for the support of government during the year 1817, and the said amendments being read, were amended and agreed to.

The said bill was further amended, and ordered to be engrossed and read a third time to-morrow. The bill from the Senate entitled, "An act authorizing the sale certain grounds belonging to the United States in the city of Washington," was read the third time and passed as amended.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

The House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill making appropriations for the support of the navy of the United States, and on the several other bills committed to the same committee of the whole House; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Condict reported that the committee had made some progress in the said bills, and directed him to ask leave to sit again.

Ordered, That the said committee of the whole House have leave to sit again.

And then the House adjourned.

SATURDAY, February 15, 1817.

Mr. Hale presented a petition of sundry merchants of Portsmouth, in the State of New-Hampshire, stating that previous to the year 1800, many of their vessels, with their cargoes, were captured by French cruisers, and condemned by the French tribunals, and that their claims to indemnity on the French government were abandoned by the government of the United States, in the convention of 1800; and praying such relief in the premises as it may be in the power of the government to

grant, which petition was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Reed presented a petition of Nathan Crosby, of the town of Weare, in the State of Massachusetts,

Mr. Davenport presented a petition of Alexander Mills, an officer in the Revolutionary army, Mr. Hammond presented a petition of William Williams, respectively praying for pensions.

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

On motion of Mr. Robertson,

Ordered, That the petition of Elisha T. Hall, presented on 8th of January, 1816, be referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

Mr. Pope presented a petition of Eleanor Wilson, praying for a remission of the balance of the moneys due by her to the United States, for the purchase of a tract of land.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the committee on the Public Lands.

Mr. Jackson, from the committee appointed on the part of this House, in pursuance of the joint resolution" to ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for President and Vice-President of the United States, and of notifying the persons elected of their election," made a further report, which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Pickens, from the committee on Public Expenditures, to which was referred the petition of colonel James Thomas, late a quarter-master-general in the armies of the United States, and the report of the select committee made at the last session upon the settlement of his accounts, made a

detailed report thereon, which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Pickens, from the same committee, also made a report on that part of the petition of the said colonel Thomas, which relates to his claim for extra-official services and for expenses incurred in transporting his baggage, which was read and the resolution therein contained was concurred in by the House, as follows:

Resolved, That the claims of colonel Thomas, referred to in his petition for extra services and expenses ought not to be allowed.

Mr. Johnson, from the committee on Military Affairs, to which was referred the bill from the Senate, entitled "An act for the relief of Jacint Laval," reported the same without amendment.

Ordered, That the said bill be read a third time to-day.

The said bill was then accordingly read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

The Speaker laid before the House a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, on the petition of Paul D. Luke, which was read and referred to the committee of Ways and Means.

The Speaker also laid before the House a 'etter from the Acting Secretary of War, transmitting. information respecting the expense of the military academy at West-Point, from the year 1801, to 1816, the number of students educated at the said academy, and of the number of those who have been appointed officers in the army of the United States, rendered in pursuance of the resolution of this House of the 25th ultimo, which were ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker also laid before the House a letter

from the post-master-general, enclosing a list of contracts made at the general post-office on behalf of the United States, during the year 1816, which were ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Little,

Resolved, That the Acting Secretary of War canse to be laid before this House the official report made to the adjutant and inspector-general, and by whom made, of the mutiny said to have taken place at Norfolk, of a part of the late 38th United States' regiment of infantry, together with the names and number of those concerned in said mutiny.

On motion of Mr. Edwards,

Resolved, That the committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of amending the laws imposing duties on distilleries so as to allow persons distilling spirits from fruit, the option of paying the duty on the quantity distilled.

On motion of Mr. Betts,

Resolved, That the committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the state and usual disposition of the funds under control of the district court of the United States, and into the expediency of requiring from the officers of those courts additional securites in relation to such funds.

Ordered, That the committee of the whole House, to which is committed the bill supplementary to an act granting extra pay and bounty in land to certain Canadian volunteers, be discharged from a further consideration of the same, and that it be committed to the committee of the whole House on the bill for the relief of infirm, disabled, and superannuated officers and soldiers.

Ordered, That the committee of the whole House, to which is committed the report of the

committee on the Judiciary, on the salary of the judge of the sixth judicial district, be discharged from a further consideration of the said report, and that it be recommitted to the committee on the Judiciary.

An engrossed bill entitled, “An act making appropriations for the support of government for the year 1817," was read the third time and passed.

Ordered, That the title be as aforesaid, and that the Clerk carry the said bill to the Senate and ask their concurrence therein.

The House again resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill making appropriations for the support of the navy of the United States during the year 1817, and on the several other bills committed to the same committee of the whole House; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Bassett reported the said bill making appropriations for the support of the navy, together with the bill making appropriations for the support of the military establishment of the United States for the the year 1817; and the bill making additional appropriations to defray the expenses of the army and militia during the late war with Great Britain, with amendments to each; but not having time to go through the several other bills referred to them, had directed him to ask leave to sit again. Ordered, That the said committee have leave to sit again.

The amendments to the said bills were read and severally concurred in by the House, and the said bills respectively ordered to be engrossed and read a third time on Monday next.

And then the House adjourned.