Mr. Yulee, from the Committee on Nava! Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 438) for the relief of Edward Myers, reported it without amendment. Agreeably to notice, Mr. Rusk asked and obtained leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 63) providing for a branch mint at San Francisco, California; which was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Finance. Mr. Bradbury, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was referred the petition of Robert Sewall, submitted a report accompanied by a bill (S. 481) for the relief of the heirs and representatives of the late Robert Sewall. The bill was read and passed to a second reading. Ordered, That the report be printed. re Mr. Baldwin, from the Committee of Claims, to whom was ferred the bill (H. R. 569) for the relief of the president and directors of the Union Bank of Florida, reported it without amendment. Mr. Upham, from the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, to whom was referred the bill (H. R 185) for the relief of the grandchildren of Major General Baron De Kalb, reported it with an amendment; which was read. Agreeably to notice, Mr. Underwood asked and obtained leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 64) proposing amendments to the constitution; which was read and passed to a second reading. Ordered, That it lie on the table, and be printed. The following message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Walker, his secretary: To the Senate of the United States: I communicate, herewith, a report of the Secretary of State, together with the accompanying documents, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate, of the 23d ultimo, requesting the President "to transmit to the Senate, so far as is consistent with the public service, any corrrspondence between the Department of State and the Spanish authorities in the island of Cuba, relating to the imprisonment in said island of William Henry Rush, a citizen of the Untied States." WASHINGTON, February 23, 1849. The message was read. JAMES K. POLK. Ordered, That it be printed, with the accompanying documents. The bill (H. R. 526) to grant pre-emption rights for certain islands in the Great Miami river, was read the first and second times by unanimous consent. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. The bill (H. R. 745) to regulate the mileage of members and delegates in Congress, and for other purposes, was read the first and second times by unanimous consent. Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. The bill (H. R. 344) to transfer the towns of Vinal Haven, North Haven, and Islesboro, from the collection district of Penobscot to that of Belfast, in the State of Maine; and The bill (H. R. 734) to extend the revenue laws of the United States over the territory and waters of Upper California, and to create a collection district therein, were read the first and second times by unanimous consent. Ordered, That they be referred to the Committee on Commerce. On motion by Mr. Bradbury, the Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (H. R. 214) for the relief of Noah A. Phelps; and Ordered, That it be recommitted to the Committee of Claims. The bill (S. 345) for the relief of John Crawford was read a second time, and considered as in Committee of the Whole; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time. The said bill was read a third time. Resolved, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in this bill. Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, from the Committee on Pensions, to whom was referred the joint resolution (S. 52) respecting the bounty lands and extra pay allowed to the substitutes of men enlisted for the Mexican war, reported it with an amendment; which was read. The Senate proceeded to consider the said resolution as in Committee of the Whole, and having been amended, it was reported to the Senate; and the amendment was concurred in. Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time. The said resolution was read a third time. Resolved, That this resolution pass, and that the title thereof be as aforesaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives therein. The Senate proceeded to consider, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill (H. R. 359) for the relief of A. C. Bryan and others; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it pass to a third reading. The said bill was read a third time. Resolved, That this bill pass. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives accordingly. The Senate proceeded to consider the amendment of the House of Representatives to the bill (S. 470) to extend the provisions of an act approved the 3d of March, 1847, for carrying into effect the existing compacts with the States of Alabama and Mississippi with regard to the five per cent. fund and school reservations; and, Resolved, That they concur therein. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. The bill (H. R. 786) to require the heads of bureaus and other officers at the seat of government, in examining and deciding upon claims arising out of the late war with Mexico, to give preference and priority in such examination to those belonging to and preferred by widows and orphans or their authorized agents, was read the third time. On motion by Mr. Pearce, Ordered, That it lie on the table. A message from the President of the United States by Mr. Walker, his secretary: Mr. President: The President of the United States approved and signed, the 22d instant, the following bills and joint resolution, which originated in the Senate: S. 20. An act for authenticating certain records. S. 259. An act for the relief of Nehemiah Brush. S. 386. An act continuing the pension granted to Patrick Walker. S. 60. A resolution to defray the expenses of certain Chippewa Indians and their interpreter. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. A message from the House of Representatives by Mr. Campbell, their Clerk: Mr. President: The Speaker of the House of Representatives having signed three enrolled bills, I am directed to bring them to the Senate for the signature of their President. The Vice President signed the three enrolled bills last reported to have been examined, (S. 366, H. R. 283, and 530,) and they were delivered to the committee, to be presented to the President of the United States. On motion by Mr. Atherton, The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution, submitted the 22d instant, "that the Senate will to-day take a recess from four o'clock, p. m., until six o'clock, p. m.; and On the question to agree thereto, It was determined in the negative, On motion by Mr. Atherton, The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative are, Messrs. Atherton, Bradbury, Breese, Clarke, Dickinson, Dix, Douglas, Downs, Fitzgerald, Foote, Johnson, of Louisiana, Mangum, Niles, Rusk, Spruance, Sturgeon, Underwood, Westcott. Those who voted in the negative are, Messrs. Allen, Atchison, Baldwin, Berrien, Borland, Bright, Butler, Calhoun, Corwin, Davis, of Mississippi, Dayton, Felch, Fitzpatrick, Greene, Hamlin, Houston, Hunter, Johnson, of Maryland, Johnson, of Georgia, King, Mason, Miller, Pearce, Sebastian, Turney, Upham, Webster, Yulee. So the resolution was rejected. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consid eration of the bill (H. R. 692) making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of the government for the year ending the 30th of June, 1850, and for other purposes; And, after debate, On motion, The Senate adjourned. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1849. The Vice President laid before the Senate the credentials of the Honorable William H. Seward, elected a Senator by the Legislature of the State of New York for six years from the fourth day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-nine; which were read. Mr. Jones presented a memorial of the Trustees of the Branch University, at Fairfield, Iowa, praying a grant of public land for the use of that institution; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Atchison presented the petition of the chief of the Kickapoo and Pottawatomie tribes of Indians, praying that the annuities due the latter tribe may be paid, and that they may not be required to emigrate from their present homes; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. Mr. Atchison presented the petition of Parkerson Hocher, a volunteer in the Seminole war, praying to be allowed a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Pensions. Mr. Corwin presented a petition of citizens of Pennsylvania, praying the abolition of slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, and the prohibition of slavery in the territories belonging to the United States. The motion to receive the petition being objected to; Mr. Corwin presented a petition of citizens of Iowa, praying the establishment of a land office at Red Rock, in that State; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Corwin presented a petition of citizens of Pennsylvania, praying that the ordinance of 1787 may be adopted in the organization of territorial governments by the United States. The motion to receive the petition being objected to; Mr. King presented the memorial of James C. Watson, praying indemnity for loss sustained in consequence of the failure of the officers of the government to surrender certain negroes purchased by him from the Creek Indians; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. Mr. King submitted additional documents relating to the memorial of John C. Riddle, D. A. Carter, and E. Simonds; which were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. King presented a petition of citizens of Alabama, praying that the State of Alabama may be divided into two judicial districts; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Niles, from the Committee to Audit and Control the Con tingent Expenses of the Senate, to whom were referred the resolutions of the 19th December and 30th January last, relative to publishing the debates of the Senate, reported the following resoÎution: Resolved, That the resolution of the Senate of the eleventh day of August, 1848, directing the Secretary of the Senate to contract with the publishers of the two principal newspapers in this city for reporting and publishing the debates and proceedings of the Senate, be so modified as to exclude, after the adoption of this resolution, from any contract which has or may hereafter be made in pursuance of said resolution, the publication of revised speeches, a report of which has once been published; and also to exclude from the report of the proceedings of the Senate messages and reports from executive officers of the government, and from committees of the Senate; and that the Secretary notify the persons with whom he has entered into contracts of these limitations and modifications of said resolution. On motion by Mr. Niles, The Senate, by unanimous consent, proceeded to consider the resolution, and agreed thereto. Mr. Pearce, from the Committee on the Library, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. R. 43) for the distribution of the official Register or Blue Book among the several States, reported it without amendment. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution last mentioned as in Committee of the Whole; and no amendment being made, it was reported to the Senate. Ordered, That it pass to a third reading. The saint resolution was read a third time. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives accordingly. The bill (S. 226) for the relief of Robert C. Rogers, was read the third time. On the question "Shall this bill pass?" On motion by Mr. Borland, Ordered, That the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow. Mr. Borland, from the Committee on Public Lands, to whom was referred a memorial of the Legislature of Arkansas on the subject, reported a bill (S. 482) making a donation of land for the benefit of the Clarksville Institute for the education of the blind, and other purposes of education in the State of Arkansas; which was read, and passed to a second reading. Agreeably to notice, Mr. Fitzgerald asked and obtained leave to bring in a joint resolution (S. 65) to confer upon Major General Winfield Scott the brevet rank of lieutenant general; which was read, and passed to a second reading. Mr. Rusk reported, from the committee, that they had examined and found duly enrolled the bill S. 470. An act to extend the provisions of an act approved the 3d of March, 1847, for carrying into |