Mr. ANDERSON, from the committee appointed the 22d December on the subject, reported the following bill:

A bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represent atives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to occupy and hold all that tract of country called West Florida, which lies west of the river Perdido, not now in possession of the United States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to occupy and hold all that part of West Florida east of the Perdido, and the whole or any part of East Florida, including Amelia Island.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That, for the purpose of occupying and holding the country aforesaid, and of affording protection to the inhabitants thereof, under the authority of the United States, the President may employ such parts of the military and naval force of the United States as he may deem ne

cessary.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That, for defraying the necessary expenses, dollars are hereby appropriated, to be paid out of any moneys in the Treasury, not otherwise appropriated, and to be applied for the purposes aforesaid, under the direction of the President.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That, until further provision shall be made by Congress, the President shall be, and hereby is, empowered to establish within the country he may acquire by this act a temporary Government, the civil and military authorities of which shall be vested in such person or persons as he may appoint, and be exercised in such manner as he may direct: Provided, That he shall take due care for the preservation of social order, and for securing to the inhabitants the enjoyment of their personal rights, their religion, and their property: And provided, also, That the section of country herein designated, that is situated to the eastward of the river Perdido, may be the subject of future negotiation.

The bill was read; and passed to the second reading.

FRIDAY, January 22.

The bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes, was read the second time.

Mr. LEIB submitted the following motion for consideration:

Resolved, That the documents which accompanied the President's Message of the 14th instant, be confidentially printed for the use of the Senate, excepting those papers which relate to the stations and the amount of the military force of the United States, and the letter of General Pinckney of the 27th December.

taken up and considered, it was determined in On motion, by Mr. LEIB, that the bill be now the negative.

MONDAY, January 25.

On motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, that the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes, be now considered, it was determined in the negative.

The Senate proceeded to consider the motion submitted on the 22d instant, by Mr. LEIB; and, on motion, by Mr. BAYARD, that the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow, it was determined in the negative.

On the question to agree to the resolution, on motion, by Mr. REED, it was agreed that it be taken by yeas and nays; and, on motion, by Mr. BAYARD, the Senate adjourned.

TUESDAY, January 26.

On motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, the Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory, and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes; and, on motion, by Mr. LEIB, that the further consideration of the bill be postponed in order to consider his motion, to have printed certain documents referred to in the Message of the President of the United States of the 14th instant, it was determined in the negative.

A motion was made by Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, to strike out the second section of the bill; and, on his motion, it was agreed to take the question by yeas and nays.

On motion, by Mr. BRADLEY, the further consideration of the bill was postponed to, and made the order of the day for, to-morrow.

Mr. TAIT presented the memorial of the Legislature of the State of Georgia, recommending to, and soliciting, Congress to authorize the President of the United States to take immediate possession of the province of East Florida, and that portion of West Florida purchased from France, but still retained by Spain; for reasons stated at large in the memorial; which was read.

On motion, by Mr. LEIB, the Senate resumed his motion, submitted the 22d instant, that the documents referred to in the Message of the President of the United States of the 14th instant, be printed; and the motion was amended.

Resolved, That the documents which accompanied the President's Message, of the 14th instant, be confidentially printed for the use of the members of the Senate, excepting those papers which relate to the stations and amount of the military force of the United States, the report of the Secretary of State, and the letters of General Pinckney.

On the question, to agree to the motion as amended, it was determined in the affirmative yeas 18, nays 12, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bradley, Campbell of Ohio, Campbell of Tennessee, Dana, German, Giles, Gilman, Goodrich, Gregg, Horsey, Hunter, Lambert, Leib, Lloyd, Pope, Posey, Reed, and Smith of Maryland. NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bibb, Crawford, Cutts, Franklin, Gaillard, Howell, Magruder, Robinson, Tait, Taylor, and Worthington.

The following confidential Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit to the Senate a report of the Secretary of State, complying with their resolution of the 8th inst. JAMES MADISON.

JANUARY 26, 1813.

FRIDAY, January 29.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes; and Mr. GAILLARD was requested to take the Chair; and the motion to strike out the second section of the bill was resumed; and, after debate, adjourned.

MONDAY, February 1.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes, together with the motion to strike out the second section thereof; and Mr. GAILLARD was requested to take the Chair; and, after debate, the consideration thereof was further postponed until to-morrow.

TUESDAY, February 2.

WEDNESDAY, January 27.

The following confidential Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit to the Senate a report of the Secretary of War, complying with their resolution of the 7th inst. JAMES MADISON.

JANUARY 27, 1813.

The Message and report were read. Mr. HORSEY Submitted the following motion for consideration, which was read:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy in relation to the President's Message, of the 26th instant, communicating certain papers, marked A and B, in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 18th instant, be, and the same is hereby, removed.

THURSDAY, January 28.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and the State of Georgia, and for other purposes; and on motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, the further consideration thereof was postponed to, and made the order of the day for,

to-morrow.

The Senate proceeded to consider the motion submitted yesterday, by Mr. HORSEY, to remove the injunction of secrecy from certain papers; and, on motion, the further consideration thereof was postponed until to-morrow.

12th CoN. 2d SESS.-5

the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes, together with the motion to strike out the second section thereof; and Mr. GAILLARD was requested to take the Chair:

On the question, to strike out the second section, as follows:

"SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to occupy and hold all that part of West Florida east of the Perdido, and the whole or any part of East Florida, including Amelia Island:"

It was determined in the affirmative-yeas 19, nays 16, as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bayard, Bradley, Campbell of Ohio, Dana, German, Giles, Gilman, Goodrich, Gregg, HorReed, Smith of Maryland, and Smith of New York. sey, Howell, Hunter, Lambert, Leib, Lloyd, Pope,

NAYS-Messrs. Anderson, Bibb, Brent, Campbell of Tennessee, Crawford, Cutts, Franklin, Gaillard, Magruder, Posey, Robinson, Tait, Taylor, Turner, Varnum, and Worthington.

A motion was made, by Mr. SMITH, of Maryland, to strike out the fifth section of the bill; and, on motion, the Senate adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, February 3.

On motion, by Mr. ANDERSON, the Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the bill authorizing the President of the United States to take possession of a tract of country lying south of the Mississippi Territory and of the State of Georgia, and for other purposes; together with the motion to strike out the fifth section; and Mr. GAILLARD was requested to take the Chair.