Hon. PAUL HAMILTON, _Secretary Navy_.
TUESDAY, February 23.
_The Frigate Constitution._
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill,
reported by the Naval Committee this morning, to compensate the
officers and crew of the United States frigate Constitution for the
destruction of the British frigates Guerriere and Java. [This bill
provides that ---- dollars shall be paid out of the Treasury to Captain
Hull and the officers and crews of the Constitution frigate, and a
like sum to Captain Bainbridge and his crew, for their two gallant
achievements; and appropriates a sum of ---- dollars therefor.]
Mr. BASSETT moved to fill the first blank with fifty thousand dollars.
After some conversation between Messrs. BASSETT, ELY, STOW, and MILNOR,
on the propriety of making a general instead of a special provision on
this head, as recommended by the President, the question on filling the
first blank with fifty thousand dollars was carried in the affirmative,
ayes 60.
The second blank was then filled with one hundred thousand dollars.
The committee rose and reported the bill; and the amendments were
concurred in.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed, and read a third time.
WEDNESDAY, February 24.
_The Frigate Constitution._
The bill making compensation to the officers and crew of the frigate
Constitution for the destruction of the British frigates Guerriere and
Java, was read a third time and passed, by yeas and nays. For the bill
61, against the bill 39.
_Order in Council._
The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES:
_To the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States_:
I lay before Congress copies of a proclamation of the
British Lieutenant Governor of the island of Bermuda, which
has appeared under circumstances leaving no doubt of its
authenticity. It recites a British Order in Council of the 26th
of October last, providing for the supply of the British West
Indies and other colonial possessions, by a trade under special
licenses; and is accompanied by a circular instruction to the
Colonial Governors, which confines licensed importations from
ports of the United States, to the ports of the Eastern States
exclusively.
The Government of Great Britain had already introduced into
commerce during war, a system, which, at once violating the
rights of other nations, and resting on a mass of forgery and
perjury unknown to other times, was making an unfortunate
progress in undermining those principles of morality and
religion which are the best foundation of national happiness.
The policy now proclaimed to the world, introduces into
her modes of warfare a system equally distinguished by the
deformity of its features, and the depravity of its character;
having for its object to dissolve the ties of allegiance and
the sentiments of loyalty in the adversary nation, and to
seduce and separate its component parts, the one from the other.
The general tendency of these demoralizing and disorganizing
contrivances will be reprobated by the civilized and Christian
world; and the insulting attempt on the virtue, the honor, the
patriotism, and the fidelity of our brethren of the Eastern
States, will not fail to call forth all their indignation and
resentment, and to attach more and more all the States to that
happy Union and Constitution, against which such insidious and
malignant artifices are directed.
The better to guard, nevertheless, against the effect of
individual cupidity and treachery, and to turn the corrupt
projects of the enemy against himself, I recommend to the
consideration of Congress the expediency of an effectual
prohibition of any trade whatever, by citizens or inhabitants
of the United States, under special licenses, whether relating
to persons or ports; and, in aid thereof, a prohibition of all
exportation from the United States in foreign bottoms--few of
which are actually employed--whilst multiplying counterfeits
of their flags and papers are covering and encouraging the
navigation of the enemy.