Part 145

Several other members, to wit, from Kentucky, JOHN BOYLE; from New Jersey, WILLIAM HELMS; from Connecticut, TIMOTHY PITKIN, junior; and from New York, PHILIP VAN CORTLANDT, appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats in the House.

Exportation of Arms, &c.

The House took into consideration the amendments of the Committee of the Whole to the bill prohibiting, for a limited time, the exportation of arms and ammunition from the United States; in all of which they concurred.

Mr. COOK moved to substitute “five hundred dollars” in the room of “one hundred;” the sum for exporting prohibited articles beyond which is followed by the forfeiture of the vessel--under the impression that the provision was too rigorous.

This amendment was supported by Mr. CROWNINSHIELD, and opposed by Mr. DAWSON, and lost--77 members concurring in the report of the Committee of the Whole.

On motion of Mr. OLIN, “cannon balls and mortars” were added to the list of prohibited articles.

On motion of Mr. DAWSON, an amendment was introduced, applying the penalties of the bill to the exportation of the prohibited articles by land.

On motion of Mr. NICHOLSON the provisions of the bill were extended to the Territories of the United States.

Mr. GREGG said he understood the bill under consideration was only a report in part. He had no disposition to oppose its passage. He only rose to express his hope that when the committee made a further report, they would lay before the House the information necessary to enable them to act intelligently. It had, from the commencement of the Government, been the practice of the House to call on the Secretary of War to state the amount of military stores on hand, accompanied by his opinion of the further supplies deemed necessary. No such thing had yet been done this session. The House neither knew the quantity of military stores on hand, nor could calculate the effects of the bill. They did not know what was the quantity of sulphur and saltpetre on hand, or whether there was a sufficiency of those important raw materials, in case we should be embroiled in a war--

The SPEAKER here interrupted Mr. GREGG by observing that there was no motion before the House.

After a few remarks from Mr. NICHOLSON and Mr. GREGG, on the details of the bill, it was ordered, on the motion of the former, to be recommitted to the committee who introduced it, for amendment.

WEDNESDAY, December 11.

Another member, to wit, DANIEL C. VERPLANCK, from New York, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House.

Sword to General Eaton.

Mr. BIDWELL said that, in the late war between the United States and Tripoli, distinguished services had been rendered by Mr. Eaton, which had contributed to the peace lately made with that power. Intimation of this fact was not only derived from its public notoriety, but likewise from the President of the United States. He thought these services worthy the notice of Congress. He therefore submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be requested to present a sword, in the name of Congress, to William Eaton, Esq., as a testimony of the high sense entertained of his gallantry and good conduct in leading a small band of our countrymen, and others, through the desert of Libya, on an expedition against Tripoli, in conjunction with the ex-Bashaw of that Regency; defeating the Tripolitan army at Derne, with the assistance of a small part of the naval force of the United States, and contributing thereby to a successful termination of the war, and the restoration of our captive fellow-citizens to liberty and their country.

Referred, on the motion of Mr. VARNUM, to a Committee of the Whole to-morrow.

French Spoliations.

Mr. J. RANDOLPH observed that, at the first session of the eighth Congress, there had been an appropriation of $3,750,000 for the purpose of paying American claims for spoliations committed by the people of France, which had been assumed in the convention that transferred to the United States the sovereignty of Louisiana; that bills, in satisfaction of these claims, were daily presented for payment at the Treasury; but, that, on the 31st of this month, the appropriation would cease, when the sum remaining unexpended would be carried to the credit of the surplus fund. The Committee of Ways and Means had received a letter, representing the circumstances, from the Secretary of the Treasury, which had induced them to come to a resolution to ask leave to present a bill on the subject.

Leave having been granted--

Mr. J. RANDOLPH made a report, consisting of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, representing the facts stated by him, and a bill, supplementary to the act making provision for the payment of claims of citizens of the United States, on the Government of France, the payment of which has been assumed by the United States, by virtue of the convention of the 30th of April, 1803, between the United States and the French Republic.

The bill provides that the balance of the $3,750,000 remaining unexpended on the 31st of December next, shall not be carried to the surplus fund, but shall continue applicable to the satisfaction of the claims until they shall be satisfied.--Referred to the Committee of the Whole on Monday next.

THURSDAY, December 12.

Another member, to wit, JOHN HAMILTON, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

BENJAMIN PARKE having also appeared as a Delegate from the Indiana Territory of the United States, the said oath was administered to him by the SPEAKER, and he took his seat in the House accordingly.

General Eaton.

On the motion of Mr. BIDWELL, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the resolution offered yesterday, relative to William Eaton.

The Chairman read the resolution as follows: