Mr. Bradley, from the committee to whom was referred the memorial of General James Wilkinson, praying to be remunerated for moneys disbursed in the service of the United States, made the following report:
That the said Wilkinson has exhibited to them claims against the United States, to the amount of eleven thousand eight hundred dollars and ninety-six cents. It appears to your committee, from the documents and proofs produced by the petitioner to explain and support his claim against the public, that, of the above sum, $6,719.73 are claimed for his disbursements and expenses incurred pending Burr's conspiracy; $2,560 paid for a tract of land for the public service, now occupied by the troops on the Missouri river, near its mouth; $450, the amount of his passage from Baltimore to Charleston, when ordered on extra duty by the President; and $2,131.23, for losses of property sustained by his sudden transfer from St. Louis, where he was exercising the functions of a civil magistrate, to the Sabine, for the purpose of directing the arms of the nation against an invading force of the Spaniards.
Your committee have no hesitancy in saying that many of the charges appear to be legal and founded in justice, and may furnish a proper set off against the balance opposed to him by the War Department, and that the residue are entitled to equitable consideration; but, from the shortness of the time, and the pressure of business before the expiration of the session, your committee cannot find leisure to form that deliberate and clear judgment on the merits of the several items which justice to the petitioner and to the public require; they, therefore, beg leave to offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That the further consideration of the petition of General James Wilkinson, together with the accompanying documents, be postponed to the next meeting of Congress.
The report and accompanying documents were ordered to lie on the table.
The Senate adjourned to 6 o'clock this evening.
Sunday Evening, 6 o'clock, March 3.
Adjournment.
Resolved, That Messrs. Turner and Condit be a committee on the part of the Senate, with such committee as the House of Representatives may join, to wait on the President of the United States and notify him, that, unless he may have any further communications to make to the two Houses of Congress, they are ready to adjourn.
Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives therewith, and request the appointment of a committee on their part.