PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THE FIRST SESSION OF THE SECOND CONGRESS, BEGUN AT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, OCTOBER 24, 1791. NOTES TO THE READER. I To account for the absence of any report of Debates in the Senate in the Second Congress, it is proper here to repeat that the Senate sat with closed doors during its Legislative as well as its Executive sittings, from the beginning of the First Congress up to the 20th day of February, 1794, in the first session of the Third Congress, except in the case of Mr. GALLATIN'S contested election, when a proposition succeeded, which had frequently before failed, in that body, that the Legislative sittings of the Senate should thenceforth, after the end of that session of Congress, be conducted with open doors and galleries. IL In the History of the First Congress, the Proceedings of the Senate in its Executive capacity were given, with a view to showing how they began, were modified in their progress, and continued to the end of that Congress. From the beginning of the Second Congress, however, the Executive Journal being in general a monotonous record, no notice is taken of Executive Proceedings in the Senate, unless of some important principle being involved, as in case of a Treaty, &c., or of Debate which, finding its way to the public knowledge, can yet be traced in the records of the day. III. In those early proceedings of the Senate, Bills of either house are inserted at large when so found on the Journal of that body; the object of doing so being to show the original form of each, and to enable the inquiring reader to ascertain, by comparing them with the Acts of Congress, (to be found in the Appendix,) what changes they may have undergone in their passage through the two Houses, before they became Laws. MONDAY, October 24, 1791. This being the day fixed by law for the annual meeting of Congress, at the first session of the second Congress, the following members of the Senate appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats:* JOHN ADAMS, Vice President and President of the Senate; JOHN LANGDON and PAINE WINGATE, from New Hampshire; CALEB STRONG and GEORGE CABOT, from Massachusetts; THEODORE FOSTER and JOSEPH STANTON, jr., from Rhode Island; ROGER SHERMAN, from Connecticut, in the place of WILLIAM S. JOHNSON, resigned; AARON BURR, from New York; PIERCE BUTLER and RALPH IZARD, from South Carolina; and WILLIAM FEW, from Georgia. Ordered, That Messrs. BUTLER, MORRIS, and DICKINSON, be a committee to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make to them. Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives that a quorum of the Senate is assembled and ready to proceed to business; and that they have notified the President of the United States that they are ready to receive such communications as he may be pleased to make to them. The petition of Robert Aikin, praying to be appointed printer to the United States, was read, and PHILEMON DICKINSON and JOHN RUTHERFURD, from ordered to lie for consideration. New Jersey ; ROBERT MORRIS, from Pennsylvania; GEORGE READ, from Delaware. The petition of James Alexander, that he may be appointed Sergeant-at-arms, Doorkeeper, or Messenger, was read; and ordered to lie for conside SAMUEL JOHNSTON and BENJAMIN HAWKINS, from ration. North Carolina; Mr. CARROLL, from Maryland; Mr. ELLSWORTH, from Connecticut; Mr. FOSTER, from Rhode Island; Mr. MONROE, from Virginia, and Mr. READ, from Delaware, were allotted to the class of Senators whose continuance in office was limited by the Constitution to two years; but they had been re-elected by their respective States, and had produced their credentials at the session of the Senate specially convened for the transaction of Executive business on the 4th of March, 1791. Mr. BUTLER, from the committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, reported that they had executed their commission. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. BECKLEY, their Clerk, informed the Senate that they have resolved that a committee be appointed, 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 and ready to receive any communications he may please to make to them; in which resolution they desire the concurrence of the Senate. Resolved, That the Senate concur in the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States, agreeably to the resolution of the House of Representatives; and that Messrs. IZARD and LANGDON be the committee on the part of the Senate. [OCTOBER, 1791. demand our grateful acknowledgments, the abundance with which another year has again rewarded the industry of the husbandman is too important to escape recollection. Your own observations in your respective situations will have satisfied you of the progressive state of agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and navigation. In ticular pleasure, the happy effects of that revival of contracing their causes, you will have remarked, with parfidence, public as well as private, to which the Consti tution and laws of the United States have so eminently contributed; and you will have observed, with no less interest, new and decisive proofs of the increasing repu Ordered, That the Secretary communicate this resolution of concurrence to the House of Representation and credit of the nation. But you, nevertheless, tatives. A message from the House of Representatives by Mr. BECKLEY, their Clerk, informed the Senate that they have resolved that two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress for the present session, one by each House, who shall interchange weekly. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution of the House of Representatives of this day, for the appointment of two Chaplains; and, Resolved, That they do concur therein, and that the Right Reverend Bishop WHITE be appointed on the part of the Senate. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate the concurrence of the Senate in this resolution, together with their proceedings thereon, to the House of Representatives. Mr. IZARD, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, agreeably to the resolution of the two Houses, of this day, reported that they had executed the business, and that the President of the United States proposed to-morrow, at 12 o'clock, to meet the two Houses of Congress in the Senate Chamber. TUESDAY, October 25. The petition of Thomas Bradford, that he may be employed in printing such bills, journals, and other papers, as may be from time to time published, was read; and ordered to lie. Ordered, That the Secretary inform the House of Representatives that the Senate are ready to meet them in the Senate Chamber, to receive any communications the President of the United States may be pleased to make to the two Houses of Congress; and that the usual seats will be assigned them. The House of Representatives having accordingly taken their seats, the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES came into the Senate Chamber, and addressed both Houses of Congress, as followeth : Fellow-Citizens of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives: I meet you upon the present occasion with the feelings which are naturally inspired by a strong impression of the prosperous situation of our common country, and by a persuasion, equally strong, that the labors of the session which has just commenced will, under the guidance of a spirit no less prudent than patriotic, issue in measures conducive to the stability and increase of national prosperity. Numerous as are the Providential blessings which cannot fail to derive satisfaction from the confirmation of these circumstances, which will be disclosed in the several official communications that will be made to you in the course of your deliberations. The rapid subscriptions to the bank of the United States, which completed the sum allowed to be subscribed in a single day, is among the striking and pleas confidence in the Government, but of resource in the ing evidences which present themselves, not only of community. In the interval of your recess, due attention has been paid to the execution of the different objects which were specially provided for by the laws and resolutions of the last session. Among the most important of these, is the defence and security of the western frontiers. To accomplish it on the most humane principles was a primary wish. Accordingly, at the same time that treaties have been provisionally concluded, and other proper means used to attach the wavering, and to confirm in their friendship the well disposed tribes of Indians, effectual description sensible that a pacification was desired upon measures have been adopted to make those of a hostile terms of moderation and justice. Those measures having proved unsuccessful, it be came necessary to convince the refractory of the power of the United States to punish their depredations. Of fensive operations have therefore been directed, to be conducted, however, as consistently as possible with the dictates of humanity. Some of these have been crowned with full success, and others are yet depending. The expeditions which have been completed were carried on under the authority, and at the expense, of the United intrepidity, and good conduct, are entitled to peculiar States, by the militia of Kentucky; whose enterprise, commendation. Overtures of peace are still continued to the deluded tribes, and considerable numbers of individuals belonging to them have lately renounced all further opposi tion, removed from their former situations, and placed themselves under the immediate protection of the United States. It is sincerely to be desired, that all need of coercion in future may cease; and that an intimate intercourse may succeed, calculated to advance the happiness of the Indians, and to attach them firmly to the United States. In order to this, it seems necessary— That they should experience the benefits of an impartial dispensation of justice. That the mode of alienating their lands, the main source of discontent and war, should be so defined and regulated as to obviate imposition, and, as far as may be practicable, controversy concerning the reality and extent of the alienations which are made. That commerce with them should be promoted under regulations tending to secure an equitable deportment |