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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Thursday, December 4.
The fe!lowing committees were announced,
having been appointed bjr the speaker, in pursu
ance of the oriler of yesterday :
Committee ofWays&'Meuns—Messrs.Lowndes,
Smith of Md. Burwell, Pitkin, Abbott, Sergeant
and Trimble.
Of Elections—Messrs. Taylor, Tyler, Merrill,
Shavv, Ross, Whitman and Strong.
Of Commerce <Sj' Manufactures—Messrs. New-
ton,Seybert, Moseley, irving, M’Laue, Craw
ford and Kinsey.
Of Claims—Mesars. Williams ofN.C. Rich,
Bateman, M‘Coy, * 1 Huntingdon, Schuyler and
Walker of Ky..
Of the District of Columbia—Messrs. Herbert,
Miller, Peter, Boden, Strother,Claiborne 3j"Cobb.
On the Public Lands—Messrs. Robertson of L.
Anderson of K. Mercer, Campbell, Hendricks,
Terry and Marr.
On the Post-office and Post-roads—Messrs Ing
ham, Blount, Barber of O. Townsend, Nelson ol
M ass. Colson and Terrell.
On Pensions A Revolutionary Claims—Messrs.
Rhea, Wilkin, Uuggies, W.P. Maclay, Sherwood,
Ellicott and Owen.
On Public Expenditure—Messrs. l)e ha,Ander
son of Pa. Harnett, Cushman, Culbreth, Hunter
and Holmes of Con.
On the Judiciary—Messrs. Nelson of Va. Hop-
kinson, Spencer, Edwards, Beecher, Livermore
and Hale.
On Accounts— Messrs. Little, Bennett and Al
len of Mass.
Of Hevisal and unfinished business—Messrs
Savage, Whiteside anti Westerloo,
On Private Land Claims—Messrs. Herrick
II eister, Pindall. Hogg and Tompkins.
Committees of investigation iut ) expenditures
cjj'c.—Fur the Department of Stute—Messrs. For
syth, Hasbrouck ami Scudder.
Fur the Treasury—Messrs. Lowndes, Allen of
Vt. and Marchand.
For the Department of War—Messrs. Johnson
pf lv. Tucker, of S.C. and Harkimer.
For the Xavy Department—Messrs. Pleasants.
Stores and Sampson.
For the General Post-office—Messrs. Ingham,
JIubbard anti Huntingdon.
For the Public Buildings—Messrs. Tucker of
Va.^Drake and Orr.
On so much of the President's Message as re
lates to Foreign .If airs—Messrs.Forsyth,Holmes
of Mass. Barbour of Va. Robertson of L. Porter.
Orr and Goodwyn.
On Military A[(fairs—Messrs. Johnson ofK.
Bloomfield, Heed, T.M. Nelson, Nesbitt, Fornc
and Gage.
On the Militia—Messrs. Harrison, Smyth of
Va. Quarles, Williams of Ct. Jones, Lynn anil
Morton.
_ On Xaval Affairs—Messrs. Pleasants, Silsbee,
Wend over, Parrott.Ringgold,Savage A Schuyler.
On Indian Affairs—Messrs. Southard, Wil
liams of N.Y. Murray, Slocumb, Butler, Richards
anti Parr.
On Internal Improvement—Messrs. Tucker of
Va. Talmadge, Ingham, Storrs, Claggett, Robert
son of K. and Lewis.
Respecting Amelia Island—Messrs. Middleton,
Smith, Upham, Sawyer,Ball, Muinford and Cook.
On the Public Buildings—Messrs. Parris, Bas
sett, Bellinger,'Taylor, Forsyth,Crafts and Folger.
Respecting the surviving Revolutionary Pairi-
flts—Messrs. Bloomfield, Reed, Stuart, Rhea,
Smith of Md. Wallace and Hall.
Friday, December 5.
Mr. Robertson ol L. ottered the following reso
lution for consideration : Resolved, that the Pre-
rlent of the United States be requested to lay be
fore the House of Representatives such informa
tion as he may possess and think proper to com-
lnviicate, relative to the independence anti polit
ical condition of the provinces of Spanish Am
erica.
The resolution having been read—Mr. Robert
son saitl, that he supposed there would be no ob
jection to t ie adoption ot the resolution which he
And just submitted to the consideration of the
House. He found, from the late message of the
President, that toe attention of the House, as well
as of the nation, had been, in a general way, di
rected to the situation of (he provinces of Spanish
America. The President hail observed too, and
very truly that the citizens of the United States
Sympathised in the events which affected their
neighbors. Mr. R. said, that, as far back as tin-
year 1811, this subject had excited considerable
interest 5 that a committee had been raised ; the
declaration of independence and the consti
tution til \ enezueln, with other information, laid
before it by the then President, and a report
on them submitted to the Ho-.sc. The report a-
other things, expressed much good will to-
menls across the Ailantir, the situation of this
people be thus interesting, surely it is not a mat
ter of surprise that the citizens of the United
Stales should with some solicitude turn their at
tention towards them. Every republican in the
United States must lament their disasters and ex
ult in their triumphs : they tlo but follow the ex
ample we have set them: we owe our glory and
our fame to resistance to arbitary power, and the
people of Spanish America, and all others, groan
ing under oppression must owe their elevation
and worth ofcharacter to the same circumstance.
They tlo but follow in our footsteps; it is in vain to
leuy or disguise the fact ; it is known throughout
the world—whatever of injury despotism or priest
craft have sustained, whether from the revolution
of Fi ance, or that which now I hope flourishes in
our hemisphere, is laid to the account of our glo-
revoiution, and the excellent principles of
our constitution.
It is to be regretted, Mr. Speaker, that our ac
quaintance with the people of Spanish America is
not more particular and intimate than it is
entertain but one sentiment about them—our feel
ings are all in unison ; vet we differ ant! dispute
on a variety of points, which it is desirable should
be no longer suffered to remain in doubt. Vlexict
Peru, Chili, Buenos Avres. Venezuela, New Gre
nada are they independent ? Are they struggling
for independence, or have they yielded to their
European tyrant ? Have they made known their
situation to the Executive Department? Have
they demanded to he recognized as independent
sovreignties ? do they govern themselves ? elect
their agents,legislature, executive and judiciary ?
lay anil collect taxes, raise and support armies anu
navies ? It is probable that these facts are in the
possession of the President; it is very well known
that there have besn agents, men of high respec
tability, sent publicly from the governments ot
Venezuela, New-Grenada, Buenos-Ayres anil
Mexico, to this country, and, for any thing I know
to the contrary, from the other provinces. It is
probable that they have not remained silent, but
whatever they may have saitl has not been made
known to this house, or to this nation. As our
government is essentially nopular, I wish infor
mation to he given to the people. 1 wish informa
tion, that our judgments may sanction senti
ments our hearts so warmly approve. I tlo not
mean. Mr. Speaker, to commit myselfin regard to
my future course—it must, to a certain extent,
depend upon circumstances. This house wiii
act as circumstances may require, but for my
I have no hesitation to s
1st. A resolution to make provision by law for
the widows of soldiers of the regular army, who
were killed in battle or died in the service-
ad. To provide for the disbanded officers of the
army, who served in the late war by donations of
land. ,
3d. To establish three additional military ac
ademies—one in the vicinity of fort Dearborn in
S. Carolina—-another at Newport in Kentucky *
and a third near Harper’s Ferry. One third of
the cadets to be the sons of officers and soldiers
who died in the service of the United States in
the late war.
4th. To provide by law a corps of invalids, to
consist of 1000 men.
5th. To provide by law for the repeal of so much
of the act of congress of the 6th July, 1812. as au
thorises additional pay and emoluments to brevet
ranks in the army of the United States.
6th. That the military peace est ibliohment of
the United States shall consist of 8000 men inclu
ding the corps of invalids. Provided that the corps
of engineers, the general staff' and the ordnance
department shall be retained as at present estab-
lised. Provided also, that no part of the army
shall be disbanded in consequence of said reduc
tion ; blit the same shall be effected by permit
ting vacancies as tliey occur to remuiu.
rth. That it is expedient to provide by law for
one additional ration for each of the commissioned
officers of the army -if the U. States.
8th. That the coonnittee on military affairs be
instructed to report rules enioracing the objects
of the foregoing resolutions.
These resolutions were on motion of Mr. John
son referred to a committee of the whole house,
made the order of tlie day for D/onday, and or
dered to be printed.
Me. Tucker then off-red the following resolu
tion, which was agreed to : Resolved, That the
President be required to lay before the house an
account of what roads were made over the union ;
what roads were in progress—iu what parts par
ticularly, and how far they were executed.
Several other resolutions were then proposed
by different members.
Resolved, That the secretary of war be desi
red to lay before the house an account of the nu tu
ber of warrants issued under any laws lor milita
ry bounty lands—of the quantity of laud inclu
ded in those warrants—and of the quantity that
will be necessary to satisfy the claims uuder those
laws.
Resolved, That the committee of commerce and
Accruing duties.
1814— 3,262,197 12
1815— 6.242,503 55
1816— 4,633,799 34
1817— 3,002,000 00
Total 17,140,500 01
Duties received.
1,910,99501
4,976,529 HG
5,281,111 98
3,000,000 00
15,168,G56 85
Expenses of collection on sums received,
1814— 148,191 78 or 7 8-10 per cent.
1815— 279.277 67 or 5 6-10
1816— 253,440 42 or 4 8-109
1817— 180,000 00 or 6 per cent.
i sav, that, if it shall appear I manufactures be directed to enquire into the ex-
*.* 1 • 1 r nn.C.w.n.. .A* I... I 4* I 1!
wards the Venezuelans, and an infection to ac
knowledge their independence whenever their in
dependence should be achieved. From that time
to the present, silence had been observed in re
gard to the a.tail's ot that part of the continent.
The reason was obvious : we were soon after en
gaged in war with England, and since the peace
our own pressing concerns had occupied our at
tention.
The President has spoken, sir, of the interest
and the sympathy we feel in the affairs of our
southern neighbors. Perhaps it may he said with
truth, that no subject pxcit.es throughout the civi
lized world a stronger interest than the contest in
xwiich the provinces cl-spanish America are engag
ed. Every wind that blows wafts to our shores
the schemes anil speculations ot Kuropean states*
nicn ami politicians; Irom the frozen regions of
tne north to the milder climes of the peninsula, it
elicits remark & commands attention. liven Alex
ander, he who indites epistles about peace and
bible societies, while he wlicls the sword of Kit
tle anti prepares the weapons of destruction, he,
it is said, is about to furnish his Cossacks to' add
to the horrors of, as it is called, the war of death,
ibis thunders of the Pope too, the head of the
Christian Church, began to be heard, and no doubt
we shall soon see his anathemas giving up tlue peo
ple ol South America, body and soul, to the pun
ishments due here and hereafter to the crimes of
rebellion and republicanism. If, then, to goreru-
tliat the provinces of Spanish -America, or any of
them, are really independent, no e i’ thy consider
ation shall prevent me, in my public* chaiacter,
from acknowledging them as sovreign states.
jtlr. Forsyth said, he was too well acquainted
with the temper ot_the people of the United States
on this subject, to oppose any montion for enqui
ring into it; such was not his object ; but he knew
from experience, that some enquiries were pro
per and some dangerous. In this ease, he though
that all which could be known ought to he known :
but he suggested to the mover of the resolution,
whether it was not too broad in its call on the ex
ecutive, &. whether it ought not to contain the usual
qualification of excepting such information as the
President might deem the communication of in
compatible with the public interest. Mr. F. pre
sumed the President had communicated all that
he knew, or that he wished Congress to know on
object ; and as it was usual in requesting
information of t ie executive, to ask lor such onlv
as the public interest would in his opinion, permit
to lie disclosed, he proposed so to modify this
motion, in which shape only could lie consent to
vote for it.
Mr. Robertson signified his ready assent to
Mr. Forsyth's proposition. The resolution pass
ed ncm. con. as modified, and a committee of two
was appointed to wait upon the President with it.
On motion of Mr. Seybert, resolved. That a
committee he appointed to enquire into the expe
diency of revising and amending certain acts
concerning the Mint establishment of tiie United
States, and that they have leave to report by bill.
Monday, December 8.
On motion of Mr. Rhea, resolved, that the Pre-
sitlunt be requested to lay before the House of
Representatives any information he mav possess,
and thinks proper to communicate, relative to the
proceedings of certain persons who took posses
sion til Amelia Island at the mouth of the St. Ma
ry’s river, near the boundary of the st ite of Gear-
gia, in the summer of the present year, and made
an establishment there; and also any information
he hath, and may think proper to communicate,
relative to an establishment made at an earlicf
period, by persons of the same description, in the
gull of Mexico, at a place called Galveztun, with
in the limits ot the United States as we contend,
uudi r the cession of Louisiana, together with the
reasons inducing him to issue orders to suppress
the saitl establishments.
Alter some discussion the resolution was pass
ed, and a committee ordered to wait on the Pre
sident.
On motion of Mr. Forsyth, the committee of
commerce and manufactures were re-instructed
to enquire into the expediency of making Darieu
in the state of Georgia, a port of entry and deli
very.
Wednesday, December 10.
Yesterday was the day of resolutions. There
passed the house of representatives in that short
sitting, besitles resolutions of inferior importance*
no less than 15 of high consequence to the Union ;
all without opposition. After a bill to repeal the
the internal taxes, reported by Mr. Lowndes from
the committee to which that subject of the Presi
dent’s message had been referred, had been twice
read, referred to a committee of the whole, and
ordered to be printed. Mr. Johnson of K.brought
forward a string of no less than eight resolutions
on the subject of military affairs, all of them con-
ducting to the effectuation of a permanent military
establishment in this country. Most of the mat
ter embraced in these resolutions was from time
to time brought in one shape or other before the
house, but was not brought.to maturity, owing to
the scantiness ot time. They were yesterday
brought forward in their incipient stages in the
follow
incipie
several resolution .-
pedieucy of providing by law for apprehendiu
mil securing foreign seamen, deserting from fo
reign vessels in our ports, contrary to their en
gagements to serve on board such vessels.
Resolved, That it is expedient to provide by
law that all minors who were regularly enlisted in
the army of the U. States during the late war, hail
served 12 months, and were honorably discharg
ed, shall be entitled to claim bounty in lands, or
in money, by way of commutation for it.
Resol veil, That the committee on public lands
be instructed to enquire into the expediency of
exempting from taxation the military bounty lands
in the Illinois territmy.
Resolved, That the committee of ways and
means do enquire into the expediency of repeat
ing the law laying a duty on salt—granting a
bounty oil pickled fish exported, and allowances
to certain vessels employed in the fisheries.
Resolved, That the judiciary committee be in
structed to enquire whether any, and if any, what
alterations are necesrary in the judiciary.
Repeal of Internal Duties.—The House resolv
ed into a committee of the whole on the bill to
abolish the internal duties, Me. Desha being call
ed to the chair. The report of the committee of
ways and means, which accompanied the bill is in
the following words :
The committee of ways and means, to whom has
lieen referred so much of the president’s message
as respects revenue, report—
That they have supposed that they should best
comply with the intentions of the house, by direct
ing their first attention to the repeal of the inter
nal duties, which occupied its deliberations during
the latter part of its last session, and has been
since recommended by the president. From the
report of the secretary of the treasury, it appears
that the clear revenue which will have accrued
during the year 1817, will be about twenty-four
millions and a half of dollars, while the ordinary
annual expenditure, (including the provision for
the extinguishment of the public debt) is estimat
ed at less than twenty-one millions and a half.—
While the committee do not consider the impor
tations of the three last years as furnishing a cer
tain criterion for those of future years, they believe
that without a diminution of our exports, which is
not to be anticipated, ora very considerable reduc
tion in their value, the estimate of a revenue un
der the present laws, of 824,325,000, as made by
the secretary of the treasury may be safely relied
on for many succeeding years. No doubt can be
entertained under the circumstances of the Unit
ed States, as to the propriety of reducing a reve
nue so far exceeding their ordinary expenses, and
the committee recommend a general icpeal of the
internal duties, lliis will leave, according to
the estimates of the secretary, a revenue of a-
bmit twenty-two millions, exceeding the ordi
nary expenditures by something more than half a
illion.
Some difficulties will always be found in deter
mining the period at which the collection of a tax
shall cease. The consideration, however, of the
large proportion of the internal duties which will
become payable in Jan’y, induces the committee
to recommend that all internal duties should ter
minate with the year 18l!”.
The entire amount which will have accrued to
the government on account of the internal duties,
exclusive of the direct tax, from the 1st of Jan’y,
1814, to the 31st of December, 1817, may be esti
mated at more than seventeen millions, and the
receipts for the same time, at upwards of fifteen
minions.
The following statement will show the receipts
of each of the three first years, with an estimate
uf those of the 1th year e
Total, 861,709 87 or 5 7-10 per cent.
The charges of collection upon this revenue
have certainly been higher than those upoa
the impost. They have, however, been verv dif
ferent at different times. Mr. Gallatin estimated
them, in 1800, at something less than 6 per cent,
on monies collected from the people. Mr. Dallas
in one of his reports, supposes them, includin'-
fees, to be about 5 per cent, and they have beea
still lower in the three last years. This differ
ence in the expense of collecting internal and fo
reign duties, will not appear extraordinary, when
we remember how few are the domestic products,
which are subject to duty, and of foreign, which
are exempt from it; how long and regularly the
impo t ha ■ been acquiring maturity and improve
ment. and how frequent have been the changes,
and how short the duration of our system of inter
nal revenue.
In abandoning that portion of our taxes which
is considered as the most inconvenient, neither
congress or the nation will form so exaggerated
a notion of these inconveniences, as to deter
them from again applying to the same resource,
when the necessities of the state shall require
it. It is one of the duties of congress to provide,
when it can do so, that the revenue shall be col
lected from sources which may comport with
public convenience ; but it is a higher duty to
provide, from whatever sources the constitution
may have opened to its operation, such a revenue
as shall not permit the fate of a war, and the
most important interests of the nation, to de
pend on precarious ail'd often extravagant loans.
I’lie government can have no reasonable fear but
that the ciicumstanres which make internal taxes
necessary, will find in the people a disposition
promptly to pay them. The committee believe
that in any future emergency, which shall require
a resort to these taxes, the house of represeu.
tatives will, unhesitatingly, perform their pecu.
liar duty, by instituting them on a scale suited to
the occasion.
Tuesday December 11.
Mr. Ilol mes moved a resolution that the com*
mittce on roads and canals enquire into the expe
diency of constructing a canal, connecting lake
Michigan with the Mississippi : to unite Tenues,
see river with the Tombigbee.
On motion of Mr. Mercer of Va. resolved, that
the President of the United States be requested
to cause to be laid before this house, a return of
the present strength of the army of the United
•States, with the distribution thereof among the
several military post- which it is designed to pro
tect. together with any information which he may
be able to afford respecting the competency of
such force to preserve and defend the fortifica
tions among which it is distributed, and to aid in
constructing and defend such other military works
if any, as it may be in the contemplation uf the
government to erect for the more effectual secu
rity of the United States, and of the several ter,
ritories thereof.
FOREIGN.
Baltimore, Dec. 22.—By the arrival of t!.e
schooner Cuba, captain Clackner, in 12 days from
liavniina, we reaeived the Mexico Gazette, con
taining the following important information
“ Esteemed sir—At last we have obtained the
fruits of our labors ; Mina has been taken alive,
and is now entering this place. They also bring
the head of Moreno. They have taken the two
other Herreras, a Frenchman and other officers of
their infantry. We killed several when we at
tacked them, which was by surprise. A11 this has
been achieved by Senior Orrauti. who left here at
ten o’clock at night with cavalry for el Baradito,
near la H.ichiqueza ; vvhieli news I comiminicale
for the satisfaction of your excellency and of all
the good and loving subjects of our sovereign, and
I shall consider it very complete, if it gets to hand
as expeditiously as 1 wish.
God preset ve your excellency many years. In,
gratio, October 28, 1817.
JUAN DE PERGUF.IU.
To the Viceroy Don Juan Ruiz dc Apodaea.
Summary.—The emperor of Russia has sent
general Yarmelow on a mission to the capital of
Persia. The British exploring party, intendedta
make discoveries respecting the Niger, had re
turned to Sire Leone. They werestopped by one
ol the chiefs of the interior about 150 miles be
yond Nunez. The Russian fleet at Revel, con
sisting of six sail of the line and some frigates
was to be gqt ready for sea the last dates. It is
said England made a loan of 400,000/. to Spain to
induce her assent to the article of the treaty of
Vienna, abolishing the slave trade. Passengers
now sail direct from London for ports belonging
to the Spanish Patriots, it is supposed Louis the
18th is abo>t to acknowledge Bernadette as tin
legitimate heir of the Swedish throne. The In*
dependents of South-Ainerica are now complete
masters of both the Guayanas. In the province
of Carraccas they are progressing, and hold se
veral important ports. Simon Bolevar lias issued
a flaming proclamation, dated the first of July-
•Uorillo was deleated before the city of Guay ins,
with the loss of 600 killed and wounded. Uol.
Irvin lias been elected pres! lent of the provision’
al legislature of the Floridas. A weekly news
paper called “ the Telegraph of the Florida*-
has been established at Amelia Island.' Accounts
from France state, that when the resignation »>
the due tie Fettre was made known to the dak*
ot Wellington, lie protested against the measure*
and threatened, that if accepted, it-would he. COB**
dered as a measure of hostility to England.