UNITED STATES, _June_ 21, 1798.
The Message and documents were read.
_Resolved_, That five hundred copies thereof be printed for the use of
the Senate.
MONDAY, June 25.
The bill to declare the treaties between the United States and the
Republic of France void and of no effect, was read the third time; and
the final passage of the bill was determined in the affirmative--yeas
14, nays 5, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Chipman, Foster, Goodhue,
Hillhouse, Howard, Laurance, Livermore, Lloyd, North,
Paine, Read, Sedgwick, and Tracy.
NAYS.--Messrs. Brown, Langdon, Martin, Mason, and Tazewell.
_Resolved_, That this bill pass: that it be engrossed; and that the
title thereof be, "An act to declare the treaties between the United
States and the Republic of France void and of no effect."
WEDNESDAY, June 27.
The VICE PRESIDENT being absent, the Senate proceeded to the choice of a
President _pro tempore_, as the constitution provides, and THEODORE
SEDGWICK was duly elected.
The bill to define more particularly the crime of treason, and to define
and punish the crime of sedition, was read the second time.
On motion that this bill be committed, it passed in the
affirmative--yeas 15, nays 6, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Chipman, Foster, Goodhue,
Hillhouse, Howard, Latimer, Laurance, Lloyd, North, Paine,
Read, Sedgwick, Stockton, and Tracy.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Brown, Langdon, Livermore, Martin,
and Mason.
_Ordered_, That this bill be referred to Messrs. LLOYD, TRACY, STOCKTON,
CHIPMAN, and READ, to consider and report thereon to the Senate.
FRIDAY, June 29.
The bill to authorize the PRESIDENT to prevent and regulate the landing
of French passengers, and other persons who may arrive within the United
States from foreign places, was read the third time.
On motion, to amend the proviso to the fourth section to read as
follows:
"_Provided_, That nothing in this act shall be construed to
prohibit the migration or importation of such persons as
any State may think proper by law to admit, nor to such
persons whose admission may be prohibited by the respective
States:"
It was determined in the negative--yeas 3, nays 17, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Mason, and Tazewell.
NAYS.--Messrs. Bingham, Foster, Goodhue, Hillhouse, Howard,
Langdon, Latimer, Laurance, Livermore, Lloyd, Martin,
North, Paine, Read, Sedgwick, Stockton, and Tracy.
On motion by Mr. MASON, to strike out these words from the preamble:
"The peculiar circumstances of the United States, in
relation to the Republic of France, and the citizens
thereof, require that, whilst the United States have
afforded hospitality and protection to Frenchmen who have
sought an asylum in this country, they should, on the other
hand, guard against the arrival and admission of such
evil-disposed persons as by their machinations, may
endanger the internal safety and tranquillity of the
country;" in order to insert the following words: "It is
represented that, on the evacuation of Port au Prince by
the British troops, a number of French white men and
negroes were put on board of vessels bound to the United
States, some of which have arrived, and others may be
shortly expected, and it is deemed dangerous to admit
indiscriminately such persons into the United States:"
It was agreed to divide the motion, and that the words should be struck
out; and, on the question to agree to the substitute, it was determined
in the negative--yeas 10, nays 10, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Bingham, Langdon, Laurance,
Livermore, Martin, Mason, North, Read, and Tazewell.
NAYS.--Messrs. Foster, Goodhue, Hillhouse, Howard, Latimer,
Lloyd, Paine, Sedgwick, Stockton, and Tracy.
So the amendment was lost.
And the bill being further amended, by striking out the remainder of the
preamble,
_Resolved_, That the consideration of this bill be postponed until
to-morrow.
SATURDAY, June 30.
The Senate resumed the third reading of the bill to authorize the
PRESIDENT to prevent or regulate the landing of French passengers, and
other persons who may arrive within the ports of the United States from
foreign places.
On motion, by Mr. MARTIN, one of the majority in favor of the exception
yesterday agreed to, namely, "except children under the age of twelve
years, and women, in cases especially authorized by the PRESIDENT," and
that it be reconsidered, it was determined in the negative--yeas 6, nays
15, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Hillhouse, Howard, Lloyd, Martin, and Read.
NAYS.--Messrs. Bingham, Brown, Chipman, Foster, Goodhue,
Langdon, Latimer, Laurance, Livermore, North, Paine,
Sedgwick, Stockton, Tazewell, and Tracy.
_Resolved_, That this bill pass; that it be engrossed; and that the
title thereof be "An act to authorize the PRESIDENT to prevent or
regulate the landing of French passengers, and other persons, who may
arrive within the ports of the United States from foreign places."
The Senate resumed the second reading of the bill, sent from the House
of Representatives, entitled "An act to provide for the valuation of
lands and dwelling houses, and the enumeration of slaves, within the
United States."
On motion, by Mr. PAINE, to agree to the following amendment to the
proviso in the eighth section, "And all uncultivated lands, except such
as make part or parcel of a farm; and except wood lots, used or reserved
for the purposes of fuel, fencing, lumber, or building:"
It was determined in the negative--yeas 10, nays 11, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Brown, Chipman, Goodhue, Latimer,
Laurance, Livermore, Paine, Sedgwick, and Stockton.
NAYS.--Messrs. Foster, Hillhouse, Howard, Langdon, Lloyd,
Martin, Mason, North, Read, Tazewell, and Tracy.
On motion, by one of the majority, to reconsider and restore the
following words, struck out from the end of the proviso to the eighth
section: "or which, at the time of making the said valuation or
enumeration, shall not have been assessed for, nor be then held liable
to, taxation under the laws of the State wherein the same is, or may be,
situated or possessed, shall be exempted from the aforesaid valuation
and enumeration:"
It was determined in the negative--yeas 6, nays 14, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Foster, Howard, Latimer, Laurance,
and North.
NAYS.--Messrs. Brown, Chipman, Goodhue, Hillhouse, Langdon,
Livermore, Lloyd, Martin, Mason, Paine, Read, Sedgwick,
Tazewell, and Tracy.
On motion, by Mr. MASON, to add the following words to the end of the
eighth section: "except such as, from fixed infirmity or bodily
disability, may be incapable of labor:"
It was determined in the affirmative--yeas 11, nays 8, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Howard, Langdon, Latimer, Livermore, Lloyd,
Martin, Mason, Paine, Read, Sedgwick, and Tazewell.
NAYS.--Messrs. Bingham, Brown, Foster, Goodhue, Hillhouse,
Laurance, North, and Tracy.
On motion, by Mr. BROWN, to strike out of that part of the eighth
section which respects the enumeration of slaves these words "above the
age of twelve, and under the age of fifty years:"
It was determined in the negative--yeas 10, nays 11, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Brown, Chipman, Goodhue,
Hillhouse, Latimer, Laurance, Lloyd, North, and Sedgwick.
NAYS.--Messrs. Foster, Howard, Langdon, Livermore, Martin,
Mason, Paine, Read, Stockton, Tazewell, and Tracy.
The report of the committee having been agreed to, and the bill amended
accordingly,
_Resolved_, That it pass to the third reading as amended.
MONDAY, July 2.
JOHN RUTHERFORD, from the State of New Jersey, attended.
TUESDAY, July 3.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the report of the committee to
whom was referred the bill to define more particularly the crime of
treason, and to define and punish the crime of sedition; and having
agreed to the report, the bill was amended accordingly; and the question
to agree to the third reading of the bill, as amended, was determined in
the affirmative--yeas 18, nays 5, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Bingham, Chipman, Clayton, Foster, Greene,
Hillhouse, Howard, Latimer, Laurance, Livermore, Martin,
North, Paine, Read, Rutherford, Sedgwick, Stockton, and
Tracy.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Brown, Langdon, Mason, and
Tazewell.
WEDNESDAY, July 4.
_Treason and Sedition._