Mr. Harper said, he did not mean at this time to enter into the merits of the present question. It was important, and presented itself in a new light to the House. The original motion he was ready to have voted for; he did not know whether he might not vote for this. But he wished time to consider of it. He therefore moved the further consideration of this question be postponed till Monday.
Mr. Allen had no objection to the postponement, except the mover of the amendment would permit it to be amended by a modification of this sort: "Such parts of those communications as were communicated to the French Government."
The question for postponement was put and carried—47 to 41.
Monday, April 23.
The Speaker attended to-day, and took the chair.
Stephen Cantrill.
On motion of Mr. W. C. Claiborne, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the Secretary of War on the petition of Stephen Cantrill; and the report and papers accompanying it were read. The report was as follows:
"The Secretary of War, to whom was referred the petition of Stephen Cantrill, respectfully reports: That the services for which the petitioner prays compensation to himself and a company which he commanded, were performed in the month of September, 1794, on an expedition conducted by Major James Orr, into the Lower Cherokee country, which issued in the destruction of two considerable Indian towns, the Running Water and Nickajack, the killing of a number of Indians, and the taking about twenty prisoners.
"That the report of Major Orr to Governor Blount, dated at Knoxville, the 24th September, 1794, shows, that this expedition marched on the 7th of the same month, and was ordered by General Robertson, of Mero district.
"That the orders of General Robertson for this purpose were afterwards communicated by himself to Gov. Blount, in a letter dated the 8th October, 1794, detailing his reasons for the order.