On which the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, rising from his seat, was pleased to address the audience as follows: "FELLOW-CITIZENS: I am again called upon, by the voice of my country, to execute the functions of its Chief Magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of United America. "Previous to the execution of any official act of the PRESIDENT, the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your pre [MARCH, 1793. sence; that, if it shall be found, during my administration of the Government, I have, in any instance, violated, willingly or knowingly, the injunction thereof, I may (besides incurring Constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony." Judge CUSHING then administered the oath of office required by the Constitution; after which, the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITEED STATES retired, and the spectators dispersed. After acting upon several nominations received from the PRESIDENT, the Senate adjourned, sine die. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THE SECOND SESSION OF THE SECOND CONGRESS, BEGUN AT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, NOVEMBER 5, 1792. MONDAY, November 5, 1792. This being the day appointed by law for the meeting of the present Congress, the following members appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats: From New Hampshire, NICHOLAS GILMAN, SAMUEL LIVERMORE, and JEREMIAH SMITH. The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Governor of Georgia, enclosing a proclamation and return of the election of JOHN MILLEDGE, to serve as one of the members of this House for the said State, in the room of ANTHONY WAYNE, whose seat was declared vacant; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, was A petition of sundry merchants of the city of presented to the House and read, praying that Congress will pass a law to restrain the proceed From Massachusetts, FISHER AMES, SHEARJASHUB BOURNE, ELBRIDGE GERRY, BENJAMIN GOODHUE, GEORGE THATCHER, and ARTEMAS WARD. From Rhode Island, George Leonard, BeNJA-ings, and reduce the fees in the Court of Admi MIN BOURNE. From Connecticut, AMASA LEARNED, JONATHAN STURGES, and JONATHAN TRUMBULL, (Speaker.) From Vermont, NATHANIEL NILES and ISRAEL SMITH. From New York, Egbert Benson, JOHN LAURANCE, and THOMAS TREDWell. From New Jersey, ELIAS BOUDINOT, ABRAHAM CLARK, and JONATHAN DAYTON. From Pennsylvania, THOMAS FITZSIMONS and FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG. From Maryland, PHILIP KEY and WILLIAM VANS MURRAY. From Virginia, WILLIAM B. GILES, JAMES MADISON, ANDREW MOORE, JOSIAH PARKER, ABRAHAM VENABLE, and ALEXANDER WHITE. From North Carolina, NATHANIEL MACON, JOHN STEELE, and HUGH WILLIAMSON. From South Carolina, WILLIAM SMITH, THOMAS SUMPTER, and THOMAS TUDOR TUCKER. From Georgia, ABRAHAM BALDWIN and FRANCIS WILLIS. A quorum of members being present, a message was sent to the Senate to inform that body thereof. And a similar message was received by the House from the Senate; and that JOHN LANGDON had been chosen their President pro tempore. A joint committee were then appointed to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, to inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may think proper to make them. Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress, one by each House, to interchange weekly. The House then proceeded to appoint a Chaplain on their part, when a majority of votes appeared in favor of the Reverend ASHBEL GREEN. ralty of the United States in the said State; as, also, to admit of other security being taken, to the satisfaction of the Judge of the Court, in small and trivial causes brought by seamen or others against vessels in the merchants' service. Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, Mr. LAURANCE, and Mr. Ordered, That the said petition be referred to WHITE, with instruction to examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House. Mr. BOUDINOT, from the joint committee appointed 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 be pleased to make to them, reported that the committee had performed that service, and that the PRESIDENT was pleased to say, that he would make a communication to both Houses of Congress to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, in the Senate Chamber. TUESDAY, November 6. Several other members, viz: from New York, JAMES GORDON; from Pennsylvania, JOHN WILKES KITTERA; and from Virginia, SAMUEL GRIFFIN and JOHN PAGE, appeared and took their seats in the House. A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate are now ready, in the Senate Chamber, to attend this House in receiving the communication from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, agreeably to his notification to both Houses yesterday. The SPEAKER, attended by the members of this House, then withdrew to the Senate Chamber for the purpose expressed in the message from the Senate; and, being returned, the SPEAKER laid before the House a copy of the Speech delivered H. OF R.] Defeat of General St. Clair-Answer to the President. by the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to both Houses of Congress, in the Senate Chamber. [A copy of the Speech appears in the proceedings of the Senate.] Ordered, That the said Speech be committed to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow. WEDNESDAY November 7. Several 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 1st of January, 1792, to the 30th of September following, inclusive; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from Mr. Meredith, Treasurer of the United States, enclosing several accounts of the receipts and expenditure of the public money. Ordered to be printed (100 copies) for the use of the members. Mr. GOODHUE moved for a committee, to bring in a bill for registering ships and vessels, and regulating those employed in the coasting trade. Ordered, That Messrs. GOODHUE, FITZSIMONS, and PARKER, be the committee. Mr. WHITE presented a memorial from Joseph Barnes, attorney for James Rumsey, praying the House to take up his former petition, respecting the enacting another law for the encouragement of Useful Arts, and complaining that the law now in force is altogether insufficient for the purpose of securing authors and inventors of machinery, &c., from the piracy and frauds of pretending impostors. Read and ordered to lie on the table. A Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Communicating to the House sundry documents referred to by him in his Address to both Houses yesterday, viz: a statement of the appropriation of the funds, certified by the proper officers. A representation from the Chief Justice and associate Justices of the Courts of the United States, complaining of the great severity of the duties imposed on them in being obliged to attend the Circuit Courts, which occasioned them to spend a large portion of their lives in the act of traveling, which ought not to be expected from men far advanced in years, unless in cases of great necessity. That they were almost constantly forced to be absent from their families, and their health daily impaired by the fatigue and burden of their office. And praying that a modification may speedily take place in the Judiciary system. Another memorial was also amongst the papers sent with the PRESIDENT'S Message, from the Judges of the North Carolina district, containing a detail of the inconveniences to which they were subjected by the law respecting the claims of widows, orphans, and invalid pensioners. Both of [NOVEMBER, 1792. those communications request that Congress may hasten a modification of the Judiciary system of the United States, which, in some instances, they affirm, to be not only burdensome and unnecessarily severe, but absolutely impossible in the execution. The next document was the Constitution of the State of Kentucky. The Clerk of the House proceeded to read some of the above-mentioned papers; and finished that respecting the appropriation of the funds, as ordered by law, in the Department of State. These were what had been communicated to the PRESIDENT by Mr. JEFFERSON, and contained details of moneys paid to the persons employed at Foreign Courts, &c., up to the 3d of November, 1792, amounting, in the whole to $143,500. These sums have been paid principally to Colonel Humphreys, at Portugal; Mr. Governeur Morris, at Paris; Mr. Short, at the Hague; Mr. Carmichael, at Madrid; &c. Mr. Secretary JEFFERSON'S communication further contains an analysis of the expenses of the Department of State, from the 1st of July, 1790, to the 1st of July, 1791, and from thence to the 1st July, 1792. During the former period the amount was $21,054 61. The latter is about 23,000. These papers were referred to a committee, and then the House proceeded to the other parts of the PRESIDENT'S Message, some of which being of a confidential nature, the galleries were ordered to be cleared. DEFEAT OF GENERAL ST. CLAIR. pointed to inquire into the causes of the failure of Ordered, That the report of the committee apthe late expedition under Major General St. Clair, which was made on the 8th day of May last, be referred to the consideration of a Committee of the Whole House on Wednesday next. session, called the attention of the House to the Mr. STEELE, at this early hour of the present report which had been brought in at the close of the last session, by the committee then appointed defeat of the troops under the command of Major to inquire into and report on the causes of the General St. Clair, on the 4th of November, 1791. Several reports having been circulated, reflecting of which Mr. S. was a member, rendered it nedishonorably upon the conduct of that committee, cessary for him to require a speedy consideration of the whole subject, in order to do away the minds of many of the citizens of the United States. prejudices which had probably taken place in the For these reasons, he moved that the said report should be referred to a Committee of the Whole. Ordered, That it be taken up on this day week. ANSWER TO THE PRESIDENT. The order of the day being called for, Mr. LAURANCE in the Chair,) the Speech of the PRESIDENT, delivered yesterday to Congress, was taken up; and, on motion of Mr. SMITH, of South Carolina, the following resolve was agreed to: "That a committee be appointed to prepare and report a respectful Address to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, in answer to his Speech delivered to both Houses of Congress at the opening of the present session; with assurances, that they would The following Message was received from the of the House of Representatives: I lay before you copies of certain papers relative to the Spanish interference in the execution of the treaty entered into in the year 1790, between the United States and the Creek nation of Indians, together with a Letter from the Secretary of State to the President of the United States, on the same subject. G. WASHINGTON. UNITED STATES, November 7, 1792, The papers accompanying the said Message were read, and ordered to lie on the table. H. OF R. The petition of James Warrington, attorney in fact of Joseph Blachford, surviving partner of Harris & Blachford, late of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, was presented, 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; which was ordered to lie on the table. A memorial from Messrs. Joseph and Woodrop Sims, merchants in Philadelphia was read, declaring that the ship Two Brothers, with a cargo of salt, wines, &c., bound from Cadiz to Philadelphia, had been, some time ago, driven into New York by stress of weather; that they had directed their agent there (Mr. Seaton) to dispose of the cargo, but, on being afterwards informed that it would not bring prime cost, they countermanded their orders, and the ship was coming round to Philadelphia without having broke bulk, but was wrecked off Egg Harbor; that the duties had been bondThe SPEAKER laid before the House two Letters ed at New York when the ship entered there, from Thomas Barclay, Consul of the United States and the Collector had informed them he could not at the Court of Morocco, one dated the 28th of relinquish his demand for the whole of said duMay, the other the 17th of July, 1792, enclosing ties; that there was no part of the property saved petitions from Richard O'Brien, in behalf of him- except five casks and one quarter-cask of wine, self and other citizens of the United States, now and some part of the rigging; that said five and a in captivity at Algiers, stating the peculiar hard-quarter casks were duly gauged and the duty paid ships they have undergone during the time they have been kept in slavery, and praying that Congress will consider their distressed situation, and take such measures for their releasement, as to their wisdom shall seem meet. "2d. Information received relatively to the pacific overtures and the disposition of the Indians Northwest of the Ohio." "3d. A statement of the measures which have been taken to conciliate and quiet the Southern Indians." "4th. Information received relatively to the disposition of the Southern Indians, and the causes of the hostilities of part of the Cherokees and Creeks." "5th. A statement of the troops in the service of the United States." The said Letter and statements were partially read. THURSDAY, November 8. in Philadelphia; and, finally, praying to be relieved from the payment of the duties secured at New York on a cargo which never came into their possession-this either by a general or special law of Congress. Ordered to lie for consideration. Mr. SMITH, of South Carolina, brought in a report from the committee appointed on the representation of the merchants of Charleston, against the law for regulating the fees in the Court of Admiralty of the United States, &c.; that it was the opinion of the committee that said law should be repealed, and another act passed to regulate said fees and to empower the Judges to take bail in trivial cases brought by seamen in the merchants' service, not exceeding five hundred doljars; which report 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. The SPEAKER laid before the House a Letter from the Secretary of War, communicating information that, on the 27th of September last, Brigadier General Putnam concluded a Treaty of Peace, on behalf of the United States, with the Several other members, to wit: from Connecti- Wabash and Illinois Indians, consisting of the cut, JAMES HILLHOUSE; from Pennsylvania, WIL- several tribes of Eel River, Ouittananons, PottaLIAM FINDLEY and ISRAEL JACOBS; and from Ken-watomies of the Illinois river, Musquitons, Kickatucky, ALEXANDER D. ORR, appeared, and took their seats in the House. poos of the Wabash, Piankeshaws, Kaskaskias, and Peorians. H. OF R.] The President's Speech. [NOVEMBER, 1792. 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. The House resumed the reading of the papers communicated yesterday by the Secretary of War. relative to the Indians Northwest and South of the river Ohio, and to the troops in the service of the United States, and made a farther progress therein. FRIDAY, November 9. Another member, to wit: CHRISTOPHER GREENUP, from Kentucky, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House. The Clerk proceeded to read the Speeches de- Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prelivered to the Indians by Brigadier General Put-pare and bring in a bill or bills for the regulation nam. That which he spoke to the Miamis, &c., informed them that the Great Chief of the United States had sent a Speech some time ago, as well as one from himself, inviting those tribes to peace, and to recommend it to their neighbors, at the same time observing, that a treaty had been concluded with the Wabash Indians, and the hatchet everlastingly buried. "Brothers," said he, "if you will hear me, and not listen to the singing of the birds, carried to your ears by those who would ruin and destroy you, open your ears to my message. My wish is to see you all happy, and that your women and children may lie down in peace, and your young men and hunters live in harmony with the United States. The United States never intended to wrong you out of any of A Message was received from the PRESIDENT your lands. Send some of your wise men to meet OF THE UNITED STATES, transmitting sundry comus, who can see and hear the truth, and who will munications from the Governor of Virginia, conconsider your interest well. The road to happi- taining a correspondence between himself and the ness and peace is open to you. Arise! come and Governor of North Carolina, respecting the boundsee me, and let us shake hands with one another."ary line between the State of Virginia and the To the Delawares General Putnam also made a Speech, wherein he expresses sentiments, in substance, as follows: "I have lived with you many years. The Great Chief of the United States is a good man. Listen to his words, which he sends by me to you for your good. Many things have happened which were forced to be left in the dark, but they will all come to light, if you will come to the mouth of the Muskingum and hear what we have to say to your people." Another Speech of the General's, to a different tribe, offers them peace, and requests them to send a Speech to their brothers, desiring them not to stop their ears, but to take the straight road to happiness, which is now laid open to them. "The Great Spirit," said he, "I hope may succeed in bringing about a lasting peace, if your people are as willing as our Great Chief to brighten the chain of friendship. If you will come to Philadelphia, I will provide for your accommodation on the journey, and I request your answer." After reading the above-mentioned papers, the House took up a memorial presented by Commodore John Hazlewood, respecting services and losses performed and sustained by him during the war, and requiring relief, &c. Read and laid on the table. Mr. LEE moved that the Report of the Secretary of the Treasury, made to the House last session, respecting lost or destroyed certificates, be taken up in Committee of the Whole. Ordered, That said Report be made the order of the day for next Monday week. 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 instruction to examine the same, and report their opinion thereupon to the House. territory South of the river Ohio. These papers contain details of the situation of the unsettled boundaries extending toward the State of Kentucky, and a description of the difference between Walker's and Henderson's lines, which are at some places three miles asunder; and in this space there are upwards of a hundred families which may be claimed by either State, or they need acknowledge neither. This subject was referred to Messrs. BOUDINOT, WILLIAMSON, and PAGE. Mr. MADISON, from the committee appointed. presented 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 PRESIDENT'S SPEECH. Mr. MURRAY called the attention of the House to that part of the PRESIDENT's Speech which respects the transmission of newspapers throughout the different parts of the Union. He observed. that it had been in contemplation to qualify the Post Office law by a supplement, at the close of the last session; but, from the multiplicity of business crowding in at that time, the measure was relinquished. The same reasons could not operate in the present session, for the subject was particularly mentioned by the PRESIDENT, and ought to be referred to a committee as well as any other division of his communications. For these reasons, Mr. M. moved for the appointment of a committee; but, before any order could be taken on this motion, a member called for the reading of the confidential papers from the War Department, and the SPEAKER ordered the galleries to be cleared. SATURDAY, November 10. Two other members, to wit: PETER SYLVESTER, from New York, and THOMAS HARTLEY, from |
