Mr. Moulton presented the following resolution:

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, That, in the opinion of this legislature, the act of Congress, passed at its extra session on the 4th of September, 1841, providing for a division among the States of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands of the United States, generally called and known by the name of the Distribution Act, inasmuch as it indirectly sanctioned the principle that the general government might raise money for the purpose of distributing the same back again to the pockets of the people, from which it had been drawn, and was thus, in its consequences, calculated to make the State governments, and through them the people of the States, the mere dependants and stipendiaries of the national government; inasmuch as it was a plain and palpable violation of the express provisions of those solemn compacts by which one portion of the public lands became the property of the United States, wherein it was expressly stipulated that those lands "shall be considered a common fund for the use and benefit of the confederation or federal alliance of said States, and shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use whatever;" and inasmuch as it was an unauthorized and illegal appropriation to the individual States, by their common agent and trustee, the national government, of a fund derived from property holden by the States in their united and federal character, and sacred to their joint use in that same united and federal capacity only,was one of those dangerous, unwarranted, illegal, ruinous, and unconstitutional enactments which the people of the State of New Hampshire never have, and never will, either directly or indirectly, sanction or approve; and which it is the duty, and should be the pleasure of Congress expressly to condemn and reprobate.

And be it further resolved, That the secretary of state be directed to forward a copy of these resolutions to the governor of each of the several States and Territories in the Union, and to the presiding officer of each of the two houses of the twenty-ninth Congress, and to each of our Senators and Representatives in the Congress of the United States.

HARRY HIBBARD, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ASA P. CATE,

President of the Senate.

JOHN H. STEELE, Governor.

Approved, July 2, 1845.

A true copy-attest:

THOMAS P. TREADWELL,

Secretary of State.

In pursuance of previous notice, Mr. Cranston asked, obtained leave, and introduced a bill (No. 99) to construct a military road from Fort Adams to Newport, in the State of Rhode Island: which bill was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Cranston,

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making appropriations for placing proper buoys on Brenton's reef, near the entrance of the harbor of Newport, in the State of Rhode Island; on the middle ground, near Dutch island, in Narragansett bay; on Church's ledge, in the East river; on a ledge of rocks, half a mile from the half rock in Narragansett bay; on a new shoal making off from the south point of Goat island, in the harbor of Newport, all in said State. Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to clear out and deepen Providence river, from the crook below the city of Providence, to Weybosset bridge, in said city, and also to clear out and deepen the harbor of Providence.

Mr. John A. Rockwell gave notice of a motion for leave to introduce a bill relative to assignees in bankruptcy.

Mr. Collamer presented the following resolution of the State of Vermont: Resolved, That the Senators of this State in Congress be instructed, and the Representatives requested, to use their exertions to obtain an order of Congress for the delivery of the four brass cannon taken by the Green Mountain boys at Bennington from the British, on the 16th of August, 1777, to be deposited in the State-house of this State, as a memorial of the valor which achieved the victory so honorable to the Green Mountain boys, as well as signally beneficial to the country.

Ordered, That the said resolution be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Elias B. Holmes,

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing suitable fortifications for a military station at or near the mouth of the Genesee river, in the State of New York; and that they report thereon to this House by bill or otherwise.

Mr. White offered the following resolution; which was read, and laid upon the table one day, under the rule:

Resolved, That a survey and estimate of a ship canal from the gulf of Mexico, across the peninsula of Florida, to some suitable point upon the Atlantic ocean, be made by the engineer department, and their report be delivered to this House at the earliest practicable period.

On motion of Mr. Hungerford,

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be directed to inquire into the expediency of equalizing the compensation now paid to custom-house officers on our northern, northeastern, and northwestern lakes and rivers. On motion of Mr. Hungerford,

Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be directed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the sale of a certain lot owned by the government in the village of Sackett's Harbor, New York, known and distinguished as lot No. 13 on a map or plat of said village.

Mr. Gordon offered the following resolution; which was read, and laid upon the table one day, under the rule:

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, requested to inform this House, as soon as practicable, of the amount and quality of foreign wool imported into the United States, since August 30, 1842, in each year; the rate of duty paid thereon; the valuation of the same at the last port or place whence exported to the United States, and the country whence.exported; and also the amount of domestic wool exported from the United States to foreign countries in the same time, and the quality and valuation at the port or place of exportation of such exports; and to communicate such other facts in relation to the wool trade of the United States, as the department may have the means of furnishing, for the information of the House.

On motion of Mr. Rathbun,

Resolved, That the Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, War, and Navy, and the Postmaster General, in addition to their several reports to Congress in compliance with the 11th section of an act passed August 26, 1842, chapter 202, be required to affix to the name of each clerk, or person therein named, the State or Territory of his residence at the time of his appointment.

. Mr. Woodworth gave notice of a motion for leave to introduce a bill to establish an executive bureau.

Mr. White gave notice of a motion for leave to introduce a bill for the relief of the Winnebago Indians.

On motion of Mr. Miller,

Resolved, That the memorial of sundry inhabitants of the city of New York, praying for the return of duties on goods destroyed by fire in that city on the 19th of July last, be referred to the Committee on Commerce. Mr. Culver offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee of Elections be instructed to inquire and report whether certain persons claiming to be members of this House, from the State of New Hampshire, were not elected in violation of the law of Congress requiring the election to be held by single districts.

The said resolution was read: when

A motion was made by Mr. Boyd, that it be laid upon the table: which motion was agreed to.

. Mr. Gordon offered the following resolution; which was read, and debate arising thereon, it was laid over, under the rule:

Resolved, That a select committee of three be appointed to inquire into the publication of a tenth volume of the Laws of the United States, the copy of said laws as authorized by the last Congress, and to purchase the usual number of copies of said volume where they can procure the best edition at the lowest price.

Mr. Wright presented a resolution of the legislature of the State of New Jersey, relative to the removal of obstructions to the navigation of the river Passaic: which resolution was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion of Mr. Buffington,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire into the expediency of regulating by law the fees to be received by clerks, marshals, and attorneys, in the circuit and district courts of the United States.

On motion of Mr. Wilmot,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a mail route direct between Montrose and New Milford, in Susquehannah county, Pennsylvania; and, also, to inquire into the expediency of establishing a mail route direct between Athens and Troy, in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, through the towns of Smithfield and Springfield, in said last mentioned county.

Mr. Darragh gave notice of a motion for leave to introduce a bill of the following title, viz:

A bill for the relief of Thomas Copeland, for services rendered at the United States arsenal, near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Darragh presented two petitions of citizens of the city of Pittsburg, in the State of Pennsylvania, praying for an appropriation for the improvement of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers-heretofore presented January 13 and 27, 1845.

On motion of Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll,

Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives be directed to furnish this House, without delay, ten thousand copies of maps of Oregon, (to be copied from the maps of Captain Wilkes's exploring expedition,) provided the cost will not exceed ten cents per copy, all expenses included.

On motion of Mr. Joseph R. Ingersoll,

Resolved, That the committee on the "rules" be instructed to consider the power and expediency of reducing the number of members requisite in Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and in Committee of the Whole House.

Mr. Joseph R. Ingersoll (by leave) introduced a joint resolution (No. 9) relative to the printing and distribution of an additional number of journals of Congress: which resolution was read a first and second time, and laid upon the Speaker's table.

Mr. Darragh offered the following resolution; which was read, and debate arising thereon, it was laid over, under the rule:

Resolved, That the Clerk of this House be authorized to furnish each of the Reporters thereof with one copy of public documents, printed for the use of the House.

Mr. John W. Houston presented a resolution of the legislature of the State of Delaware, requesting the Senators and Representatives in Congress from said State to urge an appropriation for the purpose of improving the harbor at the mouth of Mahin's river: which resolution was referred to the Committee on Commerce;

Also, a resolution of the said legislature, in favor of a distribution of the reports of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States among the several States and Territories: which resolution was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Seaman offered the following resolution and preamble; which were read, and debate arising upon the said resolution, it was laid over, under the rule, viz:

Whereas the House of Representatives did, on the 25th February, 1845, adopt a resolution directing the Clerk of the House to have printed, during the recess of Congress, ten thousand extra copies of the report of Frémont's expedition to Oregon and California, for the use of the members of the 28th Congress; and whereas it appears by the said resolution that the new members of the present Congress will not receive any of said reports; and whereas it is obviously right and proper that the sitting members of Congress should be provided with all the congressional documents upon a subject so deeply interesting to the people of the United States as the "Oregon question," and which they will not be provided with if the resolution of the 25th February, 1845, is carried into effect: Therefore,

Resolved, That so much of said resolution as directs the Clerk to distribute said reports to the members of the 28th Congress be, and the same is hereby, repealed; and that the Clerk be, and is hereby, directed, whenever said reports are completed and ready for distribution, to distribute them to the members of the House of Representatives of the present Congress; and that he also have printed five thousand additional copies for the use of the members of this House.

On motion of Mr. Dromgoole,

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the purchase and publication of the writings of James Madison, late Président of the United States, not heretofore published.

Mr. Dromgoole, Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll, Mr. Owen, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Norris, Mr. Vance, and Mr. Bayly, were appointed the said committee.

On motion of Mr. William G. Brown,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary inquire into the expediency of establishing by law the right of challenge to jurors in criminal prosecutions in the courts of the United States, so as to make the same conform to the laws and usages of the respective State courts within the limits of which such criminal prosecutions may be had.

On motion of Mr. Edmund W. Hubard,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Militia be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing two national founderies, and report to this House by bill or otherwise.

On motion of Mr. Graham,

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a national foundery in the western part of North Carolina.

On motion of Mr. Biggs,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route from Elizabeth City or Powell's Point, to Roanoke island and Nag's Head, in the State of North Carolina; and that they report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Biggs presented a petition of citizens of Chowan county, North Carolina, praying an appropriation to reopen Roanoke inlet at Nag's Head: which petition was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

On motion of Mr. Clarke,

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to inform this House of the progress and condition of the marine hospital at or near Ocracoke, in the State of North Carolina, provided to be erected by an act of Congress approved August 29, 1842; and also, whether, in his opinion, any further legislation is required at this time, in order to facilitate its completion.

Mr. Lumpkin gave notice of a motion for leave to introduce a bill to amend the several acts making provision for the payment to volunteer troops in the Florida campaigns of 1837 and 1838, for certain losses sustained by them.

On motion of Mr. Toombs,

Resolved, That the petition and accompanying papers of John B. Denton and Curtis Humphreys, of the State of Georgia, presented to the 28th Congress, praying to be relieved from the penalties incurred on account of a mail contract, be taken from the file of this House, and referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

On motion of Mr. John P. Martin,

Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post route from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, to Hazzard, in Perry county, Kentucky.

Mr. Grider offered the following resolution; which was read, and debate arising thereon, it was laid over, under the rule:

Resolved, That the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions be instructed to report a bill authorizing the widows of revolutionary officers and soldiers who were married after 1794, and before 1800, to draw pensions according to the present laws upon the subject of pensions, for the benefit of the widows of said officers and soldiers married previous to 1794.

In pursuance of previous notice, Mr. Tibbatts asked, obtained leave, and introduced a bill (No. 100) making an appropriation for the improvement