Deral accredited by the government of the United States, with the answers of the government to the applications addressed to it. The message and documents were read, and referred to the committee on foreign relations.

Another message was received from the President, in compliance with a request of the House for information, not already communicated, "whether Amelia Island, St. Marks, and Pensacola, yet remain in the possession of the United States; and, if so, by what laws the inhabitants thereof are governed whether articles imported therein from foreign countries, are subject to any and what duties, and by what laws, and whether the said duties are collected, and how; whether vessels arriving in the United States from Pensacola and Amelia Island, and in Pensacola and Amelia Island, from the United States, respectively, are considered and treated as vessels from foreign countries," transmitting reports from the Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of War, affording all the information requested by the House.

The message and documents were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Harrison offered the following resolution: Resolved, That the judiciary committee inquire into the expediency of providing by law for the punishment of crimes committed by persons employed in the armies of the United States, without the limits thereof, and which are not provided for by existing laws. The resolution was agreed to, and the House adjourned.

Monday, Feb. 1st. Mr. Spencer presented a resolution, to direct the Attorney General to sue out a writ of scire facias against the Bank of the United States, calling upon the Bank to show cause why its charter should not be taken away, unless the Bank would comply with certain propositions, connected with the resolution, the object of which was to subject the institution more extensively to the control of Congress and the President of the United States: the resolution was laid on the table

On motion of Mr. Marr, it was Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of amending an act passed the 4th day of April, 1818, entitled "An act supplementary to an act to authorize the state of Tennessee to issue grants and perfect titles to certain lands therein described, and to settle the claims to the vacant and unappropriated lands within the same," passed the 18th of April, 1806, with leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. H. Nelson, from the judiciary committee, to whom had been referred the bill further to extend the judicial system of the United States, reported it without emendation.

Wednesday, Feb. 3d. Mr. Smith of Maryland, from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill of penalties against false entries, for the benefit of drawback.

Thursday, Feb. 4th. The House met this morning under closed doors, which were opened about 4 o'clock, when it appeared that the amendments of the Senate to the military ap propriation bill, to carry into effect certain stipulations of the late treaty with the Chickasaw Indians, had been the subject of the private deliberations of the House: the amendments of the Senate were agreed to.

Friday, Feb. 5th. Mr. Smith, of the committee of ways and means, reported against the appointment of an agent in each county of the se

veral states, to receive the tax due to the general government on lands which are, or may be sold for non-payment of taxes; which report was concurred in by the House.

The resolution from the Senate, proposing an amendment to the Constitution, was committed to a committee of the whole, on the state of the Union.

The engrossed bill, on the subject of false entries, &c. was passed, and sent to the Senate for

concurrence.

The Speaker laid before the House, a report from the Secretary of War, of the money transferred from one appropriation to another, during the late recess of Congress, &c.

A message was received from the President, on the subject of British applications for the restitution of property: which was referred to the committee of claims.

Saturday, Feb. 6th. The committee on post offices, &c. were instructed to inquire into the expediency to establish certaia new post roads. Mr. Robert Moore offered the following resolution, viz.

Resolved, That the committee on roads and canals be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the Secretary of the Trea

sury, to subscribe

shares in the stock of the road laid out from Pittsburgh in the county of Alleghany, to Waterford in the county of Erie, in the State of Pennsylvania: the motion was agreed to.

The engrossed bill to authorize the Secretary of War to appoint an additional agent for paying pensioners of the United States in the state of Tennessee, was read a third time, passed, and sent to the Senate for concurrence.

A message from the President was received, transmitting Governor Bibb's letter to General Jackson, connected with the late military operations in Florida.

Monday, Feb. 8th. Mr. Smith, from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill in alteration of an act laying a duty on imported salt, granting a bounty on pickled fish exported, &c.; twice read and committed.

Mr. Marr, from a select committee on the subject, reported a bill in regard to authorizing the state of Tennessee to perfect titles to certain lands, &c.; read twice, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

A message transmitted applications from the Minister of Prussia and the Hanseatic Towns, for reciprocal commercial privileges.

The resolutions for disapproving of the conduct of Gen. Jackson, in the execution of Arbuthnot and Ambrister, and of his operations in Florida, were negatived.

Tuesday, Feb. 9th. On motion of Mr. H. Nelson, the committee on the judiciary were directed to inquire into the expediency of authorising the President to require of the state executives, fugitives for crimes done in the District of Columbia; and also of delivering up fugitives who may have sought refuge in said District, to the state executives.

On motion of Mr. Williams, of N. Carolina, the House proceeded to consider his resolution, "that the military committee inquire into the expediency of reducing the army." The resolution was agreed to.

Mr. Johnson, of Va. moved a resolution, that the judiciary committee be instructed to report a bill to repeal the act to incorporate the Bank of the United States. Agreed to, and referred

to the committee of the whole on the Bank report; as also were those of Mr. Spencer and Mr. Trimble.

The engrossed bill to authorize the state of Tennessee to perfect certain land titles, &c. was passed, and sent to the Senate for concurrence. The House then resolved itself into a committee of the whole, Mr. Bassett in the chair, on the bill making appropriations for the support of government for the year 1819.

Amongst the motions made in the course of the proceeding, the appropriation of fifty thousand dollars, for defraying the expenses of intercourse with foreign nations, was objected to by Mr. Johnson, of Va. who moved to substitute twenty thousand for that object.

The motion was negatived; and the committee proceeded with the remaining provisions of the bill, the whole of which were agreed to, with the exception of the appropriation for the Cumberland road, which was passed by for the present, to afford an opportunity for further consideration.

The committee having risen and reported progress, the House adjourned.

Wednesday, Feb. 10th. After a variety of unimportant business, the House went into committee of the whole on the general appropriation bill for 1819. The appropriation of $250,000 for the payment of sums due, and becoming due, for constructing a road from Cumberland, in Maryland, to Ohio, with the amendment of Mr. Clay to add $285,000 to complete said road, after some debate was agreed to.

Thursday, Feb. 11th. The bill from the Senate to amend the charter of the city of Washington, was read a third time and passed.

The House agreed to the amendment made in committee of the whole, for an additional appropriation of $285,000 to complete the road from Cumberland to Ohio. After some other less important amendments, the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

The House having agreed to the amendments reported by the committee of the whole, to the bill for increasing the salaries of certain officers of government, the bill was ordered to be engrossed, and the House adjourned.

Friday, Feb. 12th. Mr. Livermore, from the committee on the post-office and post-roads, reported a bill freeing from postage letters and packets to and from certain officers of agricultural societies; which, was twice read and laid on the table.

The engrossed bill making appropriations for the support of government for the year 1819, was read the third time, passed, and sent to the Senate for concurrence.

The bill from the Senate to increase the salaries of certain officers of the government, was read the third time, as amended by the House, and the question on its passage decided by yeas and nays, as follows-Yeas 76, Nays 56.

So the bill was passed, and returned to the Senate for concurrence in the amendments. Mr. Williams, of N. C. agreeably to the intimation which he gave yesterday, submitted the following resolution:

Resolved, That the military peace establishment of the United States shall consist of such proportions of artillery, infantry, and riflemen, not exceeding in the whole 6,000 men, as the President of the United States shall judge proper; and that the committee on military affairs be instructed to report a bill for that purpose.

Saturday, Feb. 13th. The bills from the Senate providing for a grant of land for the seat of government of the state of Mississippi, and for the support of a seminary of learning within the said state; and authoriizng the President of the United States to purchase the lands reserved by the act of the 3d of March, 1817, to certain chiefs and warriors or other Indians of the Creek nation, were severally read the third time, passed, and returned to the Senate.

Monday, Feb. 15th. A number of petitions, and memorials having been disposed of, the House went into committee on the Missouri bill. Mr. Tallmadge moved an amendment, prohibiting slavery, except as punishment for crimes, and rendering the children, born after the establishment of the state, free at the age of twentyfive years; which was agreed to.

Tuesday, Feb. 16th. After some other business, the House took up the amendments to the Missouri bill, reported by the committee of the whole, which were agreed to; and the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.

Wednesday, Feb. 17th. After attending to other business, the engrossed bill for erecting Missouri into a State, was read a third time, passed, and sent to the Senate.

Thursday, Feb. 18th. The House went into committee of the whole, and considered the Arkansaw and the Alabama bills, and the resolu tion in regard to the Bank; but nothing was decided finally, and the committee rose, and the House adjourned.

Friday, Feb. 19th. The bill from the Senate, to regulate the pay of the army whilst employed on fatigue duty, was read a third time, and finally passed.

The House proceeded to the consideration of the bill to establish a separate territorial govern ment in the southern part of the Missouri Territory.

A motion was made by Mr. Robertson, (Ky.) with the view of obtaining the erasure of the amendment yesterday adopted, to recommit the bill to a select committee, with instructions to strike out these words, " And all children born of slaves within the said territory, shall be free, but may be held to service until the age of twenty-five years.'

And the question being taken thereon, was decided as follows:

For the recommitment Against it

88 88

The House being equally divided, the Speaker decided the question in the affirmative, and the bill was recommitted.

The bill from the Senate, for the admission of Alabama Territory into the Union as a State, was read the third time, and passed as amended.

Monday, Feb. 22d. After some unimportant business, the bill from the Senate, supplementary to the acts concerning the coasting trade, was read a third time, passed, and returned to the Senate.

The engrossed resolution for naming the public vessels was passed and sent to the Senate.

Tuesday, Feb. 23d. Besides some other unfinished business, the amendments of the Senate to the bill regulating passage ships, &c. were agreed to with one amendment, and returned. to the Senate.

Wednesday, Feb. 24th. Mr. Spencer's resolu tion, and the motions regarding the United States Bank, were negatived. The Committee of the whole then rose, and the House adjourned.

Thursday, Feb 25th. The bills from the Senate to designate the boundaries of districts, and to establish land offices, &c. and the bill to locate the seat of government of Indiana, were read, passed, and sent to the Senate.

The House went into committee, Mr. M'Coy in the chair, on the bill making appropriations for the public buildings. Various amendments were made to the bill, and it was finally report ed to the House, filled up as follows:

For erecting the centre building of the capitol, 136,644 dollars.

For finishing the gates, the iron railing, and the enclosure north of the President's house, 5,344 dollars.

For enlarging the offices west of the President's house, 8,137 dollars.

For purchasing a lot of land, and for constructing pipes for supplying the executive offiees and President's house with water, 9,125 dollars.

Thus amended, the bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time.

Friday, Feb. 26th. The bills from the Senate, to continue for a further term the act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes; to protect the commerce of the United States, and punish piracy, and to repeal part of an act of the 27th February, 1813, in addition to the act regulating the post-office establishment, were severally read the third time and passed.

The bill making appropriations for the public buildings, and the bill to reduce the duties on certain wines, were also severally read a third

time, passed, and sent to the Senate for concur

rence.

After considerable discussion on the proposed amendments to the Constitution, the House adjourned.

Saturday, Feb. 27th. A message from the President, transmitting the treaty for the cession of Florida, was received, read, and referred to the committee on foreign relations.

The bill from the Senate concerning discriminating duties, extending its provisions to vessels of Prussia and the Hanse Towns, was passed and sent back.

Monday, March 1st. The engrossed bill for confirming claims to certain lands in Illinois, and several other bills of a private nature, were read a thrd time and passed.

The House took up the bill from the Senate, regulating the currency of foreign coin, and returned it, with some unessential amendments, to the Senate.

The bill for the occupation of Florida, was read a third time, passed, and sent to the Senate.

The bill from the Senate for granting land for the seat of government of Illinois, passed, and was sent back.

Tuesday, March 2. Among a variety of other business the House refused to concur with the amendments of the Senate to the Missouri bill, and returned it.

The bill from the Senate for civilizing the Indians, was concurred in and returned. After concurring in some other bills from the Senate, the House adjourned.

(From the London Literary Gazette.)
HERMIT IN LONDON,
Or Sketches of Fashionable Manners.
No. IV.

FEMALE GAMBLERS.

IT has always appeared to me that the stronger passions, such as avarice, ambition, and revenge, are ill suited to the softer sex. They disfigure the beauty of woman, and completely change her nature. Gaming, which is a compound of idleness and of cupidity, but which excites these passions, has precisely the same tendency, and hurries the fairest works of nature into the greatest ex

cesses.

There is, however, a minor species of play which is not so dangerous, and which can be blamed only for the loss of time which it occasions. It is one of the taxes on a man in society, to be compelled to sit down, for such a space of time, at a card-table at routs and at other evening parties. I feel a je ne sais quoi of misery and disgust, the moment the fair lady of the house presents me the pack of cards to draw one; and I view myself destined to be fixed to my chair

for at least one rubber, or perhaps more.-Then, farewell conversation; farewell my greatest amusement, observation; farewell mirth and all variety.

A young Exquisite* may just make his ap pearance for a few minutes, make his bow to the lady of the house, cast a glance round in order to be able to count all the beauty

and fashion in the room, and then withdraw throw himself into his chariot or vis-a-vis, and repeat the same brief visit at two or three other parties in the course of the night. A dancer may escape the card-tax; but a man of serious habits, and of middle age, nust pay the forfeit of money and of time.

cupation engrosses in high life. Lady LensIt is astonishing how many hours this ocrubbers of whist regularly every evening, quinette assured me, that she played three unless she sat down to some game of chance. In the former case she devoted near three hours per diem to cards; in the latter, the whole evening. In wet weather she played in the morning: and at Castle Costly, she

* It may be well to observe that our Hermit divides the Dandies of fashion into two principal classes, to one of which he gives the appellation of "Exquisites," and to the other of "Ruffians."

always spent two or three hours before dinner at cards, when the state of the atmosphere or the roads prevented her going out. Averaging her play hours at four or five per day, they compose one third of her time, since her Ladyship devotes twelve hours to rest. Now, abstracting four more for her toilette, which is not less than it takes, there are but four more clear hours for any rational employment, out of which breakfast and dinner time are to be deducted.

I met with her the other night at Lady Racket's; and she immediately hooked me in for a rubber. I had scarcely got dear of this engagement, and of five guiness at the same time, having lost five points upon the rub, when I was entreated to sit down to cassino in company with Mrs. Marvellous, Sir Herbert Maxton, and Lady Longtick. I the more readily, however, complied with the request of my right honourable hostess, since at cassino the attention is not so en tirely taken up; less importance is attached to the game, and a little light and confused conversation may be allowed; whilst at whist you see grave faces sitting in judgment over your play, and observe as much interest and anxiety, as much silence and attention, as a speech of Demosthenes would have claimed from his auditors.

"Come," said Lady Racket to me, "you must make one at cassino; (then lowering her voice) you will have the charms of Lady Longtick to contemplate, and Mrs. Marvellous will amuse you with some very estonishing stories in the intervals of dealing, etcetera." "Your Ladyship's commands are so many laws to me," said I, as I resignedly took my place at the table. "The Hermit of London," exclaimed Mrs. Marvellous, in half a whisper to Sir Herbert. They both elevated their eyebrows, as much as to say, here's a fellow who will observe us closely. I made my best bow, and took

my seat.

I drew cards, and fell to the lot of Mrs. Marvellous. "You must not scold me if I play ill," said she. "Not for the world," answered I, "I never scolded a lady in my life." "I wish that I could say as much of Si Herbert," said she, "indeed it was nothing short of cruel, your crossness to Lady Maxton yesterday; you actually brought tears into her eyes." ""Nonsense," exclaimed the Baronet, "you know I wanted not to play at all; but the Nabob could not make up his party without us, and I hate above all things to play with my wife; married couples never ought to play together." "Unless," interrupted Lady Longtick, "they understand one another as well as our friends in Portland Place." "And then," replied the Baronet, "it is not very pleasant to play against them," (a general smile.)

"It is your deal, Mrs. Marvellous." "Two and three are five." "The heart is yours, Lady Longtick, and little cass falls to me." "Have you heard of the Royal marriages?" "Three tricks, by Jupiter!"-"The naval

Duke." "Your knave, my Lady."-" I am quite out of luck; how many Queens?" (Sir Herbert) "One, and that's quite enough." "Bravo, Mrs. Marvellous," said I, "you are always fortunate; 'tis my trick." (Mrs. Marvellous) "Have you heard that Lady Barbara Bankton has" (interrupted by the Baronet) "Cut Madam;" "Yes, Sir Herbert, she has cut, and left her lovely children." "Your Ladyship's game." "To the mercy of the world. How shocking for her three daughters!" "A double game." (Mrs. Marvellous) "She certainly had the most indulgent husband in the world." "The base wretch, I have no patience with her." "A hard rub"-" Yet I could always see through her conduct." "Had you said through her drapery," replied Sir Herbert, "I should have been satisfied that you were right, for she was a walking transparency. But here comes her cousin the General." "The game is up."

Released from the cassino table, I walked round the room, and cast an eye on the different tables. I stopped for a moment be hind my friend Lord Levity's chair, and contemplated the countenances at an unli mited loo. "I pass," said Lady Lavish, in a tone of broken-heartedness, which told me that she had lost. Every feature was changed, the warm smile which gives such attractions to her countenance had disappeared; dejection filled her eyes, and despair sat on every feature. Mrs. Beverly was also a great loser: not less than eighty guineas did she pay for her night's pastime. She put on a sort of placid look, a well-bred indifference, a forced and unnatural smile; but nature, true to its feelings, betrayed the secret of her mind, and gave the outlines of revenge and of disappointment to her countenance. "You are out of luck," observed I. "A trifle or so," answered she, with an assumption of tranquillity which imposed upon nobody.

The other ladies (the eldest only eighteen) were all anxiety. The natural lustre of their complexions was marred by a flush of intemperate feeling and overdesire to win. Their eyes were attentively rivitted to the cards, and from time to time they communed with each other by glances of satisfaction, doubt, or discontent. Whilst these three Graces were half metamorphosed by their attention to their bad or good fortune, Colonel Crab sneered as be was pocketing his gains; and Lady Mary Moody expressed the intoxication of success. This she strove to stifle, but it flushed on her cheek, spoke on her half opened lip, and sparkled in her eyes. How little do these fair creatures, thought I, know how their looks betray them! So much are they a prey to the passion of gaming, that not even these magnificent Venetian mirrors can bring a useful reflection to cure them of this vice.

I now moved towards the door, and got into a crowd of beaux and of belles, and into a confusion of tongues. The broken sentences which came to my ear from different

quarters were ridiculous enough. Lady Racket was discoursing about a new novel; Sir Wetherby Justle was holding forth on horse-racing; a new Member was affecting the ministerial tone, and laying down the law to a deaf Dowager who had the best of it, for she was paying attention to an antiquated Exquisite the whole time. Mrs. Marvellous told me that Lady T- was ruined, and she owed her butler only one thousand guineas. "Lady Longtick has made a good thing of it, to-night," whispered Lady R--'s maiden aunt to a young Guardsman; "her dress-maker will now have a chance of being paid," continued she.

"A complete hoax! the majority was cer tain," broke upon my ear from another quarter." A love match, upon my honour," observed an Insipid, lolling on the arm of a couch." A maiden speech," observed the Member to a gouty Bishop." Not an hohour in the world," echoed from a neighbouring card-table; whilst Count Mainville was talking politics, and Sir Harry was say ing the most gallant things imaginable to the Lincolnshire Heiress.

Lady Lovemore passed by at this moment convulsed with rage, but bridling her tem. per as well as she could. She had not only lost at cards, but perceived a happy rival in the affections of the Colonel, to whom he was paying the warmest assiduities, and her rival had smiled contempt. Lady Racket even seemed to enjoy the defeat of Lady Lovemore: "I fear that your Ladyship is not well," said Lady R. to her in an assumed tone of pity and kindness. "A sick headache which distracts me," answered Lady L. and flounced away unattended by a beau, which circumstance was observed with different remarks and comments from half a dozen different quarters at once. How lit tle charity one female has for another, thought I and at cards this quality exists

not.

I now perceived Sir Herbert, who had been looking over his wife's play, and must have been giving her some unwelcome hints. "Did I play ill in trumping?" sweetly and softly uttered she in a silvery tone. "Not at all," replied he, in a sharp tone: "if you wished to lose, you could not play better." She gently raised up her shoulders and heaving a sigh, said, "My dear, I am sorry for it.""Its always the same," exclaimed he, and broke unkindly away from her. What a pity that a few hearts and clubs, ill painted upon the surface of a card, should occasion such contending passions, should sow such dissentions, and embitter the hours of so many rational beings!--that a card played out of place or without judgment, should mar the domestic felicity of an otherwise happy couple! and that Lady Maxton should persevere in playing without any abatement of ill fortune abroad, or of dryness and blame at home.

I now perceived a number of the beau monde going to their carriages, and upon

striking my repeater, found that it was four o'clock. Thus were four hours consumed, when I retired to rest; but the countenances at the loo-table were before my eyes in my dream, and I longed to be able to give a little advice to the fair creatures in question. THE HERMIT IN LONDON.

PROFESSOR OF SIGNS,

OR TWO WAYS OF TELLING A STORY.

King James VI. on removing to London, was waited upon by the Spanish Ambassador, a man of erudition, but who had a crotchet in his head that every country should have a professor of Signs, to teach him and the like of him to understand one another. The ambassador was lamenting one day, before the King, this great desideratum throughout all Europe, when the King, who was a queerish sort of man, says to him, "Why, I have a Professor of Signs in the northernmost College in my dominions, viz. at Aberdeen; but it is a vast way off, perhaps 600 miles."-" Were it 10,000 leagues off I shall see him," says the Ambassador, "and am determined to set out in two or three days." The King saw he'd committed himself, and writes, or causes to be written, to the University of Aberdeen, stating the case, and desiring the Professors to put him off some way, or make the best of him. The Ambassador arrives, is received with great solemnity; but soon began to enquire which of them had the honor to be Professor of Signs? and being told that the Professor was absent in the Highlands, and would not return nobody could say when, says the Ambassador, "I will wait his return though it were twelve months." Seeing that this would not do, and that they had him to entertain at a great expense all the while, they contrived a stratagem. There was one Geordy, a butcher, blind of an eye, a drolf fellow, with much wit and roguery about him. He is got, told the story, and instructed to be a Professor of Signs, but not to speak on pain of death! Geordy undertakes it. The Ambassador is now told that the Professor of Signs would be home next day, at which he rejoiced greatly. Geordy is gowned, wigged and placed in a chair of state in a room of the College, all the Professors and the Ambassador being in an adjoining room. The Ambassador is now shown into Geordy's room, and left to converse with him as well as he could, the whole of the Professors waiting the issue with fear and trembling. The Ambassador holds up one of his fingers to Geordy; Geordy holds up two of his; the Ambassador holds up three; Geordy clinches his fist and looks stern. The Ambassador then takes an orange from his pocket, and holds it up; Geordy takes a piece of a barley cake from his pocket, and holds that up. After which the Ambassador bows to him and retires to the other Professors, who