H. of R.

The act of the 4th March, 1814, author

ized an issue of Treasury notes for

Under these authorities,

rowed, on loan, about $10,895,000 00

there have been bor

There have been sent to

6,000,000 00

3,504,000 00

Europe, in 6 per cent.

stock

There has been issued, in

8,105,000 00

ity to borrow To issue Treasury notes 1,496,000 00

The demands of the fourth quarter being, then

There may be applied to

meet them the revenue accruing during the quarter, from all sources, about - . Also, paym'ts to be made on account of loans already contracted for, according to the author

2,900,000 00

ity above stated, about 2,500,000 00

Treasury Report.

5,000,000 00

$30,000,000 00

OCTOBER, 1814.

as immediately applying to the year 1815. In every subsequent year there will necessarily be some variation; as, for instance, the item of interest on the old debt will annually sink, while the item of interest on the new debt will annually rise, during the continuance of the war.

The items for annually raising a portion of the public expenses by taxes, and for applying to the new debt a sinking fund—gradually increasing until it becomes commensurate to its object-are essential features in the plan suggested, with a view to the revival and maintenance of public credit. The extinguishment of the old debt is already in rapid operation by the wise precaution of a similar institution.

2. The second proposition will doubtless generate many and very various objections. The endeavor has been, however, to spread the general amount of the taxes over a wide surface with a hand as light and equal as is consistent with convenience in the process, 9,601,000 00 and certainty in the result.

All the opportunities of observation, and all the means of information that have been possessed, leave $19,176,391 19 no doubt upon the disposition of the people to contribute generously for relieving the necessities of their country; and it has been thought unworthy of that patriotic disposition to dwell upon scanty means of supply, or short lived expedients. Whenever the war shall be happily terminated in an honorable peace, and the Treasury shall be again replenished by the tributary streams of commerce, it will be at once a duty and a pleasure to recommend an alleviation, if not an entire exoneration of the burdens which necessarily fall at present upon the agriculture and manufacture of the 5,400,000 00 nation.

$13,776,391 19

3. In making a proposition for the establishment of a National Bank, I cannot be insensible to the high authority of the names which have appeared in opposition to that measure upon Constitutional grounds. It would be presumptuous to conjecture that the sentiments which actuated the opposition have passed away; and yet it would be denying to experience a great practical advantage, were we to suppose that a difference of times and circumstances would not produce a corresponding difference in the opinions of the wisest as well as of the purest men. But, in the present case, a change of private opinion is not material to the success of the proposition for establishing a National Bank $13,776,391 19 In the administration of human affairs, there must be a period when discussion shall cease and decision shall become absolute. A diversity of opinion may honorably survive the contest; but, upon the genuine prinples of a representative Government, the opinion of the majority can alone be carried into action. The judge, who dissents from the majority of the bench, changes not his opinion, but performs his duty, when he enforces the judgment of the court, although it is contrary to his own convictions. An oath to support the Constitution and the laws, is not, therefore, an oath to support them under all circumstances, according to the opinion of the individual who takes it, but it is, emphatically, an oath to support them according to the interpretation of the legitimate authorities. For the erroneous decisions of a court of law, there is the redress of a censorial as well as of an appellate jurisdiction. Over an act founded upon an exposition of the Constitution, made by the Legislative department of the Government, but alleged to be incorrect, we have seen the Judicial department exercise remedial power. And even if all the departments, Legislative, Execu

These estimates, however, it will be observed, are made with a view, simply, to the appropriations by law for the expenses of the year 1814, and do not embrace a provision to satisfy balances of appropriations made for the expenses of preceding years, which have not been called for at the Treasury. But, it will probably be deemed expedient to make such provision by extending the new authority to borrow from the above balance, to six millions. If the 6 per cent. stock which has been sent to Europe should be there disposed of, it will form an item in the estimates of the ensuing year. As a portion of the amount to be provided during the present quarter consists of Treasury notes which will soon be due, it will be advisable to make them receivable in subscriptions to the loan.

It is proper to accompany these propositions with a few explanatory remarks:

1. The first proposition contemplates a permanent ystem; but the estimate of the particular items of laims and demands upon the public must be regarded

speech opposed, the amendment and advocated the purchase of the library.

The debate before its conclusion became rather too animated, and being checked by the Speaker, the question was permitted to be taken. There appeared to be on the yeas and nays, for the amendment 37, and against it 103, as follows:

OCTOBER, 1814.

charge of their duties, &c., and that it be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

Ordered, That Mr. WEBSTER and Mr. Cox be appointed of the committee appointed to inquire into the causes of the late capture of the city of Washington, by the enemy, in the places of Mr. STOCKTON and Mr. MILLER.

YEAS-Messrs. Baylies of Massachusetts, Bigelow, Mr. INGERSOLL, of Pennsylvania, presented the Boyd, Bradbury, Brigham, Cannon, Champion, Cilley, petition of Oliver Evans (the same as presented Culpeper, Davenport, Ely, Geddes, Grosvenor, Jack-last session) for the extension of his patent for son of Rhode Island, Lewis, Macon, Markell, Moffit, Montgomery, Pearson, Pitkin, Post, Potter, John Reed, William Reed, Sherwood, Shipherd, Smith of New York, Stockton, Taggart, Thompson, Vose, Ward of Massachusetts, Ward of New York, Wheaton, Wilcox, and Wilson of Massachusetts.

the improvements in the steam engine.-Referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, in opposition to the wishes of Mr. INGERSOLL, who desired it to be referred to a select committee.

Mr. INGERSOLL, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a bill further to extend the judicial system of the United States; which was twice read and referred to a Committee of the Whole.

NAYS-Messrs. Alexander, Alston, Archer, Avery, Bard, Barnett, Bayly of Virginia, Bowen, Bradley, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Chappell, Clark, Clopton, Condict, Conard, Cooper, Cox, Crawford, Creighton, Mr. KENT, of Maryland, from the District ComCrouch, Cuthbert, Dana, Davis of Pennsylvania, De-mittee, reported a bill incorporating the Columnoyelles, Desha, Duvall, Earle, Evans, Farrow, Find- bian Manufacturing Company of Alexandria, in ley, Fisk of New York, Forney, Forsyth, Franklin, the District of Columbia, which was twice read Gaston, Gholson, Goodwyn, Gourdin, Hall, Hanson, and committed. Harris, Hasbrouck, Hawes, Hawkins, Hopkins of Kentucky, Hubbard, Humphreys, Hungerford, Hulbert, Ingersoll, Irving, Jackson of Virginia, Johnson of Virizing the joint Library Committee of Congress ginia, Kennedy, Kent of New York, Kent of Maryland, Jefferson, was read a third time as amended, and to contract for the purchase of the library of Mr. passed.

Kerr, Kershaw, King of Massachusetts, King of North
Carolina, Law, Lefferts, Lovett, Lyle, McCoy, McKim,
McLean, Moore, Moseley, Nelson, Newton, Oakley,
Ormsby, Parker, Pickering, Piper, Pleasants, Rhea of
Tennessee, Rich, Ringgold, Roane, Ruggles, Sage,
Schureman, Seybert, Sharp, Skinner, Smith of Penn-
sylvania, Stanford, Strong, Sturges, Tannehill, Taylor,
Telfair, Troup, Udree, Webster, Wilson of Pennsyl-
vania, Winter, Wright, and Yancey,

Mr. PICKERING moved an amendment, in substance the same as that moved yesterday by Mr. OAKLEY and negatived; the object of which was a selection of part of the library.

The amendment was negatived by yeas and nays-52 to 96.

An amendment was then adopted, on motion of Mr. OAKLEY, requiring the sanction of Congress to the agreement for the purchase of the library, before it should become binding. And, thus amended, the resolution was ordered to a third reading.

WEDNESDAY, October 19.

Another member to wit: from South Carolina, JOHN C. CALHOUN, appeared and took his seat. Mr. HUMPHREYS presented several petitions from the inhabitants of the State of Tennessee, praying that measures may be taken by Congress to open a public road, crossing the Tennessee river, some where near the mouth of Duck river, and intersecting the road from Nashville to Natchez, below the Chickasaw Old Towns.Referred to the Secretary of War.

The joint resolution from the Senate, author

The report of the Committee of Claims unfavorable to the petition of Alexander Sevier was taken up and agreed to.

Mr. BAYLIES, of Massachusetts, offered a motion similar to one adopted at his instance at the last session, out of which an act had grown, which had passed the House, but had not been definitively acted on in the Senate. The subject of the motion was, a further provision for compensating masters of vessels who bring home to the United States distressed and destitute American seamen; into the expediency of making which his motion instructed the Committee of Ways and Means to inquire. The motion was agreed to.

PEACOCK AND EPERVIER.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the resolution from the Senate expressive of the sense of Congress relative to the victory of the Peacock over the Epervier. The resolution having been read

Mr. PLEASANTS, of Virginia, (the chairman of the Naval Committee,) said it was not his intention to detain the Committee by any extended remarks on this subject. The action to which this resolution referred, more particularly, perhaps, than any which preceded it, demonstrated the superiority of American gunnery. To show this, Mr. P. quoted Captain Warrington's letter to the Secretary of the Navy announcing the victory; and inferred from it that no action had ever taken place, between vessels of anything like equal force, in which there had been so great a disparity of execution. He hoped the resolve would be unanimously adopted.

Ordered, That the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from the consideration of the resolution of the 22d ultimo, directing an inquiry into the expediency of making further provisions for No objection being made or amendment proprotecting the officers of the customs in the dis-posed, the Committee rose and reported their

OCTOBER, 1814.

Military Marine-Relief of Commodore Barney.

agreement to the resolve, which was ordered to a third reading; and was accordingly read and unanimously passed.

THURSDAY, October 20.

H. or R.

as some gentlemen in the House were, he knew, of a different opinion, he had thought it best to place the question in its broadest shape before the Committee.

Mr. GROSVENOR, of New York, moved to refer the subject to a select committee, instead of the standing committee as proposed. It was a subject interesting to the whole United States, and the importance of which was not limited to the District only. He thought, therefore, it should be referred to a general committee. He took oc

Mr. WILSON, of Massachusetts, presented a petition of John Crosby and others, on behalf of the inhabitants of Hamden, in the District of Maine, praying that the property recovered from the wreck of the United States' late ship Adams may be given to the said inhabitants, as a com-casion to say, that the decision having been made pensation for the losses sustained in consequence of the late capture of that place by the British forces. Referred to the Secretary of the Navy. The Senate having returned the resolutions from the House, in honor of Generals Brown, Scott, Gaines, Macomb, Ripley, Miller, and Porter, with sundry amendments. (not affecting the object of the resolves,) the same were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

A resolution was also received from the Senate, expressive of the sense of Congress relative to the capture of the British sloop Reindeer by the American sloop Wasp.-Referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

on the question of removal, it ought to be final; and during this Congress, at least, he was not disposed to move it again. It was the duty of this Congress, he conceived, to proceed in preparing for the better accommodation of the Government here.

After some further conversation, Mr. G.'s amendment was agreed to-ayes 87; and Mr. LEWIS, Mr. KENT, of Maryland, Mr. HANSON, Mr. BowEN, Mr. GROSVENOR, Mr. SHARP, and Mr. CONDICT, were appointed the said committee. MILITARY MARINE.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill requiring staff officers of the Army to comply with the requisitions of marine and naval officers in certain cases.

Mr. BURWELL, of Virginia, stated the reasons why he had not called up the motion he laid on the table the other day, calling for an account of the officers of the Army, state of the recruiting Mr. PLEASANTS, of Virginia, explained the observice, &c. The Committee of Military Affairs,ject of the bill, as indicated by the title, and he was informed, had the subject before them, and had received a document embracing all the information he desired, and which, when they were prepared to make a report, they would lay before the House.

The Military Committee asked and obtained leave to sit for a week during the sittings of the House.

Ordered, That Mr. PITKIN be appointed of the committee appointed to inquire into the causes of the late capture of the City of Washington by the enemy.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Mr. Lewis, of Virginia, said, the House having decided that Congress should not remove from this place, he thought it proper some steps should be immediately taken towards making a provision for the better accommodation of the different Departments of the Government. With this opinion he moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee of the District of Columbia be instructed to inquire into the expediency of rebuilding or repairing the President's House, the Capitol, and Public Offices, and into the expenses necessary for that purpose; and whether the public interest or convenience would be promoted by any change or alteration of the sites of said buildings.

Mr. GHOLSON, of Virginia, said, he saw no reason for stirring the question of changing the sites of these buildings at present, and hoped the gentleman would expunge that part of his motion. Mr. LEWIS said he was of the same opinion as his colleague in respect to the inexpediency of changing the sites of the public buildings; but,

quoted a letter from the Secretary of the Navy, recommending its adoption.

Mr. WRIGHT, of Maryland, expressed his wish, whilst this subject was under consideration, that the subject should be thoroughly arranged; and, with that view, that a provision should be incorporated, settling the relative rank of naval to land officers, when employed, as they frequently are, in the land service.

Mr. PLEASANTS assented to the propriety of such an amendment; and, with that object, moved that the Committee now rise, and obtain leave to sit again, to allow time to digest such an amendment as would be proper.

The Committee rose accordingly.

Mr. TROUP, of Georgia, suggested the expediency of a proper understanding on this head, between the Heads of the War and Navy Departments, and some reciprocal provision for mutual accommodation of land and naval officers, when out of their peculiar element, &c. Some amendment of this kind might well be incorporated when the bill should again come under consideration.

Leave was given to the Committee of the Whole to sit again on said bill.

RELIEF OF COMMODORE BARNEY. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill for the relief of the officers, petty officers, and seamen, under the command of Commodore Joshua Barney.

Mr. PLEASANTS stated the object of this bill to be, to compensate the officers and men of the flotilla, for the loss of their clothes sustained by the

sudden destruction of the flotilla to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy. Mr. P. adverted also to their good conduct in the defence of this place, and on every other occasion, and to the peculiar hardships of their service, &c.

Mr. WRIGHT, of Maryland, after paying a just tribute to the uniform good conduct of these men, moved to insert three instead of two months pay. This motion was, after discussion, negatived. Mr. POST, of New York, moved to amend the bill, by striking out so much of the bill as assigns the loss of clothes and bedding by the blowing up of the flotilla, as a reason for the grant proposed, and inserting, in lieu thereof, "for their bravery in the battle of Bladensburg, on the 24th of August last." This motion was negatived by a large majority.

The Committee rose and reported the bill. On the question, whether the bill should be ordered to a third reading

OCTOBER, 1814.

have been standing. It was this flotilla which
had caused the recent invasion of Maryland.
It was said, on the other hand, that giving pe-
cuniary rewards for bravery, as was proposed to
be done in this case by those who opposed the
bill as it stood, would afford a precedent, if pur-
sued, which would soon empty the Treasury.
The case of these men, it was said, was far differ-
ent from ordinary cases of loss of clothing. They
had, since the 22d of August, the day the flotilla
was destroyed, been engaged in the most arduous
service which could be found, and had to sleep on
the bare ground, without blankets, and scarcely
clothes to their backs, having lost all they had,
&c. As to the flotilla causing the invasion of
Maryland, Mr. PLEASANTS said, they had had no
flotilla in the waters of Virginia, and yet they had
suffered there quite as much from the depreda-
tions of the enemy as they had in Maryland, &c.

Before the question on amendment was taken, a motion was made by Mr. TAYLOR, of New York, to lay the bill on the table. There were for the motion 66, against it 59.

So the bill was laid on the table.

FRIDAY, October 21.

Mr. GOLDSBOROUGH, of Maryland, said, he had no wish to defeat the passage of the bill, but he thought it would be proper to suspend its passage for the present, because it was not sufficiently guarded in its provisions. He wished it to lie over also till the Committee of Investigation should report on this and other subjects. He was inclined to believe, from all he had heard, that On motion of Mr. YANCEY, the Committee on the destruction of that flotilla was a very unne- the Judiciary were instructed to inquire into the cessary act, and that it might all have been saved, expediency of amending the laws of the United except the gunboats, by carrying it a proper dis- States, as to the effect which a judgment of rectance up the river. He moved to postpone the ord of one State shall have when offered in evifurther consideration of the bill to the first Mon-dence in a suit in another State; and that they day in December next.

This motion was also negatived-ayes 38. Mr. WILLIAM REED, of Massachusetts, renewed the motion to insert, instead of the reason now assigned for this grant, the words, "in reward for the extraordinary bravery displayed by them in the battle of Bladensburg, on the 24th August."

This motion Mr. R. afterwards modified, on the suggestion of Mr. LOWNDES, of South Carolina, so as to read, "in consideration of their gallantry and good conduct, and of the unusual hardship of their service.""

On these several motions considerable debate took place, in which Messrs. WRIGHT, PLEASANTS, POST, STUART, GOLDSBOROUGH, KING, and REED, of Massachusetts, LOWNDES, of South Carolina, JACKSON. of Virginia, PICKERING, and TAYLOR, of New York, took part.

The objection to the bill as it now stood was, that it would afford an injurious precedent for all such cases of loss of clothing by seamen, which frequently occurred, whilst all appeared to agree that these men, by their general good conduct, particularly in the battle of Bladensburg, merited the notice of Government. It was said by General Stuart that the men had sufficient notice to have saved their clothing; and the enemy's force was not nearer than a day's march, when orders were given to blow up the flotilla. The same gentleman also took occasion to observe, that he believed if the flotilla had never been brought up the Patuxent, this place would never have been attacked, and the public buildings would still

have permission to report by bill or otherwise.

A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed a bill, "further to extend the time for locating Virginia military land warrants, and for returning the process thereon to the General Land Office;" in which they ask the concurrence of this House.

Mr. LEWIS, of Virginia, presented the petition of the Union Bank of Georgetown, and of the Farmers and Mechanics' Bank of Georgetown, praying for charters; and of the Farmers and extension of its charter.-Referred to the ComMechanics' Bank of Alexandria, praying for an mittee on the District of Columbia.

PETITION OF JOSEPH FORREST.

Mr. YANCEY, from the Committee of Claims, which was read, and referred to a Committee of made a report on the petition of Joseph Forrest, the Whole on Wednesday next. The report is

as follows:

That in the month of May, 1812, the petitioner, by his agent, chartered to the United States his schooner, called the William Yeaton, to take a cargo of provisAmerica. The contract, according to the covenants of ions from New York to the port of Laguira, in South the charter-party, was, that the petitioner should keep the vessel sound, tight, and strong; to be well fitted and provided with the necessary and convenient things for such a schooner; to find the necessary men for the voyage; to employ and pay the officers and men for the same; and to defray all other expenses attending the voyage; to load the said schooner by the 26th of