Saturday, February 9.
The Senate resumed the second reading of the bill to amend the act, entitled "An act providing for the sale of the lands of the United States in the territory north-west of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky River."
On motion to strike out the 8th section of the bill as follows:
"Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That aliens residing within the United States or elsewhere, shall be capable of purchasing and holding lands in the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio, and their heirs may succeed to them ab intestato, in the same manner as if they were citizens; and they may grant, sell, and devise the same to whom they may please, whether citizens or aliens; and that neither they, their heirs, or assigns, shall, so far as may respect the said lands, and the legal remedies incident thereto, be regarded as aliens."
It was determined in the affirmative—yeas 13, nays 11, as follows:
Yeas.—Messrs. Chipman, Foster, Goodhue, Greene, Hillhouse, Howard, Martin, Read, Sedgwick, Stockton, Tracy, Watson, and Wells.
Nays.—Messrs. Anderson, Bingham, Bloodworth, Brown, Gunn, Langdon, Livermore, Marshall, Mason, Ross, and Tattnall.