rights under the convention, claimed that it should be admitted at the rate of one penny per quarter, the duty imposed on African rice. This claim was resisted by the British government, and the excess of duty was paid, at the first, under protest, and afterwards, in consequence of an arrangement with the board of customs, by the deposite of exchequer bills.

It seems to have been a clear violation both of the letter and spirit of the convention to admit rough rice, "the growth" of Africa, at one penny per quarter, whilst the very same article, " the growth" of the United States, was charged with a duty of two shillings and sixpence per bushel. The claim of Great Britain, under the same article of the convention, is founded on the tariff act of 30th August, 1842. Its 25th section provides "that nothing in this act contained shall apply to goods shipped in a vessel bound to any port of the United States, actually having left her last port of lading eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, or beyond Cape Horn, prior to the first day of September, 1842; and all legal provisions and regulations existing immediately before the 30th day of June, 1842, shall be applied to importations which may be made in vessels which have left such last port of lading eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, or beyond Cape Horn, prior to said first day of September, 1842."

The British government contends that it was a violation of the second article of the convention for this act to require that "articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture" of Great Britain, when imported into the United States in vessels which had left their last port of lading in Great Britain prior to the first day of September, 1842, should pay any "higher or other duties" than were imposed on "like articles," "the growth, produce, or manufacture" of countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope and Cape

Horn.

Upon a careful consideration of the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that this claim on the part of the British government was well founded. I deem it unnecessary to state my reasons at length for adopting this opinion, the whole subject being fully explained in the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury and the accompanying papers.

The amount necessary to satisfy the British claim cannot at present be ascertained with any degree of accuracy, no individual having yet presented his case to the government of the United States. It is not apprehended that the amount will be large. After such examination of the subject as it has been in his power to make, the Secretary of the Treasury believes that it will not exceed $100,000.

On the other hand, the claims of the importers of rough rice into Great Britain have been already ascertained, as the duties were paid either under protest, or in exchequer bills. Their amount is stated by Mr. Everett, our late minister at London, in a despatch dated June 1, 1843, to be £88,886 16s. 10d. sterling, of which 60,006 Os. 4d. belong to citizens of the United States.

As it may be long before the amount of the British claim can be ascertained, and it would be unreasonable to postpone payment to the American claimants until this can be adjusted, it has been proposed to the British government immediately to refund the excess of duties collected by it on American rough rice. I should entertain a confident hope that this proposal would be accepted, should the arrangement concluded be sanctioned by an act of Congress making provision for the return of the duties in

question. The claimants might then be paid as they present their demands, properly authenticated, to the Secretary of the Treasury.

WASHINGTON, March 23, 1846.

JAMES K. POLK.

Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

The following petitions, memorials, and other papers, were laid on the Clerk's table, under the 24th rule of the House, to wit:

By Mr. Goodyear: Two petitions of citizens of Otsego county, and State of New York, praying that the present rate of duty on fine wool may be sustained, and the duty on coarse wool be increased.

By Mr. Winthrop: A memorial of citizens of Boston, in the State of. Massachusetts, engaged in the importation of British manufactures, praying for the continuation of the law imposing specific duties in all practicable cases, and especially that the cotton minimum may be preserved;

Also, a menorial of citizens of Boston, interested in the cotton manufacture, remonstrating against the change contemplated in the revenue laws abolishing the specific duty and substituting ad valorem duties.

By Mr. Moulton: A memorial of the proprietors of the Manchester mills, in the State of New Hampshire, remonstrating against the imposition of ad valorem duties, and praying that a minimum specific duty per square yard be retained in the revenue bill.

Ordered, That said petitions and memorials be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Owen: A memorial of citizens of Evansville, in the State of Indiana, praying that Evansville be declared a port of entry, and for an appropriation to establish a marine hospital at that place: which was referred to the Committee on Commerce.

By Mr. Garrett Davis: The petition of the heirs of Captain John Henry, deceased-heretofore presented December 17, 1840.

By Mr. Root: Additional evidence in behalf of Mrs. C. Higgins, daughter of Richard Davis, deceased, who was a captain in the American army in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. McClean: A memorial of John McClean, of the State of Pennsylvania, one of the sons and heir-at-law of Moses McClean, deceased, who was a captain of the Pennsylvania line in the army of the war of the Revolution, praying for one year's pay (with interest thereon) under the resolution of Congress of the 24th November, 1778.

Ordered, That said petition, memorial, and additional evidence be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims.

By Mr. Benton: A memorial of citizens of Montgomery county, and State of New York, remonstrating against the renewal of letters patent to Benjamin H. Wood, son of Jethro Wood, deceased, for his improvement in cast iron ploughs.

By Mr. Joseph R. Ingersoll: A petition of Benjamin Tatham, junior, Henry B. Tatham, and George N. Tatham, of the city of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, praying for an extension of their patent for the manufacture of leaden water pipes for the term of fourteen years from the 14th day of March, 1846.

Ordered, That said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee on Patents.

By Mr. Morse: A petition of Michael E. Davis, of the parish of Caddo, and State of Louisiana, praying to be confirmed in the title to a certain tract of land in said parish, originally settled by Rachel Harlin: which was referred to the Committee on Private Land Claims.

By Mr. Ficklin: A petition of citizens of Richland and Coles counties, in the State of Illinois, praying the establishment of a mail route from Olney, in the county of Richland, to Charleston, in Coles county, in that State;

Also, a memorial of citizens of Jasper county, and State of Illinois, remonstrating against the discontinuance of the mail route from Newton, in Jasper county, to Greenup, in Cumberland county, in said State.

By Mr. Wentworth: A petition of citizens of Cook county, and State of Illinois, praying the establishment of a mail route from Dutchman's Point, Cook county, to Little Fort, Lake county, in that State;

Also, a petition of citizens of Du Page county, and State of Illinois, praying the establishment of a mail route from Chicago, in Cook county, to Aurora, in Kane county, in said State.

By Mr. James McDowell: A memorial of citizens of the town of Lynchburg, and State of Virginia, praying the establishment of a steam mail line between the United States and the free and independent city of Bremen, in Germany.

By Mr. McConnell: A petition of citizens of the States of Alabama and Tennessee, praying for the establishment of a tri-weekly mail route from Montgomery, Alabama, to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

By Mr. Reid: A petition of citizens of the States of North Carolina and Virginia, praying the establishment of a mail route from Jefferson, in Ashe county, North Carolina, to the residence of Shadrick Greer, esq., in Grayson county, State of Virginia.

By Mr. Brockenbrough: A petition of citizens of Walton county, and State of Florida, praying the establishment of a mail route from Geneva, in the State of Alabama, to Ucheeaną, in the State of Florida.

Ordered, That said petitions and memorial be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

By Mr. Isaac E. Holmes: A petition of N. D. Coste, of Key West, Florida, late first lieutenant in the revenue service of the United States, and in command of the cutter Campbell, praying compensation for extra services rendered the government on the coast of Florida in 1837.

By Mr. Joseph Johnson: The petition of George W. Jackson-heretofore presented February 22, 1845; with additional testimony.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Joseph J. McDowell: A memorial of citizens of the State of New York, praying for the enactment of such laws as will prevent the evil of uniting a plurality of offices in the hands of a single person: which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. Root: A petition of citizens of Erie county, in the State of Ohio, praying for the establishment of a naval depot at Sandusky city, in said State;

Also, a petition of citizens of the town of Huron, in the same State, for the establishment of a naval depot at said town.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Relfe: A petition of Francois Vallè, a citizen of the county of

St. Genevieve, in the State of Missouri, a pensioner of the United States, praying for arrears of pension.

By Mr. McClean: A petition of Jacob Lehman, of York, Pennsylvania, of like import.

By Mr. Andrew Johnson: A petition of Russell Goss, of the county of Sullivan, in the State of Tennessee, praying for a pension in consideration of disabilities incurred by him in the late war with Great Britain.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Hoge: A petition of citizens of the State of Illinois and the Territory of Wisconsin, praying an appropriation for the removal of obstructions in the Des Moines and Rock River rapids, in the State of Mississippi; Also, a similar petition from citizens of the State of Illinois;

Also, a similar petition from citizens of the county of Rock Island, in said State.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

By Mr. Brockenbrough: The petition of John Milsted-heretofore presented December 12, 1844;

Also, a petition of John Parsons, a citizen of the State of Florida, for himself and the land officers at Newnansville and St. Augustine, in said State, praying compensation for extra services.

By Mr. Morgan L. Martin: A petition of citizens of Marquette, in the Territory of Wisconsin, praying an amendment of the act of September, 1841, relative to pre-emptions;

Also, a petition from citizens of the county of Sheboygan, in the same Territory, of like import.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

By Mr. McClernand: A petition of the board of trustees of "The Protestant University of the United States," of the State of Ohio, praying for a grant to a portion of the public land.

By Mr. Wentworth: A memorial of citizens of Green Bay land district, in the Territory of Wisconsin, protesting against the division of said dis

trict.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

By Mr. John H. Campbell: A petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying for such change in the constitution as will appropriate the public lands or other funds of the nation to abolish slavery in the United States.

By Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll: A petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, of like import.

Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee for the District of Columbia.

By Mr. McClean: A petition of Nicholas James, of York county, and State of Pennsylvania, praying for a pension on account of his services as a soldier of the army of the Pennsylvania line in the war of the Revolution.

By Mr. Giles: A memorial of General Tobias E. Stansbury, of the State of Maryland, who was a soldier and an officer of the American army in the war of the Revolution, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That said petition and memorial be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

By Mr. Brockenbrough: A memorial of Joseph T. Walker, of the city of Washington, agent for sundry claimants, praying payment for supplies and services of the Florida militia during the late Indian war;

Also, the petition of James W. Dabney, of Tallahassee, Florida-heretofore presented March 16, 1840.

Ordered, That said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

On motion of Mr. Haralson,

The House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and, after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. McKay reported that the committee having, according to order, had the state of the Union generally under consideration, particularly the bill (No. 38) to raise two regiments of riflemen, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.

Mr. Haralson offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That all debate in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union on House bill (No. 38) to raise two regiments of riflemen, and for other purposes, shall cease at 3 o'clock on Tuesday the 24th of March, (if the committee shall not sooner come to a conclusion upon the same;) and the committee shall then proceed to vote on such amendments as may be pending or offered to the same, and shall then report it to the House, with such amendments as may have been agreed to by the committee.

The said resolution was read: and pending the question upon the same, On motion of Mr. Ashmun, the House, at forty-eight minutes after 3 o'clock, p. m., adjourned until to-morrow, at 12 o'clock meridian.

TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 1846.

The House proceeded to the consideration of the resolution offered yesterday by Mr. Haralson (which was pending when the House adjourned,) to stop all debate upon the "bill (No. 38) to raise two regiments of riflemen, and for other purposes," at three o'clock this day.

A motion was made by Mr. Roberts, that said resolution be laid upon the table.

And the question being put,

It was decided in the negative,

SYeas,
Nays,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are

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