From New Hampshire, NICHOLAS GILMAN, SAMUEL LIVERMORE, and JEREMIAH SMITH. From Massachusetts, FISHER AMES, SHEARJASHUB BOURNE, ELBRIDGE GERRY, BENJAMIN GOODHUE, GEORGE THATCHER, and ARTEMAS WARD. From Rhode Island, GEORGE LEONARD, BENJAMIN BOURNE. From Connecticut, AMASA LEARNED, JONATHAN STURGES, and JONATHAN TRUMBULL, (Speaker.) From Vermont, NATHANIEL NILES and ISRAEL SMITH. nominations, be appointed to Congress, one by each House, to interchange weekly. The House then proceeded to appoint & Chaplain on their part, when a majority of votes appeared in favor of the Reverend ASHBEL GREEN. The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Governor of Georgia, enclosing a proclamation and return of the election of JoHN MILLEDGE, to serve as one of the members of this House for the said State, in the room of ANTHONY WAYNE, whose seat was declared vacant; which was read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. BOUDINOT, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled and ready to From New York, EGBERT BENSON, JOHN LAU-receive any communications he may be pleased RANCE, and THOMAS TREDWELL. From New Jersey, ELIAS BOUDINOT, ABRAHAM CLARK, and JONATHAN DAYTON. From Pennsylvania, THOMAS FITZSIMONS and FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG. From Maryland, PHILIP KEY and WILLIAM VANS MURRAY. From Virginia, WILLIAM B. GILES, JAMES MADISON, ANDREW MOORE, JOSIAH PARKER, ABRAHAM VENABLE, and ALEXander White. From North Carolina, NATHANIEL MACON, JOHN STEELE, and HUGH WILLIAMSON. From South Carolina, WILLIAM SMITH, THOMAS SUMTER, and THOMAS TUDOR TUCKER. From Georgia, ABRAHAM BALDWIN and FRANCIS WILLIS. to make to them, reported that the committee had performed that service, and that the PRESIDENT was pleased to say, that he would make & communication to both Houses of Congress to-morrow, at twelve o'clock in the Senate Chamber. TUESDAY, November 6. Several other members, viz: from New York, JAMES GORDON; from Pennsylvania, JOHN WILKES KITTERA; and from Virginia, SAMUEL GRIFFIN and JOHN PAGE, appeared, and took their seats in the House. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate are now ready, in the Senate Chamber, to attend this House in re OF THE UNITED STATES, agreeably to his notification to both Houses yesterday. A quorum of members being present, a mes-ceiving the communication from the PRESIDENT sage was sent to the Senate to inform that body thereof. And a similar message was received by the House from the Senate; and that JOHN LANGDON had been chosen their President pro tempore. A joint committee were then appointed to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, to inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may think proper to make them. Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different de The SPEAKER, attended by the members of this House, then withdrew to the Senate Chamber for the purpose expressed in the message from the Senate; and, being returned, the SPEAKER laid before the House a copy of the Speech delivered by the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to both Houses of Congress, in the Senate Chamber. [A copy of the Speech appears in the proceedings of the Senate.] แ Answer to the President. [H. OF R. Ordered, That the said letters and petitions be referred to the Secretary of State, for information. THURSDAY, November 8. Several other members, to wit: from Connecticut, JAMES HILLHOUSE; from Pennsylvania, WILLIAM FINDLAY and ISRAEL JACOBS; and from Kentucky, ALEXANDER D. ORR, appeared, and took their seats in the House. SATURDAY, November 10. Two other members, to wit: PETER SYLVESTER, from New York, and THOMAS HARTLEY, from Pennsylvania, appeared, and took their seats in the House. Address to the President. The order of the day being called for, (Mr. LAURANCE in the chair,) the Speech of the PRESIDENT, delivered yesterday to Congress, was taken up; and, on motion of Mr. SMITH, of South Carolina, the following resolve was agreed The House resolved itself into a Committee to: That a committee be appointed to prepare of the whole House on the Address to the and report a respectful Address to the PRESI-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in answer to DENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in answer to his his Speech to both Houses of Congress; and, Speech delivered to both Houses of Congress at after some time spent therein, the SPEAKER rethe opening of the present session; with as-sumed the chair, and Mr. LAURANCE reported surances, that they would take into consideration the important matters therein contained." An amendment was now moved, to strike out the word "important; " but it was negatived, as being a word of too much importance to be neglected. The resolution was carried, in substance, as above, and the committee rose and reported it. The House immediately agreed, and a committee of three-Messrs. MADISON, BENSON, and MURRAY-were appointed by the SPEAKER to prepare the answer in conformity with the said resolve. The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives: I lay before you copies of certain papers relative to the Spanish interference in the execution of the treaty entered into in the year 1790, between the United States, and the Creek nation of Indians, together with a letter from the Secretary of State to the President of the United States, on the same subject. G. WASHINGTON. UNITED STATES, November 7, 1792. The papers accompanying the said message were read and ordered to lie on the table. The SPEAKER laid before the House two letters from Thomas Barclay, Consul of the United States at the Court of Morocco, one dated the 28th of May, the other the 17th of July, 1792, enclosing petitions from Richard O'Brien, in behalf of himself and other citizens of the United States, now in captivity at Algiers, stating the peculiar hardships they have undergone during the time they have been kept in slavery, and praying that Congress will consider their distressed situation, and take such measures for their releasement as to their wisdom shall seem meet. that the committee had had the said Address under consideration, and made several amendments thereto; which were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House. And then the said Address, as amended, being again read, was, on the question put thereon, agreed to by the House, as follows: "SIR: The House of Representatives, who always feel a satisfaction in meeting you, are much concerned that the occasion for mutual felicitation afforded by the circumstances favorable to the national prosperity should be abated by a continuance of the hostile spirit of many of the Indian tribes, and, particularly, that the reiterated efforts for effecting a general pacification with them should have issued in new proofs of their persevering enmity, and the barbarous sacrifice of citizens, who, as the messengers of peace, were distinguishing themselves by their zeal for the public service. In our deliberations on this important department of our affairs, we shall be disposed to pursue every measure that may be dictated by the sincerest desire, on one hand, of cultivating peace, and manifesting, by every practicable regulation, our benevolent regard for the welfare of those misguided people; and by the duty we feel, on the other, to provide effectually for the safety and protection of our fellowcitizens. "While with regret we learn that symptoms of opposition to the law imposing duties on spirits distilled within the United States, have manifested themselves, we reflect with consolation, that they are confined to a small portion of our fellow-citizens. It is not more essential to the preservation of true liberty, that a Government should be always ready to listen to the representations of its constituents, and to accommodate its measures to the sentiments and wishes of every part of them, as far as will consist with the good of the whole, than it is, that the just authority of the laws should be steadfastly maintained. Under this impression, every department of the Government, and all good citizens must approve the measures you have taken, and the purpose you have H. OF R.] Defeat of General St. Clair. [NOVEMBER, 1792. Address to the President. formed, to execute this part of your trust with firmness from North Carolina, appeared, and took his and energy; and be assured, sir, of every constitu- seat in the House. tional aid and co-operation, which may become requisite on our part. And we hope that, while the progress of contentment under the law in question, is as obvious as it is rational, no particular part of the community may be permitted to withdraw from the general burdens of the country, by a conduct as ir reccncilable to national justice, as it is inconsistent with public decency. "The productive state of the public revenue, and the confirmation of the credit of the United States abroad, evinced by the loans at Antwerp and Amsterdam, are communications the more gratifying, as they enforce the obligation to enter on systematic and effectual arrangements for discharging the public debt, as fast as the conditions of it will permit; and we take pleasure in the opportunity to assure you of our entire concurrence in the opinion, that no measure can be more desirable, whether viewed with an eye to the urgent wish of the community, or the intrinsic importance of promoting so happy a change in our situation. "The adoption of a constitution for the State of Kentucky, is an event on which we join in all the satisfaction you have expressed. It may be considered as particularly interesting, since, besides the immediate benefits resulting from it, it is another auspicious demonstration of the facility and success with which an enlightened people is capable of providing, by free and deliberate plans of government, for their own safety and happiness. "The operation of the law establishing the Post Office, as it relates to the transmission of newspapers, will merit our particular inquiry and attention, the circulation of political intelligence through these vehicles being justly reckoned among the surest means of preventing the degeneracy of a free government, as well as of recommending every salutary public measure to the confidence and co-operation of all virtuous citizens. The SPEAKER, attended by the House, then withdrew to the house of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and there presented to him the Address of this House, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress; to which the PRESIDENT made the following reply: "GENTLEMEN: It gives me pleasure to express to you the satisfaction which your Address affords me. I feel, as I ought, the approbation you manifest of the measures I have taken, and the purpose I have formed, to maintain, pursuant to the trust reposed in me by the constitution, the respect which is due to the laws; and the assurance which you, at the same time, give me, of every constitutional aid and cooperation that may become requisite on your part. "This is a new proof of that enlightened solicitude for the establishment and confirmation of public order, which, embracing a zealous regard for the principles of true liberty, has guided the deliberations of the House of Representatives; a perseverance in which can alone secure, under the Divine blessing, the real and permanent felicity of our common country. "G. WASHINGTON." The House having returned to their Chamber, resumed the reading of the papers communicated by the Secretary of War, on Wednesday last, relative to the Indians north-west and south of the river Ohio, and to the troops in the service of the United States, and made a farther progress therein. TUESDAY, November 13. Two other members, to wit: ROBERT BARNWELL and DANIEL HUGER, from South Carolina, appeared, and took their seats in the House. Defeat of General St. Clair. "The several other matters which you have communicated and recommended, will, in their order, receive the attention due to them, and our discussions will, in all cases, we trust, be guided by a proper respect for harmony and stability in the public Councils, and a desire to conciliate, more and more, the at-House do come to the following resolution: tachment of our constituents to the constitution, by measures accommodated to the true ends for which it was established." Resolved, That the SPEAKER, attended by the House, do present the said Address, and that Mr. MADISON, Mr. BENSON, and Mr. MURRAY, be a committee to wait on the PRESIDENT, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the same. Mr. MADISON, from the committee appointed to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the Address of this House, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress, reported that the committee had waited on the PRESIDENT, who signified to them that it would be convenient to him to receive the said Address at 12 o'clock on Monday next, at his own house. On a motion made and seconded, that the "Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of War be notified that this House inthe Report of the committee appointed to inquire into tend, on Wednesday next, to take into consideration the causes of the failure of the late expedition under General St. Clair, to the end that they may attend the House, and furnish such information as may be conducive to the due investigation of the matters stated in the said report: Mr. WILLIAMSON moved to strike out the latter part of the resolution, which respected the attendance of the Secretaries on the House. This motion, if carried, leaves the resolution a simple proposition to inform those officers that the House were, on Wednesday, to take the report on the failure of General St. Clair's expedition into consideration. Mr. VENABLE objected generally to the resolution, as inconsistent with the dignity of the House. He doubted the propriety of the measure altogether. The gentlemen are not imAnother member, to wit, JOHN BAPTIST ASHE, peached, and therefore the House has no right MONDAY, November 12. NOVEMBER, 1792.] Defeat of General St. Clair. [H. OF R to cite them to make their appearance; and, | sible mode of ascertaining the real state of facts. with respect to information, the House can This, he conceived, could not be done so effeccommand such from the Heads of Departments tually as by the mode proposed in the resoluas they may see proper to require. He was at tion. a loss in attempting to investigate the object of the resolution. He could see no purpose that it would answer, which could not as well be obtained without it. Mr. WHITE offered several objections to the resolution, of a similar import with the above. Mr. DAYTON supported the motion by a few remarks, stating the importance of that information which those gentlemen alone could give. He adverted to the report of the committee, which he observed had exculpated the commanding General on that expedition, whereas he was of opinion that the failure was owing to the misconduct of that gentleman. Mr. TUCKER objected to the resolution. He preferred the mode of requiring that information which the House might think necessary, in writing. MR. MADISON objected to the motion on constitutional grounds, and as being contrary to the practice of the House. He had not, he said, thoroughly revolved the matter in his own mind, and therefore was not prepared to state fully the effects which would result from the adoption of the resolution; but he would hazard thus much, that it would form an innovation in the mode of conducting the business of this House, and introduce a precedent which would lead to perplexing and embarrassing consequences; as it involved a conclusion, in respect to the principles of the Government, which at an earlier day would have been revolted from. He was decidedly in favor of written informa tion. Mr. CLARK was opposed to the resolution; as a member of the committee who made the report, he had no apprehension; with respect to information, the report and the vouchers are before the House; and such further inquiry may be made of the proper officers as the House may think necessary. Mr. AMES supported the resolution. He noticed the impressions which the failure of the late expedition had made on the public mind. Characters had suffered in the general estimation. It was of the utmost importance that a thorough investigation should take place, that if the failure of the expedition was a mere casualty, and the fortune of war, it might be made to appear; or if it was owing to misconduct, the blame might fall on the proper subjects. The mode suggested to obtain information appeared to him the best that could be adopted-the most adequate to the object. It was due to justice, to truth, and to the national honor, to take effectual measures to investigate the business thoroughly. This inquiry appears to be the beginning of an arrangement preparatory to an impeachment; on whom this will fall, he should not presume to say; but still it places the subject in an important point of view, and shows in the strongest manner the necessity of adopting the best pos Mr. GILES objected to the resolution. He preferred a thorough discussion of the report, in the first place, and a comparison of the vouchers with the report; and if, in the issue, it should appear necessary to call for information from these officers, it could then be done; but, in the present state of the business, to adopt the resolution would place the committee in a very disagreeable situation. Mr. LAURANCE observed that the committee, in their report, say that, for want of time, they had not been able to complete it; it is, then, apparent from the report itself that it is immature. He stated several particulars in the report which were incomplete, and from hence inferred that there was material information to be received previous to being able to form a competent judgment on the matter. He observed that, as the information must be had, he saw no necessity of postponing the attendance of those officers in the first instance. Mr. MADISON, in reply to Mr. AMES's remark, that the best possible mode ought to be adopted, observed, that there seemed to be different ideas entertained by the different advocates of the resolution; one seemed to implicate the officers alluded to as parties concerned; another appeared to consider them merely as witnesses. For his part, he thought there was no other way of proceeding, but that of adopting one or the other of these alternatives: either to take up the report and discuss its merits, or for the House to begin the inquiry themselves, de novo. Mr. LIVERMORE objected to the resolution. He could not see any advantage which would result from adopting it. He thought the causes of the failure of the expedition were sufficiently obvious, without criminating any body. He adverted to these causes-they were, the rawness of the troops, and the superiority of the Indians as marksmen. On these points he could not see what information could be derived from the Secretary of the Treasury. He thought that the Legislature had gone too far already, and that no satisfaction would result from further proceedings, but that the subject would appear more and more involved. Mr. BOUDINOT, after stating sundry particulars relative to the state of the public mind at the time of the report, adverted to several parts of it which appear to criminate particular persons, some of whom were absent at the time of the investigation on which the report is founded. He therefore urged the necessity of receiving from the Heads of the Departments that information which was requisite to throw light on several parts of the report, and that this ought to be done previous to taking the report into consideration. Mr. FITZSIMONS said he should vote against the resolution. He did not think this the proper time to call for the information alluded to; H. OF R.] Defeat of General St. Clair. [NOVEMBER, 1792. nor the mode proposed a proper one. Some | event which has taken place, by which the naremarks have been made on the report, though tional character has suffered, and so severe and it is not before the House; to these he should unproductive an expense has been incurred, not particularly reply, but would only observe, amounting probably to one million dollars, has that no person had applied to the House for re- been owing to circumstances which could not dress of any supposed injury received by the re- be avoided or controlled, the public may receive port. It has been said that the inquiry ought satisfaction as to the whole matter. to have been a military one; but it was well known that it was impossible to institute such an inquiry by reason of the want of officers. He then gave a sketch of the mode of proceeding adopted by the committee in conducting the inquiry, to show that they had availed themselves of every means of information within their power. Mr. WILLIAMSON said he had moved to strike out the latter part of the resolution, but he was equally opposed to the whole of it; and since he had heard the remarks of several gentlemen, on both sides of the House, he was clearly of opinion that the best way was to dispose of it altogether, and let the subject proceed in the course which it had already taken. Mr. GILES observed, that he thought there was less delicacy observed on this occasion, in respect to the committee, than was usual in this House. With respect to the report, the vouchers on which every assertion is founded are before the House. As to the incompleteness of the report, it is an immaterial object; the few blanks it contains are occasioned by the want of time to examine the voluminous papers necessary to be examined, in order to ascertain some of the facts-facts not in themselves of the first importance. He observed, that he had not the smallest objection to the fullest investigation of the subject; he was in favor of all the information that could be possibly obtained; he objected not only to the mode now contended for, which he thought not only liable to all the objections which had been made, but to many others which might be offered. Mr. PAGE objected to the resolution, particularly to the precedent it would establish; but, at the same time, he was in favor of the fullest inquiry the subject was susceptible of. He said, the mode proposed would operate to clog the freedom of inquiry, and the freedom of debate. Mr. AMES, adverting to the spirit of the report, pointed out the peculiar situation of the two Secretaries, and that they did not stand on the same ground with other persons who are not so intimately implicated in the matter. He alluded to the various objections which had been urged from precedent, from the fulness of the investigation which the subject had undergone in the hands of the committee, and from the remark by Mr. LIVERMORE, that sufficient had already been done. To this last objection he particularly replied, by saying that the public wanted further satisfaction, and that the House could not justify themselves to their constituents without a stricter and fuller investigation, that the whole of the facts might be laid before them. Mr. MADISON said, the mode now proposed involved a dereliction of the only practicable mode of transacting public business; and that, however imperfect that mode might be, still he believed that it was the only one that had received the sanction of experience and utility. He therefore hoped that the resolution would be rejected, and the mode already adopted persevered in, and the necessary information called for in writing, from every person in anywise interested or competent to give it. dition; from hence, he inferred the justice and propriety of giving them an opportunity of exculpating themselves. Mr. W. SMITH supported the resolution. He Mr. DAYTON observed that he was one of showed by the report itself, and from the reathose who were not satisfied with the report; soning used by gentlemen in opposition to the he did not think the conclusion which excul- resolution, that the two Secretaries were impli pated the commanding officer could be sup-cated in the causes of the failure of the expeported by the report itself. He adverted to several facts stated in it, which showed that the commander must have been highly culpable; he instanced the slowness of his movements, the dilatoriness in constructing forts, and his being surprised by the enemy. He thought that the remarks which had fallen from gentlemen, on what he had said, were illiberal, as they had virtually impeached his candor, when he was not conscious of deviating from its dictates. It was not his intention to have touched on the merits of the report, but he had been impelled to do it from the turn the debate had taken. Mr. GERRY was in favor of the resolution. He enlarged on the magnitude of the object of investigation, and insisted that it was the indispensable duty of the House thoroughly to probe the subject to the bottom, that if any persons have been to blame they may suffer, or if the Mr. GERRY expressed surprise at the apprehension which some gentlemen appear to entertain of the measure of introducing the Heads of Departments into the House; for his part he had no such apprehensions. The Secretary will attend at the orders of the House merely to give such information as may be required, and not as members or ministers to influence and govern the determinations of the House. Mr. VENABLE objected further to the resolu tion; he urged the impropriety of any of the Heads of Departments coming forward, and attempting in any way to influence the deliberations of the Legislature. Mr. LAURANCE replied to Mr. VENABLE; he observed that the gentleman appeared to mistake the object of the resolution; it was not con |