Mr. L. called the yeas and nays upon it. He said he understood that, since yesterday, a member of this House had applied at the office of the Secretary of State, and had been informed that some information had been received relative to this subject. Perhaps the gentleman would himself state to the House what he had learned from that office.
Mr. Harper said, he had only to state, that he had made inquiry at the office of the Secretary of State, and had been informed that a letter had been received from our Minister in London, enclosing an extract from the Redacteur (supposed to be an official French paper) stating that the Executive Directory had suspended the edict in question. This extract, he understood, does not state the reason of this suspension; but our Minister writes it was owing to a threat of the British Government to retaliate upon French citizens within their power.
The yeas and nays were taken, and stood—52 to 38.
Naval Pay.
On motion of Mr. Josiah Parker, the House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill fixing the pay of captains of ships and vessels of the United States; and after some amendments, the bill was reported, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
[This bill provides "that all vessels in the service of the United States, mounting 20 guns and upward, be commanded by captains; those not exceeding 18 guns (except galleys, which are to be commanded as heretofore provided by law,) by masters or lieutenants, according to the size of the vessel, to be regulated by the President of the United States; that the pay of a captain, commanding ships of 32 guns and upward, be $100 dollars per month, and eight rations per day; of captains, commanding ships of 20 and under 32 guns, $75 a month, and six rations a day; of a master-commandant, $60 per month, and five rations per day; and of lieutenants who may command the smaller vessels, $50 dollars per month, and four rations per day; that whenever any officer as aforesaid shall be employed in the command of a squadron, in separate service, the allowance of rations to such commanding officer shall be doubled during the continuance of such command, and no longer, except in case of a commanding officer of the Navy, whose allowance, while in service, shall always be at the rate of sixteen rations per day.">[
Friday, February 8.
Relations with France.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States:
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: