Mr. SMILIE moved to fill the blank for the number of midshipmen
with "one hundred and fifty" (about half the number at present in
service)--Agreed to, ayes 51, noes 37.
The question was stated on filling the blank for the number of seamen
to be retained with "two thousand seven hundred and twenty-three," as
moved by Mr. BASSETT, and rejected, yeas 46, nays 52; also the question
was taken on filling with 2,000, and rejected, yeas 39, nays 56; also
on filling with 1,400, which was carried; and the House then adjourned.
TUESDAY, May 1.
_General Wilkinson._
Mr. BUTLER, from the committee appointed to inquire into the conduct of
Brigadier General, James Wilkinson, rose to make a report.
The question on reading the report was taken and carried, 58 to 32.
The report is as follows:
The committee to whom was referred the resolution of the 4th
instant, directing an inquiry into the conduct of Brigadier
General James Wilkinson, in relation to his having at any
time, while in the service of the United States, corruptly
received money from the Government of Spain, or its agents, or
in relation to his having, during this time aforesaid, been
an accomplice, or in any way concerned with the agents of any
foreign power, or with Aaron Burr, in a project against the
dominions of the King of Spain, or to dismember these United
States, and to inquire generally into the conduct of the said
James Wilkinson, as Brigadier General of the Army of the United
States, report, that they have had under consideration the
several subjects of inquiry, and have investigated them to the
utmost of their power since the time of their appointment, but
from the limited period in which they have acted, and from the
extensive and complicated nature of the subjects, they are
under the necessity of stating that they have not been able to
make any thorough and conclusive investigation of the objects
of their inquiry.
Such testimony, however, as they have been able to procure,
they beg leave to submit as part of this report, and which may
be referred to under the following heads and order:
In relation to the first objects of inquiry, to wit: the
receipt of money by General Wilkinson from the Spanish
Government or its agents, refer to the
[Here follows a list of papers, 19 in number.]
In relation to the second object of inquiry, to wit: the
connection of General Wilkinson with the agents of Spain in a
project to dismember the United States, refer to the
[Here follows a list of 11 papers.]
In relation to the third object of inquiry, to wit: General
Wilkinson's connection with Aaron Burr, refer to
[Here follows a list of 14 papers.]
In relation to the fourth point of inquiry, to wit: the conduct
of General Wilkinson, as Brigadier General of the army of the
United States, refer to the
[Here follows a list of 6 papers.]
The committee think proper, also, to submit the following
papers relating to tobacco and other commercial transactions in
which General Wilkinson was concerned, from the month of ----
in the year 1788, to the month of ---- in the year 1790, to wit:
[Here follows a list of 10 papers.]
In making the last preceding statement the committee beg leave
to remark, that from an examination of the sentence of the
military court of inquiry, ordered at the request of General
Wilkinson, and of which Colonel Burbeck was President, it
appears that the tobacco transactions of General Wilkinson at
New Orleans in 1789 and 1790 constituted a material part of
that inquiry, and that a copy of an account current was laid
before the said court by General Wilkinson and designated
by No. ----, and several letters accompanying said account,
supposed by the court to be in the handwriting of Philip
Noland, the agent of General Wilkinson.
The committee conceiving that the papers collected by the said
court would aid them in their investigation, made application
for those papers to the Secretary of War, but were unable to
obtain them, they having been taken from the office by General
Wilkinson, as appears from the deposition of John Smith, chief
clerk in the War Office. The committee then directed a subpoena
to General Wilkinson, requiring him to send or produce all the
papers which had been used or collected by the said court, in
obedience to which General Wilkinson sent to the committee
a packet of papers which did not contain either the account
and letters referred to in the sentence of the court, or the
defence of General Wilkinson, nor have the committee been able
to procure them, and, consequently, have not had it in their
power to compare the accounts herewith exhibited with those
which were laid before the military court of inquiry. For the
further elucidation, refer to Walter Jones's deposition, marked
W. J.
The committee also submit the deposition of Daniel W. Coxe,
authenticating the papers to which he specially refers, marked
D. W. C.
Mr. GHOLSON observed that the reading of the documents accompanying the
report would take until midnight, at least, and he hoped there would be
no objection to dispense with the reading of them.
No one objecting, the reading of the documents was dispensed with, and
the whole was ordered to be printed.
_Adjournment._
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have
appointed a committee on their part, jointly with such committee as may
be appointed on the part of this House, to wait on the President of the
United States, and inform him of the proposed recess of Congress.
The House proceeded to consider the resolution from the Senate to
appoint a joint committee to wait on the President, and acquaint him of
the proposed recess of Congress; and the same was concurred in by the
House; and Messrs. CRAWFORD and ROANE were appointed the committee on
the part of the House.
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate, having
completed the legislative business before them, are ready to adjourn.
Mr. CRAWFORD, from the joint committee to wait on the President of
the United States, and inform him of the proposed recess of Congress,
reported that the committee had performed that service, and that the
President informed them that he had no further communication to make to
Congress during the present session.
_Ordered_, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform them that
this House are now ready to adjourn; and that the clerk do go with the
said message.
The clerk accordingly went with the said message; and, being returned,
the SPEAKER adjourned the House until the first Monday in December
next.