peace between the United States and that republic; also, the correspondence and explanations, if any, which said ministers had with, or gave to, the republic of Mexico, or any ministers thereof, touching the effect or meaning of amendments made by the Senate of the United States to the original treaty, as concluded at Gaudalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d of February, 1848, whether such correspondence or explanations were before the ratification thereof by the Mexican government, or after such ratification, and before or contemporaneous with the exchange of ratifications, and particularly as respects amendments respecting the ninth, tenth, and twelfth articles; also, any protocol or other paper signed by said Sevier and Clifford, and any minister of the Mexican republic, if any such there be, explaining or affecting, or attempting to explain or affect the treaty as ratified by the Senate of the United States; and also, all communications had with the Mexican government, or any minister or ministers thereof, on the part of our ministers, as well as all communications between our ministers and the government of the United States, touching the effect of the amendments proposed by the Senate of the United States in the aforesaid original treaty. Mr. Breese submitted the following resolution; which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a marine hospital on Rock island, in the State of Illinois, and of appropriating the buildings thereon, and the lands of the United States there situate, for such purpose. Mr. Rusk submitted the following resolution, which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of an appropriation to be made by Congress for the purpose of enabling the President to make compensation for secret services rendered during the late war with Mexico. Mr. Clayton, from the joint committee appointed on the subject of counting the votes for President and Vice President of the United States, and notifying the persons elected of their election, reported in part the following resolution: Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the fourteenth instant, at twelve o'clock, and the President of the Senate shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate, who shall annonce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the two Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declation of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, and, together with a list of votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution by unanimous consent; and the resolution was agreed to. On motion, Ordered, That the teller on the part of the Senate be appointed by the Vice President; and Mr. Clayton was appointed. Mr. Clayton being excused, Mr. Davis, of Mississippi, was appointed in his stead. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. Mr. Atherton, from the Committee on Finance, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 692) making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of government for the year ending the 30th of June, 1850, and for other purposes, reported it with amendments; which were ordered to be printed. On motion by Mr. Borland, Ordered, That the Committee on Public Lands be discharged from the further consideration of the bill (S. 290) to revive and extend the provisions of an act entitled "An act to settle the titleto certain tracts of land in the State of Arkansas," and that it be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Campbell, their Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed the bill (S. 43) for the relief of Jeannette C. Huntington, widow and sole executrix of William D. Cheever, deceased. They have passed the following bills from the Senate, with amendments, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate: S. 155. An act granting a pension to Bethiah Healy, widow of George Healy, deceased. S. 251. An act for the relief of the personal representative of William A. Slacum, deceased. They have passed bills with the following titles, in which they request the concurrence of the Senate: H. R. 200. An act for the relief of the widow and heirs-at-law of Silas Duncan, late commandant of the United States navy. H. R. 214. An act for the relief of Noah A. Phelps. H. R. 235. An act for the relief of Matthews, Wood and Hall. H. R. 589. An act for the relief of Thomas T. Gammage. H. R. 607. An act for the relief of Jacob Boston. H. R. 609. An act for the relief of Eve Boggs. H. R. 610. An act for the relief of Hannah Kinney, widow of Amos Kinney, late of the State of New York. H. R. 611. An act for the relief of Joseph Dana. H. R. 613. An act for the relief of Martha Dameron, widow of Christopher Tompkins. H. R. 614. An act for the relief of Susanna Prentiss. H. R. 615. An act for the relief of Thomas R. Sanders. H. R. 621. An act for the relief of Captain Alexander McEwen. H. R. 622. An act for the relief of Elizabeth S, Cobbs. H. R. 645. H. R. 677. An act for the relief of Sidney Flower, of Louisiana, and for other purposes. H. R. 678. An act for the relief of Amelia Cuvillion, of Louisiana. H. R. 679. An act for the relief of John McIntosh. H. R. 680. An act for the relief of Levi M. Roberts. H. R. 704. An act for the relief of Samuel Perry. H. R. 709. Holden. An act granting the right of pre-emption to Joshua H. R. 712. An act for the relief of James Frame. H. R. 725. An act for the relief of B. O. Payne, of Albany, New York. Mr. Davis, of Mississippi, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 197) for the relief of the legal representatives of Antonio Pacheco, reported it without amendment, and submitted a report on the subject; which was ordered to be printed. Mr. Dix, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of the heirs of Trueman Cross, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 418) for their relief. The bill was read, and passed to the second reading. Mr. Niles, from the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, to whom was referred the bill (S. 399) to define the period of disability imposed upon certain bidders for mail contracts, reported it without amendment. The Senate proceeded to consider the said bill (S. 399) by unanimous consent 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 a foresaid. Ordered, That the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of Representatives in this bill. Mr. Rusk reported from the committee that they had presented to the President of the United States, the 2d instant, the following acts: S. 359. An act for the relief of William Plummer, executor of Starkey Armistead, deceased. S. 406. An act for the relief of Timothy Cavan. A message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Walker, his secretary: Jersey, praying that the rates of postage may be reduced, and the franking privilege abolished. Ordered, That it lie on the table. Mr. Douglas presented a resolution passed by the Legislature of the State of Illinois, in favor of the erection of a marine hospital on Rock island, in that State; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Rusk presented the memorial of Nathaniel Lewis, praying compensation for forage and subsistence furnished to a company of Texas rangers mustered into the service of the United States; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. Mr. Dickinson presented a petition of citizens of West Turin, New York, praying the establishment of a mail route from Constableville to the store of S. C. Thompson, in that place; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Breese presented a petition of members of the General Assembly of Illinois, praying that the right of way through the public lands may be granted to a company about to be chartered by that State for the construction of a railroad from the eastern border of the State of Illinois to the Mississippi river, opposite St. Louis, Missouri; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Mr. Borland presented a memorial of the Legislature of the State of Arkansas, praying the establishment of a mail route from Rockroe, in that State, to Boonville, in Missouri, and a mail route from St. Louis, Missouri, to Little Rock, Arkansas; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Borland presented a memorial of the Legislature of the State of Arkansas, praying that one-tenth portion of the public lands may be granted to the States in which they lie, for purposes of education and internal improvement; that the five per cent. fund accruing to that State may be paid in land instead of money; and that the price of the public lands may be reduced; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Borland presented a resolution passed by the Legislature of the State of Arkansas, in favor of the continuance of the office of surveyor general in that State, until the business of that office shall have been finally closed; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Dix presented a memorial of inventors and others, citizens of New York, praying such modifications of the patent laws as will secure to inventors the benefits of their inventions; which was referred to the Committee on Patents and the Patent Office. Mr. Mangum submitted the following resolution for consideration: Resolved, That the President be requested to have laid before the Senate, in executive or open session, in his discretion, any instructions given to Ambrose H. Sevier and Nathan Clifford, commissioned as ministers plenipotentiary on the part of the United States to the government of Mexico, or to either of said ministers, prior to the ratification by the government of Mexico, of the treaty of peace between the United States and that republic; also, the correspondence and explanations, if any, which said ministers had with, or gave to, the republic of Mexico, or any ministers thereof, touching the effect or meaning of amendments made by the Senate of the United States to the original treaty, as concluded at Gaudalupe Hidalgo, on the 2d of February, 1848, whether such correspondence or explanations were before the ratification thereof by the Mexican government, or after such ratification, and before or contemporaneous with the exchange of ratifications, and particularly as respects amendments respecting the ninth, tenth, and twelfth articles; also, any protocol or other paper signed by said Sevier and Clifford, and any minister of the Mexican republic, if any such there be, explaining or affecting, or attempting to explain or affect the treaty as ratified by the Senate. of the United States; and also, all communications had with the Mexican government, or any minister or ministers thereof, on the part of our ministers, as well as all communications between our ministers and the government of the United States, touching the effect of the amendments proposed by the Senate of the United States in the aforesaid original treaty. Mr. Breese submitted the following resolution; which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a marine hospital on Rock island, in the State of Illinois, and of appropriating the buildings thereon, and the lands of the United States there situate, for such purpose. Mr. Rusk submitted the following resolution, which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of an appropriation to be made by Congress for the purpose of enabling the President to make compensation for secret services rendered during the late war with Mexico. Mr. Clayton, from the joint committee appointed on the subject of counting the votes for President and Vice President of the United States, and notifying the persons elected of their election, reported in part the following resolution: Resolved, That the two Houses will assemble in the chamber of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the fourteenth instant, at twelve o'clock, and the President of the Senate shall be the presiding officer; that one person be appointed a teller on the part of the Senate and two on the part of the House of Representatives, to make a list of the votes as they shall be declared; that the result shall be delivered to the President of the Senate, who shall annonce the state of the vote and the persons elected to the two Houses assembled as aforesaid, which shall be deemed a declation of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, and, together with a list of votes, be entered on the Journals of the two Houses. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution by unanimous. consent; and the resolution was agreed to. |