Part 132

On motion to postpone the further consideration of the bill at this time, and take up the following resolution:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to renew our negotiations with the Spanish Government, in such a manner as may bring every subject in controversy between the two countries to a speedy termination, equally advantageous to both:

It passed in the negative.

On motion to strike out of the bill the words “two millions,” section one, and in lieu thereof, insert “one million;” a division was called for, and the question on striking out was determined in the negative--yeas 13, nays 18, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Bradley, Gilman, Hillhouse, Logan, Mitchill, Pickering, Plumer, Stone, Tracy, and White.

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Condit, Fenner, Gaillard, Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Sumter, Thruston, Turner, Worthington, and Wright.

On motion to amend the bill by inserting after the word “applied,” in the first section, the words “for the purchase from the Spanish Government of their territories lying on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and eastward of the river Mississippi,” it passed in the negative--yeas 9, nays 20, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Gilman, Hillhouse, Pickering, Plumer, Tracy, and White.

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Bradley, Condit, Fenner, Gaillard, Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Stone, Sumter, Thruston, Turner, Worthington, and Wright.

On motion to postpone the consideration of the bill until Monday next, it passed in the negative.

On motion to agree to the final passage of the bill, it passed in the affirmative--yeas 17, nays 11, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Condit, Fenner, Gaillard, Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Thruston, Turner, Worthington, and Wright.

NAYS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Gilman, Hillhouse, Pickering, Plumer, Stone, Sumter, Tracy, and White.

So it was Resolved, That this bill pass.

MONDAY, February 10.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the amendments reported to the bill to suspend the commercial intercourse between the United States and the French island of St. Domingo; and, having amended the report, it was in part adopted, and the bill was reported to the House accordingly; and the bill having been further amended,

Ordered, That it pass to the third reading as amended.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have passed a bill, entitled “An act declaring the assent of Congress to an act of the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina;” a bill, entitled “An act declaring the consent of Congress to an act of the State of South Carolina, passed on the 21st day of December, 1804, so far as the same relates to authorizing the City Council of Charleston to impose and collect a duty on the tonnage of vessels from foreign ports;” also, a bill, entitled “An act to regulate and fix the compensation of officers of the Senate and House of Representatives;” in which bills they desire the concurrence of the Senate.

The bills brought up for consideration were read, and ordered to the second reading.

Mr. WRIGHT, from the committee to whom was referred, on the 31st of January last, the bill for the protection and indemnification of American seamen, reported it without amendment.

Mr. THRUSTON, from the committee to whom was referred, on the 5th instant, the bill, entitled “An act for altering the time for holding the circuit court in the district of North Carolina,” reported the bill with amendments; which were read, and ordered to lie for consideration.

WEDNESDAY, February 12.

British Aggressions.

The Senate resumed the report of the committee, of the fifth instant, on that part of the Message of the President of the United States, which relates to the spoliation of our commerce on the high seas, and of the new principles assumed by the British Courts of Admiralty, as a pretext for the condemnation of our vessels, in their prize courts, to wit:

1. Resolved, That the capture and condemnation, under the orders of the British Government, and adjudications of their Courts of Admiralty, of American vessels and their cargoes, on the pretext of their being employed in a trade with the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in time of peace, is an unprovoked aggression upon the property of the citizens of these United States, a violation of their neutral rights, and an encroachment upon their national independence.

2. Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to demand and insist upon the restoration of the property of their citizens, captured and condemned on the pretext of its being employed in a trade with the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in time of peace; and upon the indemnification of such American citizens, for their losses and damages sustained by these captures and condemnations; and to enter into such arrangements with the British Government, on this and all other differences subsisting between the two nations, and particularly respecting the impressment of American seamen, as may be consistent with the honor and interests of the United States, and manifest their earnest desire to obtain for themselves and their citizens, by amicable negotiation, that justice to which they are entitled.

3. Resolved, That it is expedient to prohibit by law the importation into the United States of any of the following goods, wares, or merchandise, being the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the dependencies thereof, that is to say: woollens, linens, hats, nails, looking glasses, rum, hardwares, slate, salt, coal, boots, shoes, ribbons, silks, and plated and glass wares. The said prohibition to commence from the ---- day of ----, unless previously thereto equitable arrangements shall be made between the two Governments, on the differences subsisting between them; and to continue until such arrangements shall be agreed upon and settled.

And, on the question to adopt the first resolution, as reported by the committee, it was determined unanimously in the affirmative--yeas 28.