The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-03-26 00:00:00, page 1

Mr. Otis having mentioned that he was
authorifed by the Secretary of State, to fay,
that he had no farther authenticated tran
script than had been submitted to the House:
Mr. Nicholson, after a few observations,
recommended to Mr. Davis to withdraw his
refolution —which having been done, Mr.
N. moved the following:
Resolved, That the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, be requeued to procure
from the Clerk of the Piftrid Court of
South Carolina, copies, under seal, of the
proceedings of that Court, together with the
evidences produced in the case relative to the
requisition for Thomas Nath, alias Jonathan
. Robbins, who was delivered to his Britannic
Majeßy's Consul. ~
Mr. Harper moved that the resolution be
postponed till this day week, and entered ful
ly into a defence of the executive, and the
condpa of the friends of adminiltration in
this House—and was replied to by Mr. Ni.
cholas and Mr. Gallatin ; when
- Mr. H. Lee said, he hop^ the gentleman
from S. Carolina would withdraw his mo
tion for postponement. He might vote up
on this fubjed, Mr. L. said, different from
his friends—but he would do this, because
he had no objection that the Speaker should
" write the letter which the refutation con
temolated ; and in the interim, the House
should go into committee of the whole Opob
the fubjed, and proceed upon the difculhon
as fir tie the President was tmpltcated, ^d
at a future day, upon the conduct of the
judge of S. Carolina. . /
' ft. Dana applauded the principle of the
'l'hE Noo-Intercourfe Bill was received
from the Senate, with two amendments, —
The firft (hikes out that part of the 4th sec
tion, which enabled citizens of the U. S.
resident in France to repair to this country,
with vessels and other property bona tide,
belonging to them, and was concurred in.—
The second strikes out the loth fe&. which
provides a salary of 3000 dollars for the
Consul or Agent : and to reftritt him from
trade.
Mr. Otis moved that the House concur.
Mr. Champlin hoped not —-and proceeded
to give his reasons, by Rating that great
complaints had been made of the conduct of
our agent at Hispaniola.
Mr. Smith also spoke in favour of con
tinuing the fe£tion.
Mr. Gallatin was in favor of concurring
with the Senate. If said Mr. G. our agent
has been gmity of the condu^ imputed to
him, this fe&ion would not prevent him.—
All that could be done would be to remove
him, and this no doubt would be done upon
a representation from the merchants to the
executive.-
Mr. Otis said, he concurred most heartily
in the opinion of Mr. Gallatin. He did not
know that our agent had been guilty of the
faffs alledged to him, but if he had, and the
fedion was retained, there was nothing in
it which reftrided him from issuing pass
ports —the fame ab'ufe might still occur—
and the onlv remedy lay with the executive.
The question on concurring with the Sen
ate was put and carried- —ayes 60.
JONATHAN ROBBINS, AGAIN.
Mr. Davis moved that the Committee of the
whole to whom this fubj^a was referred,
Ihould be difeharged from the farther consi
deration of it — This motion was negatived
—ayes 14, nays 76.
thursimy, feb. 27.
Another member, to wit, John Smith,
Esq. (in the room of Jonathan Nichol Ha
vens, Esq. deceased) from New-York ap
peared this day, was qualified and took his
Mr. Davis said, as the House did not
tMnk proper yesterday to indulge him in the
adoption of the resolution then proposed, he
hoped they would adopt the following, and
enable him to obtain all evidence upon the
fubjed which could be had—viz.
Resolved, that the President of the United
States be requeued' to direCt the proper offi
cer to lay before this House, a copy of the
proceedings of the Court held in the diftrid
of South-Carolina, in the case of Thomas
Nath, calling himfelf Jonathan Robbins.
Messrs. Bayard, Oris Dana, Marlhall
and Rutledge, spoke against it—and Messrs.
Smith, Livinfton and Nicholas, in favor of
it.
&ngrc& of the United States/,
The Republican Ledger.
NUMBER 31. VOL. I.]
PORTSMOUTH, (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE ,ERRY OSBORNE, jun. MULBERRY LANE, NEXT DOOR TO ROUSSELEFrMUSEUM,
HOUSE—WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26.
“ WHEN YOU SHALL THESE DEEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS TIEY. ARE ; NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SE{ DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
FRIDAY, Ffß. 23.
A message was received from Senate in
forming the House, that they infilled on their
amendments, which were disagreed to by
the House, and on which conferees were ap
pointed, to the bill refpe&ing the grant of
lands for military services.
Mr. Harrison, one of the conferees on
the part of the House afterwards reported
that the conferees, had agreed to recommend
to the refpedive houses a resolution, the im
port of which was, that the House should re
cede from their 1 disagreement with the a
mendments proposed by the Senate, and a
gree to certain amendments proposed by the
conferees.
hon. gentleman last up, who, like a veteran
officer, met his enemy without artifice or e
vasion ; but he was not willing to concede
fofar ; If we wanted to make further in
quiry, appoint a felett committee for that
purpose. He never heard of a Speaker of a
body like this, being inftruaed to inquire
into faffs. Mr. D. concluded with remark
ing on the manner in which the business
was introduced, and the inability its, advo
cates felt to maintain die ground they had
taken, and by expressing a with the resolu
tion might not be adopted.
Messrs. Harper and Bayard, also, spoke
in favor of the postponement, and Meflrs.
Varnum, Randolph and Jones against it,
when the question was taken by yeas and
nays as follows, viz.
YEAS 32—NAYS 63.
The question then recurred upon adopting
the resolution, when Mr. Marshall spoke at
length against it.—He contended there "us
no profpea of coming to a decision of the
original question ,this session, if this were a
dopted, and aiked if the charader of the Pre
sident of the United States ought to be held
up in the'fu fpicious view in which rhe reso
lution placed it, until the next session of
Congress ?—He hoped not. It seemed to
him that a postponement amounted to a de
claration to the people of America, that
there was much cause for suspicion, and that
additional evidence was wanted to substanti
ate it.
Mr. Nicholas replied to Mr. Marshall,
and contended, that the whole truth of the
case was to come out of the additional testi
mony now alked for.
An adjournment was then called for, and
negatived—ayes 30.
Mr. Randolph spoke in favor of the reso
lution, and in answer to Mr. Marfhall,when
the question was taken, a.;d negatived, as
follows :
Yeas 44 —Nays 51. Adj'd.
The report was concurred in by the house.
A message wks afterwards received from
the Senate notifying, that they had receded
from their amendments, and adopted that
reported by the conferees,
A message was received from the Presi
dent of the U. States informing the House
that he had yesterday approved and signed
two bills which originated in the House,
viz." an ad for the relief of James Yard"
and “ an act further to suspend the com
mercial intercourse between the U. States
and France, and the dependencies thereof."
The House resolved itfelf into a Commit
tee on the bill to eftablifha general Ramp
office, to which several amendments were
made, and agreed to in the house, and the
bill ordered to be engrossed for a third read
ing on Monday.
Motion was made to adjourn till Monday,
but on Mr. Harrifon^ mentioning to toe
House the absolute necessity there was of re
ceiving the report of the Committee of en
rollment on the bill refpeQing military
lands, which must pass to-morrow, or the
warrants would be located ,by the old law on
Monday, the motion was withdrawn, and
the House adjourned till to-morrow.
SATURDAY, MARCH I.
The House of Representatives met this
day, when the bill refpeCting the gfant of
military land warrants, &c. ^was reported,
duly enrolled, signed by the Speaker, an^
sent up to the Senate. The House then ad
journed until Monday.
MONDAY, MARCH }
The bill intitled " Ana&for the relief of
Thomas Arnold," and the bill intitled “ an
a& to eftablilh a General 'Stamp Office,"
were refpe&ively read a third time, and
paired.
Mr. Cooper said, as the United Stateshad
expended much money for copper, the dur-
"WEDNESDAY, M>RCH 26, 1800.
TUESDAY, MARCH 4.
Mr. D. Foster made a report from the
committee of claims, to whom were refer
red several petitions of Stephen Sayre, to
gether with reports thereupon, which was
referred to a committee of the whole house.
Mr. L. Williams presented a memorial
of Gereiah Norton, of Martha's Vineyard,
which was referred to the committee of
claims.
Mr. Otis in behalf of the committee of
defence, having firft obtained leave, report
ed a bill from that committee to fix the
compensation of the pay matter general, and
the assistant, to the adjutant general, which
was referred to a committee of the whole
House.
A message was sent from the President of
the United States, notifying the House that
he had approved and signed "An a& provid
ing for Salvage in case of recapture."
Mr. Gallatin presented the following re
folntion to the House.
Resolved, That the President of the Unit
ed States be requeued to cause to be laid be
fore the house, copies of any requett, or any
application that may have been made by the.
Britilh minister, or any agent of his Britan
nic majesty, for, or concerning the delivery
up of William Brigftock, otherwise John
Johnson, John Evan, otherwise Michael
Campbell and Johannes Williams otherwise,
Johannes Williamson, who were tried in
the Circuit Court of the United States for
the New-Jersey diftriCt on a # charge of pira
cy committed on board the British frigate
called the Hermoine ; also copies of any
communications to and from any of the ex
ecutive departments, and any papers in
possession of any of the departments refpeCt
ing the deliveryjup of all or either of them.
The question whether the House would
then proceed to the consideration of the mo
tion, occasioned a very warm debate and
took up the whole of the fitting—at length
it was negatived.
—
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5. 4
Mr. Cooper called up for consideration,
the refoluti<m which he laid on the table,
relative to the copper bed on Lake Superior
—which was adopted by the house.
Mr. Harper, from the Committee of
Ways and Means, reported a Bill to enable
the President of the U. S. to borrow money
for the public service, which was read a firft
and second time, and committed for Wed
nesday next.
The House went into Com. of the Whole
on the message of the President relative to
Thomas Nalh, alias Jonathan Robbins : and
the resolutions of Mr. Lrvingfton—Mr. Ed
mond in the chair, when Mr. Livingßon
entered fully into an inveßigation of the fub
foa, and spoke near three hours, after be
fat down, Mr. Bayard rose in reply, but
some members expressing a with that the
Committee should rife, the question was put
and carried, and the house adjourned.
Mr. Parker, from the Committee ap
pointed for that purpose reported a Bill for
the better government of the Navy of the
United States, and repealing the a& on the
fame fubjed, passed the 2d day of March,
1799— which was read a firft and 2d time,
and committed for Thursday next.
A message was received from the Prefi
&M, by his Secretary, informing the House,
that the President did, on the 28th ult. ap
prove and sign 66 An a& providing for the
second census, or enumeration of the inhab
itants of the United States"—and did this
day, also approve and sign 66 An a& in addi
tion to an a&, intituled an aft regulating
grants of lands fa military services, and for
the Society of United Brethren propagating
the Gospel among the Heathen," which 0-
riginated in this House.
The resolution was ordered to lie on the
table. /-
ability of our ihips being a definable obje&;
arid as an abundanee of that article, prefer
able to any that could be imported, was to
be obtained in this country, and would be a,
valuable acquisition-to the Government, he
would move the following tefohition, viz.
Resolved, That a committee be appointed
to bring ina bill, authorising the President
of the United States to appoint an agent to
purchase of the Indians, a tra& of land on
the South fide of Lake Superior, which Shall
include the great Copper Bed.
Mr. C. laid a specimen of the Copper on
the Speaker's table, for the infpeaion of the
members. -•
, [1 DOL. 50 GTS. PER ANNUM.
MONDAY, MARC# 10.
Mr. Bayard moved, that the Committee
of the whole be discharged from thefurther
canJideratim of the Message. relative to Rob.
bins alias Nalh. A lengthy debate arose,
Melfrs. Randolph, Davis, Jones, Nicholas,
Livingston and Egglefton spoke against the
motion ; and Melfrs. Bayard, Bird, Otis,
Kittera, Varnum, Rutledge, Edmond, H.
. Lee and Shepherd, in favor of it. The
qoeltion was taken by yeas and nays, as fol
lows:——Yeas 62, Nays 35.
Mr. Nicholas spoke in answer to Mr.
Marlhall, immediately after which the ques
tion of agreement with the reported disa
greement was taken: '^
Yeas 6i, Nays 35.
Motion was made to adjourn, Mr. Macon
hoped the House Would fit and decide the
resolution proposed by the gentleman from
Delaware, so as to have done with the bufe
nefs, and not to enter on another week with
it : however, 52 riling for the adjournment
it was carried.
Mr. Christie moved that the hot ft now
take into confederation, the resolution yeffer
day laid on the table by Mr. Gallatin, call
ing for copies of papers relative to any re
quisition which might have been made by
any foreign minister or agent, for the deli
very or trial of Brigftock and others—and
the house having resolved to, &.LiW
consideration—ayes ,48, noes 31
Mr. Davis spoke in favour of it—when
the question on the resolution was taken By
ayes and nays as follows: Yeas 46, Nays 46.
Mr. Speaker declared himfelf in the ne
gative, and the resolution was loft.
The house then went into committee of
the whole on the President's message and
Mr. Liviugftou's resolutions, Mr. Edmond
in the chair.
Mr. Bayard spoke against them for about
three hours, after which the committee rose,
and obtained leave to fit again. Adj'd.'
SATURDAY, MARCH 8.
The only business which occupied the
house was the unfinished business of Friday;
on the question to agree with the committee
of the whole in their disagreement with the
resolutions proposed by'Mr. Livingston on
the case of Jonathan Robbins.
THURSDAY, MARCH 6.
A message was received from the Senate,
•notifying their agreement to an a& fignify
ing the approbation of Congress to certain
a&s of Maryland and Georgia.
The house then went into committee on
the message of the President in the case of
Jonathan Robbins, when Mr. Nicholas
spoke about three hours in favour of the re
solutions, after which the committee took
the question on the two resolutions intro
duced by Mr. Livingston which were nega
tived—Ayes 43, Noes 58.
Some difeuflion then took place, on tak
ing up the resolution presented by Mr. Bay
ard, which was also with the committee of
the whole. The committee at length rose
without entering on it, and reported their
disagreement to'the resolutions proposed by
Mr. Livingston, and the question whether
the committee should have leave to fit again
was taken by Yeas and Nays and carried.
Yeas 51, Nays 38.
The question was then before the House
to agree- to the report of the Committee 111
their difagreemertt with the resolutions.
Mr. Gallatin rose, and entered generally
into the argument in a speech of about two
hours, after which the house adjourned.
FRIDRY, MARCH 7.
The amendments of the Senate to the bill
declaring the affetit of Congress to certain
ads of the states of Maryland and Georgia ;
were referred to the committee of revifaL
and unfinished business.
Mr. Kitchel presented a petition of H.
Douglass and Co. praying a duty may be
laid on the importation of coach trimmings
fufficient to encourage the manufacture of
those articles in the United States'. Refer
red to the Committee of Commerce and
Manufactures.
The house took up the unfinifhed business
of yesterday, and the question will the house
agree with the committee of the whole in
their disagreement to Mr. Livingston's refo
lytions ? being under consideration.
Mr. Marlhall went into a very lengthy
difeuffion of the fobje&, and was followed
by Mr. Dana, against the refolutious.
An adjournment was then called for art
carried, ayes 50, noes 48.