The Frigate Constitution.
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill, reported by the Naval Committee this morning, to compensate the officers and crew of the United States frigate Constitution for the destruction of the British frigates Guerriere and Java. [This bill provides that —— dollars shall be paid out of the Treasury to Captain Hull and the officers and crews of the Constitution frigate, and a like sum to Captain Bainbridge and his crew, for their two gallant achievements; and appropriates a sum of —— dollars therefor.]
Mr. Bassett moved to fill the first blank with fifty thousand dollars.
After some conversation between Messrs. Bassett, Ely, Stow, and Milnor, on the propriety of making a general instead of a special provision on this head, as recommended by the President, the question on filling the first blank with fifty thousand dollars was carried in the affirmative, ayes 60.
The second blank was then filled with one hundred thousand dollars.
The committee rose and reported the bill; and the amendments were concurred in.
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed, and read a third time.
Wednesday, February 24.
The Frigate Constitution.
The bill making compensation to the officers and crew of the frigate Constitution for the destruction of the British frigates Guerriere and Java, was read a third time and passed, by yeas and nays. For the bill 61, against the bill 39.