ABRIDGMENT OF THE DEBATES OF CONGRESS,

FROM 1789 TO 1856.

FROM GALES AND SEATON'S ANNALS OF CONGRESS; FROM THEIR REGISTER OF DEBATES; AND FROM THE OFFICIAL REPORTED DEBATES, BY JOHN C. RIVES.

BY

THE AUTHOR OF THE THIRTY YEARS' VIEW.

VOL II.

NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,
448 AND 445 BROADWAY.
LONDON: 16 LITTLE BRITAIN.
1861.


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

FOURTH CONGRESS.—SECOND SESSION.

BEGUN AT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER 5, 1796.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE.

Monday, December 5, 1796.

PRESENT:

John Adams, Vice President of the United States, and President of the Senate.

John Langdon and Samuel Livermore, from New Hampshire.

Benjamin Goodhue, from Massachusetts.

William Bradford, from Rhode Island.

James Hillhouse and Uriah Tracy, from Connecticut.

Elijah Paine, and Isaac Tichenor, from Vermont.

John Rutherford and Richard Stockton, from New Jersey.

William Bingham, from Pennsylvania.

Henry Latimer, from Delaware.

Humphrey Marshall, from Kentucky.

William Cocke, from Tennessee.

Jacob Read, from South Carolina.

James Gunn, from Georgia.

The number of Senators present not being sufficient to constitute a quorum, they adjourned to 11 o'clock to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, December 6.

Alexander Martin, from the State of North Carolina, and William Blount, from the State of Tennessee, severally attended.

The Vice President communicated a letter from Pierce Butler, notifying the resignation of his seat in the Senate, which was read.

The credentials of the after-named Senators were severally read:—Of Benjamin Goodhue, appointed a Senator by the State of Massachusetts, in place of George Cabot, resigned; of Isaac Tichenor, appointed a Senator by the State of Vermont, in place of Moses Robinson, resigned; of James Hillhouse, appointed a Senator by the State of Connecticut in place of Oliver Ellsworth, whose seat is become vacant; of Uriah Tracy, appointed a Senator by the State of Connecticut, in place of Jonathan Trumbull, resigned; of John Laurance, appointed a Senator by the State of New York, in place of Rufus King, whose seat is become vacant; of Richard Stockton, appointed a Senator by the State of New Jersey, in place of Frederick Frelinghuysen, resigned; also, of William Blount and William Cocke, appointed Senators by the State of Tennessee;—and, the oath required by law being respectively administered to them, they took their seats in the Senate.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that a quorum of the House of Representatives is assembled, and ready to proceed to business.

Ordered, That the Secretary wait on the President of the United States, and acquaint him that a quorum of the Senate is assembled.

Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to proceed to business.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that they have appointed a joint committee, on their part, together with such committee as the Senate may appoint, to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications that he may be pleased to make to them.

Resolved, That the Senate concur in the above resolution, and that Messrs. Read and Livermore be the joint committee on the part of the Senate.

Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives therewith.

Mr. Read reported, from the joint committee appointed for that purpose, that they had waited on the President of the United States, and had notified him that a quorum of the two Houses of Congress are assembled, and that the President of the United States acquainted the committee that he would meet the two Houses in the Representatives' Chamber, at twelve o'clock to-morrow.

Wednesday, December 7.

John Henry, from the State of Maryland, attended.

A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that they are now ready to meet the Senate in the Chamber of that House, to receive such communications as the President of the United States shall be pleased to make to them.

Whereupon, the Senate repaired to the Chamber of the House of Representatives, for the purpose above expressed.

The Senate returned to their own Chamber, and a copy of the Speech of the President of the United States, this day addressed to both Houses of Congress, was read. [For which, see the proceedings in the House of Representatives of December 7, post.]

Ordered, That Messrs. Read, Tracy, and Bingham, be a committee to report the draft of an Address to the President of the United States, in answer to his Speech this day to both Houses of Congress.

It was further ordered that the Speech of the President of the United States, this day communicated to both Houses, be printed for the use of the Senate.

Resolved, That each Senator be supplied, during the present session, with copies of three such newspapers printed in any of the States as he may choose, provided that the same are furnished at the rate of the usual annual charge for such papers.

Thursday, December 8.

John Laurance, from the State of New York, attended, and, the oath required by law being administered to him, he took his seat in the Senate.

Ordered, That Messrs. Stockton, Read, and Bingham, be a committee to inquire whether any, and what, regulations are proper to be made, on the subject of the resignation of a Senator of the United States.