3. Correspondence between Governor Claiborne and the Marquis de
Casa Calvo, on exempting the Spanish officers from municipal
taxes.
4. Correspondence between Governor Williams, of the Mississippi
Territory, and Governor Grandpre, with sundry communications to
the Secretary of State on outrages committed in the Mississippi
Territory.
5. Documents to show that the settlement of Bayou Pierre, on
the Red River, at which a principal aggression took place, was
originally made by France while possessing Louisiana, and came
to the possession of Spain only by the general delivery of
Louisiana to her, and as a part of it.
6. Extract of a letter from C. Pinckney, dated August 1805,
as well as one dated September 22, 1805, respecting Spanish
spoliations.
7. Communications from Gov. Claiborne, dated October 24, 1805,
respecting obstructions on the Mobile.
8. Copy of a letter from the commandant of the ship Huntress to
the Secretary of the Navy.
MONDAY, December 9.
Several other members, to wit, from Virginia, EDWIN GRAY, and WALTER
JONES; from New York, HENRY W. LIVINGSTON and ELIPHALET WICKES; and
from Georgia, JOSEPH BRYAN; appeared, produced their credentials, were
qualified, and took their seats in the House.
Mr. LEIB presented a petition of the late crew of the frigate
Philadelphia, representing that they have been advised that under the
maritime regulations of the United States, persons taken by the Barbary
Powers are allowed on their release a pecuniary compensation for
clothing received during their captivity, and some small sum for tobacco
and other articles, usually called jail-money, for which they have
received no compensation; but that these extraordinary expenses have been
deducted from their pay, and praying relief.--Referred to the Committee
of Claims.
TUESDAY, December 10.
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.