Mr. J. Parker proposed filling up the blanks in the section fixing the pay of captains in the Navy, with an advance from $75 to $100 per month to captains of 74's, and others in proportion; except the masters of vessels under 20 guns, which were proposed to be lowered.
Some objection, however, being made to this, and particularly to the mode of doing the business, this being the first time that the subject had been before the House, the section was moved to be struck out, and carried.
The committee then rose, and the House having concurred in the amendment reported,
Mr. Nicholas renewed the motion for striking out the 74-gun ships, and called the yeas and nays upon it. They were taken and stood, yeas 40, nays 54, as follows:
Yeas.—Abraham Baldwin, David Bard, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne, William Charles, Cole Claiborne, John Clopton, John Dawson, Joseph Eggleston, Lucas Elmendorph, William Findlay, John Fowler, Albert Gallatin, James Gillespie, Andrew Gregg, John A. Hanna, Carter B. Harrison, Jonathan N. Havens, Joseph Heister, David Holmes, Walter Jones, Edward Livingston, Matthew Locke, Nathaniel Macon, Blair McClenachan, Joseph McDowell, Anthony New, John Nicholas, Thompson J. Skinner, William Smith, Richard Sprigg, Richard Stanford, Thomas Sumter, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Abraham Venable, and Robert Williams.
Nays.—John Allen, George Baer, jun., Bailey Bartlett, James A. Bayard, Jonathan Brace, David Brooks, Stephen Bullock, Christopher G. Champlin, James Cochran, William Craik, Samuel W. Dana, John Dennis, George Dent, William Edmond, Thomas Evans, Abiel Foster, Dwight Foster, Jonathan Freeman, Henry Glenn, Chauncey Goodrich, William Gordon, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, Robert Goodloe Harper, Thomas Hartley, William Hindman, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, James H. Imlay, John Wilkes Kittera, Samuel Lyman, James Machir, William Matthews, Daniel Morgan, Lewis R. Morris, Harrison G. Otis, Isaac Parker, Josiah Parker, Thomas Pinckney, John Read, John Rutledge, jun., James Schureman, Samuel Sewall, Thomas Sinnickson, Samuel Smith, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Peleg Sprague, George Thatcher, Richard Thomas, Mark Thompson, Thomas Tillinghast, John E. Van Alen, Peleg Wadsworth, Robert Waln, and John Williams.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a third reading [and passed by the same vote].[44]
Thursday, February 14.
Relations with France.
Mr. Livingston called up for consideration the resolution which he yesterday laid upon the table, calling upon the President for any information which he may possess touching the suspension of the French arrêt, declaring neutral citizens pirates when found on board the vessels of belligerent powers; which being read,