JOHN LANGDON, from New Hampshire.
BENJAMIN GOODHUE, from Massachusetts.
THEODORE FOSTER, from Rhode Island.
JAMES HILLHOUSE and URIAH TRACY, from Connecticut.
JOHN LAURANCE and JAMES WATSON, from New York.
WILLIAM BINGHAM, from Pennsylvania.
HUMPHREY MARSHALL, from Kentucky.
JACOB READ, from South Carolina.
JAMES GUNN, from Georgia.
JOSEPH ANDERSON, appointed a Senator by the State of Tennessee, for the
remainder of the term for which their late Senator, ANDREW JACKSON, was
appointed; ABRAHAM BALDWIN, appointed a Senator by the State of Georgia;
JOHN BROWN, appointed a Senator by the State of Kentucky; SAMUEL
DEXTER, appointed a Senator by the State of Massachusetts; SAMUEL
LIVERMORE, appointed a Senator by the State of New Hampshire; and
WILLIAM HILL WELLS, appointed a Senator by the State of Delaware;
severally produced their credentials, and took their seats in the
Senate.
The VICE PRESIDENT being absent, the Senate proceeded to the election of
a President _pro tempore_, as the constitution provides, and SAMUEL
LIVERMORE was chosen.
_Ordered_, That Mr. READ administer the oath required by law to the
President of the Senate _pro tempore_.
The PRESIDENT administered the oath, as the law prescribes, to Messrs.
ANDERSON, BALDWIN, BROWN, DEXTER, and WELLS.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary wait upon the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, and acquaint him that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and
that, in the absence of the VICE PRESIDENT, they have elected SAMUEL
LIVERMORE, President of the Senate _pro tempore_.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives that
a quorum of the Senate is assembled and ready to proceed to business,
and that, in the absence of the VICE PRESIDENT, they have elected SAMUEL
LIVERMORE, President of the Senate _pro tempore_.
_Resolved_, That each Senator be supplied, during the present session,
with three such newspapers, printed in any of the States, as he may
choose, provided, that the same be furnished at the rate usual for the
annual charge of such papers.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that a
quorum of the House is assembled, and have elected THEODORE SEDGWICK
their Speaker.
_Ordered_, That Messrs. READ and BINGHAM, be a committee on the part of
the Senate, together with such committee as the House of Representatives
may appoint on their part, to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and
ready to receive any communications that he may be pleased to make to
them.
The PRESIDENT communicated a letter signed John Trumbull, presenting to
the Senate of the United States impressions of two prints of the
American Revolution, which he had lately caused to be published; and the
letter was read.
_Ordered_, That it lie on the table.
The Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock to-morrow morning.
TUESDAY, December 3.
WILLIAM COCKE, appointed a Senator by the State of Tennessee, and JAMES
SCHUREMAN, appointed a Senator by the State of New Jersey, in the room
of John Rutherfurd, resigned, severally produced their credentials, were
qualified, and took their seats in the Senate.
HENRY LATIMER, from the State of Delaware, and JAMES ROSS, from the
State of Pennsylvania, severally attended.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that a
quorum of the House is assembled, and have appointed a joint committee
on their part, together with such committee as the Senate may appoint on
theirs, to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and notify him
that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any
communications that he may be pleased to make to them.
Mr. READ reported from the joint committee appointed for the purpose,
that they had waited on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and had
notified him that a quorum of the two Houses of Congress are assembled;
and that the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, acquainted the committee,
that he would meet the two Houses, this day, at 12 o'clock, in the
Chamber of the House of Representatives.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the
House are now ready to meet the Senate, in the Chamber of that House, to
receive such communications as the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES shall
be pleased to make to them.
Whereupon the Senate repaired to the Chamber of the House of
Representatives, for the purpose above expressed.
The Senate then returned to their own Chamber, and a copy of the Speech
of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, this day addressed to both Houses
of Congress, was read:
_Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of
Representatives:_
It is with peculiar satisfaction that I meet the sixth
Congress of the United States of America. Coming from all
parts of the Union, at this critical and interesting
period, the members must be fully possessed of the
sentiments and wishes of our constituents.
The flattering prospects of abundance, from the labors of
the people, by land and by sea; the prosperity of our
extended commerce, notwithstanding interruptions occasioned
by the belligerent state of a great part of the world; the
return of health, industry, and trade, to those cities
which have lately been afflicted with disease; and the
various and inestimable advantages, civil and religious,
which, secured under our happy frame of Government, are
continued to us unimpaired, demand, of the whole American
people, sincere thanks to a benevolent Deity, for the
merciful dispensations of his providence.
But, while these numerous blessings are recollected, it is
a painful duty to advert to the ungrateful return which has
been made for them, by some of the people in certain
counties of Pennsylvania, where, seduced by the arts and
misrepresentations of designing men, they have openly
resisted the law directing the valuation of houses and
lands. Such defiance was given to the civil authority as
rendered hopeless all further attempts, by judicial
process, to enforce the execution of the law; and it became
necessary to direct a military force to be employed,
consisting of some companies of regular troops, volunteers,
and militia, by whose zeal and activity, in co-operation
with the judicial power, order and submission were
restored, and many of the offenders arrested. Of these,
some have been convicted of misdemeanors, and others,
charged with various crimes, remain to be tried.
To give due effect to the civil administration of
Government, and to ensure a just execution of the laws, a
revision and amendment of the judiciary system is
indispensably necessary. In this extensive country it
cannot but happen that numerous questions respecting the
interpretation of the laws, and the rights and duties of
officers and citizens, must arise. On the one hand, the
laws should be executed: on the other, individuals should
be guarded from oppression. Neither of these objects is
sufficiently assured under the present organization of the
Judicial Department. I therefore earnestly recommend the
subject to your serious consideration.
Persevering in the pacific and humane policy which had been
invariably professed and sincerely pursued by the Executive
authority of the United States, when indications were made
on the part of the French Republic, of a disposition to
accommodate the existing differences between the two
countries, I felt it to be my duty to prepare for meeting
their advances, by a nomination of ministers upon certain
conditions, which the honor of our country dictated, and
which its moderation had given a right to prescribe. The
assurances which were required of the French Government,
previous to the departure of our Envoys, have been given
through their Minister of Foreign Relations, and I have
directed them to proceed on their mission to Paris.[45]
They have full power to conclude a treaty, subject to the
constitutional advice and consent of the Senate. The
characters of these gentlemen are sure pledges to their
country that nothing incompatible with its honor or
interest, nothing inconsistent with our obligations of good
faith or friendship to any other nation, will be
stipulated.
It appearing probable, from the information I received,
that our commercial intercourse with some ports in the
island of St. Domingo might safely be renewed, I took such
steps as seemed to me expedient to ascertain that point.
The result being satisfactory, I then, in conformity with
the act of Congress on the subject, directed the restraints
and prohibitions of that intercourse to be discontinued, on
terms which were made known by proclamation. Since the
renewal of this intercourse, our citizens, trading to those
ports, with their property, have been duly respected, and
privateering from those ports has ceased.
The act of Congress relative to the seat of the Government
of the United States, requiring that, on the first Monday
of December next, it should be transferred from
Philadelphia to the district chosen for its permanent
seat, it is proper for me to inform you that the
Commissioners appointed to provide suitable buildings for
the accommodation of Congress and of the President, and for
the public offices of the Government, have made a report of
the state of the buildings designed for those purposes in
the city of Washington; from which they conclude that the
removal of the seat of Government to that place, at the
time required, will be practicable, and the accommodations
satisfactory. Their report will be laid before you.
At a period like the present, when momentous changes are
occurring, and every hour is preparing new and great events
in the political world, when a spirit of war is prevalent
in almost every nation with whose affairs the interests of
the United States have any connection, unsafe and
precarious would be our situation were we to neglect the
means of maintaining our just rights. The result of the
mission to France is uncertain; but, however it may
terminate, a steady perseverance in a system of national
defence, commensurate with our resources and the situation
of our country, is an obvious dictate of wisdom; for,
remotely as we are placed from the belligerent nations, and
desirous as we are, by doing justice to all, to avoid
offence to any, nothing short of the power of repelling
aggressions will secure to our country a rational prospect
of escaping the calamities of war, or national degradation.
As to myself, it is my anxious desire so to execute the
trust reposed in me, as to render the people of the United
States prosperous and happy. I rely, with entire
confidence, on your co-operation in objects equally your
care; and that our mutual labors will serve to increase and
confirm union among our fellow-citizens, and an unshaken
attachment to our Government.