THURSDAY, December 15.
_Classification of Senators._
On motion, the Senate proceeded to ascertain the classes in which the
Senators of the State of Ohio should be inserted, as the constitution and
rule heretofore adopted prescribe; and it was ordered, that two lots,
No. 2 and a blank, be by the Secretary rolled up and put in the ballot
box; and it was understood that the Senator who should draw the lot No.
2 should be inserted in the class of Senators whose terms of service
respectively expire in four years from and after the third day of March,
1803, in order to equalize the classes.
Accordingly, Mr. WORTHINGTON drew lot No. 2, and Mr. JOHN SMITH drew the
blank.
It was then agreed that two lots, Nos. 1 and 3, should be by the
Secretary rolled up and put into the ballot-box, and one of these
be drawn by Mr. JOHN SMITH, the Senator from the State of Ohio, not
classed; and it was understood that, if he should draw lot No. 1, he
should be inserted in the class of Senators whose terms of service will
respectively expire in two years from and after the third day of March,
1803; but, if he should draw lot No. 3, it was understood that he should
be inserted in the class of Senators whose terms respectively expire in
six years from and after the third day of March, 1803. Mr. JOHN SMITH
drew lot No. 3, and is classed accordingly.
FRIDAY, December 16.
_Importation of Slaves._
The Senate took into consideration the motion made yesterday, that
a committee be appointed to inquire whether any, and, if any, what
amendments ought to be made in the act, entitled “An act to prevent the
importation of certain persons into certain States, by the laws whereof
their admission is prohibited,” and that the committee have leave to
report by bill or otherwise; and the motion was adopted; and
_Ordered_, That Messrs. FRANKLIN, VENABLE, and I. SMITH, be this
committee.
MONDAY, December 19.
_Admissions on the Floor._
The Senate took into consideration the motion made on the 16th instant,
that no person be admitted on the floor of the Senate Chamber except
members of the House of Representatives, foreign ministers, and the Heads
of Departments, unless introduced by a member of the Senate.
On motion, it was agreed to strike out the words “unless introduced by a
member of the Senate;” and on motion, it was agreed to subjoin, after the
word “Departments,” “and Judges of the Supreme and District Courts of the
United States.”
On motion to insert after the word “States,” “and the ladies,” it passed
in the negative--yeas 12, nays 16, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Breckenridge, Brown, Dayton, Jackson,
Maclay, Potter, I. Smith, S. Smith, Tracy, White, and Wright.
NAYS.--Messrs. Adams, Armstrong, Bailey, Baldwin, Bradley,
Cocke, Condit, Ellery, Franklin, Hillhouse, Olcott, Pickering,
Plumer, J. Smith, Venable, and Worthington.
On motion to insert after the word “States,” “the Governors and
Councillors of the respective States, and the Representatives of the
State Legislatures,” it passed in the negative--yeas 13, nays 15, as
follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Adams, Anderson, Bailey, Breckenridge,
Dayton, Maclay, Potter, I. Smith, S. Smith, Tracy, Venable,
Worthington, and Wright.
NAYS.--Messrs. Armstrong, Baldwin, Bradley, Brown, Cocke,
Condit, Ellery, Franklin, Hillhouse, Jackson, Olcott,
Pickering, Plumer, J. Smith, and White.
On motion to agree to the resolution amended as follows:
_Resolved_, That no person be admitted on the floor of the
Senate Chamber, except members of the House of Representatives,
foreign ministers, and Heads of Departments, and Judges of the
Supreme and District Courts of the United States:
It was determined in the negative--yeas 7, nays 21, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Adams, Bailey, Condit, Dayton, Franklin,
Jackson, and Wright.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Armstrong, Baldwin, Bradley,
Breckenridge, Brown, Cocke, Ellery, Hillhouse, Maclay, Olcott,
Pickering, Plumer, Potter, I. Smith, S. Smith, Tracy, Venable,
White, and Worthington.
FRIDAY, December 30.
_Erection of Louisiana into two Territories._
Mr. BRECKENRIDGE, from the committee appointed, on the 5th instant, for
that purpose, reported a bill erecting Louisiana into two Territories,
and providing for the temporary government thereof; and the bill was
read, and ordered to the second reading.
TUESDAY, January 3, 1804.
_Erection of Contingent Fund._
The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES:
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States_:
I now lay before the Congress the annual account of the fund
established for defraying the contingent charges of Government.
No occasion having arisen for making use of any part of it in
the present year, the balance of eighteen thousand five hundred
and sixty dollars, unexpended at the end of the last year,
remains now in the Treasury.