On the question to agree to the third amendment proposed, to wit: Section 3, line 1, strike out "one Major General," and insert "two Major Generals," it was determined in the affirmativeyeas 20, nays 5, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Bibb, Brown, Chace, Fromentin, Gaillard, Giles, Gore, Horsey, Howell, Hunter, King, Lacock, Morrow, Smith, Talbot, Tait, Taylor, Thompson, Varnum, and Wells. NAYS-Messrs. Daggett, Dana, Goldsborough, Turner, and Wharton. And the other amendments having been agreed to, the President reported the bill to the House accordingly; and, on motion, by Mr. BIBB, the bill was further amended. MARCH, 1815. Also, a general account of the Indian trade, exhibiting the profit and loss thereof during the term aforesaid. Also, an account of the annuities and presents due, paid, and delivered, to the respective Indian tribes during the aforesaid terms; specifying the dates when the same were due, and when they were paid and delivered. That the Secretary do furthermore report to the Senate his opinion, whether any alteration of the powers and duties of the several officers and agents employed in the superintendence and management of Indian affairs would be advantageous; whether the consolidation of the whole care and management thereof, and the placing of the same in a single department, would be expedient; and whether a plan may not be devised that will be equally advantageous to the Indian tribes, and more economical to the public, whereby the Indian trade may, under safeguards, be hereafter carried On the question, Shall the amendments be engrossed, and the bill read a third time as amend-on by individuals or by private companies, instead of ed? it was determined in the affirmative. The amendments to the last mentioned bill having been reported by the Committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended, by unanimous consent. Resolved, That this bill pass with amend ments. On motion, by Mr. BIBB, it was agreed to amend the title, to read "An act reducing the military establishment of the United States." Mr. BIBB, from the committee to whom was referred the bill, entitled "An act to vest more effectually in the State courts, and in the district courts of the United States, jurisdiction in the cases therein mentioned," reported it without amendment. The Senate resumed the bill for the relief of Arthur Tappan and John Frothingham; and, on motion, by Mr. BIBB, the further consideration thereof was postponed to the second Monday in March instant. The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion made the 1st instant, by Mr. KING; and, on his motion having been amended, was agreed to, as follows: Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, requested to give instructions to the Secretary of War To prepare and lay before the Senate, at the commencement of their next session, a report concerning the annuities and presents granted to, and the trade carried on with, the several Indian tribes within the limits of the United States, during four years antecedent to the 4th of March, 1815; and, in order that such report may exhibit a full view of the whole Indian trade during the term aforesaid, that the President be further requested to direct the Superintendent of Indian Trade, and every other public agent concerned therein, to furnish to the Secretary of War such accounts and statements as he may call for, to enable him to prepare and make the report aforesaid. That the said report do contain an annual account of the Indian trade, at each of the agencies or trading houses, or wheresoever else the same shall have been carried on, including therein the expenses of buildings, transportation, and all other incidental charges; as also a statement of losses, whether of goods or effects, intended for the Indians or received from them. Also, a like annual account of the whole of the Indian trade. the manner in which the same is now conducted. SALE OF CAPTURED NEGROES.. I transmit to the Senate a report from the acting Secretary of State, complying with their resolution of the 24th of October last. JAMES MADISON. WASHINGTON, February 28, 1815. The Message and report therein referred to were read, and ordered to be printed. The report is as follows: DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Feb. 28, 1815. The undersigned, acting as Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the Senate of the 24th of October last, requesting the President of the United States to lay before the Senate, (provided he shall not consider the same improper to be communicated,) the proof of any traffic carried on in the West Indies, by the sale of negroes taken from the United States, by the British forces since the present war, has the honor to state, that such proof was transmitted to the Executive by the Hon. St. George Tucker, in the form of an affidavit of Captain Williams, from which it appeared that he had been a prisoner in the Bahama islands, and that, while there, he had been present at the sale of negroes taken from the vicinity of Norfolk and Hampton. This affidavit, voluntarily given, and strengthened and corroborated by a variety of circumstances, was considered at the time as full proof of the fact, and was transmitted to our Ministers at Ghent. When the resolution of the Senate was transmitted to this Department, application was made to Judge Tucker, and subsequently to Major Griffin, for the original affidavit, or for an authenticated copy; as neither have yet been received, and as it is deemed improper longer to delay this report, the undersigned begs leave to refer to the accompanying papers, marked 1, 2, 3, and 4, from which the material facts stated in the affidavit may be collected, and the circumstances which have prevented its transmission to this Department explained. This subject will be further investigated with a view to place it, in all its circumstances, in the most satisfactory light. All which is respectfully submitted, JAS. MONROE. RICHMOND, November 24, 1814. SIR: I do myself the honor to enclose you a letter from my friend, Mr. Cabell, and one from Mr. John Tabb Smith, the magistrate before whom the affidavit was made, a copy of which I transmitted to the President. Mr. Campbell has written to Major Griffin to endeavor to procure the original, and if he should fortunately obtain it, I will lose no time in forwarding it to you. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your most obedient servant, Copy of a letter from Joseph C. Cabell, Esq., to the Hon. St. George Tucker, dated RICHMOND, November 22, 1814. MY DEAR SIR: I have received your favor of the 14th instant, embracing an extract from the letter recently written to you by Mr. Graham, of the Department of State, on the subject of the resolution of the Senate of the United States, of the 24th ultimo. I distinctly recollect all the material circumstances in regard to the copy of the affidavit, which you forwarded to the President. About the period that Major Thomas Griffin, of York, went on board the British squadron in Lynnhaven bay, for the purpose of endeavoring to recover his negroes, who had gone off to the enemy, I happened to be in Williamsburg. The destination of the slaves that had been taken or received by the British, was then a subject of curiosity and concern throughout the lower country. I understood that a seafaring man, of the name of Williams, who had been a prisoner with the enemy, and had recently arrived at Hampton, had gone in company with Major Thomas Griffin, of York, before John Tabb Smith, a respectable magistrate of the county of Elizabeth City, and had made oath that, while a prisoner in one of the Bahama islands, he had been present at the sale of the negroes that had been carried off from the vicinity of Hampton and Norfolk; that the negroes were sold at a high price, and that a negro carpenter from Norfolk was purchased for a thousand dollars. Several gentlemen of the first respectability, who had conversed with Major Griffin, informed me that he spoke of Williams as a man whose appearance entitled him to credit, and that he had, accordingly, published the affidavit in the town of York. Through the medium of Mr. Coke, of Williamsburg, I procured a copy of this paper, which I handed to you, and was forwarded by you to the President. This affidavit was a subject of general conversation about that time. The circumstances under which Williams arrived at Hampton; the manner in which he described the negroes sold in the Bahamas, and particularly the carpenter from Norfolk, and the appearance of entire sincerity in his narrative, left no doubt, I was assured, on the mind of either Mr. Smith or Major Griffin, that the alleged sale had actually taken place. I did not see Major Griffin, nor did I inquire what he intended to do with the original affidavit of Williams; my conjecture was, that he would send it on to the committee of Congress, charged with the business of collecting proofs of the barbarous conduct of the war by the enemy. As it seems he has not done so, I presume 13th CoN. 3d SESS.-10 SENATE. it remains in his possession. I will write immediately to him, with the view of ascertaining whether this be the fact; and, if it be, to request the favor of him to enclose me the affidavit. The result of my inquiries of that gentleman shall be made known to you without delay. In the interim, I remain most respectfully and sincerely, yours, &c. JOSEPH C. CABELL. No. 3. Copy of a letter from John Tabb Smith Esq., to Judge Tucker, dated HAMPTON, Nov. 21, 1814. SIR: Your favor I have now before me. Some time in the year 1813, there came before me a Captain Williams (I think his name was) in company with Major Thomas Griffin, of York, with the affidavit you speak of in your letter, which he swore to before me, and I gave my certificate thereto; I then gave the affidavit to Major Griffin, and expected to see it published in one of the Richmond papers, but never heard of it since; but from your letter, I expect the original can be got from Major Griffin. But, if it is mislaid, I well recollect the substance of the affidavit, and will render you any service in my power. I am, with respect, JOHN TABB SMITH. If it can be got from Major Griffin, it had better be in the Captain's own words, with my certificate. ST. GEORGE TUCKER, Esq., &c. No. 4. J. T. S. YORK, (VA.) February 16, 1815. SIR: Your favor of the 6th instant has been received. I have examined my papers and cannot find the original affidavit of Captain Williams, therein alluded to. The copy I gave Mr. Cabell was literally correct; the original has been mislaid, or I fear lost in the bustle of moving papers from hence so frequently as has been done, to place them without the reach of the enemy during the war. I will again examine and endeavor to recover the affidavit, and will forward the same to the Department of State as soon as it shall be recovered. Very respectfully, I am, sir, your obedient servant, THOMAS GRIFFIN. JOHN GRAHAM, Esq., Department of State, Washington. Sketch of Plunder, by Admiral Cockburn and his officers, on St. Simon's Island, during his late visit there. [From the Savannah Republican.] Major Butler-Two hundred negroes; ten bales of cotton; a quantity of seed cotton; his iron, new and old; leather, tanned and half tanned; stock of wine, liquors, soap, candles, and poultry; plate, and stockbuckle, stolen by an officer named Horton. John Couper-Eighty negroes, forty-eight of them prime fellows, some of them tradesmen; ten bales of cotton. Dr. Grant-One negro woman; four bales cotton; all his furniture destroyed; gins spoiled in trying to gin cotton. A. C. Wylly-Forty-six of the primest of his negroes; no cotton. SENATE. Proceedings. MARCH, 1815. J. H. Geckoe-Eleven negroes; a pair of razors, and Resolved, That they insist thereon. part of a barrel of flour, stolen by Lieutenant DeThierry. Mr. GILES, from the Committee on Military W. McIntosh-Five negroes; twelve bales ginned Affairs, to whom was referred the bill, entitled and some unginned cotton. "An act concerning invalid pensioners," reported James Hamilton-One hundred and eighty-two ne-it with amendments, which were considered as groes; only one old man left on his place, and he mad; in Committee of the Whole; and having been twenty-five bales cotton-about eighteen ginned by agreed to, the President reported the bill to the themselves; all his plantation stores, medicines, tools, House accordingly. paint pots, old iron, and gin boxes; some handsaw files, pocketed by the Commander-in-Chief, Ramsay; carpet, library, and a pair of pistols, stolen by Cole, who commanded the land forces; a beautiful fowling piece stolen by Horton, the same officer who stole Major Butler's spoons and stock-buckle. É. Matthews-Twenty-six negroes; seven bales cotton. Mrs. Brailsford-House broken open, and robbed by a boat's crew under command of a Lieutenant Grant-some of Mrs. Brailsford's and Mrs. Troup's clothes were bought for ten dollars from the thieves by Lieutenant Locke, commanding His Britannic Majesty's brig Manly. Mr. Abbott-Although they made headquarters of his house and lived on him only now and then, bringing in some plundered mutton, poultry, flour and liquor, lost the contents of his store and had the quicksilver scraped from the back of all the broken looking glasses in the house. In secret session The bill from the House of Representatives, entitled "An act for the protection of the commerce of the United States against the Algerine cruisers," was read the third time. On the question, Shall this bill pass? it was determined in the affirmative-yeas 27, nays 2, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Barbour, Barry, Bibb, Brown, Chace, Daggett, Dana, Fromentin, Gaillard, Giles, Gore, Horsey, Hunter, Kerr, King, Lacock, Morrow, Robinson, Smith, Talbot, Tait, Taylor, Thompson, Turner, Varnum, Wells, and Wharton. NAYS-Messrs. Goldsborough and Lambert. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to notify the House of Representatives, confidentially, that the Senate have passed the said bill. Ordered, That Messrs. FROMENTIN and GOLDSBOROUGH be the committee. FRIDAY, March 3. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House disagree to the amendments of the Senate to the bill entitled "An act fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States." They have passed a bill, entitled "An act to authorize a loan for a sum not exceeding eighteen millions four hundred and fifty-two thousand eight hundred dollars;" in which bill they request the concurrence of the Senate. The bill last mentioned was read three times by unanimous consent, and passed. The Senate proceeded to consider their amendments disagreed to by the House of Representatives to the bill, entitled "An act fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States." Whereupon, on motion, by Mr. GILES, On the question, Shall the amendments be engrossed and the bill read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative. The amendments to the last mentioned bill having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended, by unanimous consent; and was further amended by consent. Resolved, That this bill pass with amendments. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House insist on their disagreement to, and ask a conference on, the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments to the bill, entitled "An act fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States; and have appointed managers on their part. They have passed a bill, entitled "An act authorizing the purchase of vessels captured on Lake Champlain ;" in which bill they request the concurrence of the Senate. The last mentioned bill was read three times by unanimous consent and passed. On motion by Mr. GILES, Resolved, That the Senate agree to the conference proposed on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments to the bill, entitled "An act fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States." Ordered, That Messrs. GILES, SMITH, and KING, be the managers on the part of the Senate. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill, 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," together with the amendments proposed thereto. Mr. VARNUM was requested to take the Chair, and the bill having been amended, the President resumed the Chair, and it was reported to the House accordingly. On the question. Shall the amendments be engrossed and the bill be read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative. The amendments to the last mentioned bill having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended, by unanimous consent. Resolved, That this bill pass with amendments. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act making an additional appropriation for the service of the year 1815;" in which bill they request the concurrence of the Senate. The bill last brought up for concurrence was read three times by unanimous consent, and passed. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the MARCH, 1815. Retaliating System. SENATE. RETALIATING SYSTEM. Whole, the consideration of the bill, entitled "An act to vest more effectually in the State courts, Mr. BIBB, from the Committee on Foreign Reand in the district courts of the United States,lations, to whom was referred the Message of the jurisdiction in the cases therein mentioned;" and Mr. VARNUM was requested to take the Chair; and the bill having been amended, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. VARNUM reported the bill to the House accordingly. On the question, Shall the amendment be engrossed and the bill be read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative. The amendment to the last mentioned bill having been reported by the committee correctly engrossed, the bill was read a third time as amended, by unanimous consent, and passed with an amendment. President of the United States, of the 26th of September last, respecting the unauthorized mode of warfare adopted by the enemy, on the plea of retaliation, made a report; which was read, and ordered to be printed. The report of the committee is as follows: That, although the war has happily terminated, they from unworthy imputations, with which it has been deem it important to rescue the American Government assailed during its progress. They have, therefore, endeavored to ascertain, whether the destruction of York, in Upper Canada, and the other cases assumed by our late enemy, as authorizing a departure from the settled rules of civilized warfare, were of a character to On motion, by Mr. TAIT, the Committee on Naval Affairs, who were instructed, by the reso-justify or extenuate their conduct. lution of the 6th of January, to inquire into the expediency of establishing a Naval school, were discharged from the further consideration thereof. On motion, by Mr. TAIT, the Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of George P. Stephenson, and others, merchants and ship-owners of the city of Baltimore, were discharged from the further consideration thereof. The result of the inquiries of the committee, manifesting to the world that the plea which has been advanced for the destruction of the American Capitol, and the plunder of private property, is without foundation, will be found in the communications of the Secretaries of the Departments of War and Navy, and of General Dearborn, commander of the American forces, in the attack on York, herewith submitted. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Feb. 28, 1815. On motion, by Mr. TAIT, the Committee on SIR: I have had the honor to receive your letter, reNaval Affairs, to whom was referred the memo- questing, on behalf of the Committee of Foreign Relarial of a number of midshipmen in the United tions, any information which this Department possesses, States' Navy, against the appointment of sailing-relative to the misconduct that has been imputed to the masters to be lieutenants, were discharged from the further consideration thereof. The credentials of the Hon. CHRISTOPHER GORE, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for the term of six years, commencing on the fourth day of March next, were read, and laid on file. American troops in Upper Canada during the late war, and in reply, I have the honor to state, that the charges appear to be confined to three: 1st, the alleged burning of York; 2d, the burning of Newark; and 3d, the burning of the Indian villages, usually called the A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of Charles Todd:" a bill, entitled "An act for the relief of the Eastern Branch Bridge Company;" also, the bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Board of Navy Commissioners to appoint clerks ;" in which" bills they request the concurrence of the Senate. The three bills last mentioned were read, and passed to the second reading. The bill, entitled "An act for the relief of the Eastern Branch Bridge Company," was read the second time by unanimous consent, and considered as in Committee of the Whole, and passed to a third reading; and the bill was read a third time, by unanimous consent, and passed. The bill, entitled "An act authorizing the Board of Navy Commissioners to appoint clerks," was read the second time, and considered as in Committee of the Whole, and passed to a third reading; and the bill was read a third time, by unanimous consent, and passed. Moravian towns 1st. The burning of York, or of any of its public edifices, or of any its private houses, has never been presented to the view of the American Government by its own officers, as matter of information; and it never was exhibited by the British Government, or any of its officers, as matter of complaint, until it was asserted in the address of the Governor in Chief to the Provincial Parliament of Canada, on the 24th of January, 1815, that, as a just retribution, the proud Capitol at Washington has experienced a similar fate to that inflicted by an American force on the Seat of Government in Upper Canada." This assertion having led to an inquiry, I formation, to state the following facts of the case, for am enabled, from official documents and general inthe information of the committee. The town of York in Upper Canada was taken by the American Army, under the command of General Dearborn, on the 27th of April 1813, and it was evacuated on the succeeding 1st of May; although it was again visited for a day, by an American squadron, under the command of Commodore Chauncey, on the 4th of August. At the time of the capture, the British troops on their retreat set fire to their magazine, and great injury was done by the explosion to property, as well as to persons, within the range of its effects. At the time of the capture, as well as at the time of ComThe bill, entitled "An act for the relief of modore Chauncey's visit, the public stores were seized, Charles Todd," was read the second time by and the public storehouses were destroyed; but the unanimous consent, and, on motion by Mr. LA-destruction of public edifices for civil uses, or of priCOCK, the further consideration thereof was post-vate property, was not only unauthorized, but positively poned to the fourth day of March next. forbidden, by the American commanders; and it is understood that no private house was destroyed by the American troops. It has recently, however, appeared, that a public building of little value, called the Parliament House, (not the Government House,) in which it is said that an American scalp was found as a part of the decoration of the Speaker's Chair, had been burnt; whether it was so, and if it was, whether it was an accidental consequence of the confusion, in which the explosion of the magazine involved the town, or the unauthorized act of some exasperated individual, has not been ascertained. The silence of the military and civil officers of the Provincial Government of Canada seems to indicate, that the transaction was not deemed, when it occurred, a cause either for retaliation or reproach. 2d. The burning of Newark, adjacent to Fort George, occurred on the 10th of December, 1813. The act was vindicated by the American General, as necessary to his military operations; but as soon as the American Government heard of it, instructions, dated the 6th of January, 1814, were given by the Department of War, to Major General Wilkinson, " to disavow the conduct of the officer who committed it, and to transmit to Governor Prevost a copy of the order under color of which that officer had acted." This disavowal was accordingly communicated, and on the 10th of February, 1814, Governor Prevost answered, "that it had been with great satisfaction he had received the assurance, that the perpetration of the burning of the town of Newark was both unauthorized by the American Government and abhorrent to every American feeling; that if any outrages had ensued the wanton and unjustifiable destruction of Newark, passing the bounds of just retaliation, they were to be attributed to the influence of irritated passions, on the part of the unfortunate sufferers by that event, which, in a state of active warfare, it had not been possible altogether to restrain, and that it was as little congenial to the disposition of His Majesty's Government, as it was to that of the Government of the United States, deliberately to adopt any plan of policy which had for its object the devastation of private property." But the disavowal of the American Government was not the only expiation of the unauthorized offence committed by its officer; for, the British Government undertook itself to redress the wrong. A few days after the burning of Newark, the British and Indian troops crossed the Niagara for this purpose; they surprised and seized Fort Niagara; they burnt the villages of Lewistown, Manchester, Tuscarora, Buffalo, and Black Rock, desolating the whole of the Niagara frontier, and dispersing the inhabitants, in the extremity of the Winter. Sir George Prevost himself appears to have been satisfied with the vengeance that had been inflicted; and, in his proclamation of the 12th of January, 1814, he expressly declared, that for the burning of Newark, "the opportunity of punishment had occurred; that a full measure of retaliation had taken place, and that it was not his intention to pursue further a system of warfare so revolting to his own feelings, and so little congenial to the British character, unless the future measures of the enemy should compel him again to resort to it." With his answer to Major General Wilkinson, which has been already noticed, he transmitted a copy of the proclamation, "as expressive of the determination as to his future line of conduct," and added, "that he was happy to learn that there was no probability that any measures, on the part of the American Government, would oblige him to depart from it." MARCH 1815. 3d. The places usually called the Moravian towns, were mere collections of Indian huts and cabins, on the river Retrench or Thames, not probably worth, in the whole, one thousand dollars. The Indians who inhabited them, among whom were some notoriously hostile to the United States, had made incursions the most cruel into their territory. When, therefore, the American Army under General Harrison invaded Canada on the - of 1813, the huts and cabins of the hostile Indians were destroyed. But this species of warfare has been invariably pursued, by every nation engaged in war with the Indians of the American continent. However it may be regretted on the score of humanity, it appears to be the necessary means of averting the still greater calamities of savage hostilities; and it is believed that the occurrence would never have been made the subject of a charge against the American troops, if the fact had not been misrepresented or misunderstood. Many people at home, and most people abroad, have been led to suppose that the Moravian towns were the peaceable settlements of a religious sect of Christians, and not the abode of a hostile tribe of savages. I have the honor to be, &c. Hon. WILLIAM W. BIBB, Chairman Com. of Foreign Relations. JAMES MONROE. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Feb. 18, 1815. SIR: In compliance with the request of the committec of the Senate, communicated to me by your note of the 14th current, I have the honor to transmit to you, herewith, extracts from the letters of Commo- Hon. Wм. W. BIBB, Chairman Committee, &c. your Extract of a letter from Commodore Isaac Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, dated off York, U. C., April 20, 1813. "The enemy set fire to some of his principal stores, containing large quantities of naval and military stores, as well as a large ship upon the stocks, nearly finished." From the same to the same, dated off Niagara, "In the evening of the 30th ultimo, we weighed We |