The Senate returned to their own Chamber, and then adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, December 21.
THEODORE SEDGWICK, appointed a Senator by the State of Massachusetts, in
place of CALEB STRONG, resigned, attended, produced his credentials, and
the oath required by law being administered to him, he took his seat in
the Senate.
TUESDAY, December 27.
JOHN EAGER HOWARD, appointed a Senator by the State of Maryland, in
place of RICHARD POTTS, resigned, produced his credentials, and the oath
required by law being administered, he took his seat in the Senate.
JOSIAH TATTNALL, from the State of Georgia, attended.
WEDNESDAY, December 28.
JAMES ROSS, from the State of Pennsylvania, attended.
WEDNESDAY, January 11, 1797.
JOHN VINING, from the State of Delaware, attended.
THURSDAY, January 12.
AARON BURR, from the State of New York, and STEVENS THOMSON MASON, from
the State of Virginia, attended.
FRIDAY, January 27.
JOHN HUNTER, appointed a Senator by the State of South Carolina, in
place of PIERCE BUTLER, resigned, attended, produced his credentials,
and the oath required by law, being administered to him, he took his
seat in the Senate.
THURSDAY, February 2.
MR. SEDGWICK reported, from the joint committee appointed on the part of
the Senate, on the subject of the election of PRESIDENT and VICE
PRESIDENT, that, in their opinion, the following resolution ought to be
adopted, viz:
"That the two Houses shall assemble in the Chamber of the
House of Representatives on Wednesday next, at twelve
o'clock; that one person be appointed a teller on the part
of the Senate, to make a list of the votes as they shall be
declared: That the result shall be delivered to the
President of the Senate, who shall announce the state of
the vote and the persons elected, to the two Houses
assembled as aforesaid; which shall be deemed a declaration
of the persons elected President and Vice President, and,
together with a list of votes, be entered on the journals
of the two Houses."
WEDNESDAY, February 8.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that
they are ready to meet the Senate in the Chamber of that House,
agreeably to the report of the joint committee, to attend the opening
and examining the votes of the Electors for PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, as the constitution provides.
The two Houses of Congress accordingly assembled in the Representatives'
Chamber, and the certificates of the Electors of sixteen States were, by
the VICE PRESIDENT, opened and delivered to the tellers, appointed for
the purpose, who, having examined and ascertained the number of votes,
presented a list thereof to the VICE PRESIDENT, which was read as
follows:
For John Adams, 71 votes; for Thomas Jefferson, 68; for
Thomas Pinckney, 59; for Aaron Burr, 30; for Samuel Adams,
15; for Oliver Ellsworth, 11; for George Clinton, 7; for
John Jay, 5; for James Iredell 2; for George Washington, 2;
for John Henry, 2; for Samuel Johnson, 2; for Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney, 1;
Whereupon the VICE PRESIDENT addressed the two Houses of Congress as
follows:
In obedience to the Constitution and law of the United
States, and to the commands of both Houses of Congress,
expressed in their resolution passed in the present
session, I now declare that
JOHN ADAMS is elected President of the United States, for
four years, to commence with the fourth day of March next;
and that
THOMAS JEFFERSON is elected Vice President of the United
States, for four years, to commence with the fourth day of
March next. And may the Sovereign of the Universe, the
ordainer of civil government on earth, for the preservation
of liberty, justice, and peace among men, enable both to
discharge the duties of these offices conformably to the
Constitution of the United States, with conscientious
diligence, punctuality, and perseverance.
The VICE PRESIDENT then delivered the votes of the Electors to the
Secretary of the Senate, the two Houses of Congress separated, and the
Senate returned to their own Chamber, and soon after adjourned.
THURSDAY, February 9.
The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the following communication:
_Gentlemen of the Senate_:
In consequence of the declaration made yesterday in the
Chamber of the House of Representatives of the election of
a President and Vice President of the United States, the
record of which has just now been read from your journal by
your Secretary, I have judged it proper to give notice
that, on the 4th of March next at 12 o'clock I propose, to
attend again in the Chamber of the House of
Representatives, in order to take the oath prescribed by
the Constitution of the United States to be taken by the
President, to be administered by the Chief Justice or such
other Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States as
can most conveniently attend; and, in case none of those
Judges can attend, by the Judge of the District of
Pennsylvania, before such Senators and Representatives of
the United States as may find it convenient to honor the
transaction with their presence.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary carry an attested copy of this
communication to the House of Representatives.
_Ordered_, That Messrs. SEDGWICK, TAZEWELL, and READ, be a joint
committee, with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the
House of Representatives, to consider whether any, and if any, what
measures ought to be adopted for the further accommodation of the
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, for the term commencing on the 4th day
of March next.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary desire the concurrence of the House of
Representatives in the appointment of a joint committee on their part.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that
they have agreed to the report of the joint committee appointed to
ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for PRESIDENT and
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and of notifying the persons
elected of their election.
Mr. SEDGWICK, from the joint committee to whom it was referred to join
such committee as might be appointed by the House of Representatives to
ascertain and report a mode of examining the votes for PRESIDENT and
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and of notifying the persons
elected of their election, reported that, having further concurred with
the committee appointed by the House of Representatives, that, in their
opinion, the following resolution ought to be adopted by the Senate:
"_Resolved_, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed
to give, by letter, to the Vice President elect, a
notification of his election."
On motion, it was agreed to insert the PRESIDENT of the Senate instead
of the Secretary; and,
On motion, it was agreed to reconsider the resolution, and to recommit
the report from the joint committee.
Mr. SEDGWICK reported, from the joint committee last mentioned, that the
committee on the part of the House of Representatives considered
themselves discharged from their commission.
_Resolved_, That the Senate disagree to the report of the joint
committee on the mode of notifying the VICE PRESIDENT elect of his
election; and that a committee be appointed on the part of the Senate,
to confer with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the
House of Representatives, on the report of the joint committee above
mentioned; and that Messrs. SEDGWICK, LAURANCE and READ, be the managers
at the conference on the part of the Senate.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives
therewith.