being amended, was agreed to by the House, as follows:

"It shall be the duty of the several committees on Public Expenditures, to inquire whether any offices belonging to the branches or departments, respectively, concerning whose expenditures it is their duty to inquire, have become useless or unnecessary, and to report from time to time on the expediency of modifying or abolishing the same; also, to examine into the pay and emoluments of all offices under the laws of the United States; and to report from time to time such a reduction or increase thereof, as a just economy and the public service may require."

The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims, on the petition of Allan M-Lane, and the resolution therein contained was read, as follows: Resolved. That the prayer of the petitioner is unsupported, and ought not to be granted.

Mr. Jackson moved to amend the said resolution so as to make the same read as follows:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioner is reasonable and ought to be granted: When,

A motion was made by Mr. Ingham, to commit the said report, together with the petition, to

a select committee.

A motion was then made by Mr. Taylor, of N. Y. to recommit the said report and petition to the committee on Pensions and Revolutionary Claims.

And the question being taken on this motion, It was determined in the negative. The question was then taken on the motion to recommit the said report to a select committee. And was determined in the negative,

The question was then taken on the amend ment proposed by Mr. Jackson,

And determined also in the negative.

The question was then taken on concurring in the resolution recommended by the committee of Pensions and Revolutionary Claims,

And passed in the affirmative.

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

Mr Speaker-The Senate have passed bills of the following titles: An act respecting the transportation of persons of colour, for sale, or to be held to labour;" and " An act to provide for reports of the decisions of the supreme court," in which they request the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The House again resumed the consideration of the resolution submitted by Mr. Williams, to abolish the internal duties: When,

On motion of Mr. Randolph,

The said resolution was amended to read as follows:

Resolved, That the several acts imposing internal duties be repealed, and that the committee of Ways and Means be directed to report a bill for that purpose.

The question was then stated to agree to the resolution as amended: When,

A motioin was made by Mr. Sheffey, further to amend the resolution, by inserting after the word "Resolved," these words "That the army of the United States be reduced to six thousand men." And debate arising thereon, The House adjourned.

THURSDAY, February 20, 1817.

Mr Atherton presented petitions from inhabitants of the towns of Antrim and Hillsborough, in New-Hampshire, praying that the mails may not be transported or opened on Sundays.

Mr. Mills presented a similar petition from inhabitants of Hampshire, south district, in Massa

chusetts.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the committee appointed on a similar petition from inhabitants of Southampton, in Massachusetts.

Mr Gold presented a petition of John Troop, of the city of New-York, merchant, praying for the remission of the forfeiture of his vessel and cargo, for reasons stated in the petition;

Mr. Pope presented a resolution of the legis lature of the Illinois Territory, requesting that additional duties may be imposed on lead imported into the United States.

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

Mr. Thomas Wilson presented a petition of Stephen Champlin, a lieutenant in the navy of the United States, praying compensation for his private property of which he was robbed by the British officers upon the capture of the vessel he commanded on lake Huron, during the late war with Great Britain.

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

Mr. Thomas Wilson also presented a petition of sundry members of the general assembly of Pennsylvania, praying that a district and circuit

court of the United States, may be established at the city of Pittsburg, in that State.

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

Mr. M.Lean presented a petition of sundry inhabitants of Grayson county, in Kentucky, praying for the establishment of a post-route.

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

Mr. Pope presented a petition of Benjamin Bouche and others, late inhabitants of the British province of Canada, and who, from their attachment to the United States, were compelled to leave that province during the late war, and abandon their property, and praying such relief in the premises, as Congress may deem it expedient to afford them.

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

Mr. Pope also presented a petition of Charles Sanguinet, praying that his title to a trac' of laud in the Missouri Territory, may be confirmed.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred te the committee on Private Land Claims.

Mr. Herbert, from the committee for the District of Columbia, reported a bill to authorize the extension of the Columbian turnpike road within the District of Columbia, which was read the first and second time, and ordered to engrossed and read a third time to-morrow.

Ordered, That the committee of Claims be discharged from a further consideration of the petition of Epaphras L. Phelps, and that he have leave to withdraw the same.

Mr. Thomas Wilson, from the committee on Roads and Canals, made a further report, which was read: When,

Mr. Wilson, reported a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to subscribe in behalf of the United Stares, for shares in the capital stock of certain canal companies therein mentioned, which was read the first and second time, and committed to a committee of the whole House on Monday next.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Acting Secretary of War, transmitting. the information required by the resolution of the 15th instant, relative to a mutiny in the late 38th regiment of infantry, which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker also laid before the House a letter from the Acting Secretary of War, transmitting information relative to the Claims of the State of Massachusetts, for payment of the expenses of the militia ordered out by the executive authority of that State during the late war, which was ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker also laid before the House a letter from the post-master-general, transmitting a list of the unproductive post-routes, which were referred to the committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads.

On motion of Mr. Goldsborough,

Resolved, That the committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire whether any, and if any, what measures may be necessary to be adopted in consequence of the great failure of the corn crop in the past year.

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause to be reported to the next session of Congress, such measures as be may deem most effectual for the security of the country watered by the Chesapeake Bay and its