Mr. Morrow presented a petition of Chloe Strong, of the state of Ohio, widow of David Strong, deceased, late a colonel in the army of the United States, praying relief in consequence of her indigent circumstances, and of the services rendered and losses and injuries sustained by the deceased, whilst in the army

aforesaid.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Morrow, from the Committee on the Public Lands, presented, according to order, a bill to revive an act, entitled "An act for the relief of the refugees from the British provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia, and for other purposes," which was received, and read the first time.

On motion,

The said bill was read the second time, and committed to a committee of the whole House, to

morrow.

On motion of Mr. Sammons,

Ordered, That the memorial of Josiah Throop, of the state of New York, presented on the third of December, one thousand eight hundred and seven, be referred to the Committee on the Public Lands.

On motion of Mr. Potter,

Ordered, That the petition of sundry inhabitants of Newport, in the state of Rhode Island, presented on the fourth of November, one thousand eight hun. dred and seven, be referred to the Committee on Post-offices and Post-roads.

On motion of Mr. Montgomery, and seconded, Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of extending the relief contained in the provisions of the act, entitled "An act for the remission of certain penalties and forfeitures, and for other purposes," passed the twenty-eighth of June, one thousand cight hundred and nine, to cases where

the introduction into the United States of slaves forcibly expelled from the island of Cuba, with the French inhabitants thereof, has been from places other than the island of Cuba; and that they have leave to report by bill, or otherwise.

On motion of Mr. Quincy,

Ordered, That the petition of Thomas Hollis Condy, of the state of Rhode Island, presented on the first of June, one thousand eight hundred and nine, be referred to the Committee of Claims.

Mr. Whitman, from the committee appointed on the sixth instant to present to the President of the United States a resolution of the same date, reported, that the committee had, according to order, performed the service assigned to them, and that the President signified that the information requested should be communicated as soon as it could be prepared by the proper department.

On motion of Mr. Bacon, and seconded,

The House proceeded to consider the resolutions submitted by him on the seventh instant, in relation to indecorous language in debate, and to the practice of duelling: When,

The second and third of the said resolutions were modified by the mover to read as follow:

Resolved, That said committce be instructed further to report a rule declaring, " that if during the session of Congress, any member of the House shall give or send, to any other member during his actual attendance at the seat of government, a challenge to fight a duel, or if the member so challenged shall accept the same, it shall be deemed a breach of the privileges of the House, as well on the part of such members, as on that of any other member who shall be aiding, abetting or assisting, in giving or sending such challenge, or in carrying the same into effect; and every such member shall be held liable to be expelled from the House therefor."

Resolved, That said committee be further instructed to report a rule declaring, "that if during the session of Congress, any member of the House shall commit personal violence upon or assault any other member during his actual attendance at the seat of government, it shall be deemed a breach of the privileges of the House, as well on the part of the member so assaulting, as on that of any other member who shall be aiding, abetting or assisting therein; and such member shall be held liable to be punished therefor, at the discretion of the House."

The said resolutions, as modified, were then read at the Clerk's table, and referred to a committee of the whole House on Thursday next.

Mr. Roane, from the joint committee for enrolled bills, reported, that the committee did, on the ninth instant, present to the President of the United States, for his approbation, an enrolled bill, entitled "An act to authorize the transportation of certain documents, free of postage."

On motion of Mr. Seybert,

Ordered, That the petition of Ludwig Kuhn, of Philadelphia, presented on the sixth of November, one thousand eight hundred and seven, be referred to the Committee of Claims.

A motion was made by Mr. Sheffey, and secondcd, that the House do come to the following resolu

tions :

Resolved, That provision ought to be made by law, to authorize the President of the United States, to cause the several persons who were removed from the batture, in front of the suburb St. Mary, in the city of New Orleans, on the twenty-fifth of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, to be restored to the possession thereof; to be held with the same right with which they respectively held the same, prior to such removal; any thing to the contrary notwithstanding.

Resolved, That it is expedient to authorize the President of the United States, if he shall be of opinion that the United States have such a claim to the batture, in front of the suburb of St. Mary, in the city of New Orleans, as will justify the expense of prosecuting the same, with the assent of the persons removed therefrom, on the twenty-fifth of January, one thousand eight hundred and eight, to name three persons, who shall have full power to hear, and finally determine, all right, title, claim and demand, whatsoever, as well of the United States, as of the per. sons so removed, both in law and equity, and their decision, or a majority of them, shall be binding as well on the United States, as the said parties.

Resolved, That it is expedient to authorize the President of the United States, if he shall deem it most proper, to compromise the conflicting claims of the United States, and the persons removed from the batture of the suburb St. Mary, in the city of New Orleans, or cause the same to be tried in a court of the United States, in such manner, and at such place, as will secure an impartial trial.

The said resolutions were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

A motion was made by Mr. Miller, and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the act passed at the second session of the tenth Congress, entitled" An act to prevent settlements being made on the lands ceded to the United States, until authorized by law," ought to be repealed.

The said resolution was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

On motion of Mr. Goodwyn, and seconded, Resolved, That the Committee on Post-offices and Post-roads, be instructed to inquire into the expediency of establishing a post-road from Hicksford, in the state of Virginia, by Lawrence Smith's store, to Murfreesborough, in North Carolina.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a committee of the whole House, on the bill extending the time for issuing and locating military land warrants; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Helms reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the said bill under consideration, and made several amendments thereto, which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were twice read, and agreed to by the House.

Ordered, That the said bill be engrossed, and read the third time to-morrow.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary.

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a resolution in the form of a concurrent resolution, respecting our foreign relations, to which they desire the concurrence of this House: And then he withdrew.

The said resolution was read the first and second time, and referred to the consideration of a committee of the whole House, on Wednesday next.

A motion was made by Mr. Quincy, and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to lay before this House, a copy of the paper purporting to be a circular letter from Mr. Jackson to the British consuls in the United States, referred to in the letter of the Secretary of State to Mr. Pinkney, communicated in his message of the twenty-ninth of November: And also, a copy of the printed paper purporting to be a copy of the despatch from Mr. Canning to Mr. Erskine, referred to in the letter of the Secretary of State, to Mr. Erskine, communicated in the said message.

A division of the question was called for by Mr. Eppes, and the same being seconded,

The question was stated, that the House do agree to the first member of the said resolution contained