THOMAS WORTHINGTON, from Ohio.
WILLIAM B. GILES, appointed a Senator by the Executive of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, in place of Abraham B. Venable, resigned, took
his seat, and his credentials were read.
The VICE PRESIDENT gave notice that he had received a letter from WILLIAM
HILL WELLS, a Senator from the State of Delaware, resigning his seat in
the Senate.
The number of Senators present not being sufficient to constitute a
quorum, the Senate adjourned.
TUESDAY, November 6.
JESSE FRANKLIN, from the State of North Carolina, GEORGE LOGAN, from
the State of Pennsylvania, and TIMOTHY PICKERING, from the State of
Massachusetts, severally attended.
ANDREW MOORE, appointed a Senator by the Executive of the Commonwealth of
Virginia, in place of Wilson C. Nicholas, resigned, took his seat, and
his credentials were read.
The PRESIDENT administered the oath to Mr. GILES and Mr. MOORE, as the
law prescribes.
_Ordered_--That the PRESIDENT be requested to notify the Executive of
the State of Delaware of the resignation of Mr. Wells.
No quorum being present, the Senate adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, November 7.
ROBERT WRIGHT, from the State of Maryland, attended.
_Ordered_, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives that a
quorum of the Senate is assembled and ready to proceed to business.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that a
quorum of the House of Representatives is assembled and ready to proceed
to business. The House of Representatives have appointed a committee on
their part, jointly, with such committee as the Senate may appoint, 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 House of Representatives have
also passed a resolution that two chaplains, of different denominations,
be appointed to Congress for the present session, one by each House, who
shall interchange weekly; in which several resolutions they desire the
concurrence of the Senate.
The Senate took into consideration the resolution of the House of
Representatives for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the
President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two
Houses is assembled; and concurred therein, and Messrs. SAMUEL SMITH and
BALDWIN were appointed the committee on the part of the Senate.
The Senate took into consideration the Resolution of the House of
Representatives for the appointment of two chaplains to Congress during
the present session, and, having agreed thereto, proceeded to the choice
of a chaplain on their part; and the Rev. Mr. MCCORMICK was duly elected.
Mr. SAMUEL SMITH reported, from the joint committee, that they had waited
on the President of the United States, agreeably to the resolution of
this day, and that the President of the United States had informed the
committee that he would make a communication to the two Houses to-morrow
at 12 o’clock.
THURSDAY, November 8.
JONATHAN DAYTON, from the State of New Jersey, and JAMES HILLHOUSE, from
the State of Connecticut, severally attended.
The following message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES:--
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States_:
To a people, fellow-citizens, who sincerely desire the
happiness and prosperity of other nations, to those who justly
calculate that their own well-being is advanced by that of
the nations with which they have intercourse, it will be a
satisfaction to observe, that the war which was lighted up in
Europe a little before our last meeting, has not yet extended
its flames to other nations, nor been marked by the calamities
which sometimes stain the footsteps of war. The irregularities,
too, on the ocean, which generally harass the commerce of
neutral nations, have, in distant parts, disturbed ours less
than on former occasions. But, in the American seas, they have
been greater from peculiar causes; and even within our harbors
and jurisdiction, infringements on the authority of the laws
have been committed, which have called for serious attention.
While noticing the irregularities committed on the ocean by
others, those on our own part should not be omitted, nor left
unprovided for. Complaints have been received that persons
residing within the United States have taken on themselves to
arm merchant vessels, and to force a commerce into certain
ports and countries in defiance of the laws of those countries.
That individuals should undertake to wage private war,
independently of the authority of their country, cannot be
permitted in a well-ordered society. Its tendency to produce
aggression on the laws and rights of other nations, and to
endanger the peace of our own, is so obvious that I doubt not
you will adopt measures for restraining it effectually in
future.
With the nations of Europe, in general, our friendship and
intercourse are undisturbed, and from the governments of the
belligerent powers especially, we continue to receive those
friendly manifestations which are justly due to an honest
neutrality, and to such good offices consistent with that as we
have opportunities of rendering.
The activity and success of the small force employed in the
Mediterranean in the early part of the present year, the
reinforcements sent into that sea, and the energy of the
officers having command in the several vessels, will, I trust,
by the sufferings of war, reduce the barbarians of Tripoli to
the desire of peace on proper terms.
The Bey of Tunis having made requisitions unauthorized by our
treaty, their rejection has produced from him some expressions
of discontent. But to those who expect us to calculate whether
a compliance with unjust demands will not cost us less than a
war, we must leave as a question of calculation for them; also,
whether to retire from unjust demands will not cost them less
than a war. We can do to each other very sensible injuries by
war; but the mutual advantages of peace make that the best
interest of both.
In pursuance of the act providing for the temporary
government of Louisiana, the necessary officers for the
Territory of Orleans were appointed in due time, to commence
the exercise of their functions on the first day of October.
The distance, however, of some of them, and indispensable
previous arrangements, may have retarded its commencement in
some of its parts; the form of government thus provided having
been considered but as temporary, and open to such future
improvements as further information of the circumstances of our
brethren there might suggest, it will of course be subject to
your consideration.
The act of Congress of February 28, 1803, for building and
employing a number of gunboats, is now in a course of execution
to the extent there provided for. The obstacle to naval
enterprise which vessels of this construction offer for our
seaport towns; their utility towards supporting, within our
waters, the authority of the laws; the promptness with which
they will be manned by the seamen and militia of the place in
the moment they are wanting; the facility of their assembling
from different parts of the coast to any point where they
are required in greater force than ordinary; the economy of
their maintenance and preservation from decay when not in
actual service; and the competence of our finances to this
defensive provision, without any new burden, are considerations
which will have due weight with Congress in deciding on the
expediency of adding to their number from year to year, as
experience shall test their utility, until all our important
harbors, by these and auxiliary means, shall be secured against
insult and opposition to the laws.
The state of our finances continues to fulfil out expectations.
Eleven millions and a half of dollars, received in the course
of the year ending the 30th of September last, have enabled us,
after meeting all the ordinary expenses of the year, to pay
upwards of three million six hundred thousand dollars of the
public debt, exclusive of interest. This payment, with those
of the two preceding years, has extinguished upwards of twelve
millions of the principal and a greater sum of interest within
that period; and, by a proportionate diminution of interest,
renders already sensible the effect of the growing sum yearly
applicable to the discharge of the principal.
These, fellow-citizens, are the principal matters which I have
thought it necessary, at this time, to communicate for your
consideration and attention. Some others will be laid before
you in the course of the session; but, in the discharge of
the great duties confided to you by our country, you will
take a broader view of the field of legislation. Whether the
great interests of agriculture, manufactures, commerce, or
navigation, can, within the pale of your constitutional powers,
be aided in any of their relations; whether laws are provided
in all cases, where they are wanting; whether those provided
are exactly what they should be; whether any abuses take place
in their administration, or in that of the public revenues;
whether the organization of the public agents, or of the public
force, is perfect in all its parts: in fine, whether any thing
can be done to advance the general good, or questions within
the limits of your functions, which will necessarily occupy
your attention. In these and all other matters which you in
your wisdom may propose for the good of our country, you may
count with assurance on my hearty co-operation and faithful
execution.