MARCH, 1794.] Election of Kensey Johns. [SENATE. having been a citizen of the United States the term | STATES, in certain cases, to alter the place for of years required as a qualification to be a Senator of holding a session of Congress. the United States: " It passed in the affirmative-yeas 14, nays 12. Resolved, That an attested copy of the resolution of the Senate, declaring the election of ALBERT GALLATIN to be void, be transmitted by the PRESIDENT of the Senate to the Executive of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. FRIDAY, March 7. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate, that the House of Representatives have passed a bill, entitled "An act to prohibit the carrying on the slave trade from the United States to any foreign place or country;" also, a bill, entitled "An act limiting the time for presenting claims for destroyed certificates of certain descriptions;" in which bills, severally, they desire the concurrence of the Senate. THURSDAY, March 13. TUESDAY, March 25. The bill to authorize the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in certain cases, to alter the place for holding a session of Congress, was read the third time; and, being amended, Resolved, That this bill pass, that it be engrossed, and that the title thereof be, "An act to authorize the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in certain cases, to alter the place of holding a session of Congress." WEDNESDAY, March 26. The bill, sent from the House of Representatives for concurrence, entitled "An act limiting the time for presenting claims for destroyed certificates of certain descriptions," was read the third time. Resolved, That this bill pass with amendments. A message from the House of Representatives The bill authorizing and directing the settle-A resolution laying an embargo on the vessels informed the Senate, that the House have passed ment of the accounts of Major General LAFAY- in the ports of the United States;" in which ETTE was read the third time. Resolved, That this bill pass, that it be engrossed, and that the title thereof be "An act allowing to Major General LAFAYETTE his pay and emoluments while in the service of the United States." KENSEY JOHNS appeared and produced his credentials of an appointment by the Governor of the State of Delaware as a Senator for the United States, which were read. they desire the concurrence of the Senate. FRIDAY, March 28. The Senate resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee of Elections, to whom was referred the credentials of Kensey Johns, appointed by the Executive of the State of Delaware to be a Senator of the United States; which report is as follows: "The Committee of Elections, to whom were referred the credentials of an appointment by the Governor of the State of Delaware, of Kensey Johns, as a Senator of the United States, having had the same under consideration, report— "That George Read, a Senator for the State of Delaware, resigned his seat upon the 18th day of December, 1793, and during the recess of the Legislature of said State. "That the Legislature of the said State met in January, and adjourned in February, 1794. "That, upon the 19th day of March, and subsequent to the adjournment of the said Legislature, Kensey Johns was appointed, by the Governor of said State, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resigna tion aforesaid. "Whereupon, the committee submit the following resolution: Whereupon, it was moved that they be referred to the consideration of the Committee of Governor of the State of Delaware, as a Senator of "Resolved, That Kensey Johns, appointed by the Elections before the said KENSEY JOHNS should the United States, for said State, is not entitled to a be permitted to qualify, who are directed to re-seat in the Senate of the United States; a session of port thereon; and it passed in the affirmativeyeas 13, nays 12, as follows: YEAS.-Messrs. Bradley, Brown, Burr, Edwards, Gunn, Hawkins, Jackson, Langdon, Livermore, Martin, Monroe, Robinson, and Taylor. NAYS.-Messrs Bradford, Cabot, Ellsworth, Foster, Frelinghuysen, Izard, Mitchell, Morris, Potts, Rutherford, Strong, and Vining. The Senate resumed the second reading of the bill to authorize the PRDSIDENT OF THE UNITED the Legislature of the said State having intervened between the resignation of the said George Read and the appointment of the said Kensey Johns." On the question to agree to this report, it passed in the affirmative-yeas 20, nays 7, as follows: YEAS.-Messrs. Bradford, Bradley, Brown, Burr, Butler, Cabot, Edwards, Ellsworth, Frelinghuysen, Gunn, Hawkins, Jackson, King, Langdon, Livermore, Martin, Mitchell, Monroe, Robinson, and Taylor. 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, in confidence, sundry papers by The following Message was received from the which you will perceive the state of affairs between PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives :' In the communications which I have made to Congress during the present session relative to foreign nations, I have omitted no opportunity of testifying my anxiety to preserve the United States in peace. It is peculiarly, therefore, my duty, at this time to lay before you the present state of certain hostile threats against the territories of Spain in our neighborhood. The documents which accompany this message develope the measures which I have taken to suppress them, and the intelligence which has been lately received. It will be seen from thence that the subject has not been neglected; that every power vested in the Executive on such occasions has been exerted; and that there was reason to believe that the enterprise projected against the Spanish dominions was relinquished. But it appears to have been revived upon principles which set public order at defiance, and place the peace of the United States in the discretion of unauthorized individuals. The means already deposited in the different departments of Government are shown, by experience, not to be adequate to these high exigencies, although such of them as are lodged in the hands of the Executive shall continue to be used with promptness, energy, and decision, proportioned to the But I am impelled, by the position of our public affairs, to recommend that provision be made for a stronger and more vigorous opposition than can be given to such hostile movements under the laws as they now stand. case. G. WASHINGTON. UNITED STATES, May 20, 1794. us and the Six Nations, and the probable cause to which it is owing; and also certain information, whereby it would appear that some encroachment was about to be made on our territory by an officer and party of British troops. Proceeding upon a supposition of the authenticity of this information, although of a private nature, I have caused the representation to be made to the British Minister, a copy of which accompanies this Message. It cannot be necessary to comment upon the very serious nature of such an encroachment, nor to urge that this new state of things suggests the propriety of placing the United States in a posture of effectual preparation for an event which, notwithstanding the endeavors making to avert it, may, by circumstances beyond our control, be forced upon us. G. WASHINGTON. UNITED STATES, May 21, 1794. The Message and papers therein referred to were read, and ordered to lie for consideration. MONDAY, June 9. A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate, that the House, having finished the business of the session, are about to adjourn. of Representatives, that the Senate likewise, Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House having finished the business of the session, are about to adjourn; and, he having reported that he had delivered the message, the PRESIDENT of the Senate, conformably to the resolution of the 5th instant, adjourned the Senate to the day appointed by law for the next meeting of Congress. MONDAY, December 2, 1793. This being the day appointed by the constitution for the meeting of the present Congress, the following members appeared and took their seats: From New Hampshire.-NICHOLAS GILMAN, JOHN S. SHERBURNE, JEREMIAH SMITH, and PAINE WINGATE. From Massachusetts.-SHEARJASHUB BOURNE, DAVID COBB, HENRY DEARBORN, BENJAMIN GOODHUE, SAMUEL HOLTEN, WILLIAM LYMAN, THEODORE SEDGWICK, GEORGE THATCHER, and ARTEMAS WARD. From Connecticut.-AMASA LEARNED, URIAH TRACEY, JONATHAN TRUMBULL, and JEREMIAH WADSWORTH. From Vermont.-ISRAEL SMITH. From New York.-THEODORUS BAILEY, EZEKIEL Gilbert, HENRY GLENN, JAMES GORDON, SILAS TALBOT, JOHN E. VAN ALLEN, PHILIP VAN CORTLANDT, PETER VAN GAASBECK, and JOHN WATTS. From New Jersey.-JOHN BEATTY, ELIAS BOUDINOT, LAMBERT CADWALADER, ABRAHAM CLARK, and JONATHAN DAYTON. From Pennsylvania. — JAMES ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM FINDLAY, THOMAS FITZSIMONS, ANDREW GREGG, THOMAS HARTLEY, WILLIAM IRVINE, JOHN WILKES KITTERA, FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG, PETER MUHLENBERG, THOMAS SCOTT, and JOHN SMILIE. From Maryland.-GEORGE DENT and SAMUEI SMITH. From Virginia.-WILLIAM B. GILES, CARTER B. HARRISON, JOHN HEATH, RICHARD BLAND LEE, JAMES MADISON, ANDREW MOORE, ANTHONY NEW, JOHN NICHOLAS, FRANCIS PRESTON, ROBERT RUTHERFORD, ABRAHAM Venable, and FRANCIS WALKER. From Kentucky.-CHRISTOPHER GREENUP. From North Carolina.-THOMAS BLOUNT, WILLIAM JOHNSON DAWSON, MATTHEW LOCKE, NATHANIEL MACON, and ALEXANDER MEBANE. From South Carolina.-WILLIAM SMITH. From Georgia. THOMAS P. CARNES. - ABRAHAM BALDWIN and A quorum of the members being present, the House proceeded to ballot for a Speaker, when it appeared that FREDERICK A. MUHLENBERG, one of the members from Pennsylvania, was elected; whereupon he was conducted to the chair, and made his acknowledgments to the House.* The House then proceeded, in the same manner, to the appointment of a Clerk, when JOHN BECKLEY was appointed. The usual oath was then administered to the members. Messages were interchanged between the two Houses, announcing their formation and readiness to proceed to business. Joseph Wheaton was appointed Sergeant-atArms, Gifford Dally as Doorkeeper, and Thomas Claxton as Assistant Doorkeeper. A joint committee was appointed by the two Houses 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 communication that he may think proper to make to them. Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed, one by each House, to interchange weekly. Resolved, That a standing Committee of Elections be appointed; also a committee to report rules and orders of proceeding. TUESDAY, December 3. JOSEPH MCDOWELL and BENJAMIN WILLIAMS, from North Carolina, appeared, and took their seats. *This was a party election, and as such conducted on both sides. Marshall, in his Life of Washington, says of it: "By each party a candidate for the chair was brought forward; and Mr. Muhlenberg, who was supported by the opposition, was elected by a majority of ten votes against Mr. Sedgwick whom the Federalists supported." H OF R.] Address to the President. [DECEMBER, 1793. A message from the Senate announced their | bers whose credentials were examined, the rereadiness to receive the communication from port concludes:] the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. The SPEAKER and members withdrew to the Senate Chamber, where the PRESIDENT attended, and delivered his Speech to the two Houses, which will be found in the proceedings of the Senate. On the return of the members, the Speech was committed to a Committee of the Whole. WEDNESDAY, December 4. PELEG COFFIN, Jr., from Massachusetts, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, from Pennsylvania, and WILLIAM VANS MURRAY, from Maryland, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to them by the SPEAKER, according to law. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Speech of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to both Houses of Congress; and, after some time spent therein, the Chairman reported that the committee had had the said Speech under consideration, and come to a resolution thereupon; which was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as follows: Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that a respectful Address ought to be presented by the House of Representatives to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress, at the commencement of this session, containing assurances that this House will take into consideration the various and important matters recommended to their attention. Ordered, That Messrs. MADISON, SEDGWICK, WATTS, HARTLEY, and SAMUEL SMITH, be appointed a committee to prepare an Address pursuant to the said resolution. JAMES HILLHOUSE, from Connecticut, and JoSIAH PARKER, from Virginia, appeared, and took their seats. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, from the Standing Committee of Elections, reported that the committee had, in part, examined the certificates and other credentials of the members returned to serve in this House, and had agreed upon a report; which was read, and is as follows: "It appears to your committee, that the credentials of the following members are sufficient to entitle them to take their seats in the House, to wit: [After enumerating the names of the mem "Your committee further report that, in the case of JOHN PATTON, returned as a member for the State of Delaware, the Executive of the said State have, together with the return, transmitted a protest, made to them by Henry Latimer, of the said State, against the return of the said JOHN PATTON." Ordered, That the said report do lie on the table. The House resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House on the Address to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in answer to after some time spent therein, the Chairman rehis Speech to both Houses of Congress; and, Address under consideration, and made no ported that the committee had had the said amendment thereto. Resolved, unanimously, That this House doth agree to the said Address, in the words following: SIR: The Representatives of the people of the United States, in meeting you for the first time since you have been again called, by a unanimous suffrage, embrace with no less sincerity than promptitude, for to your present station, find an occasion, which they expressing to you their congratulations on so distinguished a testimony of public approbation, and their entire confidence in the purity and patriotism of the motives which have produced this obedience to the voice of your country. It is to virtues which have commanded long and universal reverence, and services from which have flowed great and lasting benefits, that the tribute of praise may be paid without the reproach of flattery; and it is from the same sources that the fairest anticipations may be derived in favor of the public happiness. The United States having taken no part in the war which had embraced in Europe the Powers with whom they have the most extensive relations, the maintenance of peace was justly to be regarded as one of the most important duties of the Magistrate charged with the faithful execution of the laws. We accordingly witness, with approbation and pleasure, the vigilance with which you have guarded against an interruption of that blessing, by your Proclamation, admonishing our citizens of the consequences of illicit promoting, by a declaration of the existing legal state or hostile acts towards the belligerent parties; and of things, an easier admission of our right to the immunities belonging to our situation. The connection of the United States with Europe has evidently become extremely interesting. The communications which remain to be exhibited to us will, no doubt, assist in giving us a fuller view of the subject, and in guiding our deliberations to such results as may comport with the rights and true interests of our country. We learn, with deep regret, that the measures, dictated by a love of peace, for obtaining an amicable termination of the afflicting war on our frontiers, have been frustrated, and that a resort to offensive measures should have again become necessary. As the latter, however, must be rendered more satisfactory, in proportion to the solicitude for peace, manifested by the former, it is to be hoped they will be pursued under the better auspices, on that account, and be finally crowned with more happy success. In relation to the particular tribe of Indians against whom offensive measures have been prohibited, as well as on all the other important subjects which you have presented to our view, we shall bestow the attention which they claim. We cannot, however, refrain, at this time, from particularly expressing our concurrence in your anxiety for the regular discharge of the public debts, as fast as circumstances and events will permit, and, in the policy of removing any impediments that may be found in the way of a faithful representation of public proceedings throughout the United States, being persuaded, with you, that on no subject more than the former can delay be more injurious, or an economy of time more valuable; and that, with respect to the latter, no resource is so firm for the Government of the United States as the affections of the people, guided by an enlightened policy. Throughout our deliberations we shall endeavor to cherish every sentiment which may contribute to render them conducive to the dignity as well as to the welfare of the United States. And we join with you in imploring that Being, on whose will the fate of nations depends, to crown with success our mutual endeavors. Resolved, That Mr. SPEAKER, attended by the House, do present the said Address, and that Mr. MADISON, Mr. SEDGWICK, and Mr. HARTLEY, 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, to-morrow, at his own house. SATURDAY, December 7. PELEG WADSWORTH, from Massachusetts, and Joseph Neville, from Virginia, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats. 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: I shall not affect to conceal the cordial satisfaction which I derive from the Address of the House of Representatives. Whatsoever those services may be which you have sanctioned by your favor, it is a sufficient reward that they have been accepted as they were meant. For the fulfilment of your anticipations of the future, I can give no other assurance than that the motives which you approve shall continue unchanged. It is truly gratifying to me to learn that the Proclamation has been considered as a seasonable guard against the interruption of the public peace. Nor can I doubt that the subjects which I have recommended to your attention as depending on Legislative provisions, will receive a discussion suited to their importance. With every reason, then, it may be expected that your deliberations, under the Divine blessing, will be matured to the honor and happiness of the G. WASHINGTON. United States. MONDAY, December 9. [H. OF R THURSDAY, December 19. The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of State, accompanying a report on the privileges and restrictions on the countries, made pursuant to a resolution of the commerce of the United States in foreign House of the twenty-third of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one; which was read, and ordered to be committed to the Committee of the whole House, to whom are committed the confidential communications from the PRESIDENT respecting the measures which have been pursued for obtaining a recognition of the treaty between the United States and Morocco, and for the ransom of prisoners and establishment of peace with the Algerines. FRIDAY, December 20. WILLIAM HINDMAN, from Maryland, and SAMUEL GRIFFIN, from Virginia, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats. MONDAY, December 23. ALEXANDER D. ORR, from Kentucky, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House. |