_Ordered_, That five hundred copies of the Message of the PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES, together with one hundred copies of each of the
papers referred to in the Message, be printed for the use of the Senate.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the
House have elected the Reverend WILLIAM PARKINSON a Chaplain to
Congress, on their part.
WEDNESDAY, December 22.
DWIGHT FOSTER, from the State of Massachusetts, attended.
THURSDAY, December 23.
Mr. MORRIS, from the State of New York, attended.
MONDAY, December 27.
Mr. HILLHOUSE, from the State of Connecticut, attended.
THURSDAY, December 30.
Mr. ANDERSON, and Mr. COCKE, from the State of Tennessee, severally
attended.
MONDAY, January 3, 1803.
Mr. NICHOLAS, from the State of Virginia, and Mr. WELLS, from the State
of Delaware, attended.
FRIDAY, January 7.
Mr. STONE, from North Carolina, attended.
The PRESIDENT communicated a letter signed T. Worthington, agent for the
State of Ohio, enclosing a copy of the constitution of the said State,
and requesting it might be laid before the Senate; and they were read,
and ordered to lie for consideration.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion made on the 5th
instant for extending the laws of the United States to the State of
Ohio, together with the amendment proposed thereon; which amendment was
withdrawn; and it was agreed to adopt the motion, amended as follows:
_Resolved_, That a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and,
if any, what Legislative measures may be necessary for admitting the
State of Ohio into the Union, or for extending to that State the laws of
the United States; and
_Ordered_, That Messrs. BRECKENRIDGE, MORRIS, and ANDERSON, be the
committee, and that the letter signed T. Worthington, agent for the
State of Ohio, laid before the Senate this morning, together with a copy
of the constitution of said State, be referred to the same committee, to
consider and report thereon.
The bill to carry into effect the several resolutions of Congress for
erecting monuments to the memories of the late Generals Wooster,
Herkimer, Davidson, and Scriven, was read the third time.
On motion to postpone the further consideration of this bill until the
first Monday in December next, it passed in the negative--yeas 9, nays
17, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Bradley, Breckenridge,
Cocke, Ellery, Nicholas, Sumter, and Wright.
NAYS.--Messrs. Clinton, Dayton, T. Foster, D. Foster,
Franklin, Hillhouse, Howard, Jackson, Logan, J. Mason,
Morris, Olcott, Plumer, Stone, Tracy, Wells, and White.
On the question, Shall this bill pass as amended? it was determined in
the affirmative--yeas 18, nays 8, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Baldwin, Clinton, Dayton, T. Foster, D.
Foster, Franklin, Hillhouse, Howard, Jackson, Logan, J.
Mason, Morris, Olcott, Plumer, Stone, Tracy, Wells, and
White.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Bradley, Breckenridge, Cocke,
Ellery, Nicholas, Sumter, and Wright.
So it was _Resolved_, That this bill pass, that it be engrossed, and
that the title thereof be "An act to carry into effect the several
resolutions of Congress for erecting monuments to the memories of the
late Generals Wooster, Herkimer, Davidson, and Scriven."
TUESDAY, January 11.
In Executive session, the following Message was received from the
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:
_Gentlemen of the Senate_:
The cession of the Spanish province of Louisiana to France,
and perhaps of the Floridas, and the late suspension of our
right of deposit at New Orleans, are events of primary
interest to the United States. On both occasions, such
measures were promptly taken as were thought most likely
amicably to remove the present and to prevent future causes
of inquietude. The objects of these measures were to obtain
the territory on the left bank of the Mississippi, and
eastward of that, if practicable, on conditions to which
the proper authorities of our country would agree; or, at
least, to prevent any changes which might lessen the secure
exercise of our rights. While my confidence in our Minister
Plenipotentiary at Paris is entire and undiminished, I
still think that these objects might be promoted by joining
with him a person sent from hence directly, carrying with
him the feelings and sentiments of the nation, excited on
the late occurrence, impressed by full communications of
all the views we entertain on this interesting subject; and
thus prepared to meet and to improve, to a useful result,
the counter-propositions of the other contracting party,
whatsoever form their interests may give to them, and to
secure to us the ultimate accomplishment of our object.
I therefore nominate Robert R. Livingston to be Minister
Plenipotentiary, and James Monroe to be Minister
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, with full powers to
both, jointly, or to either, on the death of the other, to
enter into a treaty or convention with the First Consul of
France, for the purpose of enlarging, and more effectually
securing, our rights and interests in the river
Mississippi, and in the territories eastward thereof.
But as the possession of these provinces is still in Spain,
and the course of events may retard or prevent the cession
to France being carried into effect, to secure our object,
it will be expedient to address equal powers to the
Government of Spain also, to be used only in the event of
its being necessary.
I therefore nominate Charles Pinckney to be Minister
Plenipotentiary, and James Monroe, of Virginia, to be
Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, with full
powers to both, jointly, or to either, on the death of the
other, to enter into a treaty or convention with His
Catholic Majesty, for the purpose of enlarging, and more
effectually securing, our rights and interests in the river
Mississippi, and in the territories eastward thereof.