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acts therein mentioned," was read the third time, and passed.

Two or three Messages were received from the President of the United States, one of which it appeared was of a confidential nature; and the doors were closed and galleries cleared, and, after so remaining for a short time, were again opened; when the following Message, being of a public nature, was read:

To the Senate and House of

Representatives of the United States:

I lay before Congress copies of two ratified treaties which were entered into on the part of the United States, one on the 22d day of July, 1814, with the several tribes of Indians, called the Wyandotts, Delawares, Shawanees, Senacas, and Miamies; the other on the 9th day of August, 1814, with the Creek nation of In

dians.

It is referred to the consideration of Congress, how far Legislative provisions may be necessary for carrying any part of those stipulations into effect.

FEBRUARY 22, 1815.

JAMES MADISON.

The Message and treaties were referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

The engrossed bill, authorizing the sale of the public lands, which may hereafter be forfeited within the Jeffersonville district, to be exposed for sale at the land office within the same; the engrossed bill to authorize the discharge of A. B. Ross from his imprisonment; the engrossed bill for the relief of Thomas Spriggs; the engrossed bill for the relief of James Savage and others; the engrossed bill for the relief of Solomon Frazer, and the representatives of Charles Eccleston; the engrossed bill for the relief of William P. Bennet; and the engrossed bill supplementary to the act "for the final adjustment of land titles in the State of Louisiana, and Territory of Missouri," were severally read a third time, and passed.

MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY.

Mr. LATTIMORE, from the select committee on the memorial of the Legislature of the Mississippi Territory, praying admission into the Union, made a report favorable thereto, accompanied by a bill authorizing the people of the Territory of Mississippi to call a convention for the purpose of forming a Constitution and State Government preparatory to admission into the Union. The report was read, and, with the bill, on the motion of Mr. L., ordered to lie on the table.

The report is as follows:

By the articles of cession and agreement between the United States and the State of Georgia, it is provided that the Territory aforesaid shall form a State, and be admitted as such into the Union, as soon as it shall contain sixty thousand free inhabitants, or at an earlier period, if Congress shall think it expedient. Agreeably to the last general census, the population of this Territory, of all descriptions, amounted to forty thousand three hundred and fifty-two souls. Since this was taken, the amount has considerably increased by the annexation of that part of West Florida which lies east of Pearl river, and also, as your committee are informed, by emigrations to the eastern settlements of the Territory from several of the States.

FEBRUARY, 1815.

Your committee are in possession of no data from which they can form an estimate of the number to which these accessions of population may amount; but they deem it not an unreasonable presumption that the return of peace, by renewing inducements to emigration, may produce an increase to the amount required by the agreement with Georgia, by the time the usual preparatory steps can be taken towards the actual admission of the Territory into the Union as a State. It would seem, therefore, as if what is now solicited would be obtained, of course, in a few years

at most.

The question, then, is, is it expedient to provide for the adoption of this Territory into the Union as a favor, or was its admission of right?

The expediency of anticipating the admission of this community to the rights of an independent State involves in its consideration as well the particular interUnited States. In relation to the former, it is to be est of the Territory as the general interest of the presumed that the people themselves, who are best acquainted with their own local condition, can best judge of their ability to bear the additional expense of self-government, and weigh other consequences which may ensue from the change. As it respects the latter, your committee possess no facts which would add to the information, and can offer no reasons which would influence the opinion of the House on this point. Their mere opinion is all they have to submit; and it is, that there would be no impropriety in principle, and no injury in effect, to the interest of the nation, in providing, without further delay, for the admission of the Territory in question into the union of the States.

This Territory has been, as your committee believe, a longer time under the restraints of political minority than any other Territory of the United States; and they can perceive no good reason why its enlargement should still be deferred, merely on account of its presnot prevent others, or one other at least, from the enent deficiency of numbers, since a like deficiency did joyment of a similar boon.

Hitherto your committee have considered this subject as though the admission solicited were desired by all the inhabitants of the Territory without delay, but they cannot undertake to state that such is the fact. While it is true, that it has been prayed for and urged with much interest and zeal at several successive sessions, it is also true that at the last one at which the subject was brought before Congress there were countfar a union of sentiment and wishes may be inferred er-petitions, praying that it might be postponed. How from the absence of any counter-petition at the present session, when it was known that the memorial under consideration had been forwarded, your committee are not prepared to say. They can, however, judge and act from only what is before them; and it is to be presumed that the representatives of the people express the will of their constituents, unless the contrary appears. To which consideration it may be added, that the extinguishment of the Yazoo claims having removed what was perhaps the most general objection to admission, it is probable that many who were opposed to it are now in favor of it; and, since peace is restored, it is probable, also, that many others will desire to exchange the restrictions of a Territory for the rights of a State. If, however, from local considerations, other than those suggested, a difference of opinion in relation to the expediency of this object should still exist, your committee conceive that the

FEBRUARY, 1815.

Mr. Fisk, of Vermont, offered for consideration the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making provision by law for paying the members of this House in money current in the States to which they respectively belong.

This motion gave rise to some debate.

Mr. Fisk grounded his motion on the discount the Eastern members were obliged to pay for Eastern notes, and the alleged impropriety of members of Congress travelling from shop to shop selling their wages, or bartering off the notes they receive in payment for such as shall be current in their States, &c.

Mr. RHEA moved to amend the resolution, by

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striking out the latter part of it, and inserting in lieu thereof, the words "Treasury notes or bank notes."

The object of the whole motion was supported by Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. FISK, and Mr. POTTER, and opposed by Mr. RHEA, Mr. NEWTON. Mr. FARROW, Mr. EPPES, Mr. INGHAM, Mr. McKIM, and Mr. HAWKINS, who denied both its necessity and expediency.

A motion of Mr. EPPES, to lay the resolution on the table, was negatived.

Mr. HAWKINS moved an indefinite postponement of the whole subject, on the general and very obvious ground of the injustice of members of Congress discriminating between themselves and other public creditors, who have at least equally high claims on the Government.

Several unsuccessful motions were made to get rid of this question, by proceeding to the orders of the day, or laying it on the table. The question on indefinite postponement, was at length decided by yeas and nays-for the postponement 82, against it 50, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Alexander, Alston, Anderson, Avery, Barbour, Bard, Bines, Bowen, Brown, Caperton, Calhoun, Cannon, Clopton, Comstock, Cox, Crawford, Creighton, Cuthbert, Davis of Pennsylvania, Desha, Forsyth, Franklin, Geddes, Gholson, Goodwyn, GourDuvall, Eppes, Farrow, Findley, Fisk of New York, din, Griffin, Hall, Harris, Hawes, Hawkins, HumVirginia, Johnson of Kentucky, Kennedy, Kent of Maphreys, Hungerford, Ingersoll, Ingham, Jackson of ryland, Kerr, Lefferts, Lewis, Lovett, Lowndes, Lyle, Macon, McCoy, McKee, McKim, McLean, Montgomants, Rhea of Pensylvania, Rhea of Tennessee, Rich, ery, Moore, Newton, Ormsby, Pearson, Piper, PleasRidgely, Ringgold, Roane, Robertson, Sage, Sevier, Seybert, Sharp, Smith of Virginia, Tannehill, Taylor, Telfair, Troup, Udree, Ward of New Jersey, Williams, and Yancey.

NAYS-Messrs. Baylies of Massachusetts, Bigelow, Boyd, Bradbury, Brigham, Butler, Champion, Cooper, Culpeper, Davenport, Ely, Fisk of Vermont, Gaston, Goldsborough, Grosvenor, Hale, Hasbrouck, Henderson, Hopkins of Kentucky, Hubbard, Hulbert, Kent of New York, King of Massachusetts, Moseley, Nelson, Oakley, Parker, Pickering, Potter, John Reed, William_Reed, Ruggles, Schureman, Sherwood, Slaymaker, Smith of New York, Stanford, Stuart, Sturges, Taggart, Thompson, Vose, Wheaton, White, Wilcox, Wilson of Massachusetts, Wilson of Pennsylvania, Winter, Wood, and Wright.

So the resolve was indefinitely postponed.

The House resumed the consideration of the

bill declaratory of the powers of the Legislature of the Territory of Illinois. And debate arising on the amendment proposed by Mr. McLEAN, on the 21st instant, the House adjourned.

FRIDAY, February 24.

The House proceeded to reconsider their disagreement to the fifth amendment proposed by the Senate to the bill "to amend the act to provide additional revenues for defraying the expenses of Government, and maintaining the public credit, by laying a direct tax upon the United States, and

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FEBRUARY, 1815.

Ordered, That Messrs. EPPES, LOWNDES, and OAKLEY, be the managers at the said conference on the part of this House.

The amendments proposed by the Senate to the bill "to authorize the President to raise certain companies of rangers for the defence of the frontiers of the United States, and to repeal certain acts now in force for that purpose," were read, and, together with the bill, ordered to lie on the table.

The bill from the Senate "further supplementary to an act, entitled 'An act providing for the indemnification of certain claimants of public lands in the Mississippi Territory,'" was read twice, and committed to a Committee of the Whole.

The bill from the Senate, "to repeal so much of the several acts imposing duties on the tonnage of ships and vessels, and on goods, wares, and merchandise, imported into the United States, as imposes a discriminating duty on tonnage between foreign vessels and vessels of the United States, and between goods imported into the United States in foreign vessels and vessels of the United States," was read twice, and committed to the Committee of Ways and Means.

The bill from the Senate, "to provide a library room, and for transporting the library lately purchased," was read twice, and committed to a Committee of the Whole.

The bill from the Senate, "to repeal certain acts concerning the flotilla service, and for other purposes," was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Mr. TROUP, from the committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses in regard to the resolution of Congress expressive of their sense of General Jackson's great achievement, made a report, recommending a modification thereof, which was agreed to on the part of this House.

Mr. FISK, of New York, from the committee to whom was referred Mr. CULPEPER'S motion for a thanksgiving day, reported the same with amendments; which having been agreed to, the resolution as amended was ordered to a third reading.

TAX COLLECTORS.

Mr. Fisk, of New York, from the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom was recommitted the engrossed bill to fix the compensations and increase the responsibility of the collectors of the direct tax and internal duties, and for other purposes connected with the collection thereof, reported the same with amendments; which were

posing their respective collection districts, on the first and second days of each term of the court of the county or common pleas in said county or district, if the court continue in session so long."

And passed in the affirmative-yeas 76, nays 49, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Alexander, Alston, Anderson, Avery, Barbour, Bard, Bigelow, Bines, Bowen, Boyd, Bradbury, Brown, Butler, Calhoun, Comstock, Condict, Crawford, Creighton, Crouch, Cuthbert, Davis of Pennsylvania, Desha, Duvall, Ely, Eppes, Findley, Fisk of New York, Forsyth, Goodwyn, Griffin, Hall, Hasbrouck, Hopkins of Kentucky, Humphreys, Ingersoll, Ingham, Jackson of Rhode Island, Jackson of Virginia, Johnson of Kentucky, Law, Lefferts, Lowndes, Lyle, McCoy, McKim, McLean, Moore, Moseley, Newton, Ormsby, Pickering, Piper, Pitkin, William Reed, Rea of Pennsylvania, Rhea of Tennessee, Rich, Ringgold, Roane, Sage, Sharp, Smith of Pennsylvania, Smith of Virginia, Strong, Sturges, Taggart, Tannehill, Taylor, Massachusetts, Winter, and Wright. Telfair, Troup, Udree, Wheaton, Williams, Wilson of

NAYS-Messrs. Brigham, Caperton, Cannon, Champion, Clopton, Cooper, Culpeper, Farrow, Fisk of Vermont, Franklin, Gaston, Gholson, Goldsborough, Grosvenor, Hale, Harris, Hawes, Henderson, Hubbard, Hungerford, Hulbert, Irwin, Kennedy, Kent of New York, Kerr, King of Massachusetts, Lovett, Macon, Markell, Montgomery, Nelson, Pickens, Pleasants, Ruggles, Schureman, Sevier, Sherwood, Shipherd, Slaymaker, Stanford, Stockton, Stuart, Thompson, Vose, Ward of Massachusetts, White, Wilcox, Wilson of Massachusetts, and Yancey.

Ordered, That the said bill be re-engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

RELATIONS WITH ALGIERS. The following report, yesterday transmitted to the House by the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, was read:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Feb. 20, 1815. The acting Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 15th instant, requesting the President of the United States to cause to be laid before that House such information as he shall deem necessary to be communicated, touching the state of relations existing between the United States and the Barbary Powers, has the honor to state, that, according to the latest accounts from Morocco, Tunis, and Tripoli, our relations with those Powers remained upon their former footing; nor has since taken place. is there any particular reason to believe that any change

Message of the President to Congress on the 17th NoIt will appear, by the documents accompanying the vember, 1812, that the Dey of Algiers had, violently and without just cause, obliged the Consul of the United States, and all American citizens then in Algiers, to leave that place in a manner highly offensive to their

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to which conference they have appointed managers on their part. They have passed the bill from the House, entitled "An act to alter and establish post roads," with amendments. And they have passed bills of the following titles: "An act making further provision for completing the public buildings at West Point, for the accommodation of the Military Academy" and "An act to continue in force, for a limited time, the act, entitled 'An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes ;" in which amendments and bills they ask the concurrence of this

House.

FEBRUARY 1815.

valorem duties, or in the establishment of a board, at each custom-house, possessing the requisite power; which board might be composed of the collector and naval officer, and one respectable competent individual capable of deciding on the value of merchandise imported. The extraordinary expense to be borne by the merchandise imported.

the above suggestion, they resign themselves, with perYour memorialists respectfully add, that, in making fect confidence, to the better judgment of your honorable body. And for the welfare of your honorable body your memorialists will ever sincerely pray. THOMAS GILPIN, and others. The memorial was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

PROTESTED BILLS OF EXCHANGE. Mr. HAWKINS moved the adoption of the following resolution :

To the honorable the Senate and House of Represent atives of the United States in Congress met, the memorial of the manufacturers of the city and county of Philadelphia respectfully showeth :

That your memorialists, while filled with joy and exultation for the inestimable blessing of honorable peace to their country, cannot divest themselves of anxiety and dread for the fate of the infant manufactures, whose existence and prosperity are unquestionably of vital importance to the whole community. That, trusting to Providence, to the wisdom and protection of your honorable body, and to their own industry, they look forward, with hope, to the permanent United States independent on foreign nations for the

establishment of such manufactures as shall render the

necessaries and comforts of life.

That, confiding implicitly in the wisdom and patriotism of your honorable body, your memorialists will not presume to suggest any particular measure, but will content themselves with observing, that every civilized nation has thought proper, by legislative acts, to afford to the industry of their respective countries that protection and support necessary to bring forth to maturity the establishment of manufactures necessary to their existence and prosperity. The intimate connexion of the agricultural with the manufacturing interest, and the extreme importance of a competent supply, in times of war, for the Army and Navy of the United States, without dependence on foreign aid, will be so obvious to your honorable body as to require no comment on the part of your memorialists.

But your memorialists respectfully beg leave to call the attention of your honorable body to the existence and correction of an abuse, which is, at the same time,

destructive of the revenues of the United States, highly injurious to the honest merchant, and, if persisted in, will render entirely useless any law enacting protecting duties. This abuse is the introduction, through the custom-houses of our country, of merchandise subject to ad valorem duties, at from one-fourth to one-half of

their value. This enormity, practised in various shapes, cannot be checked by any provision of the present revenue laws, and it is to the wisdom of your honorable body, alone, that your memorialists and the country can look for a competent remedy. This remedy may probably be found in the substitution of specific for ad

In reply to an inquiry by Mr. McKıм, for facts on which this motion was predicated—

Mr. HAWKINз stated, that there had been a few instances in which individuals had procured bills of exchange on the Government, and, in consequence of inability to pay them, had been compelled to pay damages thereon. There was only one case within his own knowledge, and that was one in which an individual had paid for a draft on the Government $14,000, which draft had been sold by him to the Bank of Kentucky, by it to the Bank of Pennsylvania, by whom, through the Bank of Washington, it had been presented to the Government, protested for want of funds, and returned. The laws of Kentucky authorizing ten per cent. damages on protested bills, paid over to third persons, that allowance had been claimed by the banks, and the individuals compelled to pay it. The bill had since been presented by him (Mr. HAWKINS) to the Treasury, and paid in Treasury notes, on which the person before named was compelled to pay six and a half per cent. discount.

Mr. FARROW opposed the motion at some length, and moved to amend it by adding to the end thereof, the following words: "And also 'Treasury notes which have been paid by the 'Government to fair creditors, and necessarily 'sold by said creditors at a discount."

This amendment, after some conversation, having been agreed to by a small majority— On motion of Mr. HAWKINS, the motion as amended was ordered to lie on the table.

MILITARY PEACE ESTABLISHMENT. The House went into Committee of the Whole, on the bill for fixing the Military Peace Establishment; and the first section of the bill having been read, which proposes to fix it at ten thousand men

Mr. TROUP said the Military Establishment had just been perfected—the Army had just been