Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-02-08

The Senate was principally occupied
to-day on Executive business.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES,.
Monday, February 5.
Mr.. Smith, from Maryland, appeared
and took his seat.
. Mr.. Yancey, from the committee of
claims, made unfaForable reports on the
petition Of Ralph M. Pomeroy, Of col. Z.
r. Schuyler, and OF Thomas Jones; which
were read and concurred in.
MIR. LowRdes laid before the house al
letter from the Secretary Of War, trans
uniting an estimate from the Secretary
of War of the sums necessary for the
ordnance department for the year 1916.
Mr.. Peasants, from the naval commit
tee. made a report on the petition of
Capt. Charles Stewart, accompanied BY
a bin rewarding the officers and crew of
the Constitution frigate, for the capture
of the British sloop of war Leyant.-
Read and committed.
The Speaker laid before the house, a
letter from the governor of Ohio, an
nouncing the unanimous rejection by the
Legislature Of that State, of the amend
ments proposed to the constitution by
TIE states of Massachusetts, and Con-
InectIcut.
On motion of Mr.. Johnson. Of Ky. the
committee on the sutject ofsthe militia,
we're instructed to enquire into the expe-
diency Of paying for the term OF six
months, the uiicers and sUidiers of the
militia who were taken prisoners atFort
Meigs in the late war, when under the
command of Col. Eudley, who fell In
battle on the occasion.
| Mr.. King of Mass. offered for consi-
Iteration the following resolution, alter a
few Introductory remarks
RESOLVED, That the committee on To-
reign relations be instructed TO enquire
into the expedieney of excluding from
the ports o! the United States, all foreign
vessels owned in, coming from, bound to,
or tt.uching at. any Of his Britannia ma
Ijest,'s possessions in the WeStindies
and on the continent of North America,
from which the vessels CT the United
States are excluded: and Of prohibiting,
or INCREASING the duties on the importa-
ton in foreign vessels of any articles the
growth, produce, or manufacture Of such
possessions.
After some short debate. the resolu-
ton was ordered TO lie on the table.
The motion IT Mr.. Randolph to en-
|qu;re iato the causes of the variance IN
amount OF the stat .ments obtained from
the Treasury in 1899 and at this time,
|in regard to tie receipts ard expendi-
lures Of the government since tie year
taken up and agreed to, no
objection being made to it.
lie house resumed the consideration
of the proposition of tire committee Of
Ways and Means to continue the direct
tax at three millions. Mr.. Pickens's
motion to reduce the direct tax from
three TO two millions. was negatieed.
after few observations from MIR. Brig.
ham and of MIR. Pickens. He then nov
Ell to reconsider the vote on repealiHgI
the tax. NJ. Barbour, in neat and,
forcible speech, assigned the reasons why
re was opposed to the continuance of
this taX-because he believed it might be
with without any detriment to
1.-THE pubic interest. On motion Of Mr.
FORSYTH, Mr.. Lowndes asserting to it,.
The subject was ordered to lie or the
table, to take up the following. the deei- |
sion Of which was considered to be more
urgently demanded.
The COMMERCIAL TREATY.
The house then, on motion of Mr.
Forsyth, resolved itself into committee
Of the Whole, OH the bill from the Senate
the commercial con. entioi
with Great-Britain.
On motion Of Dir. Forsyth, the bill wa
amended from it's decIaratory fern, b
out the whole of the bill, and!
inserting in lieu thereof. in the vcrS
terms the bill which passed this house
several days aso,and was rejected IN thel
Senate.
his motion Mr.. Forsyth supported b,
a speech, in which he compared the me
rits OF the two bills. and condemned the
Senate's bill as an interference with thet
judicial power, and also as an attempt toI
deprive this house Of its just powers inI
relation to the origination of propositions
the public revenue
The bill having been thus amended
Ras reported to the house and thel