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f CONGRESS. IN SENATE. Wednesday, January 28. The resolution o he red yesterday by Mr. Talbot Was thken up and agreed to as follows : “ resolv- od, that the committee on the judiciary, be in structed to enquire into the expediency of so far changing the present judicial system of the Unit ed States, as to provide for the gradual diminu tion «f the judges who' at present compose the aupivme court, for the restricting the functions and duties of the judges of that court to the hold ing the sessions thereof and the other duties inci dental thereto, of establishing and organi/.ing a circuit court in each state in the Union in which a circuit court has not heretofore been establish ed, und of providing for the appointment of a competent number of circuit judges for the hold ing the circuit courts of the United States.” Friday, January 30. A message was received from the president of the United States, communicating to the senate, in compliance with their request of the 22d inst. a report from the secretary of war, relating to the manner in which the troops now operating a- gainst the Seminole Itidiansjiavo been subsisted, whether by contract or otherwise, and if they have been regularly furnished. [The report states, that the troops are regularly subsisted by contract; that the forces now operating against the Seminole Indians, are within the district, the contract for which commenced on the 15th June last; that the department of war, anticipating an increased demand for rations, in that quarter, made early and liberal advances of money to the contractor, to enable him to give prompt obedi ence to the requisitions of the commanding gen eral; that req-.isitions were made for deposits in advance, under the terms of the contract, at the several posts on the frontiers of Georgia, and in the adjacent territories; that by the last official reports, these requisitions were not complied with, ami the commandant had detailed offices to supply the deficiency by purchase ; that the contractor reports, that lie has sent an amide sup ply of rations to Fort Scott, from New-Orleans, and that they were shipped on the 5th ult.; that this supply is intended to be conveyed up the Apalachicola river, and it is believed may have arrived at its destination before this period, in which event,the purchases ordered by tlie general \vill cease. Accompanying the report, is a cor respondence, shewing the extent of the failure, and the evils apprehended from an anticipated one, and embracing all the information possess ed by the war department on the subject.] The message and report were read and ordered to be printed. HdUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Monday, January 2G. Mr. Sergeant, from the committee to whom ■was refered the petition of the American Bible Society, reported (in part) a bill for the remis sion of duties upon stereotype plates and upon jjibles and Testaments in foreign languages, im ported by societie- or associations, for the gratui tous distribution of the Holy Scriptures. Tuesday, Jan. 27. On motion of Mr. Harwell, “ resolved, that the secretary of war be directed to lay before this house a statement of the claims of the state of Massachusetts for the expenses of calling out the militia of that state durum the late war, and the reasons why those claims have not beeu set tled by that department.” Friday, January 30. Mr. Ogle from the committee to whom the sub ject was referred, reported a bill for the relief of Major General Arthur St. Clair; which was twice read and committed. The speaker laid before the house a letter of the secretary of the navy, transmitting, in obe dience to a resolution of the house, copies of proceedings of certain naval courts martial, by which captain Oliver II. Perry, and captain John He ath, of the marines, were tried. 0.. motion of Mr. Forsyth, “ Resolved that the committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire whether the Bank of the United States is authorized by its charter to receive as pledge or security for loans made to individuals or coi-potations, transfers of public debt made to the Bank, or to any officers thereof, and if in their opinion such transfers are not authorized, bv toe act of incorporation, to report to the House some effectual mode of preventing them from being hereafter made. the neglect of the base-minded, to the ingrati tude ot his country, anil—wluit to a lofty and discerning spirit is infinitely more mortifying— to the frigid supercilious politeness of smooth hypocritical arrogance. The man who once pi e sided over Congress, when Congress was not an assembly ofspouters, bat a dignified moral body at which the world looked with admiration and astonishment, and whose genius its most invidi ous enemies Confessed, whose magnanimity na tions regarded with reverence,&to whose wisdom and intrepidity even its rivals felt themselves con strained to pay the tribute of confession, may now—we have seen it—find a chair for himself at the fire place of Congress, if he can—and if he cannot find one, stand as well as he can, upon those limbs, chilled with the frost of eighty-six winters, but which once bore him in native Cale donian vigor against the enemies of freedom and Annyica. Thev who “ with a learned spirit ol human dealings,” can scan the actions of men, A read their hearts pourtrayed in the legible and lasting characters of nature in their faces, might speculate even till their own hearts sickened w ith disgust, at certain incidents we witnessed, ol whose deformity the actors in them seemed un conscious, and which would have overwhelmed us with shame arid concern if they had not been attuned for by the elegant tenderness and unfeign ed respect evinced to the veteran by other per sons of different habits and feelings.—Nat. Jltess. proclamation. George P. It,—\Vhereas there unhappily sub sists a state of warfare between his Catholic Majesty and divers provinces or parts ot pro- vinces m Spanish America : anil whereas it has been represented to us, that many ot our sub jects have, wi tliout our leave or licence, enlisted or entered themselves to serve in the military forces or ships of war raised or sett forth, or in tended to be raised or set forth, by the persons exercising or assuming to exercise the powers ot government in such provinces or parts of prov inces, and that divers others of our subjects are about in like manner to enter and enlist themselves ; and whereas such practices are highly prejudicial to and tend to endanger the peace and welfare of our crown and dominions ; we do therefore, hereby, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, strictly charge and com mand all and every of our natural-born subjects, of what degree or quality soever, not to serve in any such military forces or ships of war as aforesaid, and not to enlist or cn>r themselves tosci-ve therein, and not go beyond the. seas or embark, in order to serve, or with intention to enter or enlist themselves to serve in any such military forces or ships of war : and it is die to the meritorious in every situation of !iU| Permit me to recommend to the attention of the legislature the subject of roads, ferries ar.d bridges. The strength of a country consists i n its population, and it is peculiarly the interest of 1 this territory to invite emigration hither, by fu r . nisliing every possible facility of communication, I am aware, however, that under existing cir cumstances, the object cannot be wholly attained without the interposition of the government of the United States. Your attention will doubtless be directed, at an early period of your session, to the act of Con- gress establishing the Alabama territory. It j» with you to make the necessary provisions re* specting the seat, and accommodation of the go vernment. To you also, belongs the power of electing a Delegate to Congress, and of nomina ting six persons to the President of the United States, three of whom are to be selected by hint for members of the legislative council. I have moreover to apprize you, that Robert Beauty, esq. has resigned his seat in that body. It will not escape your observation, that some provision in regard to the representation in the house of representatives, together with a suitable modification Of the laws, and re-organization of FOREIGN. Gen. St. Clair.—The venerable St. Clair, the oldest military officer and statesman united, in this country, has appeared in the house of re presentatives for some days past., at once its pe- tioner and its reproach ; ami excited sensations jn our bosoms, which we should in vain attempt to describe, and which, if we could describe them with the utmost fidelity, would not be very well understood, perhaps bv many ; General St. Clair, originally a British officer, was one of the first of those who, in their enthusiastic zeal in the cause of freedom and America, ami the self ish and unprincipled were balancing between virtue and fear, encountered the danger, then enough to appal a stout heart, of abandoning the cause of power, and clinging to that of right; and 4 * verily he has his reward,”—while those liv ed and possessed influence in whose bosoms the lamp of gratitude and beneficence was not ex tinguished by the haze of vulgar pride and ava rice, the deserts of this gentleman met their meed. As he deserved, so he was elevated to an honorable station in that country to whose li beration from colonial dependence he Imd contri buted Ills share.—He was raised to high political rank; ami the name.W St. Clair stood proudly |oo among the highest of our military comman ders:—But “ the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,—neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor vet favor to men of skill”—-And time and chalice, which every day exalt the knave, the fool and the coward to opulence ami prosperity, and precipitate wisdom and virtue and valor, into the mire, smote his fortunes on the head, and tphjcctcd him to the contumely of the sordid* to Mina.—The following intelligence, of the fate of the unfortunate general Mina, is translated from the Gazette Extraordinary of Mexico, of November 1, 1817, received at ^Vashington city: Silao. Oct. 27, 1817.—Most excellent sir,—It is witli the greatest pleasure I communicate to your excellency that I have taken prisoner the traitor Mina, together with twenty live of Ids principal partisans, at the post of Benadito, ap pertaining to the plantation of Flachiquera, where he was stationed with two huudred men. Half of them were killed, as well as the ring leader, Moreno, whose head I caused to be bro’t to this place, where I have just arrived. 1 will send it to general Don Pasqual Linan as soon as possible; and 1 now anticipate this information to your excellency, on account of its importance. God preserve your excellency many years. FRANCISCO ORRANT'IA. HisExc. the Vice Ui»y Don Juan Ruiz de Apo- daca. Vera Cruz, November 7, 1817.—Besides the capture ol Mina, and the destruction of his band, I have to communicate to you another importan event; namely, that the ringleader Bergara has just delivered himself up. with all his men, to the royal troops at Puente del Rey, by availing himself of the Indulto published on the occasion of the Queen having been happily delivered of a princess 7ft. Petersburg, Oct. 31.—The following is an abstract of the report of Lieut. Kotzebue to the Chancellor Count Uomanzow. “ In con sequence of instructions given to Lieut. Kotze bue, he was to sail in the summer of 1817, to Norton Bay, to make a voyage, into the. interior of North America. Conformably to those structions, Lieut. K. sailed on the 17th of July, 1317, from the port of St. Peter and St. Paul, for the above named Bay. . The wind was so favorable on the passage, that on the 2Gth, he arrived at the Isle of St. Laurence, about two degrees south of Behring's Straits. As there remained sufficient time to go into Norton Bay, he resolved to enter Behring's Straits, if cir cumstances favored him in that respect. lie could not, it is true, flatter himself that he should be able to go further North than Capt. Cook, but he wished more nearly to observe the coast of America. De entered Behring's Straits on the 30th of July, with a favorable wind and cloudy weather; and the next day he found himself oil' a bay, which he wished to examine ; but the great number of shallows, and the want of canoes, with which he had not provided him self, obliged him to give up that research uutil next year. He continued his course along the coast of America, keeping as near to it as pos sible ; and on the 1st of Aug. he discovered a passage, into which lie entered, and to which iie perceived no boundaries ; it was only after having navigated for two days that he saw the land. Lieut. K. employed more than 15 days in exploring that great bay, in hopes of finding in it the mouth of some river. The inhabitants, who came to reconnoitre him in canoes, and who conducted themselves most amicably to wards the Rurik, (his ship's name,) altmmgh they appeared very warlike, being alt armed, pointed out to him a little bay, where, according to their report, lie would find a canal, which would conduct him to the open sea ; but it re quired, they said, a navigation of eight days be fore he could reach the sea. He examined that to which he gave the name of Good Hope, and found the mouth of a small river, but it was navigable only for canoes, and into which he consequently could not enter. From the num ber of canoes which lie found at the entrance of the great bay, the country must be well peopled. Lieut. K gives, in his report, a very favorable description of the inhabitants. They arc tall, strong ami well made, and appear to have ac quired a greater degree of civilization than the inhabitants of the middle part of the North West Coast of America. They learned, in the bay of St. Laurence, upon the coast of Asia, where the Rurik anchored, that the Ischuktches, who inhabit that coast, are in a state of habitual hostility with their .fyncricau neighbours; but that they barter with the Ischuktches, who in habit a more distant country, and who receive iron, tobacco aud coral in exchange for their skins. A stormy and very cold season forced tiiis officer to quit this bay and to return to the soutii, resolving to pursue his discoveries next year. He then sailed to New Albion, where lie at the same time our Royal will and pleasure,} the offices within your control, are rendered in- - • - ■ ■ ■ • - •* 'dispensable. And 1 apprehend you may alto deem it advisable to change the boundaries of some of the existing counties, by creating new counties, or otherwise. Under that impression 1 have abstained from filling appointments within the scope of my authority, for the purpose of a. waiting the result of your deliberations. Unac quainted indeed, with the present civil and mill, tary arrangements, and without the means of as. ceri&ining who are in office, except by applies, tion to the former executive, delay in that re* spectlias been unavoidable. On the 21st of December last, I received a communication from Major-General Gaines, re questing that two companies of militia might be detached, for the defence of a part of our south- cm frontier. A detachment has been ordered accordingly to Fort Crawford, for two months service, and now constitute a part of the Gene* ral’s command. It has been represented to me, that the conven* tion of Mississippi have forwarded a petition t» 1 Congress, soliciting an enlargement of that State^a by hmitting the boundary ol this territory to thwl T ombigbee river. I consider the decision of that I question highly important to the people, whose interests are committed to our care. The pre sent line of partition has been deliberately fixed | by the competent authorities, and voluntarily ac cepted by the inhabitants of the state. They have exercised the exclusive privilege of framing I a government for themselves—a privilege, which 1 trust will not be denied to#ur fcllow-citizene. Nor do I perceive any just grounds for the pro- and we do bv and with the advice aforesaid, hereby also strictly charge and command all and every of our said subjects not to serve or enlist, enter themselves to serve in any ot the mili tary forces or ships of war raised or set forth, nr to be raised or set forth, by his Catholic Ma- jestv, anil not to go beyond the sca9, or embark, in order, or to the intent to serve, or enter, or enlist themselves, to serve in any such military forces or ships of war : it is nevertheless our Royal will and pleasure, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed or taken to prohibit any ot our subjects who are engaged at the time of the date of this our proclamation, in serving : n the military forces of his Catholic Majesty vith our leave ox licence, from continuing to serve therein, provided that such our said sub jects do not serve with the military forces of his Catholic Majesty when employed in Spanish America :and we do hereby, by and with the ad vice aforesaid, strictly require all of our subjects duly to conform to our- commands herein con tained, under pain of our highest displeasure amt the utmost forfeitures, penalties and pun ishments, to which by law they will other wise be liable. Given at our Court at Brighton, the 27th day of November, 1817, in the 58th year of our reign. God save the King. Kamtscliatka, May 25.—As in the whole east and north-east part of Siberia, it lias hap pened also in Kamtschatka, that in the course of last winter an incredible number of bears . „ _ „ . have left the woods, frequently entered the posed change, or any advantages that can result houses of the Kamtschadales, in many places trorn it. The improvement ot the navigation of j have attacked and devoured the inhabitants, nay, traces have been found of their having killed and devoured each other. At the end of the winter many bears were fount! that had perished with hunger. In several settlements they have killed from 2 to 300 bears. The oldest Kamts- chgdales do not remember ever to have seen the bears so savage and bloodthirsty. The cause of this savageness and of their hunger is, that for these two years past, there has been an entire want of fish in the Kamtsckatka sea ; and fish, as is well known, are the chief food of bears, which, being usually so abundant in those wa ters, they easily contrive to catch. DOMESTIC. ALABAMA LEGISLATURE. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and of the House of Representatives : I beg leave to tender to you my congratulations on the first meeting of the general assembly of Alabama territory. The circumstances ofotir country, under which you have convened, present a most gratifying spectacle, and claim our most devout gratitude. While the habitation of man in many portions of the earth, is the residence of poverty, oppres sion and wretchedness, the people of our highly favored nation, are in the tranquil enjoyment of every blessing. The rights of persons and of property are carefully protected ; and alike open to all is the road to wealth, and fame, and public honors. At peace, (except with a part of our In dian neighbors,) and prosperous beyond example, we may review with pride the scenes of war which are past, and indulge the most pleasing anticipa tions of the future. The high destiny of the ter ritory for which you are called to legislate, we cannot fail to contemplate with peculiar satisfac tion. Ample in extent, abounding ia navigable waters, and rich in the advantages of soil and cljmate, the period cannot be distant when the haunts of the savage will become the dwelling places of civilized man, and the forests of the wilderness he converted into fruitful fields. I am persuaded, gentlemen, that in the dis charge of your duties, you will find the strongest incentives to cultivate harmony among themselves —and to afford to the country, thus distinguish ed by the bounty of Providence, all the benefits of which it is susceptible. You will not be un mindful that the diffusion of knowledge, and cor rect habits among the people, and wholesome laws impartially and rigidly executed, are essential to our happiness and prosperity. To promote those objects it is important—1st, that schools and the means of education, should be provided and en couraged to the extent ot your powers; and 2d. that, regarding a proper economy, with due re ference to the obvious depreciation in the ex changeable value of money, sufficient compensa tion should be allowed to those who may uevote their time and talents to the public, to ensure the services of competent men. Parsimony in that respect, is not economy, nor w it calculated to place your offices equally within the reach of the rich and the poor. Worth and capacity are not exclusively confined to those who can submit to was kindly received ; from the Spanish Governor! pecuniary sacrifices for public honors. They are of San Francisco he experienced the greatest at- to be found in every class of society ; and it is tention and kindness, and had his vessel vict-i the course of wisdom, that such provision should milled. ' be made, as will render the public service accessi on r rivers, is a subject of the highest interest; and when equally the business of separate state*, it is always difficult, if not impracticable, to ob tain the necessary concert for effecting the object. I would further submit to your consideration i the propriety of adopting measures during your present session, for ascertaining, previously to the next meeting of the General Assembly, tb» | number of inhabitants within ou.r limits. My acquaintance with the affairs of the' terri* torv, necessarily imperfect as it is, does not ena- I ble me to detail particular defects in the laws, lor | to specily the appropriate remedies. Such as oc cur to me, will constitute the subject of a taituro message. I have however, the satisfaction to know, that the legislative concerns are in tha hands of those, whose intelligence and patriot ism, furnish a sure guarantee for a sure and judi cious and faithful performance of their duties, And I beg you to be assured, that every aid which i it may be in my power to contribute, will be | cheerfully rendered. \VM. W. BIBB. St. Stephens, 20th January, 1818. Frankfort, A". Jan. 1.—Resolutions expressive of the sense of the people of Kentucky on the patriotic struggles ot South-Amcrica, and on the policy which the general government ought to’ pursue in relation to that country : IN SENATE 3Y MB. BLEDSOE. Resolved by the general assembly of the eoiw monwealtli of Kentucky, That the people of this state view with the most lively emotions, the pa- triotic struggles of their South-American repub lican brethren, to throw oft’ and break in pieces the yoke of Spanish despotism ; to take their stand amdngst the nations of the earth ; and to vindicate th» exercise of those rights of self-go vernment which the God of nature has given to | man, as his unalienable birth-right. That while this legislature, and the people 1 whom they represent, fully appreciate the bles sings of peace flowing from the observance of » just neutrality, as to the conflicts between other powers ; they are nevertheless fully sensible of the immense importance to the United States of the establishment of the independence of the South-American colonies, as respects the proba ble commercial and political relations betweea the two portions of the same great continent, j That neither interest nor duty on the part the United States, as respects old Spain, exists to induce them to take one single step towards I favoring that power, or strengthening tne rod of I oppression, which there is reason to hope horco'l Ionics are about wresting from her hand forever, f That it is in our opiniun wise policy as well * 5 justice, for the government of the United States to acknowledge the independence of such of the I former Spanish colonies of South-Amcrica a'l shall have shown or show themselves capable * I vindicating aud maintaining the rights of selt-| government. That the strictest regardto neutrality between I the parties neither requires nor authorises, the I arrest or detention of foreign men, vessels or I munitions of war passing through our country or I touching at our ports destined to assist either I ^.ir the general government of the I nited j States is prepared to take a side in this contest, I the many an redressed wrongs, and the oatia*