Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], January 08, 1822, Image 2

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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CONGRESS.
IN THE SENATE.
THURSDAY, DEC. 27.
Mr. Findlay presented the petition of
the president and directors of the Bank
of the United States, praying certain
legislative enactments for the relief ot the
Institution ; which was read and referred.
Mr. Knight laid the following resolu
tion on the table :
Resolved, That the committee on 11a
v\al affairs be instructed to inquire into
the rate and amount received per annum
for commission or compensation of the
several navy agents, and also the mode
practised by them in furnishing the navy
*0 of the United States with supplies; and
that they report by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Barton laid the following resolu
tion on the table;
Resolved?, That the committee on pub
lic lands be instructed to inquire whether
any, and, if any, what amendments expla
natory of the several acts of Congress,
granting rights of pre-emption to settlers
on public lands, be necessary to effect the
object of those acts.
Mr. Johnson, of Ken. submitted the fol
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That the committee on the
post office and post roads be instructed
to inquire into the expediency of author
izing tlye Post Master General to permit
the Post Masters in the Western Country
to receive, for postages on letters, the cur
rency of the state in which the said offices
are located.
The resolution lies on the table.
ERIDAY, DEC. 28.
The Vice President of the U. States
appeared to-day, and took the chair of
the Senate.
Mr. Johnson, of Ken. submitted the fol
lowing resolution for consideration :
Resolved, That the committee on the
judiciary be instructed to inquire into the
expediency of modifying the law regula
ting the merchant service, so as to define
more particularly the admiralty jurisdic
tion of the District Courts of the United
States.
According to notice, Mr. Johnson, of
Louisiana, obtained leave, and introduced
a bill granting to the state of Louisiana,
for certain purposes* two tracts of land,
in the county of Point Coupee, in that
state ; which was read.
The Senate adjourned to Monday.
MONDAY, DEC. 31.
Mr. Eaton submitted the following re
solution for consideration:
Resolved, That the committee on pub
\ lie lands examine into the propriety of
“W reporting a bill for ascertaining and ad
titles and claims to land, in the
territory of East and West Florida.
Mr. Noble laid the following motion
on the table:
Resolved, That the committee on pub
lic lands be instructed to inquire into the
expediency of establishing a Land Office
at Fort Wayne, in state of Indiana.
Mr. Holmes, of Maine, from the com
mittee on finance, reported a bill further
to establish the compensation of officers
of the customs, and to alter certain col
lection districts, and for other purposes,
which bill passed to a second reading.
Mr. Lanman communicated to the Se
nate a report and resolutions adopted by
the Legislature of Connecticut, approv
ing the Maryland proposition to obtain
for the old states, for the purpose of edu
cation, a just portion of the public lands.
The resolution submitted by Mr. John
son, of Kentucky, on Friday, concerning
an inquiry into the maritime powers of
the district courts, was taken up and
agreed to.
The Senate adjourned to Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2, 1822.
Mr. King of N. Y. submitted the fol
lowing for consideration :
Resolved, That the President of the U.
States be requested to cause to be laid be
fore the Senate copies of the rules and in
structions which have been given to the
ministers, consuls, or other agents of the
United States in foreign countries, con
cerning allowances in money, or other
wise, made by them respectively to sick
and distressed seamen.
That he be likewise requested to cause
to be laid before the Senate accounts of
the money so advanced to sick or disa
bled seamen, for the years 1818, 1819, and
1820, distinguishing the nations in which
such advances were made, and the num
ber of seamen so annually relieved in the
nations respectively.
THURSDAY, JAN. 3.
Mr. Johnson of Ky. from the commit
tee on roads and canals, reported a bill to
"keep in repair the Cumberland Road.
[The first section authorizes the erec
tion of toll-gates to receive toll; the se
cond authorizes the erection of the neces
sary buildings at the toll-gates; and the
third authorizes the employment of su
perintendants to collect the tolls ]
FRIDAY, JAN. 4.
Mr. Knight submitted the following for
consideration:
Resolved, That a committee be appoint
ed to inquire into the propriety of reduc
ing the compensation of the members of
the Senate, members of the House of Re
presentatives of the United States, and
delegates of territories, and all other offi
cers in each of the executive departments,
and post office establishment; and that
said committee have power to report by
bill or otherwise.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26.
Mr. Williams, of N. C. from the com
mittee on claims, reported unfavorably
upon the petition of certain sufferers on
the Niagara frontier during the late war;
which report, on motion of Mr. Tracy,
was committed to a committee of the
whole.
Mr. Rochester called for the consider
ation of the resolution introduced by him
on Mouday, requesting from the Treasu
ry Department information relative, to the
sales of public lands.
The house having agreed to consider
the same, Mr. R. gave his reasons for
making the call; after which the resolu
non was agreed 10.
Some debate took place on a resolution
proposed by Mr. Tucker of Va. on a for
mer day, so to alter the standing rules of
the house, as to admit upon the floor the
present and past members of the legisla
tures of the several states.
The resolution was finally negatived.
A report of the Commissioner of the
Public Buildings on the subject of the pro
perty of the United States in the City of
Washington, was read, laid on the table,
and ordered to be printed.
THURSDAY, DEC. 27.
Mr. S. Smith, from the committee of
ways and means, reported a bill entitled
an act to authorize partial appropriations
for the military service for the year 1822
•—and to make good a deficit in the ap
propriations for the revolutionary pen
sioners.
The bill was twice read and commit
ted, and ordered to be printed.
> Mr. Smith gave notice that he should
call for the consideration of the same on
Wednesday next.
Mr. Floyd submitted the following re
solution :
Resolved, That the President of the
United States be requested to cause to be
laid before this house an account of the
expenditures made under the acts to pro
vide for the civilization of the Indian
tribes.
The resolution lies on the table.
FRIDAY, DEC. 28.
Mr. pi. Nelson, from the committee on
the judiciary, reported a bill to provide
for the due execution of the laws of the
United States within the state of Missou
ri ; and for the establishment of a Dis
trict Court therein ; which was twice read
and committed.
Mr. Floyd submitted the following re
solution :
Resolved, That the committee on mili
tary affairs be instructed to inquire and
report to this house whether the army has
been reduced, according to the provisions
of the act “ to fix the military peace es
tablishment of the United States,” pass
ed on the 2d day of March, 1821.
The resolution was agreed to nem. con.
Mr. Trimble laid the following resolu
tion on the table:
Resolved, ITat the President of the U.
States be requested to cause to be laid
before this house such communications
between the government of the U. States
and France, or such other information
respecting the constrnction of the eighth
article of the treaty of 1803, by which
Louisiana was ceded ; respecting the sei
zure of the Apollo in 1820, for a violation
of our revenue laws ; and also respecting
the discriminations made in each country
between its own navigation and that of
the other—as in his opinion it may not be
inconsistent with the public interest to
communicate.
I he house then adjourned to Monday.
MONDAY, DEC. 31.
Mr. Baldwin presented a petition from
sundry inhabitants of West Florida, pray
ing to be annexed to the state of Alaba
ma, which, on motion, was referred to a
select committee.
Mr. Smith, of Md. from the committee
of ways and means, made a report upon
the subject of the financial concerns of
the United States, accompanied by a bill,
entitled “ an act to authorize the Secre
tary of the Treasury to exchange the
stock bearing an interest of five per cent,
for certain stock bearing an interest of
six and seven per cent.” The bill was
twice read and committed.
Mr. Floyd called for the consideration
of a resolution by him submitted on a
former day, calling for information from
the President of the U. States relative to
the disbursements that had been made
under the acts passed upon the subject of
civilizing the Indians.
The house agreed to consider the same;
when
Mr. Tracy moved to amend the resolu
tion, by adding thereto the following
words : “ specifying the times when, the
persons to whom, and the particular pur
poses for which, the expenditures were
made.”
The amendment was agreed to, and
the resolution adopted.
On motion of Mr. Whitman, it was
Resolved, That the committee on the
judiciary be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of providing by law for
the punishment of murder, robbery, or
any other crime, which, if committed
within the body of a county, would, by
the laws of the United States, be punish
able with death, when the same shall be
committed on board of the ships of war
of the United States, while lying within
any river, basin, or bay, within the juris
dictional limits of any particular state.
The Speaker presented a communica
tion from the War Department on the
subject of the vessels sunk at the mouth
of the harbor of Baltimore during the
late war, which was read, and, on motion
of Mr. Little, was referred to the com
mittee on claims.
The Speaker also presented a commu
nication from the Navy Department, esti
mating the additional expense of examin
ing the different harbors belonging to the
United States in the Pacific Ocean, and
transporting 150 tons weight of artillery
to the mouth of Columbia River at 25,000
dollars.
On motion ot Mr. Floyd, the said com
munication was referred to the select com
mittee appointed on the subject of occu
pying a military post at the mouth of
Columbia river.
The Speaker further presented a com
munication from the Comptroller of the
Treasury Department, containing an ab
stract of the outstanding balances due on
the books of the Third Auditor of the
Treasury; which was ordered to be print
ed and laid on the table.
The house adjourned to Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 2, 1822.
Mr. Hemphill of Pa. from the commit
tee on roads and canals, made a report,
accompanied by a bill, to procure the ne
cessary surveys, plans, and estimates, on
the subject of roads and canals; which
was read twice, and committed for the
third Monday in January.
[The 1st section authorizes the Presi
dent to cause the necessary plans, &c. to
be made for a national road from Wash
ington to New Orleans ; canals from Bos
ton, south along the Atlantic sea-coast, to
connect the Ohio below the falls at Louis
ville with the Mississippi, Lake Erie with
the Ohio, and with the Potomac at Cum
berland; to connect the Susquehannah
with the Seneca and Genessee, and also
to connect the Tennessee, Savannah, Ala
oama and Tombekby rivers ; and for such
other roads and canals as the President
may deem expedient. The 2d section
authorizes the employment of two skilful
engineers and such officers of the corps
of engineers as he may think proper, and
appropriates-dollars to carry the
law into effect.]
On motion of Mr. Whitman, the house
agreed to consider the resolution calling
on the President of the United States for
certain information respecting the differ
ence existing between Gen. Jackson and
Judge Fromentin.
After considerable debate, Mr. M‘Lane
proposed an amendment, in substance,
that the President do communicate such
parts of the correspondence as may be
consistent with the public interest, which
may have taken place between Gen. Jack
son and Judge Fromentin, and which has
not heretofore been disclosed. With this
amendment, the resolution was adopted.
THURSDAY, JAN. 3.
Mr. Cannon from the committee on
military affairs, reported a bill, providing
for the discipline of the militia of the U.
States; which was read and committed.
Mr. J. T. Johnson, of Kentucky, after
urging the claims of the west to an equi
table participation in the public expendi
tures, and stating the inadequacy of the
present national armories to furnish the
western states with arms, and the im
mense cost of transportation, introduced
the following resolution:
Resolved, That the committee on mili
tary affairs be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of establishing an addi
tional national armory to be located on
the western waters.
On request of Mr. Cocke, of Ten. and
by consent of the mover, it wTas laid on
the table for the present.
Mr, Whitman submitted the following,
which was adopted ;
Resolved, That the committee on na
val affairs be instructed to inquire into
the expediency of authorising the build
ing and equipment of an additional num
ber of small vessels of war, of a force not
exceeding 12 guns each, for the purpose
of protecting the commerce of the United
States in the West India seas and Gulph
of Mexico, and to prevent smuggling and
piracy.
FRIDAY, JAN. 4.
Mr. Baldwin, from the committee on
manufactures, made the following’report,
which, on submitting to the house, he
took occasion to observe was made as the
act of the majority of the committee :
The committee on manufactures to
whom was referred so much of the Presi
dent’s Message as relates to manufactures
and the promotion of national industry,
have had the same under consideration,
and report the following resolution,
which they recommend to the house for
its adoption.
Resolved, That it is inexpedient at this
time to legislate upon the subject.
The above report and resolution were
read and ordered to lie on the table,,
GOOD NEWS FROM THE HORNET,
In the marine intelligence of Nov. 30, .
received at Charleston 15th inst. by the
steam ship Robert Fulton, from New Or
leans, we notice the following animating
paragraphs:
a English Turn, Nov. 30th.—Came up
this evening brig Le Pensee, lieut. Arm
strong, prize master, with 220 slaves.
This vessel was captured by the U. States'
sloop of war Hornet, together with the
Colombian privateer, which had previous
ly captured this vessel and several others.
The privateer’s destined port unknown
The Le Pensee is stated, in the report
of the steam ship, to be a French Gui
neaman, with 230 slaves on board.
The brig Mary Ann, capt. Humphreys,
which arrived at New Orleans 1st inst.
from Turks’Island, with 3,500 bushels of
salt, informs, that on the 2d ult. on the
south side of Cuba, while a privateer was
in the act of boarding her, “ the U. S.
sloop of war Hornet, capt. Henley, came
up, stopped the privateersman, and con
voyed the Mary Ann nearly 100 miles
along the coast of Cuba.”
—
PENSACOLA, DEC. 8.
We are indebted to the politeness of
Mr. Thomas, purser of the Hornet, fop
the following memorandum :
Arrived the U. S. ship Hornet, Capt.
Henley, from a cruize, bringing in the
armed brig Centinella. This vessel, to
gether with the slave brigantine Pensee,
which parted company three days since,
are ordered here for adjudication. They
were taken by the Plornet off Cumberland
Harbor (south side of Cuba.) The Cen
tinella, under Venezuelian colors, but
commanded by Capt. Bradford, a citizen
of the United States, had some days pre
viously captured the Pensee, under French
colors, with 249 slaves on board, and was
negotiating for a sale of them on the coast
of Cuba.
The Hornet also captured, off the West
end of St. Domingo, (and despatched for
Norfolk,) the armed schr. Moscow, with
20 men; being found cruizing without
papers. (Information was afterwards had
of her having committed piracy on an
English brig lying at Cumberland harbor.)
The Hornet, with her prize, the Centi
nella, came into our bajj^i the 30th ult. j
officers and crew are All our judi
cial tribunals denyingj^^^Kance of the
case, the Centinella ordered for
New Orleans, for adjuWPnon.
BOSTON, DEC. 25.
Arrived Portuguese ship Marianne Fa*
lora, Capt. Ventura Anacleto de Britto^
She was from Bahia to Lisbon, and cap
tured by the U. S. sch’r Alligator, Lieut. '
Stockton, and ordered for this port, under
the command of Lieut. Abbot. She came
into port with the same pendant flying,
and displayed in the same manner, as" j
when she attacked the Alligator.
NEW YORK, DEC. 28.
The English brig of war Nautilus ar
rived at Turks’ Island 2d instant, from a
cruize, after having captured a piratical
brig near Old Providence, after a chase of
13 hours. She had 44 prisoners on board,
and was bound to New Providence, to
have them tried. The pirate was in the
act of robbing an American ship when
the Nautilus hove in sight.
An account is given, in the Charleston
Courier of Dec. 20th, of a case of atro
cious piracy on an American vessel, the
schr. Emily, capt. Robbins, committed
on the 12th inst. the day of her sailing
from Matanzas. They hoisted the cap
tain twice up by the neck, to extort from
him information of specie supposed to be
on board of his vessel; and the second
time they allowed him to hang until life
was nearly extinct. “ We sincerely hope,”
says the Courier, and most cordially do
we participate in the hope, “ that the U.
States brig Enterprize, lieut. Kearney,
which left Charleston on the 6th inst. for
the scene of those atrocities, may over
haul the freebooters, and afford them an.
opportunity of partaking in the amuse
ment of hanging, a sport to which they
appear so very partial.”—{Nat. Intel.
NEW YORK, DEC. 30.
Lima.—Letters from Monee Video, of
Oct. 26th, say—“ The official account of
the evacuation of Lima by the Spanish
troops, and occupation of the place by
San Martin, has been received here, and
much speculation is on foot for that quar
ter.”
WEEKLY ALMANAC.
JANUARY, SUN SUN MOON’s
1822. RISES. SETS. PHASES.
9 Wednesday 7 17 4 43
10 Thursday 7 16 4 44 || s *
11 Friday 7 16 4 44 w
12 Saturday 7 16 4 44 ° ^ 01 ^ ’
13 Sunday 7 15 4 4*5 ^ ° *
14 Monday 7 14 4 46 o w « w ^
15 Tuesday 7 14 4 46! 3 f3 3 3
REMOVAL.
EC. BREEDIN, Attorney at Law, ha#
« removed his office to that which is
occupied by Mr. P. Hoffman, the Inspec
tor of Arms. Jan. 8.