_Resolved_, That a committee be appointed to inquire why the
expenditures in the Navy Department, for the year 1805, have
so far exceeded the appropriations for the same, and report
thereon to the Senate;
was resumed and adopted; and ordered that it be referred to the committee
appointed on the 28th January last, to make inquiry into the specific
expenditures of the respective departments, to report thereon.
The bill making provision for the compensation of witnesses who attended
the trial of the impeachment of Samuel Chase, was read the second time,
and ordered to the third reading.
THURSDAY, February 6.
_Purchase of Florida._
The Senate resumed the third reading of the bill, entitled “An act
making provision for defraying any extraordinary expenses attending the
intercourse between the United States and foreign nations;” and,
On motion that the bill, and message from the House of Representatives
accompanying the same, be referred to a select committee, with
instructions to inquire and report to the Senate their opinion, whether
West Florida was or was not included in the cession of Louisiana to
the United States by the treaty with France, concluded on the 30th of
April, 1803, together with the evidence upon which such an opinion may
be supported; it was determined in the negative--yeas 8, nays 23, as
follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Hillhouse, Pickering,
Plumer, Tracy, and White.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Bradley, Condit, Fenner,
Gaillard, Gilman, Howland, Kitchel, Logan, Maclay, Mitchill,
Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, Smith of
Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Stone, Sumter, Thruston, Turner,
Worthington, and Wright.
On motion to postpone the further consideration of the bill at this time,
and to take up the following resolution:
_Resolved_, That the President be requested to lay before the
Senate the instructions given to Messrs. Monroe and Pinckney,
late Ministers of the United States to the Court of Spain,
together with the facts and arguments exhibited by them, in
their negotiation, in support of their claims to territories
eastward of the Mississippi, as far as the river Perdido, and
of territory on the western side of the Mississippi, as far as
the Rio Bravo; the essay of Mr. Cevallos, the Minister of His
Catholic Majesty, in answer to our Ministers, in relation to
the western limits; and any other documents in his possession,
tending to establish the rightful boundaries of Louisiana:
It passed in the negative.
FRIDAY, February 7.
_Purchase of Florida._
The Senate resumed the third reading of the bill, entitled “An act
making provision for defraying any extraordinary expenses attending the
intercourse between the United States and foreign nations;” and,
On motion to postpone the further consideration of the bill at this time,
and take up the following resolution:
_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be
requested to renew our negotiations with the Spanish
Government, in such a manner as may bring every subject in
controversy between the two countries to a speedy termination,
equally advantageous to both:
It passed in the negative.
On motion to strike out of the bill the words “two millions,” section
one, and in lieu thereof, insert “one million;” a division was
called for, and the question on striking out was determined in the
negative--yeas 13, nays 18, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Bradley, Gilman,
Hillhouse, Logan, Mitchill, Pickering, Plumer, Stone, Tracy,
and White.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Condit, Fenner, Gaillard,
Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith
of New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Sumter,
Thruston, Turner, Worthington, and Wright.
On motion to amend the bill by inserting after the word “applied,” in the
first section, the words “for the purchase from the Spanish Government
of their territories lying on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and
eastward of the river Mississippi,” it passed in the negative--yeas 9,
nays 20, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Gilman, Hillhouse,
Pickering, Plumer, Tracy, and White.
NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Bradley, Condit, Fenner,
Gaillard, Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland,
Smith of New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Stone,
Sumter, Thruston, Turner, Worthington, and Wright.
On motion to postpone the consideration of the bill until Monday next, it
passed in the negative.
On motion to agree to the final passage of the bill, it passed in the
affirmative--yeas 17, nays 11, as follows:
YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Baldwin, Condit, Fenner, Gaillard,
Howland, Kitchel, Maclay, Moore, Smith of Maryland, Smith of
New York, Smith of Tennessee, Smith of Vermont, Thruston,
Turner, Worthington, and Wright.
NAYS.--Messrs. Adair, Adams, Bayard, Gilman, Hillhouse,
Pickering, Plumer, Stone, Sumter, Tracy, and White.