Ordered, That the said speech be committed to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7. Several other Members, to wit: from New York, Cornelius C. Schoonmaker; from New Jersey, Aaron Kitchell; from Pennsylvania, Daniel Heister; and from Virginia, Richard Bland Lee, appeared, and took their seats in the House. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Treasurer of the United States, accompanying his accounts of the receipts and expenditures of the public moneys, from the first of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, to the thirtieth of September following, inclusive; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. On motion, Ordered, That the report of the committee appointed to inquire into the causes of the failure of the late expedition under Major General St. Clair, which was made on the eighth day of May last, be referred to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House on Wednesday next. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for registering ships or vessels, and for regulating those employed in the coasting trade and fisheries; and that Mr Goodhue, Mr. Fitzsimons, and Mr. Parker, be the said committee. A petition of Joseph Barnes, attorney in fact for James Rumsey, was presented to the House and read, praying a revision and amendment of the act, entitled "An act to promote the progress of useful arts." Ordered, That the said petition do lie on the table. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth : UNITED STATES, November 7th, 1792. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: In pursuance of the law, I now lay before you a statement of the administration of the funds appropriated to certain foreign purposes, together with a letter from the Secretary of State, explaining the same. I also lay before you A copy of a letter and representation from the Chief Justice and Associate Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, stating the difficulties and inconveniences which attend the discharge of their duties according to the present Judiciary System. A copy of a letter from the Judges attending the Circuit Court of the United States for the North Carolina District in June last, containing their observations on an act passed during the last session of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for the settlement of the claims of widows and orphans barred by the limitations heretofore established, and to regulate the claims to invalid pensions;" and a copy of the Constitution formed for the State of Kentucky. G. WASHINGTON. The said message, and papers therein referred to, being read, Ordered, That the statement of the administration of the fund appropriated to certain foreign purposes, be referred to Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Gerry, and Mr. Tucker; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Ordered, That the other papers referred to in the said message 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 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. Laurance 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 a respectful address be presented by the House to the President of the United States, in answer to his speech to both Houses of Congress, at the opening of the present Session, with assurances that this House will take into their consideration the important matters submitted to them. Ordered, That Mr. Madison, Mr. Benson, and Mr. Murray, be appointed a committee to prepare an address, pursuant to the said resolution. Resolved, That this House will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of -the Whole House on the said speech. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8. Several other Members, to wit: from Connecticut, James Hillhouse, and from Pennsylvania, William Findley and Israel Jacobs, appeared, and took their seats in the House. The petitions of John Downs and Francisco Floridii, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying relief, in consideration of wounds received in the service of the United States, during the late war; Also, a petition of James Warrington, attorney in fact of Joseph Blachford, surviving partner of Harris & Blachford, late of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, praying that the sum of seven thousand and fifty-two dollars and eighty-three-ninetieths of a dollar, with the interest thereon, which is due from the United States to the estate of John Banks, deceased, may be applied to the discharge of a claim of the petitioner's constituents, against the estate of the late General Greene, on account of his security to them in behalf of the said Banks, on a contract to supply the late Southern Army with provisions; Also, a petition of John Hazlewood, praying the adjustment of a claim for supplies on the public account, furnished during the late war; Also, a petition of Anthony Henkle, to the same effect; Also, a memorial of Woodrop and Joseph Sims, merchants, in the city of Philadelphia, praying a remission of the duties on a quantity of salt and wines entered at the port of New York, and which were lost, together with the ship, on the passage from thence to this place, in March last. Ordered, That the said petitions and memorial do lie on the table. Mr. William Smith, from the committee to whom was referred the petition of the merchants of the City of Charleston, in South Carolina, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the petition of Joseph Barnes, attorney in fact for James Rumsey, which lay on the table, be referred to Mr. Williamson, Mr. Sturges, and Mr. Lee; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Ordered, That the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on sundry cases of lost or destroyed certificates, which was made to this House on the twenty-first of April last, be referred to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House on Monday se'nnight. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of War, communicating information that, on the twenty-seventh of September last, Brigadier General Putnam concluded a treaty of peace, on behalf of the United States, with the Wabash and Illinois Indians, consisting of the several tribes of Eel river, Ouittananons, Pottawatomies of the Illinois river, Musquitons, Kickapoos of the Wabash, Piankeshaws, Kaskaskias, and Peorians; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Ordered, That the letter and representation from the Chief Justice and Associate Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, stating the difficulties and inconveniences which attend the discharge of their duties, according to the present Judiciary System, referred to in the President's message of yesterday, be committed to Mr. Livermore, Mr. Benson, Mr. Kittera, Mr. Venable, and Mr. William Smith, with in"struction to examine the same, and report their opinion thereupon to the House. Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill or bills for the regulation of Pilots, and the superintendence of light-houses, beacons, buoys, and public piers, throughout the United States, and that Mr. Fitzsimons, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Williamson, be the said committee. Another Member, to wit: Alexander D. Orr, from Kentucky, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. The order of the day was postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9. A petition of James Willis was presented to the House and read, praying compensation for certain arrears of pay and clothing due to him for services as a soldier in the Army, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. A petition of Thomas Johnson was presented to the House and read, praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of wounds and injuries received, whilst a soldier in the Army, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition, together with the petition of John Downs, presented yesterday, and the letter from the Judges of the Circuit Court of the District of North Carolina, referred to in the President's message of Wednesday last, be referred to Mr. William Smith, Mr. Benjamin Bourne, and Mr. Lee, with instruction to examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A message, in writing, was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, as followeth: UNITED STATES, November 9, 1792. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: I now lay before you a letter from the Secretary of State, covering the copy of one from the Governor of Virginia, with the several papers therein referred to, on the subject of the boundary between that State and the Territory of the United States South of the river Ohio. It will remain with the Legislature to take such measures as it shall think best, for settling the said boundary with that State, and at the same time, if it thinks proper, for extending the settlement to the State of Kentucky, between which, and the same Territory, the boundary is as yet undetermined. G. WASHINGTON. The said message and papers were read, and ordered to be referred to Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Williamson, and Mr. Page, with instruction to examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. 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. Another Member, to wit: Christopher Greenup, from Kentucky, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to him by Mr. Speaker, according to law. The order of the day was further postponed until to-morrow. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning cleven o'clock. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10. Two other Members, to wit: Peter Silvester, from New York, and Thomas Hartley, from Pennsylvania, appeared, and took their seats in the House. A petition of Benjamin Titcomb was presented to the House and read, praying relief in consideration of wounds and injuries received, whilst an officer in the Army, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to Mr. William Smith, Mr. Benjamin Bourne, and Mr. Lee; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The House, according to the order of the day, resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole House on the address to 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. Laurance reported that the committee had, according to order, had the said address under consideration, and made several amendments thereto; which he delivered in at the Clerk's table, where the same were severally twice read, and agreed to by the House. And then the said address as amended, being again read at the Clerk's table, was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to by the House, as followeth: SIR: The House of Representatives, who always feel a satisfaction in meeting you, are much concerned, that the occasion for mutual felicitation, afforded by the circumstances favorable to the national prosperity, should be abated by a continuance of the hostile spirit of many of the Indian tribes; and particularly, that the reiterated efforts for effecting a general pacification with them, should have issued in new proofs of their persevering enmity, and the barbarous sacrifice of citizens who, as the messengers of peace, were distinguishing themselves by their zeal for the public service. In our deliberations on this important department of our affairs, we shall be disposed to pursue every measure that may be dictated by the sincerest desire, on one hand, of cultivating peace, and manifesting, by every practicable regulation, our benevolent regard for the welfare of those misguided People; and by the duty we feel, on the other, to provide effectually for the safety and protection of our fellow citizens. While with regret we learn, that symptoms of opposition to the law imposing duties on spirits distilled within the United States, have manifested themselves, we reflect with consolation, that they are confined to a small portion of our fellow citizens. It is not more essential to the preservation of true liberty, that a Government should be always ready to listen to the representations of its constituents, and to accommodate its measures to the sentiments and wishes of every part of them, as far as will consist with the good of the whole, than it is, that the just authority of the laws should be steadfastly maintained. Under this impression, every department of the Government, and all good citizens, must approve the measures you have taken, and the purpose you have formed, to execute this part of your trust with firmness and energy; and be assured, sir, of every Constitutional aid and co-operation, which may become requisite on our part. And we hope that, while the progress of contentment under the law in question, is as obvious as it is rational, no particular part of the community may be permitted to withdraw from the general burthens of the country, by a conduct as irreconcileable to national justice, as it is inconsistent with public decency. The productive State of the public revenue, and the confirmation of the credit of the United States abroad, evinced by the loans at Antwerp and Amsterdam, are communications the more gratifying, as they enforce the obligation to enter on systematic and effectual arrangements for discharging the public debt, as fast as the conditions of it will permit; and we take pleasure in the opportunity to assure you of our entire concurrence in the opinion, that no measure can be more desirable, whether viewed with an eye to the urgent wish of the community, or the intrinsic importance of promoting so happy a change in our situation. The adoption of a Constitution for the State of Kentucky, is an event, on which we join in all the satisfaction you have expressed. It may be considered as particularly interesting, since, besides the immediate benefits resulting from it, it is another auspicious demonstration of the facility and success, with which an enlightened People is capable of providing, by free and deliberate plans of Government, for their own safety and happiness. The operation of the law establishing the Post Office, as it relates to the transmission of newspapers, will merit our particular inquiry and attention-the circulation of political intelligence, through these vehicles, being justly reckoned among the surest means of preventing the degeneracy of a free Government, as well as of recommending every salutary public measure to the confidence and co-operation of all virtuous citizens. The several other matters which you have communicated and recommended, will, in their order, receive the attention due to them, and our discussions will, in all cases, we trust, be guided by a proper respect for harmony and stability in the public Councils, and a desire to conciliate, more and more, the attachment of our constituents to the Constitution, by measures accommodated to the true ends for which it was established. Resolved, That Mr. Speaker, attended by the House, do present the said address, and that Mr. Madison, Mr. Benson, and Mr. Murray, be a committee to wait on the Presi dent, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the same. The House proceeded to consider the report of the committee to whom was referred the petition of the merchants of the city of Charleston, in South Carolina: Whereupon, Resolved, That provision ought to be made by law, to regulate the fees of the several District Courts of the United States, in all cases of Admiralty proceedings; and that so much of the act for the regulation of seamen in the merchants' service, as makes ships or vessels, and their appurtenances, liable to seizure and detention, for actions of trivial amount, be repealed, and that, in future, a power be vested in the District Judge, to accept of other sufficient security, in cases where the sum in dispute shall not exceed dollars. Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in pursuant to the said resolution, and that Mr. William Smith, Mr. Laurance, and Mr. White, do prepare and bring in the same. 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, on Monday next, at his own house. VOL. I-78 The order of the day was further postponed until Monday next. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12. Another Member, to wit: John Baptist Ashe, from North Carolina, appeared, and took his seat in the House. The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, covering a statement of the receipts and expenditures of public moneys, to the end of the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. The Speaker, attended by the House, then withdrew to the house of the President of the United States, and there presented to him the address of this House, in answer to his speech to both Houses of Congress; to which the President made the following reply: GENTLEMEN: It gives me pleasure to express to you the satisfaction which your address affords me. I feel, as I ought, the approbation you manifest of the measures I have taken, and the purpose I have formed, to maintain, pursuant to the trust reposed in me by the Constitution, the respect which is due to the laws; and the assurance which you, at the same time, give me, of every Constitutional aid and co-operation that may become requisite, on your part. This is a new proof of that enlightened solicitude for the establishment and confirmation of public order, which, embracing a zealous regard for the principles of true liberty, has guided the deliberations of the House of Representatives; a perseverance in which can alone secure, under the divine blessing, the real and permanent felicity of our common country. G. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That the petition of James Warington, which was presented to the House on Thursday last, be referred to Mr. Giles, Mr. Livermore, and Mr. Findley; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. The several orders of the day were further postponed until to-morrow. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13. Two other members, to wit: Robert Barnwell and Daniel Huger, from South Carolina, appeared, and took their seats in the House. The several petitions of Thomas Davidson, Henry Bacon, and Rufus Blodget, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying compensation for services rendered in the Army of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Secretary of War, with instruction to examine the same, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. The petitions of Simeon Keith, and Doctor John Læhman, were presented to the House and read, respectively praying to be placed on the list of pensioners, in consideration of wounds received in the service of the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to Mr. William Smith, Mr. Benjamin Bourne, and Mr. Lee; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. A petition of Patrick Knox was presented to the House and read, praying the renew. al of a lost certificate, heretofore granted him for military services rendered the United States, during the late war. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the consideration of the Committee of the Whole House to whom is committed the report of the Secretary of the Treasury respecting lost and destroyed certificates. Ordered, That the petition of Francisco Floridii, which lay on the table, be referred to Mr. Parker, Mr. Ward, and Mr. Sumpter; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Mr. Boudinot, from the committee to whom was referred the message from the President of the United States, of the ninth instant, together with sundry papers on the subject of the boundary line between the State of Virginia and the Territory of the United States South of the Ohio, made a report; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. |
