Chapter XXI: Front Matter (21)

In this state of our foreign relations Congress met, the members brought with them the feelings of the people, who were all alive to the late indignity offered their Government, all expected that measures of energy would be pursued. This House felt and acted. Resolutions passed almost unanimously, expressive of their sense of the insult offered by the British Minister.

The Senate passed a bill ordering the whole of the vessels of war to be put in commission, (which bill sleeps still in the other House,) and were progressing in preparations for the defence of the honor and safety of the nation, when the bill now under consideration was reported by the Committee of Foreign Relations. It operated instantly like an electric shock, it paralyzed every effort, and gentlemen were astonished when they were told that this bill was the great measure that was to preserve our honor in the eyes of all the world; that it was the grand panacea which was to heal the wounds that had been inflicted on our rights by the belligerents. In fact, it was the only measure on which we were to rely for a redress of all our grievances.

Mr. President, I read this grand effort with attention. In vain did I look for something therein that would tend to obtain satisfaction for the insult on the Chesapeake; in vain for any thing that would tend to prevent the future impressment of our seamen; in vain for any thing that would induce or coerce the belligerents to repeal their unjust orders and decrees against our lawful commerce. One great feature, and one only, was to be discovered, to wit: the repeal of the non-intercourse law--covered by a thin veil, composed, as the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. CLAY) has said, of shreds and patches. Not so, Mr. President; if it had been patchwork alone, I should not have disturbed its arrangement. But I found in it, or believe I did, that which would be ruinous to the commerce of the United States, and therefore felt myself bound by the duty I owe to my constituents to remove the veil, and leave the measure open to public view; the Senate concurred with me in opinion, to wit: to strike out the injurious sections, to which opinion I shall vote to adhere.

I have been asked, shall Congress rise and do nothing? I answer, that it is better to do nothing than to do that which will only injure ourselves. But, sir, I wished to do something; I proposed, in select committee, to strike out those sections which would only do us injury, and then fill their place with sections (which I had draughted and presented for consideration) authorizing the arming of the merchant ships, not for defence alone, but with authority to capture and make prize of any vessel that might assail them while engaged in lawful commerce, and to employ the public ships of war in convoying the trade of the nation. I met with no support in this system; there were in committee four against my motion. Discouraged by so large a proportion voting against me, I neglected, or was deterred from making the same motion in Senate, and this error I regret, although I know not whether I should have been more successful in Senate than I had been in committee; but I should have been better pleased with my own conduct. I had, it is true, an expectation that, in a committee of conference between the two Houses, that something might be introduced that would please both branches of the Legislature; and I presumed that the convoy system would be substituted. I have been mistaken. The conferees met, and the committee of Senate submitted a section, "authorizing the President, under his instructions, made conformably to the laws of nations, to grant convoy to the merchant ships of the United States engaged in lawful commerce." That proposition spoke this language to the belligerents: The United States have taken every pacific means of obtaining justice from you without success. We will no longer deprive ourselves of commerce; we will open our trade, and we will defend it. We are ready to meet the consequences that may arise, and will stand prepared for war, if war shall ensue. This, Mr. President, appeared to your committee as a course that would be honorable to the nation. It was unanimously rejected by the committee on the part of the House, who, in turn, proposed that "British ships should be permitted to bring into the United States the produce and manufactures of that nation, but should not be permitted to carry from the United States any of the produce thereof," and the same as to France. This most extraordinary proposition was unanimously rejected by the conferees on the part of the Senate. Strip the proposition, and what language does it speak? That the British merchant may send into your ports his ships and fill your market with British goods, to the great injury of your infant manufactories; he may enter into competition with them and work their destruction. But he must not enter into competition with the merchants in the purchase of a return cargo, nor with the ship owners in the carrying of the produce of the country. No, sir, that was hallowed ground, and must not be trodden. The conferees of the two Houses could not agree, and the question now before the Senate is, to adhere to their amendments. For which I shall vote, although the bill will then not be such as I wish it had been. But, sir, it cannot in this stage be amended. I am aware that my vote will be disapproved by many of my friends. But, sir, I trust that time, and a further consideration of the subject, will convince them that my objections to the rejected sections have not been unfounded.

The question being then taken that the Senate adhere to their amendments, it was determined in the affirmative--yeas 17, nays 15, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Bayard, Champlin, Gaillard, German,
Gilman, Goodrich, Gregg, Hillhouse, Horsey, Leib, Lloyd,
Parker, Pickering, Smith of Maryland, Sumter, and Whiteside.

NAYS.--Messrs. Bradley, Brent, Campbell, Clay, Condit,
Crawford, Franklin, Giles, Lambert, Mathewson, Meigs, Pope,
Smith of New York, Tait, and Turner.

THURSDAY, March 22.

_National Bank._

Mr. BAYARD, from the committee appointed on the subject the thirteenth instant, reported a bill making provision for the establishment of a National Bank; and the bill was read and passed to a second reading.

[The bill was for a new bank of 30 millions capital, the
subscription for shares open to every citizen of the United
States or of its Territories, to copartnerships composed of
such citizens or body politic incorporated within the United
States, to the amount of 1000 shares.]

WEDNESDAY, April 4.

_Bank of the United States._

The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate the following report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made in pursuance of the resolution of the Senate of the 2d instant:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, _April 3, 1810_.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit a report, prepared in
obedience to the resolution of the Senate of yesterday.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

ALBERT GALLATIN.

_To the honorable the President of the Senate_:

The Secretary of the Treasury, in obedience to the resolution
of the Senate, of the 2d instant, respectfully reports--

That the statement annexed to the report made to the Senate on
the 2d day of March, 1809, contained all the dividends made by
the Bank of the United States, from its establishment to the
date of the report, as stated to the Treasury by the bank.

That the annexed table, (A,) being a transcript of the
above-mentioned statement, with the addition of the dividends
made on the 1st day of July, 1809, and on the first day of
January last, embraces not only the semi-annual dividends of 4
per cent., but also all the extra dividends which are within
the knowledge of this Department, and which, it is believed,
have ever been made by the bank; making, in the whole, an
average of 8 13-36 per cent. a year.

That there remained to the credit of the bank, after payment of
the dividend made on the first day of January last, a surplus
of $409,410, consisting of two items, viz: $125,000, designated
by the name of "General Bank Estate," intended as an offset
against decay and presumed loss, in case of sale of the real
estate of the bank--that estate having been paid for from
the capital stock, and not from the profits of the bank; and
$284,410, designated by the name of "Contingent Fund," intended
in the first place to cover losses arising from bad debts, not
yet actually lost; and the residue of which, if any, will be
applicable to another extra dividend.

That the nominal profit resulting to the bank, from each of
its offices of discount and deposit, could not be ascertained
without an investigation of all the weekly returns made to this
Department; and that there are no returns from which the actual
loss sustained by each office can be known.

But, that the statement (B) shows the permanent capital given
to each office of discount and deposit; the balance due in
account current by the offices of the bank, (exclusive and in
addition to the said permanent capital,) on the 27th day of
March last; the amount of the notes actually discounted and
due to the bank by the last returns, specifying the amount
discounted at Philadelphia, and at each office respectively;
and an estimate of the gross amount of the annual expenses and
losses of the bank, including its several offices, by which it
appears that the annual expenses, being about $125,000 a year,
the ascertained losses must in the whole have amounted to about
$35,000 a year.

All which is respectfully submitted.

ALBERT GALLATIN.

_Dividends on United States Bank Stock._

==========================================
No. | Date. | Rate p. ct.
-------+-----------------+----------------
1 | July, 1792 | 4
2 | January, 1793 | 4
3 | July, " | 3-5/8[7]
4 | January, 1794 | 3-7/8[7]
5 | July, " | 4
6 | January, 1795 | 4
7 | July, " | 4
8 | January, 1796 | 4
9 | July, " | 4
10 | January, 1797 | 4
11 | July, " | 4
12 | January, 1798 | 5[8]
13 | July, " | 4
14 | January, 1799 | 4
15 | July, " | 4
16 | January, 1800 | 4
17 | July, " | 4
18 | January, 1801 | 6[8]
19 | July, " | 4
20 | January, 1802 | 4-1/2[8]
21 | July, " | 4-1/2[8]
22 | January, 1803 | 4-1/2[8]
23 | July, " | 4
24 | January, 1804 | 4-1/2[8]
25 | July, " | 4
26 | January, 1805 | 4
27 | July, " | 4
28 | January, 1806 | 4
29 | July, " | 4
30 | January, 1807 | 6[8]
31 | July, " | 4
32 | January, 1808 | 4
33 | July, " | 4
34 | January, 1809 | 4
35 | July, " | 4
36 | January, 1810 | 4
==========================================

_Statement of the capital of the several branches, and of the Bank of the United States, and of the amount of discounts by the last received returns._

===================================================
Cities, &c. | Capital. | Amt. of notes
| | discounted
===================================================
Boston | $700,000 | $998,859
New York | 1,800,000 | 4,175,874
Baltimore | 600,000 | 1,349,550
Washington | 200,000 | 485,285
Norfolk | 600,000 | 880,170
Charleston | 600,000 | 1,409,916
Savannah | 500,000 | 1,054,113
New Orleans | 300,000 | 611,517
Philadelphia-- | |
Balance due the | |
bank, in account | |
current, by the | |
offices $750,000 | |
Cap. res'd 3,950,000 | |
--------- | 4,700,000 |
|-------------|
| $10,000,000 |
Funded debt | -- | 1,411,620
| |-------------
| | $16,949,497
===================================================

_Estimate of the expenses and losses of the Bank._

Six per cent, on $17,000,000, estimated as per above, as
the amount usually loaned on interest, is, per annum,
$1,020,000--to wit:

Dividend of 8 13-36 per cent. a year, on ten millions of $836,111
dollars actually paid to the stockholders, is, per annum

Undivided surplus on the 1st January, 1810, $409,410, 22,745
divided by 18 years, would be equal to an annual dividend
of

Leaving for the estimated annual amount of expenses and 161,144
losses
-----------
Total $1,020,000
===========

TUESDAY, April 10.

_The Mississippi River Pirate, Mason._

Mr. CLAY presented the petition of Elisha Winters, stating that, in the years 1801, 1802, and 1803, the wilderness from Natchez to Kentucky, and the river Mississippi, was infested by a notorious gang of highway robbers, headed by a certain Samuel Mason, and that the petitioner was the means by which the said Mason was killed, two of his accomplices apprehended and executed, and the remainder of the banditti dispersed, and praying he may be allowed the reward offered for the apprehension of the said Mason by the President of the United States, or by the then Governor of the Mississippi Territory; and the petition was read, and referred to a select committee, to consider and report thereon; and Messrs. CLAY, WHITESIDE, and CRAWFORD, were appointed the committee.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill for the establishment of a Quartermaster's department; and it was agreed that the further consideration thereof be postponed until to-morrow.

TUESDAY, April 17.

The VICE PRESIDENT being absent, the Senate proceeded to the election of a President _pro tem._, as the constitution provides; and the Hon. JOHN GAILLARD was elected.

_Ordered_, That the Secretary wait on the President of the United States, and acquaint him that the Senate have, in the absence of the VICE PRESIDENT, elected the Hon. JOHN GAILLARD, President of the Senate _pro tempore_.

_Ordered_, That the Secretary make a like communication to the House of Representatives.

WEDNESDAY, April 18.

_National Bank._

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill making provision for the establishment of a National Bank.

On motion, by Mr. HILLHOUSE, to strike out the first section of the bill, the Senate was equally divided--yeas 15, nays 15, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Brent, Champlin, German, Gilman, Goodrich,
Hillhouse, Horsey, Lloyd, Meigs, Pickering, Pope, Reed, Smith
of New York, Tait, and Whiteside.

NAYS.--Messrs, Anderson, Bayard, Bradley, Clay, Condit,
Crawford, Franklin, Gaillard, Giles, Gregg, Lambert, Leib,
Smith of Maryland, Sumter, and Turner.

So the question was lost.

FRIDAY, April 20.

_Territory of Orleans._

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill to enable the people of the Territory of Orleans to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes; and on motion, by Mr. CLAY, to amend the bill, by adding at the end of the third section the following words:

"_Provided further_, That the said convention shall, by an
article in the constitution so to be formed, irrevocable
without the consent of the United States, provide, that,
after the admission into the Union of the said Territory of
Orleans as a State, the laws which such State may pass shall
be promulgated, and its records of every description shall
be preserved, and its written, judicial, and legislative
proceedings conducted, in the language in which the laws and
the written, judicial, and legislative proceedings of the
United States are now published and conducted:"

It was determined in the affirmative--yeas 17, nays 12, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Bayard, Campbell, Champlin, Clay, Giles, Gilman,
Goodrich, Horsey, Lambert, Leib, Lloyd, Meigs, Pickering, Pope,
Smith of Maryland, Smith of New York, and Turner.

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Bradley, Condit, Crawford, Franklin,
Gaillard, German, Gregg, Hillhouse, Reed, Sumter, and Whiteside.

WEDNESDAY, April 25.

_National Bank._

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill making provision for the establishment of a National Bank. And on motion, by Mr. BAYARD, that the further consideration thereof be postponed until the first Monday in December next, it was determined in the affirmative--yeas 17, nays 14, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Bayard, Bradley, Brent, Champlin, Crawford,
German, Gilman, Goodrich, Hillhouse, Horsey, Lloyd, Pickering,
Pope, Reed, Smith of New York, Sumter, and Turner.

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Clay, Condit, Franklin, Gaillard,
Giles, Gregg, Lambert, Leib, Mathewson, Meigs, Robinson, Smith
of Maryland, and Whiteside.

THURSDAY, April 26.

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill, entitled "An act providing for the sale of certain lands in the Indiana Territory, and for other purposes;" and having agreed to the amendments reported by the select committee, the PRESIDENT reported it to the House accordingly; and on the question, Shall this bill be read the third time, as amended? it was determined in the affirmative.

Mr. GILMAN, from the committee, reported the bill allowing compensation to Robert Robinson correctly engrossed; and the bill was read the third time; and the blank having been filled with the words _five hundred_--

_Resolved_, That this bill pass, and that the title thereof be "An act allowing compensation to Robert Robinson."

The Senate resumed the motion made yesterday on the subject, which was amended and agreed to, as follows:

_Resolved_, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to lay before the Senate a statement of all claims which have been adjusted and allowed at the Treasury Department, in virtue of the law entitled "An act providing for the settlement of the claims of persons, under particular circumstances, barred by the limitations heretofore established;" and also, a statement of the balances standing in the books of the Treasury against the United States, which are barred by the statute of limitations, together with his opinion whether the said statute can be modified or repealed, as to that or any other description of claims, without subjecting the Government to imposition.

Mr. CLAY gave notice that to-morrow he should ask leave to bring in a bill, supplementary to an act, entitled "An act for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States."

The bill entitled "An act authorizing a loan of money, for a sum not exceeding the amount of the principal of the public debt reimbursable during the year one thousand eight hundred and ten," was read the second time, and referred to a select committee, to consist of five members, to consider and report thereon, and Messrs. SMITH of Maryland, CRAWFORD, LLOYD, FRANKLIN, and HILLHOUSE, were appointed the committee.

_Territory of Orleans._

The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the bill to enable the people of the Territory of Orleans to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes; together with the amendments reported thereto by the select committee. On motion, by Mr. HILLHOUSE, to add, at the end of the bill, the following words:

"_Provided_, That the several States shall assent thereto, or
an amendment to the Constitution of the United States shall
authorize Congress to admit said Territory of Orleans into the
Union, on the footing of the original States:"

It was determined in the negative--yeas 8, nays 20, as follows:

YEAS.--Messrs. Champlin, German, Goodrich, Hillhouse, Horsey,
Lloyd, Pickering, and Reed.

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Brent, Clay, Condit, Crawford,
Franklin, Gaillard, Giles, Gilman, Gregg, Lambert, Leib,
Mathewson, Meigs, Pope, Smith of Maryland, Sumter, Tait,
Turner, and Whiteside.

And the report of the select committee having been agreed to, and the bill further amended, the President reported it to the House accordingly. On the question, Shall this bill be engrossed and read a third time as amended? it was determined in the affirmative--yeas 18, nays 9, as follows;

YEAS.--Messrs. Anderson, Brent, Clay, Condit, Crawford,
Franklin, Gaillard, Giles, Gregg, Lambert, Lloyd, Mathewson,
Meigs, Smith of Maryland, Sumter, Tait, Turner, and Whiteside.

NAYS.--Messrs. Champlin, German, Gilman, Goodrich, Hillhouse,
Horsey, Leib, Pickering, and Reed.

MONDAY, April 30.

_Barred Claims._

The PRESIDENT communicated the report of the Secretary for the Department of the Treasury, made in pursuance of the resolution of the Senate of the 26th instant, on the subject of claims barred by the statute of limitations; and the report was read, as follows:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, _April 28, 1810_.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit a report prepared in
obedience to the resolution of the Senate, of the twenty-six
instant. I have the honor to be, &c.,

ALBERT GALLATIN.

_To the Honorable the President of the Senate_:

The Secretary of the Treasury, in obedience to the resolution
of the Senate, of the 26th instant, respectfully reports--

That it appears, by the letter from the Register of the
Treasury, herewith transmitted, that the statement of all the
claims adjusted and allowed, by virtue of the act, entitled "An
act providing for the settlement of the claims of persons under
particular circumstances, barred by the limitations heretofore
established," cannot be completed before the day contemplated
for the adjournment of Congress, but will be prepared so as to
be laid before the Senate at the commencement of their next
session.

That the statement (A) herewith transmitted, exhibits the
amount of the balances standing on the books of the Treasury
against the United States, which are barred by the statutes of
limitation, and arranged under the following heads, viz:

Loan Office certificates $90,811 36
Indents for interest on the public debt 64,590 98
Final settlement certificates 23,873 24
Commissioners' certificates 4,304 83
Army commissioners' do. 46,468 97
Credits given in lieu of army commissioners'
certificates cancelled 28,674 30
Credits for pay of the army, for which no
certificates were ever issued 17,132 11
Invalid pensions 16,635 46
----------
Amounting together to 292,491 25
==========

That so far as relates to the said balances, which result
altogether from accounts actually settled at the Treasury, the
statute of limitation can be repealed without subjecting the
Government to imposition; but that considering the length of
time which has elapsed since the claims have been barred, and
the little value on that account affixed to them, the repeal of
the statute, unless properly guarded in that respect, may not
generally benefit the rightful claimants.

And that with the exception of those balances, it is not
believed that it would be safe to repeal the statute of
limitation in relation to any other general description
of claims; although there may be special cases in which,
notwithstanding the lapse of time, the proper proofs and checks
may still exist, so as to prevent any imposition on the public.

All which is respectfully submitted.

ALBERT GALLATIN.

TUESDAY, May 1.

_Barred Claims._

Mr. HILLHOUSE, from the same committee, further reported as follows:

_Resolved_, That the Secretary for the Department of the
Treasury report to the Senate, at their next meeting, the
necessary provisions for guarding the Treasury of the United
States from fraud and imposition on the removal of the statute
of limitations, in relation to the following claims mentioned
in his report of the 28th of April, 1810, viz:

1. Loan office certificates.

2. Indents for interest on the public debt.

3. Final settlement certificates.

4. Commissioners' certificates.

5. Army certificates.

6. Credits given in lieu of Army certificates cancelled.

7. Credits for the pay of the Army, for which no certificates
were issued.

8. Invalid pension.

Also, how far the statute of limitations may with safety be
removed, as to claims for personal services rendered in the
Army of the United States, during the Revolutionary war, and
the guard and checks necessary and proper to be adopted.

And the report was considered and agreed to.

_Adjournment._

Mr. CRAWFORD, from the joint committee, reported that they had waited on the President of the United States, who informed them that he had no further communication to make to the two Houses of Congress.

_Ordered_, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives that the Senate, having finished the business before them, are about to adjourn.

The Secretary having performed that duty, the President adjourned the Senate without delay.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] Dividends falling short of the rate of 8 per cent. per annum.

[8] Including extra dividends.

ELEVENTH CONGRESS.--SECOND SESSION.

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

IN

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MONDAY, November 27, 1809.

This being the day appointed by law for the meeting of Congress, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, and took their seats, to wit:

_From New Hampshire_--Daniel Blaisdell, and Nathaniel A. Haven.

_From Massachusetts_--Ezekiel Bacon, Richard Cutts, William
Ely, Barzillai Gannett, Josiah Quincy, Sam'l Taggart, Charles
Turner, jr., Jabez Upham, Joseph B. Varnum, (the Speaker,) and
Laban Wheaton.

_From Vermont_--William Chamberlin, Martin Chittenden, Jonathan
H. Hubbard, and Samuel Shaw.

_From Rhode Island_--Richard Jackson.

_From Connecticut_--Epaphroditus Champion, Samuel W. Dana, John
Davenport, Jonathan O. Mosely, Timothy Pitkin, junior, Lewis B.
Sturges, and Benjamin Tallmadge.

_From New York_--James Emott, Jonathan Fisk, Thomas R. Gold,
Robert Le Roy Livingston, Peter B. Porter, Erastus Root,
Ebenezer Sage, Thomas Sammons, John Thompson, and Killian K.
Van Rensselaer.

_From New Jersey_--Adam Boyd, James Cox, William Helms, Jacob
Hufty, Thomas Newbold, and Henry Southard.

_From Pennsylvania_--William Anderson, David Bard, Robert
Brown, William Crawford, Aaron Lyle, William Milnor, John
Porter, John Rea, Matthias Richards, John Smilie, George Smith,
Samuel Smith, and Robert Whitehill.

_From Maryland_--Charles Goldsborough, John Montgomery,
Nicholas R. Moore, Roger Nelson, and Archibald Van Horne.

_From Virginia_--Burwell Bassett, James Breckenridge, John
Clopton, John Dawson, John W. Eppes, Thomas Gholson, junior,
Peterson Goodwyn, John G. Jackson, Joseph Lewis, junior, John
Love, Thomas Newton, John T. Roane, John Smith, and James
Stephenson.

_From North Carolina_--Willis Alston, junior, James Cochran,
William Kennedy, Nathaniel Macon, Archibald McBride, Joseph
Pearson, Lemuel Sawyer, and Richard Stanford.

_From South Carolina_--Lemuel J. Alston, William Butler, Joseph
Calhoun, Robert Marion, Thomas Moore, and John Taylor.

_From Georgia_--Howell Cobb, and George M. Troup.

_From Ohio_--Jeremiah Morrow.

_From Kentucky_--Joseph Desha, Benjamin Howard, Richard M.
Johnson, and Samuel McKee.

_From Tennessee_--Pleasant M. Miller, John Rhea, and Robert
Weakley.

_From Mississippi Territory_--George Poindexter.

_From Indiana Territory_--Jonathan Jennings.

_From Orleans Territory_--Julien Poydras.

ADAM SEYBERT, returned to serve as a member of this House, for the State of Pennsylvania, in the room of Benjamin Say, resigned, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat.

JONATHAN JENNINGS, returned to serve as a Delegate from the Territory of Indiana, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat.

A quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, Mr. GOODWYN and Mr. ROOT were appointed a committee on the part of the House, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make to them.

TUESDAY, November 28.

Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, JOHN C. CHAMBERLAIN and JAMES WILSON; from Rhode Island, ELISHA R. POTTER; from Pennsylvania, WILLIAM FINDLAY and DANIEL HEISTER; from Virginia, MATTHEW CLAY and JACOB SWOOPE; and from North Carolina, JOHN STANLEY, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

A message from the Senate informed the House that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to proceed to business. They have appointed a committee on their part, jointly with the committee appointed on the part of this House, to inform the President that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications that he may be pleased to make them.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a certificate of the election of ADAM SEYBERT, to serve as a member for the State of Pennsylvania, in the room of Benjamin Say, resigned; which was read, and, together with the certificate of the election of JONATHAN JENNINGS, the delegate from the Territory of Indiana, referred to the Committee of Elections.

WEDNESDAY, November 29.

Several other members, to wit: from New York, JOHN NICHOLSON; from Maryland, JOHN BROWN; and from Virginia, WALTER JONES, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

THURSDAY, November 30.

Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, WILLIAM HALE; from Massachusetts, GIDEON GARDNER and EZEKIEL WHITMAN; and from New York, VINCENT MATTHEWS, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

The SPEAKER laid before the House the following letter, which was read:

_Respect for the House._

_To the Speaker of the House of Representatives_:

Sir: An occurrence having recently taken place between a
member of the House of Representatives and myself, produced
by circumstances not at all connected with his official
duties or opinions, which from the time and place may be
considered disrespectful to the House of Representatives, I
take the liberty of tendering through you my most respectful
declarations, that I am the last who would wilfully
manifest a deficiency of that reverence which is due to the
Representatives of my country, or that sacred regard which is
also due to their privileges.

To yourself, sir, personally, I tender the assurances of my
very great respect.