property lost, captured or destroyed by the enemy, while in the military service of the United States; and for other purposes," having received a construction giving it a scope of great and uncertain extent, I thought it proper that proceedings relative to claims under that part of the act should be suspended, until Congress should have an opportunity of defining, more precisely, the cases contemplated by them. With that view I now recommend the subject to their consideration. They will have an opportunity, at the same time, of considering how far other provisions of the act may be rendered more clear and precise in their import. JAMES MADISON.

December 6, 1816.

The said message was read, and referred to the committee of claims.

On motion of Mr. Tucker,

Resolved, That the committee for the District of Columbia, be instructed to inquire into the expedier.cy of prohibiting, by law, the establishment of unchartered Banking Companies, or the circulation of the notes of such companies within the said District.

On motion of Mr. Harrison,

Resolved, That the military committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law, for the relief of such of the officers and soldiers, who, having faithfully served in the armies of the United States, are now in distressed circumstances, and who, not having received wounds or disabilities, whilst in actual service are excluded from the benefits of the pension laws; and that the said committee report by bill or otherwise.

On motion of Mr. Johnson, of Ky.

Resolved, That the Military Committee, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of organizing a corps of invalids and of establishing additional military academies.

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

Mr. Speaker-The Senate have appointed the rev. John Glendy, a chaplain to Congress, during the present session, on their part. And he withdrew. The following resolutions were submitted by Mr. Forsyth,

1. Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby requested to lay before this House, the proceedings of the Commissioner appointed under the act passed at the last session, entitled "An 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.

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2. Resolved, That the President be and he is hereby requested to order the further execution of the said act, to be suspended until the subject shall be disposed of by this House.

3. Resolved, That the President be and he is hereby requested to inform this House whether the judgments made by the commissioner under the said act have been paid at the treasury of the United States, and if they have been paid by what authority and out of what fund.

The said resolutions were read and the first and third agreed to, and the second was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Forsyth, and Mr. Webster, were appointed a committee, to present the said first and third resolutions to the President.

The House then resumed the consideration of

the resolutions, submitted by Mr. Williams, yesterday, and the same being again read were amended and agreed to by the House, as follow:

1. Resolved, that a committee be appointed to inquire into and report to this House the decisions of Richard Bland Lee, esquire, commissioner appointed under the act of Congress, entitled, “ An 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," passed the 9th of April, 1816.

2. Resolved, That the said committee, have leave to send for persons persons and papers. Mr. Williams, Mr. Creighton, Mr. McKee, Mr. Mills, Mr. Jewett, Mr. Smith, of Virginia, and Mr. W. P. Maclay, were appointed the said committee.

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

Mr. Speaker-The Senate have passed "A resolution for admitting the State of Indiana, into the Union;" in which they ask the concurrence of this House. And he withdrew.

The said resolution was read the first and se-. cond time and committed to a committee of the whole House to-morrow.

Ordered, That when the House adjourns, it will adjourn until Monday next.

And then the House adjourned until twelve o'clock on Monday next.

MONDAY, December 9th, 1816.

Five other members, to wit: from Pennsylvania, William Piper and James M. Wallace; from Maryland, Stevenson Archer and Charles Golds

borough; and from Virginia, Daniel Sheffey, appeared and took their seats.

Mr. Ward, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of James Prince, marshal for the district of Massachusetts, praying to be allowed a sum of money paid by him to the attorney for the said district, by order of the court, for his travelling expenses on judicial business, which sum has been rejected in the settlement of his accounts at the treasury.

Mr. Wendover, presented a petition of James Ware, praying to be placed on the navy pension list. having lost a leg while in the public service.

Mr. Savage, presented a petition of John McCrea, on behalf of himself and Harvey Wakefield, stating, that while in the discharge of their duties, during the late war, as custom-house officers under Peter Sailly, the collector, they were seized by a party of Indians and carried into the enemy's country, where they suffered extremely, from confinement and sickness, and praying a remuneration of their expenses, as well as some compensation for their injuries and sufferings.

Mr. Whiteside, presented a petition of James Humes, collector of direct taxes and internal dutics, for the sixth district of Pennsylvania, praying to be allowed his commissions on certain money's collected by him in the year 1814, but which were not deposited until the commencement of 1815.

Mr. Yancey, presented a petition of Edward Barry and John Hodge, praying compensation for their private property, which was consumed by the burning of the navy yard, in the city of Washington, in August, 1814.

Mr. Pickens, presented a petition of Frederick Stevelie, praying compensation for the services of certain militia-men, called into the service of the

United States, from the State of Georgia, in the year 1794, whose interest in the said claims the petitioner has purchased.

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

On motion of Mr. Taylor, of New-York, Ordered, That the petition of Rachael Ven, presented on the 18th December, 1815, be referred to the said committee.

On motion of Mr. Smith, of Maryland,

Ordered, That the petition of Bowie & Kurts, and others, presented on the 17th day of December, 1813. be also referred to the same committee.

Mr. Brown, presented a petition of William L. Hupper, William Studley, and Benjamin Webbon, praying to be allowed the bounty granted on fishing vessels, which is withheld for reasons stated in the petition.

Mr. King, presented a petition of Joseph Storer, collector of the customs for the district of Kennebunk, praying further compensation for his services during the existence of the embargo and other restrictive commercial regulations.

Mr. Hopkinson, presented a petition of the Sugar Refiners within the city of Philadelphia, praying that the act laying duties on refined sugars may be repealed.

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

On motion of Mr. Smith, of Maryland,

Ordered, That the petition of John Ricaud, presented on the 22d of April, 1816, be referred to the same committee.

Mr. Hammond, presented a petition of Alpheus Hill, praying for a pension.

Mr. Brooks, presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of the State of New-York. on behalf of