Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States,
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1806.

...The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the report of the committee to whom was referred, on the third instant, so much of the message of the President of the United States as relates "to the invasion of our Territories by the troops of Spain, and to the adoption of measures for the protection thereof;" and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Gregg reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said report under consideration, and directed him to report to the House their agreement to the two resolutions therein contained; which were again read at the Clerk's table, and are as follow:

1. Resolved, That provision ought to be made, by law, to fortify and defend such position on the Mississippi, below the city of New Orleans, as the President of the United States shall designate, for the protection of that city; and that further provision ought to be made, by law, for guarding the approaches to the same from the East.

2. Resolved, That the President of the United States be authorized to accept of any company or companies of volunteers, either of artillery, cavalry, or infantry, who may associate and offer themselves for the service, (not exceeding thirty thousand men,) who shall be clothed and furnished with horses, at their own expense, and armed and equipped at the expense of the United States, except such of them as may choose to furnish their own arms, and whose commissioned officers shall be appointed by the respective State and Territorial authorities; who shall be liable to be called upon to do military duty at any time the President shall judge proper, within two years after he shall accept the same; and when called into actual service, and whilst remaining in the same, shall be under the same rules and regulations, and be entitled to the same pay, rations, forage, and allowance for clothing, with the regular troops of the United States.

And on the question that the House do agree with the Committee of the Whole House in their agreement to the first of the said resolutions,

It was resolved in the affirmative.

A motion was made by Mr. Bidwell, and seconded, to amend the second of the said resolutions, by striking out the words, "whose commissioned officers shall be appointed by the respective State and Territorial authorities," and inserting, in lieu thereof, the words, "who shall be commanded by such officers of the militia of the States or Territories to which such companies may respectively belong, or shall be designated by the Executive authority of each State or Territory:"

On which motion a division of the question was called for:

And, on the question that the words proposed to be stricken out remain part of the resolution,

It was resolved in the affirmative.

And so the said motion to amend was rejected.

Resolved, That this House do agree with the Committee of the Whole House in their agreement to the said second resolution.

Ordered, That a bill, or bills, be brought in, pursuant to the said resolutions; and that Mr. John Randolph, Mr. Fisk, Mr. Sandford, Mr. George W. Campbell, Mr. Brown, Mr. Goldsborough, and Mr. Butler, do prepare and bring in the same....