitted at the present session by Mr. Pickens.

And the question being taken thereon.

It was determined in the negative.

The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole House on the bill to set apart and pledge as a permanent fund for internal improvement, the bonus of the National Bank, and the United States share of its dividends; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Smith, of Md. reported that the committee had made several amendments to the said bill; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table.

And then the House adjourned

WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1817.

Mr. Stearns presented a petition of the Society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians in North America, praying the general government to adopt some measures for establishing and supporting schools for instructing Indian children and youth in the arts of reading and writing; which was ordered to be referred to a select committee.

Mr. Stearns, Mr. Williams, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Lyon, and Mr. Woodward were appointed the said

committee.

Mr. Wendover presented a petition of Christian H Kaffinan, merchant of the city of New-York, praying to be allowed the drawback on a quantity of wine exported by him to Havanah, which he is unable to obtain, because of not taking the necessary oath within the time specified by law.

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

Mr. Yates presented a petition of Thomas W. Phelps and Warren Colton, praying to be exonerated from their liability as the sureties of a certain Enoch M. Granger, in a bond given by him to secure the duties on bis distillery; which said distillery was not used, because of the failure of the said Granger and of the scarcity of grain.

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

Mr. Gold presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the counties of Oneida, Oswego, Cayuga, Ontario and Gennessee, in the State of New-York, praying for the establishment of a post-route.

Ordered, That the said petitioner be referred

to the committee on the Post-Office and PostRoads...

Mr. Archer presented a petition of Samuel Hughes, proprietor of a cannon foundry in Hartford county, Maryland, praying to be paid for damages done to the said foundry by the British forces during the late war, in consequence of its being engaged at that time in fabricating cannon for the service of the army and navy of the United States.

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

Mr. Pleasants presented documents in support of the petition of Henry Tatum; which were referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

Ordered, That the committee of Claims be discharged from a further consideration of the petition of Peter C. Tupper, of William Osborn, and of F. J. Dallam, and that the first be referred to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims; the second to the committee cf Commerce and Manufactures; and that leave be given to withdraw the third.

Ordered, That the committee on Naval Affairs be discharged from a further consideration of the petition of William Flannigain and William Parsons, and leave be given to withdraw the said petition.

Ordered, That the committee on the Judiciary be discharged from a further consideration of the petition of sundry inhabitants of Pennsylvania, relative to patents, and that the said petition lie on the table.

Ordered, That the said committee be also discharged from a further consideration of the pe

tition of Zebulon Hollingsworth, and that it be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Newton, from the committee of Commerce and Manufactures, made a report on the petition of Anthony Buck; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Pleasants, from the committee on Naval Affairs, made a report on the petition of John M. Ryer; which was read, and the re-olution therein e ntained, was concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petition ought not to be granted.

Mr. Pleasants also made a report on the petition of captain Arthur Sinclair of the navy; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Nelson, from the committee on the Judiciary, made a report on the petition of John Fisher; which was read, and the resolution therein contained, was concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner ought not to be granted."

Mr. Johnson, from the committee on Military Affairs, who were instructed by a resolution of the 8th ultimo, to inquire into the expediency of allowing to certain nou-commissioned officers and soldiers in the late war, who served to the end thereof, but did not obtain their r gular discharge, or who died, or were killed, their balance of pay and the bounty in lands. made a report; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker laid before the House, a letter from the Comptrolier of the Treasury, transmitting a statement of balances remaining on the books of the Treasury, which have been due more than three years, prior to the 30th Septem