The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-14
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY, December IL, 1887.

TUESDAY, December IL, 1871
Petitions and memorials were presented by Messrs
Evans, Smith, and Carter of Maine.
Messrs. Anterior and Cushman, of New Hamp-
shire.
(Mr, CUsHMAN presented the petition of sundry
inhabitants of Portsmouth, N. H., Boston, Mass,
and others, praying for an appropriation TO improve
Rye hSrbor-reierred TO the Committee on Com
merce; OF Nathaniel Gunnson of New Hampshire,
relative to the distribution of the residue of the prize
money made by the Bon Homme Richard, Commo-
dore John Paul Jones-referred 10 the Committee
on Foreign Relations; of Nathaniel Gunnison stat
ing that in IT'D, the Continental squadron, COM
manded by John Paul Jones, captured from the enc
my three vessels, called ihe Union, Betsy, and
Charming Polly valued at fifty thousand pounds
sterling which were sent into Bergen, Norway. The
King of Denmark and Norway ordered them to be
restored TO the British, on the alleged ground that
Denmark, not having acknowledged The independ-
ence of the United States she could not consent TO
have them detained as legal prizes Of war This
act on the part Of Denmark has been subject of ne
go.iation between the United States and that Go
vernment, but whether indemnity Tor those prizes
were included in the compact between the u States
and Denmark, the petitioner does net know; but
whether il was or not he thinks the United States
ought TO respond therefor, and prays that his dsrbu-
tive share, as the representative Of one of the cap
tors, may be paid to him-reterred TO the Committee
on Foreign Affairs of James Wheeler, praying the
passage Of an act allowing pensions to the widows
and children of non-commissioned officers and sol
diers who may lose their lives in the service Of the
United Staes-rcterred 70 the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs
Messrs. Grennell, Briggs, Calhoun, Reed, Par
menier, Gushing, Lincoln, Phillips, Hastings, Bor-
den, Adams, and Fletcher, OF Mass.
[Mr. ADAMS presented several memorials
against the annexation of Texas, and moved thei
reference to select committee, with instructions 10
consider and report thereon .@ "
Mr. HOWARD moved their reference TO the
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The above motions lie over ill tomorrow.
Mr. A al ,raatiti xrip,rf 1rt ba
abolition Of slavery and the slave trade in the Dis
trict of Columbia and moved that it and the petit
tions presented by himself and colleagues at the
late special session the same subject, embracing
upwards of $4,000 Signers, be referred to the Com
nittee the District Of Columbia, with instructions
to consider and report thereon.
Mr. WISE moved to lay that motion on the
table. FIN. ... ..-t% @. ....
Mr. POTTS asked for the yeas and nays on that
motion; which were ordered, and were-yeas l35,
NAYS TO- a
So the motion to lay on the table was decided in the
affirmative . ..>
Mr. ADAMS presented several other petitions
from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, &c. on the same
subject and made the same motions of reference,
which were severally laid the table, on motion of
Mr. WISE.
Mr. ADAMS then presented another ofthe same
tenor. .....
Mr. LAWLER raised the preliminary question
of reception, on which <.,
Mr. ADAMS asked for the yeas and nays which
So the petition was received. ..
When the name Of Mr.. RIVES was called that
gentleman rose in his place. and inquired Of the
The CHAIR replied that 1t left the petition still at
the disposition Of the House.
Mr.. RIVES said then he should vote for the re-
ception, in order to give this petition the same dis
position as had been given to the others, viz laying
them on the table.
Mr. WISE explained, that the reason he had not
originally raised the question moved by the gentle
from Alabama, was that the question Just deci-
ded had already been decided often by the House.
by Southern as well as by Northern members voting
receive abolition petitions 1t was for that reason
he had moved to lay the motion Of reference the
table for he determined to meet the question at
every step where it could be met. Mr.. w. asked
the gentleman from Massachusetts to include all his
petitions in one motion.
Mr.. ADAMS said he could not assent to It,
Mr.. A. then presented petition for the abolition
of slavery in the Territories of the United States,
and moved its reference to the Committee on the
Territories; whereupon, ...
Mr.. WISE moved to lay that motion on the
table.
Mr.. Adams asked for the yeas and nays; which
were ordered; and were-yeas l27, nays 70.
So the petition was laid on the table. y, .
MeSSrs CRANSTON and TILLINGHAST of
Rhode Island.
Petitions and memorials were then further pre-
scented by
Messrs Toucey, Ingham, Holt, Haley and Whit
Messrs Hall, Allen, slade, and Everett of Yer
mont .... .".. -.
Messrs Loomis, Bicknell, Moore Fillmore, Van
deveer, kemble, Curtis, Marvin, Taylor; Parker,
Bronson, Cambreleng, Russell De Graft, Grant
Grey, Hoffman, and Spencer of New York
Mr.. Halstead, of New Jersey.
MesSrs Henry, Muhlenburg, Beatty, Petriken
Buchanan, Plumcr Toland Morris, Potts, Wagner,
Fry and McKennan of Pennsylvania. r.
The SPEAKER laid before the House the follow
ing Executive communications
/. From the Secretary of the Treasury, transmit
ting the annual reports of the Commissioner of the
General Land Office,
On motion Of Mr.. CASEY, laid on the table.
g From the same, transmitting a statement of the
contingent expenditures of that Department.
On motion Of Mr.. CUSIMAN, laid on the
table
g. From the same, containing the survey of the
coas, south of Chesapeake Bay, with reference to
the construction of additional lighthouses, beacons,
buoys, &c
On motion of Mr.. HAYNES, referred to the
Committee on Commerce s"."
Mr. wHITTLEsEY of Ohio, asked leave to re-
Yesterday; but it was objected 10.
On motion of Mr. TILLINGHAST,
Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. l3.
Mr.. FLETCHER, of Massachusetts, rose and OBJ
tanned leave 10 make some remarks in reference TO
the publication of majority OF the Committee of
WAYS and Means in the Globe and Inelligeneer of
this morning
Mr. F. remarked that it was in response to re-
port of his speech at Boston, which report he had
never revised, and he was not responsible for it.
Two of the gentlemen (Messrs Cambreleng and
adverted To the extraordinary fact that complaint
should have been heard of this speech for 50 many
weeks and two weeks from the commencement Of
the session. One gentleman Mr.: Sergeant was
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