Mr. DAWSON, from the committee appointed on so much of the Message of the President, of the twenty-seventh of October last, as relates to the Military and Naval Establishments, and who were instructed by a resolution of the House, of the eleventh instant, "to inquire into the expedi- The House resolved itself into a Committee of ency of authorizing the President of the United the Whole on the bill for the relief of Edward States to procure, as soon as practicable, stand Weld and Samuel Beebee. The bill was reportof arms, to be deposited in safe and suitable places ed without amendment, and ordered to be engrossfor the service of the United States," made a re-ed, and read the third time to-morrow.

H. of R.

Rules and Orders-United States' Debts.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act to provide for the payment of certain expenses incurred in the inquiry into the conduct of JOHN SMITH, a Senator from the State of Ohio." The bill was reported without amendment, and ordered to be read the third time to-morrow.

The House went into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill for extinguishing the debts due from the United States.

FEBRUARY, 1808.

a Committee of the Whole on the bill extending the right of suffrage within the Indiana Territory; which having been gone through, was reported to the House.

Mr. RHEA proposed an amendment further extending the suffrage; which was negatived, yeas 14. The bill was ordered to a third reading tomorrow,

STANDING RULES AND ORDERS.

Messrs. Cook and HOLLAND Supported the bill, Mr. BASSETT called for the order of the day on and Messrs. RHEA and ALSTON opposed it; when, the subject of the standing rules and orders of the a Message having been received from the Presi-House. The difficulty of getting up business on dent, the Commitee rose and obtained leave to this day was an argument in favor of their being decided on. sit again.

Many orders of the day being called for, Mr. NEWTON moved that the subject of the rules and orders be postponed, as the session was so far

advanced.

A Message was received from the President of the United States, communicating a letter from the Consul of the United States at Malaga, to the Secretary of State, covering one from Mr. Lear, our Consul, at Algiers, which gives information, Mr. BASSETT objected to the motion. They that the rupture threatened on the part of the Dey need only revert to the scenes of the morning, in of Algiers, has been amicably settled, and the ves- which several gentlemen had been on the floor at sels seized by him liberated. The Message, and once, and several decisions had been had on the the papers transmitted therewith, were read, and preference of business in the orders of the day; referred to the committee appointed on the Mes- they must see the necessity of adopting some sage from the President, relative to the commence-order for the regular routine of business. ment of war by the Dey of Algiers, received on Mr. NEWTON and Mr. HOLLAND supported the the ninth instant. motion for postponement, which was carried, 46 to 37.

The House went into Committee of the Whole, on the bill in addition to an act entitled "An act

Mr. STANFORD was so fully impressed with the necessity of some rule for the routine of business, that he wished to originate a motion for the regu lation of it-the same which was made by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. BASSETT) in Committee of the Whole on the subject

The SPEAKER said that the motion was not in order.

UNITED STATES' DEBTS.

further to amend the judicial system of the United States:" Mr. TROUP having introduced an amendment including an alteration in the times of session of the courts of the United States for the districts of South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina. Some objection being made to this, from want of immediate information, as to the effects of the alterations, by Messrs. MARION, BLACKLEDGE, and TAYLOR, the Committee rose, ayes 55, and obtained leave to sit again. In the course of observations on the motion for rising, as a reason against it, Mr. PITKIN stated that for two or Mr. Cook supposed the bill for extinguishing three terms last past of the courts of the districts of the debts due from the United States had preferConnecticut and Vermont there had no judge at-ence as unfinished business; if not, he hoped the tended to hold them, from a defect in the present gentleman from Virginia had too high a sense of arrangement. decorum to insist on his motion.

The House went into Committee of the Whole, on the bill making provision for the disposal of such lands as have been heretofore reserved for the disposition of Congress. The bill being gone though without debate, the Committee rose and reported it, and it was ordered to a third reading

to-morrow.

Mr. G. W. CAMPBELL, from the Committee of Ways and Means reported a bill making appropriations for the support of the Military Establshment of the United States for the year 1808; and a bill to amend an act entitled "An act for laying and collecting duties on imports and tonnage within the Territories ceded to the United States by the treaty of the thirtieth of April, one thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States and the French Republic, and for other purposes;" which were twice re. d 'and referred to a Committee of the Whole.

On motion of Mr. PARKE the House went into

Mr. NEWTON moved for the order of the day on the bill extending the terms of credit on revenue bonds.

Mr. NEWTON'S motion was negatived, and Mr. Cook's agreed to by the House.

Messrs. HOLLAND, STURGES, and QUINCY, advocated the bill, and Messrs. ALSTON and RHEA Opposed it..

The question was then taken on striking out the first section, (the principle of the bill,) and negatived, 58 to 24; when, on motion of Mr. Cook the Committee rose, and obtained leave to sit again.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for the relief of Samuel Whiting. The bill was reported without amendment; which the House proceeded to consider: when an adjournment was called for, and carried.

TUESDAY, February 16.

Mr. DAWSON, from the committee appointed yesterday for that purpose, presented a bill for

Rules and Orders-Government Contracts.

H. OF R.

Military Establishment.

FEBRUARY, 1808.

bill, but was not satisfied with the detail. He read the third time, and passed by yeas and nays→→→ therefore moved to recommit the bill to a Com-56 to 41, as follows: mittee of the whole House.

Mr. VAN HORN expressed his approbation of the object of the bill, but he doubted whether they were warranted by the Constitution to pass a law of this kind.

YEAS-Evan Alexander, Willis Alston, jun., Ezekiel Bacon, Joseph Barker, Burwell Bassett, John Blake, junior, Epaphroditus Champion, Martin Chittenden, Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, jun., William Ely, William Findley, James Fisk, Barent GardThe debate was continued by Messrs. G. W.enier, William Hoge, James Holland, Reuben HumCAMPBELL, BASSETT, and KEY, in favor of the phreys, Robert Jenkins, James Kelly, William Kirkprinciple, and by Messrs. W. ALSTON, PITKIN, patrick, John Lambert, Edward St. Loe Livermore, QUINCY, and SMILIE, against important details of William McCreery, William Milnor, John Montgomery, the bill. Mr. RHEA also spoke at length, and was Jeremiah Morrow Jonathan O. Mosely, Gurdon S. against the principle. Mumford, Timothy Pitkin, jun., John Porter, Josiah Quincy, John Rhea of Tennessee, John Rowan, John Russell, Lemuel Sawyer, James Sloan, Dennis Smelt, William Stedman, Clement Storer, Lewis B. Sturges, Peter Swart, Samuel Taggart, Benjamin Tallmadge, John Thompson, George M. Troup, Jabez Upham, James I. Van Allen, Archibald Van Horn, Killian K. Van Rensselaer, Jesse Wharton, Marmaduke Williams, Alexander Wilson, and Richard Winn.

The question on committing the bill was taken, and carried-55 to 25, and made the order for to-Jedediah K. Smith, Samuel Smith, Henry Southard,

morrow.

WEDNESDAY, February 17.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from DAVID THOMAS, one of the members for the State of New York, containing his resignation of

a seat in the House.

The said letter was read: whereupon, on motion of Mr. VAN ALLEN, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Speaker address letter to the Executive of the State of New York, communicating information of the resignation of DAVID THOMAS, one of the members returned from that State to serve in this House, that measures may be taken to supply the vacancy occasioned thereby in the representation from that State :

And the question being put thereupon, it was resolved in the affirmative.

NAYS-Lemuel J. Alston, William W. Bibb, William Blackledge, Thomas Blount, Robert Brown, WilJohn Chandler, Richard Cutts, Joseph Desha, Daniel liam A. Burwell, William Butler, Joseph Calhoun, M. Durell, James M. Garnett, Peterson Goodwyn, Isaiah L. Green, John Harris John Heister, William Helms, Benjamin Howard, Thomas Kenan, Philip B. Key, Nehemiah Knight, John Love, Robert Marion, Josiah Masters, Daniel Montgomery, jun., John Morrow, Thomas Newbold, Thomas Newton, John Pugh, John Rea of Pennsylvania, Samuel Riker, Ebenezer Seaver, John Smilie, John Smith, Richard Stanford, John Taylor, Abram Trigg, Robert Whitehill, Isaac Wilbour, and James Witherell.

Mr. GARDNER presented a memorial of the in[This bill provides for allowing Mr. Whiting a habitants of the city of Detroit, in the Territory certain sum for services rendered and expenses of Michigan, praying that the title to a certain incurred in prosecuting a deputy postmaster for parcel of land, amounting to about two thousand embezzling certain letters containing bank notes acres, adjoining the said city of Detroit, may be belonging to Whiting. The objection to the bill granted, in fee simple, to the Corporation thereof, proceeded from its being supposed to sanction the for the free use in common of all the memorial-principle that the Post Office Department is liable ists, under such reservations as to the wisdom of for notes sent though the medium of the post Congress shall seem meet.-Referred to the Com- office.] mittee on the Public Lands.

Mr. POINDEXTER offered the following resolution, which was agreed to. He deemed it unecessary to say anything in favor of the object till reported on, this being a mere resolution to inquire:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of repealing so much of the ordinance for the government of the several Territories of the United States, as empowers the Governors of said Territories to prorogue and dissolve the House of Representatives elected by the people, and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Ordered, That Mr. POINDEXTER, Mr. ILSLEY, Mr. ROWAN, Mr. GARDENIER, and Mr. COBB, be appointed a committee, pursuant to said resolution. Mr. JOHN MONTGOMERY, from the committee to whom was recommitted, on the eleventh instant, the bill concerning Courts Martial and Courts of Inquiry, reported an amendatory bill; which was read the first time.

The bill for the relief of Samuel Whiting was

MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT.

The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill sent from the Senate, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled 'An act fixing the Military Peace Establishment of the United States."

[The first section of this bill provides that the President of the United States shall be authorized, in addition to the present Peace Establishment, to raise one regiment of infantry, one battalion of cavalry, and one battalion of riflemen.

The second section provides that the President be authorized, in all cases of imminent danger, when, in his opinion, the defence or safety of the United States shall require it, to increase the number of men in each company of infantry on the Peace Establishment of the United States to one hundred.

The third section provides for the clothing the cavalry and riflemen.

The fourth and last section provides, that the

troops shall receive the same pay as allowed those now in service.]

Mr. CHANDLER said, he would call the attention of the House to one single circumstance. If they passed this bill, besides raising these regiments, they authorized the President, at his discretion, to raise an additional number of two thousand and eighty-eight men, by increasing the number of men in each company, now in service. to one hundred men. He did not wish to leave this discretion with the President. He was himself opposed to adding any men to the Peace Establishment. If the emergency required an additional number of men, he would raise them, but not on the permanent establishment. He therefore moved to strike out the second section, to take the sense of the House on giving the President a discretionary power to add to the Peace Establishment.

H. OF R.

and pass it; and would rather do this than add to the Military Peace Establishment.

Mr. VARNUM said, they had been called together to provide for defence, and what had they done towards it? They had ordered a number of gunboats, and appropriated money for erecting a few fortifications. Thus far, said he, we have gone, but no farther. Are prospects any better now than they were when we were called together? Any information that the nation with whom we are at variance is more friendly than she was at the time Congress assembled? I believe not. Whether we have war or not, I believe it expedient to add a small number of men to the Peace Establishment. Look at the situation of your Western country. It is a fact, that your posts have been surrounded by savages who have been urged on by civilized nations in the North, and Mr. Fisk said, that they had been in session a can, at any moment, attack and scalp your whole long time, and done but little towards the purpose garrisons, before we can afford any assistance. Is for which they were called together. The season it not prudent to strengthen our garrisons? I think was now approaching when the ships of war of we ought; and the number proposed in the bill a nation with whom we were but one remove will not be too many. I believe it is also necesfrom war, could ride with safety in our waters, sary to have a larger force, than we now have, get possession of our harbors, and seize our ships, at the mouth of the Mississippi river. It is well and here they sat quiet, as though no danger ex-known how we have been menaced in that quaristed. In addition to this, he was very far from ter from within and without. Is the aspect there believing that the enterprise which, but a few now more promising? Its situation forbids us to months ago, had agitated the Western country, draw that conclusion. What would be the situawas quiet; there was, he believed, as much to tion of our country, if New Orleans were to be apprehend from those conspirators now, as before seized by an enemy? It would cost vast blood and they were detected. Gentlemen tell us, said Mr. treasure to gain it. These circumstances, even F., that they are willing to take measures, if it were there not now particular threatenings, would should be necessary, but still oppose them when call for an increase of our Peace Establishment; presented. Let us not remain inactive, quiet spec- but, while all the nations of Europe are in contest, tators, but take such measures as are proposed. and we may expect aggression from them in one My constituents form a part of the inhabitants quarter or other, it is doubly necessary. It may of our frontier; we do not fear to meet an enemy, become necessary for you to raise a considerable but suffer us to be prepared and ready to meet army. If these troops are now ordered to be raised, them. The gentleman says that the bill is objec- it will produce a good effect when we are called tionable, because it authorizes the President to upon to raise a larger number. Look at our situincrease the Military Peace Establishment. There ation-here we are, week after week, without is certainly no more danger in this than in author- taking effectual measures. It has been said that izing one hundred thousand militia; and I believe one hundred thousand militia have been detached the gentleman was an advocate for that law, who and organized, ready for service. True, they have is now afraid of one or two thousand men. There been detached to render you six months service, is no difference whatever in the case; and it is if called upon before the 18th day of April, when necessary to give discretionary power in cases of the term of service expires; and it would be imemergency which are within the scope of proba- possible to get a bill through both Houses and bility. I hope, therefore, the section will not be make a new detachment, before that time expires. stricken out. In time of peace, it would be ques- This is a suitable measure to the times, and I tionable whether our present force is sufficient, hope the motion of my colleague will not prevail. or that proposed too large; and, at least in case I hope this bill will pass, and that Congress will of emergency, it will add to our present force two set about making another detachment from the or three thousand men, so as better to guard our militia, if necessary, the President not being aumost exposed posts. It will be unpardonable, not thorized to do it, and the term of the present deto say criminal, in the House to remain quiet un-tachment expiring on the 18th of April next. If der the present appearances; for we have neither we are to do nothing for the defence of the counassurance of peace, nor evidence which would au- try, or towards putting it in a posture of defence, thorize us to arrest our preparations. I had rather it would be better for us to adjourn, and go home. the bill on the table for raising a provisional army had been called up; but, as it is under the management of a committee who have not called it up, I hope this will be acted acted on.

Mr. CHANDLER said, he was willing to take up the bill for the War Establishment, if necessary,

Mr. TAYLOR wished that this bill had found its way to consideration sooner than it had. The argument, well urged by the gentleman last up, of the extent of our territory, and on the tender point of our Louisiana possessions, had immense weight. But there was another consideration of