Resolved, That a committee be appointed to bring in a bill authorizing the President of the United States to appoint an agent to purchase of the Indians that tract of land on the south side of Lake Superior, which shall include the great copper bed.
Mr. C. said, as this invaluable copper mine was well known by individuals, it no doubt would soon become an object of speculation, but wishing to make it of public utility, as it must become if purchased, he hoped the proposition would be adopted.
Jonathan Robbins.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the Message of the President respecting Jonathan Robbins, when Mr. Livingston spoke about three hours in support of the resolutions he some time since submitted to the House on that subject.
Mr. Bayard was proceeding to follow Mr. L. when a member moved the committee to rise and ask leave to sit again. Mr. B. objected: he said he was prepared to proceed if the House would have patience at that late hour to hear him. Several members expressed a desire that he might proceed, which he was doing, when the Speaker hoped the gentleman would give way to a motion for the committee to rise; he had no doubt of his friend being prepared for the discussion, but from the length the answer must necessarily take, the House certainly would be fatigued much before he would conclude. The motion was made and carried.
During Mr. Livingston's observations he introduced a copy of the record of the Circuit Court in New Jersey, where three men were tried and acquitted on the charge of piracy, and one of them for murder, on board of the same frigate and at the same time. This record, on motion of Mr. Rutledge, was ordered to be printed.
Mr. Nicholas, not being able to account to his satisfaction for the obvious change of conduct in our Executive in this recited instance and the one now under the consideration of the House (though precisely the same in facts) any other way than by supposing that a correspondence on the subject had occurred between the Executive of the United States and the British Government; though he expressed himself to be extremely unwilling, yet he thought it his duty to move that the President be requested to furnish it to the House.
An adjournment was immediately called and carried.