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on the part of this House; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of the Reverend Ashbel Green.

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

On motion,

Ordered, That a committee be appointed to examine the Journal of the last session, and to report therefrom all such matters of business as were then depending and undetermined.

And a committee was appointed, of Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Goodhue, and Mr. Kittera. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4.

Several other Members, to wit: from Massachusetts, Peleg Coffin, junior; from Pennsylvania, William Montgomery; and from Maryland, William Vans Murray, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to them by Mr. Speaker, according to law.

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. Trumbull reported that the Committee had, according to order, had the said Speech under consideration, and come to a resolution thereupon; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was twice read, and agreed to by the House, as followeth:

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee that a respectful address ought to be presented by the House of Representatives to the President of the United States, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress, at the commencement of this session, containing assurances that this House will take into consideration the various and important matters recommended to their attention.

Ordered, That Mr. Madison, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Watts, Mr. Hartley, and Mr. Samuel Smith, be appointed a committee to prepare an address pursuant to the said resolution. Resolve, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the said Speech.

A petition of Henry Latimer, of the State of Delaware, was presented to the House and read, complaining of an undue election and return of John Patton, to serve as a mem ber of this House for the said State.

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

The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, communicating the instructions to the Commissioners appointed to treat with the hostile Indians North of the Ohio, and their report, in the form of a journal of their proceedings; also, a statement of the troops in the legion of the United States, and certain intelligence from Major General Wayne; which were partly read.

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5.

Several other Members, to wit: From Massachusetts, Fisher Ames and Dwight Foster; and, from Vermont, Nathaniel Niles, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in this House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to them by Mr. Speaker, according to law.

The House resumed the reading of the papers communicated by the Secretary of War, vesterday, and went through the same.

Ordered, That the said papers be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union.

A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Dandridge, his Secretary, as followeth :

UNITED STATES, December 5th, 1793.

Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives:

As the present situation of the several Nations of Europe, and especially of those with which the United States have important relations, cannot but render the state of things between them and us, matter of interesting inquiry to the Legislature, and may,

VOL. II.-2

indeed, give rise to deliberations to which they alone are competent, I have thought it my duty to communicate to them certain correspondences which have taken place.

The Representative and Executive Bodies of France have manifested, generally, a friendly attachment to this country; have given advantages to our commerce and navigation, and have made overtures for placing these advantages on permanent ground; a decree, however, of the National Assembly, subjecting vessels laden with provisions to be carried into their ports, and making enemy-goods lawful prize, in the vessel of a friend, contrary to our treaty, though revoked at one time, as to the United States, has been since extended to their vessels also, as has been recently stated to us. Representations on this subject will be immediately given in charge to our Minister there, and the result shall be communicated to the Legislature.

It is with extreme concern I have to inform you, that the proceedings of the person whom they have unfortunately appointed their Minister Plenipotentiary here, have breathed nothing of the friendly spirit of the Nation which sent him; their tendency, on the contrary, has been to involve us in war abroad, and discord and anarchy at home. So far as his acts, or those of his agents, have threatened our immediate commitment in the war, or flagrant insult to the authority of the laws, their effect has been counteracted by the ordinary cognizance of the laws, and by an exertion of the powers confided to me. Where their danger was not imminent, they have been borne with, from sentiments of regard to his nation; from a sense of their friendship towards us; from a conviction that they would not suffer us to remain long exposed to the action of a person, who has so little respected our mutual dispositions; and I will add, from a reliance on the firmness of my fellow-citizens, in their principles of peace and order. In the mean time, I have respected and pursued the stipulations of our treaties according to what I judged their true sense; and have withheld no act of friendship which their affairs have called for from us, and which justice to others left us free to perform. I have gone further. Rather than employ force for the restitution of certain vessels which I deemed the United States bound to restore, I thought it more advisable to satisfy the parties, by avowing it to be my opinion, that, if restitution were not made, it would be incumbent on the United States to make compensation. The papers now communicated will more particularly apprize you of these transactions.

The vexations and spoliations understood to have been committed on our vessels and commerce, by the cruisers and officers of some of the belligerent Powers, appeared to require attention. The proofs of these, however, not having been brought forward, the description of citizens supposed to have suffered, were notified that, on furnishing them to the Executive, due measures would be taken to obtain redress of the past, and more effectual provisions against the future. Should such documents be furnished, proper representations will be made thereon, with a just reliance on a redress proportioned to the exigency of the case.

The British Government having undertaken, by orders of the commanders of their armed vessels, to restrain, generally, our commerce, in corn and other provisions, to their own ports and those of their friends, the instructions now communicated were immediately forwarded to our Minister at that Court. In the mean time, some discussions on the subject took place between him and them; these are also laid before you; and I may expect to learn the result of his special instructions, in time to make it known to the Legislature during their present session.

Very early after the arrival of a British Minister here, mutual explanations on the inexecution of the treaty of peace were entered into with that Minister: these are now laid before you for your information.

On the subjects of mutual interest between this country and Spain, negotiations and conferences are now depending. The public good requiring that the present state of these should be made known to the Legislature, in confidence only, they shall be the subject of a separate and subsequent communication.

G. WASHINGTON.

The said Secretary also delivered in a copy of the report of the late Commissioners for settling accounts between the United States and individual States, stating the balances due to and from the respective States. And then he withdrew.

The written message and communications from the President were partly read. Ordered, That five hundred copies of the report of the Commissioners for settling accounts between the United and individual States be printed for the use of the Members.

Mr. Madison, from the committee appointed, presented, according to order, an address to the President of the United States, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of

Congress; which was read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

The order of the day was further postponed until to-morrow.

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

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6.

Two other members, to wit: from Connecticut, James Hillhouse; and from Virginia, Josiah Parker, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to them by Mr. Speaker, according to law.

A petition of Abner Ross, ofthe State of South Carolina, was presented to the House and read, praying the renewal of certain certificates of public debt, which were burnt or otherwise destroyed, in the month of November, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

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

Mr. William Smith, from the Standing Committee of Elections, reported that the committee had, according to order, in part examined the certificates and other credentials of the Members returned to serve in this House, and had agreed upon a report; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same was read, and is as followeth:

"It appears to your committee, that the credentials of the following Members are suffi cient to entitle them to take their seats in the House, to wit:

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Your committee further report that, in the case of John Patton, returned as a mem ber for the State of Delaware, the Executive of the said State have, together with the return, transmitted a protest, made to them by Henry Latimer, of the said State, against the return of the said John Patton."

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

The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the Address of the President of the United States, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress; and, after some time spent therein, Mr. Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Trumbull reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said Address under consideration, and made no amendment thereto.

Resolved, unanimously, That this House doth agree to the said address, in the words following:

SIR: The Representatives of the People of the United States, in meeting you, for the first time since you have been again called, by an unanimous suffrage, to your present station, find an occasion, which they embrace with no less sincerity than promptitude, for expressing to you their congratulations on so distinguished a testimony of public approbation: and their entire confidence in the purity and patriotism of the motives which have produced this obedience to the voice of your country. It is to virtues which have commanded long and universal reverence, and services from which have flowed great and lasting benefits, that the tribute of praise may be paid, without the reproach of flattery; and it is from the same sources that the fairest anticipations may be derived in favor of the public happiness.

The United States having taken no part in the war which had embraced in Europe the Powers with whom they have the most extensive relations, the maintenance of peace was justly to be regarded, as one of the most important duties of the magistrate charged with the faithful execution of the laws. We, accordingly, witness, with approbation and pleasure, the vigilance with which you have guarded against an interruption of that blessing, by your proclamation, admonishing our citizens of the consequences of illicit or hostile acts towards the belligerent parties; and promoting, by a declaration of the existing legal state of things, an easier admission of our right to the immunities belonging to our situation.

The connection of the United States with Europe has evidently become extremely interesting. The communications which remain to be exhibited to us, will, no doubt, assist in giving us a fuller view of the subject, and in guiding our deliberations to such results as may comport with the rights and true interests of our country.

We learn, with deep regret, that the measures, dictated by a love of peace, for obtaining an amicable termination of the afflicting war on our frontiers, have been frustrated; and that a resort to offensive measures should have again become necessary. As the latter, however, must be rendered more satisfactory, in proportion to the solicitude for peace, manifested by the former, it is to be hoped they will be pursued under the better auspices, on that account, and be finally crowned with more happy success.

In relation to the particular tribes of Indians, against whom offensive measures have been prohibited, as well as on all the other important subjects which you have presented to our view, we shall bestow the attention which they claim. We cannot, however, refrain, at this time, from particularly expressing our concurrence in your anxiety for the regular discharge of the public debts, as fast as circumstances and events will permit; and in the policy of removing any impediments that may be found in the way of a faithful representation of public proceedings throughout the United States: being persuaded, with you, that, on no subject, more than the former, can delay be more injurious, or an economy of time more valuable; and that, with respect to the latter, no resource is so firm for the Government of the United States, as the affections of the People, guided by an enlightened policy.

Throughout our deliberations we shall endeavor to cherish every sentiment which may contribute to render them conducive to the dignity as well as to the welfare of the United States. And we join with you in imploring that Being, on whose will the fate of nations depends, to crown with success our mutual endeavors.

Resolved, That Mr. Speaker, attended by the House, do present the said address, and that Mr. Madison, Mr. Sedgwick, and Mr. Hartley, be a committee to wait on the President, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the same.

A petition of Henry K. Van Rensselaer, of the State of New York, was presented to the House and read, complaining of an undue election and return of John E. Van Allen, to serve as a member of this House, for the said State.

Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Committee of Elections; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to

the House.

The House resumed the reading of the message and communications received yesterday from the President of the United States, and made a farther progress therein. Mr. Madison, from the committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the address of this House, in answer to his speech to both Houses of Congress, reported that the committee had, according to order, waited on the President, who signified to them that it would be convenient to him to receive the said address at twelve o'clock to-morrow, at his own house.

The order of the day was further postponed until to-morrow.

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

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