SIXTH CONGRESS.—FIRST SESSION. (continued 4)

The House went into a committee on the act supplementary to the act entitled "An act to establish the Treasury Department."

The committee rose and reported the bill—which provided that the Secretary of the Treasury should lay before Congress, at the commencement of every session, a report on the subject of finance together with such plans for improving the revenue as may occur to him.

Mr. Gallatin and Mr. Nicholas opposed the passing of the bill, on constitutional principles. They observed, that as all money bills were to originate in the House of Representatives, the Senate had no right to propose any bill by which that provision was changed; nor could the Secretary of the Treasury, upon the same ground, propose any thing that should originate any money bill. Heretofore, it had been usual, when information was wanting by the House, to call for it from that department, and the same could be done again.

It was contended by Mr. Griswold and Mr. Harper, that it was not a power to report a bill, but merely the state of our finances, which, for want of due notice, had heretofore been delayed, so as to throw all the most important business upon the close of the session, whereas, by a leisurely and mature examination, the Secretary of the Treasury would be enabled to make a timely and complete report.

The bill passed to its third reading—43 to 39.

Memory of Washington.

Mr. Evans, from the committee appointed for that purpose, reported a bill for erecting a mausoleum for George Washington, in the city of Washington.

The bill provided that it should be one hundred feet square at the base, and of a proportionate height.

Mr. Eggleston wished to hear the estimated price.

Mr. Harper said he had an estimate from Mr. Latrobe, of Philadelphia, who was the architect employed on the Pennsylvania Bank, the estimate of which had rather been over the actual expense; the estimate was that a pyramid of one hundred feet at the bottom, with nineteen steps, having a chamber thirty feet square, made of granite, to be taken from the Potomac, with a marble sarcophagus in the centre, and four marble pillars on the outside, besides other proportionate ornaments, would amount to $62,500. He hoped no objection would be made to the price, since it could not occur on any future occasion, as another Washington would never die.

Mr. Nicholas thought every sense of respect would be as well signified by a building of less dimensions, and it would be considerable less expense; he moved to strike out one hundred and insert sixty. After some debate, this was negatived.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for its third reading.

Meeting of Congress.

A bill was received from the Senate appointing the time and directing the place of the next meeting of Congress, which provided that the two Houses should meet at the city of Washington on the third Monday in November next.

The House went into committee thereupon, which was reported. On the question for its third reading, it was carried—yeas 32, nays 32. The Speaker voted in the affirmative, and it was ordered to a third reading to-morrow.

Saturday, May 10.

Memory of Washington.

The bill for erecting a mausoleum for George Washington, in the city of Washington, was read a third time; and upon the question, shall the bill pass?

Mr. Kitchell called the yeas and nays upon it, and proceeded to give his reasons why he would vote against the bill. He was followed by Mr. Harper in favor of it, and Mr. Randolph against it; when the question was taken, and the bill passed—yeas 54, nays 19, as follows:

Yeas.—Willis Alston, Bailey Bartlett, James A. Bayard, Jonathan Brace, John Brown, Gabriel Christie, William C. C. Claiborne, William Craik, Samuel W. Dana, Franklin Davenport, Thomas T. Davis, John Dawson, George Dent, Joseph Dickson, Thomas Evans, Abiel Foster, Albert Gallatin, Henry Glenn, Chauncey Goodrich, Elizur Goodrich, Edwin Gray, Roger Griswold, John A. Hanna, Robert Goodloe Harper, David Holmes, Benjamin Huger, James H. Imlay, James Jones, John Wilkes Kittera, Henry Lee, Silas Lee, Edward Livingston, Lewis R. Morris, Peter Muhlenberg, Abraham Nott, Robert Page, Jonas Platt, Leven Powell, John Read, John Rutledge, jun., Samuel Sewall, James Sheafe, John Smith, Samuel Smith, Richard Dobbs Spaight, George Thatcher, John C. Thomas, Richard Thomas, Abram Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Peleg Wadsworth, Robert Waln, Lemuel Williams, and Henry Woods.

Nays.—Theodorus Bailey, Robert Brown, Matthew Clay, John Condit, John Davenport, George Jackson, Aaron Kitchell, Michael Leib, James Linn, Nathaniel Macon, Anthony New, John Nicholas, John Randolph, William Shepard, John Smilie, Thomas Sumter, John Thompson, John Trigg, and Joseph B. Varnum.

Next Meeting of Congress.

The bill from the Senate appointing the time and directing the place of the next meeting of Congress, was read a third time; when

Mr. Bayard moved that it be recommitted to a Committee of the whole House, for the purpose of altering the time of commencing the session. After some debate, the motion was negatived.

The question was then put, shall the bill pass? and resolved in the affirmative—yeas 41, nays 35. The next meeting of Congress will of course take place on the third Monday in November next.

Imprisonment for Debt.

The bill making further provision for the relief of persons imprisoned for debts due the United States, was taken up in committee, agreed to, and upon the question shall the bill be engrossed for a third reading, it passed in the affirmative—yeas 36, nays 25. The bill was subsequently read the third time and passed—yeas 39, nays 27.

[By this bill no person indebted to the United States can be discharged from prison, unless he shall have suffered two years imprisonment.]

Elections of President.

A message was received from the Senate informing the House that the Senate adhere to their disagreement to the amendments to the bill prescribing the mode of deciding disputed elections of President and Vice President of the United States, made by this House, and subsequently insisted on, Whereupon,

Mr. Harper moved that this House do also adhere to their disagreement to recede; which was carried, and the bill, consequently, is lost.

Monday, May 12.

On motion of Mr. Nicholas, the House rescinded a resolution to adjourn the two Houses this day, and a resolution was adopted that the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House should adjourn both Houses to-morrow. The Senate amended it by proposing Wednesday. On the question of concurrence, it was carried, 40 to 24.

A message from the Senate, informed the House that the Senate agree to the resolution for postponing the time of adjournment of the two Houses, with an amendment; to which they desire the concurrence of this House.

The House proceeded to consider the amendment proposed by the Senate to the resolution for postponing the time of adjournment: Whereupon,

Resolved, that this House doth agree to the said amendment.

Wednesday, May 14.

Canadian Refugees.

A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have passed a bill regulating the grants of land to the Canada and Nova Scotia refugees, with amendments.

The amendments were taken into consideration, and opposed by Mr. Gallatin, who said the object of the Senate was to give the refugees land worth ten cents an acre, instead of good land worth one dollar per acre, as proposed by this House; rather than do this, he would give them nothing.

Mr. Livingston was of the same opinion, and hoped the House would not concur. These people had waited eighteen years, and he thought it extremely hard they should now be put off in this manner.

The amendments were unanimously rejected.

A message from the Senate informed the House that they adhered to the amendment; whereupon,

Mr. Gallatin moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed till the third Monday in November next, which was carried.

After receiving several messages from the President, notifying the signing of various bills, there appearing no further business before the House, on motion of Mr. C. Goodrich a resolution for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President, and inform him of the proposed recess, was adopted, and was concurred in by the Senate.

Mr. C. Goodrich, from the Joint Committee, reported that they had performed that service, and that the President informed them he had no other communication to make, except his good wishes for their health and happiness, and that he wished them a pleasant journey to their respective homes.

A message having been sent to the Senate to inform them this House was ready to adjourn, after a few minutes a motion was made for that purpose, and carried; when

The Speaker, after taking an affectionate farewell of the members, and expressing his wish for their safe return and happiness, during the recess, adjourned the House till the third Monday in November next, to meet in the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia.