Part 116

YEAS.--Isaac Anderson, John Archer, David Bard, Phanuel Bishop, Robert Brown, Clifton Claggett, Joseph Clay, James Elliot, Ebenezer Elmer, William Findlay, Gaylord Griswold, John A. Hanna, Josiah Hasbrouck, David Hough, Nehemiah Knight, Michael Leib, Andrew McCord, Nahum Mitchell, Beriah Palmer, John Rea of Pennsylvania, Jacob Richards, Erastus Root, Thomas Sammons, Ebenezer Seaver, James Sloan, John Smilie, Joseph Stanton, Isaac Van Horne, Joseph B. Varnum, Peleg Wadsworth, and John Whitehill.

NAYS.--Willis Alston, jr., Simeon Baldwin, George Michael Bedinger, William Blackledge, Adam Boyd, Joseph Bryan, William Butler, George W. Campbell, John Campbell, Levi Casey, Thomas Claiborne, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, Frederick Conrad, Jacob Crowninshield, Manasseh Cutler, John Davenport, John Dawson, John Dennis, William Dickson, John B. Earle, Peter Early, John W. Eppes, William Eustis, John Fowler, Calvin Goddard, Peterson Goodwyn, Thomas Griffin, Roger Griswold, Joseph Heister, William Helms, John Hoge, James Holland, Benjamin Huger, Samuel Hunt, Walter Jones, William Kennedy, Simon Larned, Joseph Lewis, jun., Henry W. Livingston, Thomas Lowndes, John B. C. Lucas, Matthew Lyon, William McCreery, David Meriwether, Nicholas R. Moore, Thomas Moore, James Mott, Roger Nelson, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jun., Joseph H. Nicholson, Gideon Olin, John Randolph, John Rhea of Tennessee, Samuel Riker, Thomas Sanford, John Smith, Henry Southard, Richard Stanford, William Stedman, James Stephenson, John Stewart, Samuel Taggart, Samuel Tenney, Philip R. Thompson, George Tibbits, Abram Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Killian K. Van Rensselaer, Daniel C. Verplanck, Matthew Walton, Marmaduke Williams, Alexander Wilson, Richard Wynn, Joseph Winston, and Thomas Wynns.

So the said motion was rejected.

MONDAY, January 21.

Slavery in Territories.

A memorial of the people called Quakers, at their yearly meeting, held in the city of Philadelphia, in the month of December last, was presented to the House and read, praying that effectual measures may be adopted by Congress to prevent the introduction of slavery into any of the Territories of the United States.--Referred to the committee appointed on the twelfth of November last, on so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates “to an amelioration of the form of government of the Territory of Louisiana.”

WEDNESDAY, January 23.

Protection of Seamen.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of State, accompanying statements and abstracts relative “to the number of American seamen who have been impressed or detained on board of the ships of war of any foreign nation; with the names of the persons impressed; the name of the ship or vessel by which they were impressed; the nation to which she belonged, and the time of the impressment; as also certain facts and circumstances relating to the same;” prepared in obedience to a resolution of this House of the thirty-first ultimo.

Mr. CROWNINSHIELD said, that the list of impressed seamen, furnished by the Secretary of State, exceeded in number any thing he had expected. He thought these impressments ought to be prevented, and that the subject demanded investigation. He had drafted a resolution, which he would submit to the House, having in view to connect this with another very important subject. Many gentlemen must have observed that some late proclamations had been issued by the Governors of the several British West India Islands, interdicting the American trade after May next. The proclamations bore date in October or November, and were to take effect in six months. It appeared to him that the British Government were determined to exclude us from their islands, upon the expectation that their own vessels would be competent to carry the necessary supplies. Mr. C. said we had a right to carry the productions of the United States in American bottoms, and he hoped we should never permit foreign ships to come to our ports and carry on an exclusive trade with any country whatever, where our vessels were not allowed the same privilege. His intention was to prevent the American carrying trade to the West Indies from falling into the hands of other nations. He would not exclude foreign vessels from our ports, but it was desirable that our own export trade should not be monopolized by foreigners. The subject was highly important to this country. Will the United States tamely submit to see some of its best citizens torn from their families and friends, without attempting something for their relief? Shall we see another country pursuing measures hostile to our commercial rights and make no effort to correct the mischief? The West India Islands depended on the United States for their ordinary supplies, and our vessels had usually carried a large proportion of their cargoes on American account; but it appeared now that we were to be shut out from this trade, and it was in future to be carried on in foreign vessels. An effectual remedy would be to prohibit the exportation of our productions in foreign bottoms to all ports of islands with which we were not permitted to have intercourse, and in order that the subject might undergo the examination which its importance demanded, he offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire if any, and what, further provision be necessary for the protection of the commerce and seamen of the United States, and to inquire whether any foreign country has made any late regulations with a view to monopolize any branch of the American carrying trade, to the exclusive benefit of such foreign country, or which in their operation may be injurious to the agricultural or commercial interest of the United States; and also to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting the exportation from the United States of all goods and merchandise whatever in foreign ships bound to any port with which the vessels of the United States are not allowed communication, or where a free and unrestricted trade is not permitted in the productions of the United States, and that the committee be authorized to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. RANDOLPH wished the resolution to lie for consideration a few days; he would mention Monday. The gentleman had said it was an important subject, and if he had no objection it would be as well to allow the resolution to remain unacted upon for a little time. It might be printed for the consideration of the House, and he rather supposed some alteration would be necessary in the form of the resolution.

Mr. CROWNINSHIELD replied that he was perfectly willing the resolution should lie for consideration, agreeably to the desire of the gentleman from Virginia, and he would consent to any reasonable delay; but he would not consent to its remaining unacted upon till a period so late as to preclude any measures from being adopted this session, because the proclamation would take effect in the month of May. He was not tenacious of forms, it was the substance of things he looked to, and he would with great pleasure agree to modify the resolution to any shape which the gentleman from Virginia might suggest.

A motion was made to refer the resolution to a Committee of the Whole for Monday next; which was agreed to, and the resolution ordered to be printed.

THURSDAY, January 24.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, enclosing sundry documents relating to the case of William Scott, and James and John Pettigrew, stated to have been murdered and plundered by the Cherokee Indians, in pursuance of a resolution of this House of the twenty-second instant; which were read and referred to the Committee of the Whole, to whom is committed the report of the Committee of Claims on the petition of Alexander Scott, of the State of South Carolina, in behalf of himself and others.

Navy Yards, &c.

Mr. EUSTIS moved the following resolution:

“Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by law for defraying the expense incident to fitting and preparing one of the navy yards belonging to the United States, and lying near the margin of the ocean, for the reception and repairing of such ships of war as are now at sea on their return to port, and such other ships or vessels of war as may hereafter return from their cruises or stations.”

Mr. EUSTIS said the resolution now submitted to the consideration of the House had grown out of an opinion which impressed itself on his mind, when he first beheld the whole naval force of the United States moored in the Eastern branch of the Potomac. He had ever considered the establishment of a navy yard in this city, as the principal naval arsenal, to be among the errors or misfortunes which had presided over many other arrangements respecting this city and territory. As the United States were at that time at peace with all the world, excepting the Dey of Algiers, as a small part of the force only was necessary to carry on this warfare, and as the ships had been actually hauled up at a considerable expense, there appeared to be no immediate necessity for incurring a further expense in their removal. Our maritime concerns have now experienced a change. We are at war with another of the Barbary Powers, and a greater number of ships have been necessarily taken into the service. We have at this time six frigates, and five or six smaller vessels on duty in the Mediterranean. After a certain time these ships must be relieved. Others must be sent out to take their stations. Those which return will require repairs; and in order to prepare for these contingencies it was proper that some one of the navy yards nearer to the ocean should be put in a condition to receive them. This was the object of the resolution. It was desirable that some place should be selected easy of access, where the water was deep, and in the neighborhood of some large maritime town, having large markets and magazines of the variety of articles required for repairing and fitting ships for sea, with the artizans employed in that business. It was not his intention to describe the advantages or disadvantages of one place or of another. The United States own six navy yards. The whole coast is before the Executive, and such a place will be selected as will combine the greatest number of advantages and best promote the public interests. To those who believed that ships of war could be repaired or fitted out with the same despatch, at the same expense, and with the same ease and convenience, at a place three hundred miles distant from the sea, as they could be in one of the ports lying on its margin, and possessing the advantages which had been stated, no reasoning could be applied which would change their opinions. The proposition was offered to the House to be decided by common sense and understanding. There was one objection which he had anticipated, and which had some weight in it. The business of the department would in that case be removed from the eye of the Government, and from the more immediate inspection and control of the intelligent and capable officer who directed its operations; this inconvenience would be balanced by the more ample means and resources which his agents would find in the large towns, and by which they would be enabled to carry his instructions more promptly into effect.

The motion was referred to a Committee of the Whole on Monday next.

FRIDAY, January 25.

Mississippi Territory.

Mr. LATTIMORE presented a memorial from the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives of the Mississippi Territory, stating sundry grievances to which they were exposed by the act of Congress for the government of the same. They complain that a man is not qualified to vote unless he possess fifty acres of land, whereby those who hold houses and town lots, as well as respectable citizens of considerable personal estate, are disfranchised. The inequality of representation in the several counties to the number of inhabitants in each; the necessity of extending the powers and authorities of an additional judge lately furnished the Territory; the inconveniencies arising from the prescribed mode of the disposal of lands; the necessity of establishing a hospital at the Natchez; and, lastly, an increase of the salaries of the judges.

On motion, the memorial was referred to a select committee of five members.

TUESDAY, January 29.

Another member, to wit, OLIVER PHELPS, from New York, appeared, and took his seat in the House.

Georgia Claims.