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JOURNAL

OF

The House of Representatives

OF THE

UNITED STATES.

At a Session of the CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, begun and held at the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, on Monday, the sixth of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety, pursuant to the act "for establishing the temporary and permanent Seat of Government of the United States;" being the third session of the first Congress, held under the Constitution of Government of the United States:

On which day, being the day appointed by adjournment of the two Houses for the meeting of the present session, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared and took their seats, to wit:

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From Georgia,

Abraham Baldwin.

But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7.

The House met according to adjournment.

Several other members, to wit: from Pennsylvania, Daniel Heister and Thomas Scott; from Virginia, Richard Bland Lee; and from South Carolina, Daniel Huger; appeared and took their seats.

And a quorum of the whole number being present,

A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed to inform this House that a quorum of the Senate is now assembled in the Senate chamber, and ready to proceed to business. And then he withdrew.

On motion,

Ordered, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform them that a quorum of the House is assembled, and ready to proceed to business; and that the Clerk of this House do go with the said message.

Another member, to wit: William B. Giles, from Virginia, returned to serve in the room of Theodorick Bland, deceased, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law.

On motion,

Resolved, That Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Lawrance, and Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, be a committee, jointly, with such committee as the Senate shall appoint, to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have agreed to a resolution, that Mr. Langdon and Mr. Morris be a committee on the part of the Senate, with such committee as this House shall appoint, to inform the President of the United States that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and will be ready in the Senate chamber, at such time as the President shall appoint, to receive any communications he may be pleased to make; to which they desire the concurrence of this House. And then he withdrew.

The House proceeded to consider the said resolution; and the same being read, was, on the question put thereupon, disagreed to.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have appointed a committee, jointly, with the committee appointed by this House, to wait on the President of the United States, to inform him that a quorum of the two Houses has assembled. And then he withdrew.

The several petitions of John Lewis, Francis Ackling, and Alexander Fowler, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying the liquidation and settlement of claims against the United States. Also,

A petition of Jacob Bell, praying that the amount of certain duties, to the payment of which he has been subjected by a mistake of the Collector of the port of New York, may be refunded to him.

Ordered, That the said petitions do lie on the table.

Mr. Boudinot, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses had assembled, report. ed that the committee had, according to order, performed that service; and that the President was pleased to say, that he would attend, to make a communication to boih Houses of Congress, to-morrow at twelve o'clock, in the Senate chamber, And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8.

Several other members, to wit: from Massachusetts, Elbridge Gerry and Jonathan Grout; from Virginia, Andrew Moore and Alexander White; and from South Carolina, Thomas Tudor Tucker; appeared and took their seats.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate are now ready, in the Senate chamber, to attend this House in receiving the communication from the President of the United States, agreeably to his notification to both Houses yesterday. And then he withdrew.

Mr. Speaker, attended by the members of this House, then withdrew to the Senate chamber, for the purpose expressed in the message from the Senate; and being returned,

Mr. Speaker laid before the House a copy of the speech delivered by the President of the United States to both Houses of Congress in the Senate chamber, as followeth:

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives:

In meeting you again, I feel much satisfaction in being able to repeat my congratula tions on the favorable prospects which continue to distinguish our public affairs. The abundant fruits of another year have blessed our country with plenty, and with the means of a flourishing commerce. The progress of public credit is witnessed by a considerable rise of American Stock abroad as well as at home. And the revenues allotted for this and other national purposes, have been productive beyond the calculations by which they were regulated. This latter circumstance is the more pleasing, as it is not only a proof of the fertility of our resources, but as it assures us of a further increase of the national respectability and credit; and let me add, as it bears an honorable testimony to the patriotism and integrity of the mercantile and marine part of our citizens: The punctuality of the former in discharging their engagements has been exemplary.

In conformity to the powers vested in me by acts of the last session, a loan of three millions of florins, towards which some provisional measures had previously taken place, has been completed in Holland. As well the celerity with which it has been filled, as the nature of the terms, (considering the more than ordinary demand for borrowing created by the situation of Europe,) give a reasonable hope that the further execution of those powers may proceed with advantage and success. The Secretary of the Treasury has my direction to communicate such further particulars as may be requisite for more precise information.

Since your last sessions, I have received communications, by which it appears that the District of Kentucky, at present a part of Virginia, has concurred in certain propositions contained in a law of that State; in consequence of which the district is to become a distinct member of the Union, in case the requisite sanction of Congress be added. For this sanction application is now made.

I shall cause the papers on this very important transaction to be laid before you. The liberality and harmony with which it has been conducted, will be found to do great honor to both the parties. And the sentiments of warm attachment to the Union, and its present Government, expressed by our fellow-citizens of Kentucky, cannot fail to add an affectionate concern for their particular welfare, to the great national impressions under which you will decide on the case submitted to you.

It has been heretofore known to Congress, that frequent incursions have been made on our frontier settlements by certain banditti of Indians from the Northwest side of the Ohio. These, with some of the tribes dwelling on and near the Wabash, have of late been particularly active in their depredations; and being emboldened by the impunity of their crimes, and aided by such parts of the neighboring tribes as could be seduced to join in their hostilities, or afford them a retreat for their prisoners and plunder, they have, instead of listening to the humane invitations and overtures made on the part of the United States, renewed their violences with fresh alacrity and greater effect. The lives of a number of valuable citizens have thus been sacrificed, and some of them under circumstances peculiarly shocking; whilst others have been carried into a deplorable captivity.

These aggravated provocations rendered it essential to the safety of the Western settlements, that the aggressors should be made sensible that the Government of the Union is not less capable of punishing their crimes, than it is disposed to respect their rights and reward their attachments. As this object could not be effected by defensive measures, it became necessary to put in force the act which empowers the President to call out the militia for the protection of the frontiers. And I have accordingly authorized an expe

dition, in which the regular troops in that quarter are combined with such draughts of militia as were deemed sufficient. The event of the measure is yet unknown to me. The Secretary of War is directed to lay before you a statement of the information on which it is founded, as well as an estimate of the expense with which it will be attended. The disturbed situation of Europe, and particularly the critical posture of the great maritime Powers, whilst it ought to make us the more thankful for the general peace and security enjoyed by the United States, reminds us, at the same time, of the circumspection with which it becomes us to preserve these blessings. It requires also that we should not overlook the tendency of a war, and even of preparations for a war, among the nations most concerned in active commerce with this country, to abridge the means, and thereby at least enhance the price of transporting its valuable productions to their proper markets. I recommend it to your serious reflections, how far, and in what mode, it may be expedient to guard against embarrassments from these contingencies, by such encouragements to our own navigation as will render our commerce and agriculture lest dependent on foreign bottoms, which may fail us in the very moment most interesting to both of these great objects. Our fisheries, and the transportation of our own produce, offer us abundant means for guarding ourselves against this evil.

Your attention seems to be not less due to that particular branch of our trade which belongs to the Mediterranean. So many circumstances unite in rendering the present state of it distressful to us, that you will not think any deliberations misemployed which may lead to its relief and protection.

The laws you have already passed for the establishment of a Judiciary System, have opened the doors of justice to all descriptions of persons. You will consider in your wisdom, whether improvements in that system may yet be made; and particularly, whether an uniform process of execution on sentences issuing from the Federal Courts, be not desirable through all the States.

The patronage of our commerce, of our merchants and seamen, has called for the appointment of Consuls in foreign countries. It seems expedient to regulate by law the excercise of that jurisdiction, and those functions which are permitted them, either by express convention, or by a friendly indulgence in the places of their residence. The Consular convention too with his Most Christian Majesty, has stipulated, in certain cases, the aid of the national authority to his Consuls established here. Some legislative provision is requisite to carry these stipulations into full effect.

The establishment of the Militia—of a Mint—of standards of Weights and Measures of the Post Office and Post Roads are subjects which (I presume) you will resume of course, and which are abundantly urged by their own importance.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :

The sufficiency of the revenues you have established, for the objects to which they are appropriated, leaves no doubt but the residuary provisions will be commensurate to the other objects, for which the public faith stands now pledged. Allow me moreover, to hope, that it will be a favorite policy with you, not merely to secure a payment of the interest of the debt funded, but as far and as fast as the growing resources of the country will permit, to exonerate it of the principal itself. The appropriations you have made of the Western lands, explain your dispositions on this subject: And I am persuaded, that the sooner that valuable fund can be made to contribute, along with other means, to the actual reduction of the public debt, the more salutary will the measure be to every public interest, as well as the more satisfactory to our constituents. Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

In pursuing the various and weighty business of the present session, I indulge the fullest persuasion that your consultations will be equally marked with wisdom, and animated by the love of your country. In whatever belongs to my duty, you shall have all the co-operation which an undiminished zeal for its welfare can inspire.

It will be happy for us both, and our best reward, if, by a successful administration of our respective trusts, we can make the established Government more and more instrumental in promoting the good of our fellow citizens, and more and more the objects of their attachment and confidence.

UNITED STATES, December 8, 1790.

On motion,

G. WASHINGTON.

Resolved, That the said speech be committed to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow

On motion,

Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress for the present session, one by each House, who shall interchange weekly.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said resolution to the Senate, and desire their concurrence.

A petition of John Carlile was presented to the House and read, praying the liquidation and settlement of his accounts as Assistant Adjutant General to the late American Army.

Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petitions of Jacob Bell and John Lewis, which were presented yesterday, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. Ordered, That the petition of Francis Ackling, which was presented yesterday, be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for establishing the Post Office and Post Roads of the United States; and that Mr. Sherman, Mr. Clymer, and Mr. Williamson, be of the said committee.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9.

Two other members, to wit: James Jackson, and George Mathews, from Georgia, appeared and took their seats.

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the speech of the President of the United States to both Houses of Congress; and after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Livermore reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said specch under consideration, and come to a resolution thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and, on a question put thereupon, agreed to by the House as followeth:

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that an address ought to be presented by the House to the President of the United States, in answer to his speech to both Houses, with assurances that this House will, without delay, proceed to take into their serious consideration the various and important matters recommended to their

attent on.

Ordered, That Mr. Madison, Mr. Ames, and Mr. Tucker, be appointed a committee to prepare an address pursuant to the said resolution.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Otis, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate agree to the resolution of this House for the appointment of two Chaplains to Congress, for the present session; and have elected the Right Reverend Bishop White, on their part. And then he withdrew.

On motion,

Ordered, That to-morrow be assigned as the day for the appointment of a Chaplain to Congress, on the part of this House.

Ordered, That the Clerk of this House cause the members to be furnished, during the present session, with three newspapers, such as the members respectively shall choose, to be delivered at their lodgings.

A message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, who delivered in the copy of certain official communications from the District of Kentucky, relative to the erection of the said district into an Independent State, as referred to in the President's speech to both Houses of Congress. And then withdrew.

The said official communications were read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, accompanied with a statement of the information on which the expedition against the Indians Northwest of the Ohio, has been founded; and also, the instructions to the Governor of the Western Territory and the commanding Officer of the troops, relative to the same object; together with an estimate of the expense with which the expedition will probably be attended.

Ordered, That the said letter and enclosures do lie on the table.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for registering ships or vessels, for regulating those employed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and for other purposes; and that Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Goodhue, and Mr. Lee, be of the said committee.

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills to amend the act, entitled "An act to promote the progress of useful arts;” and that Mr. White, Mr. Seney, and Mr. Baldwin, be of the said committee.

And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

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