Abridgement of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856 (4 of 16 vol.). United States. Congress

the amendments agreed to, he should be ready to go with gentlemen in any other practicable measure which they would select for maintaining our rights.

      The motion of Mr. Milnor was negatived, 57 to 53.

      The committee then rose and reported the bill; and the House adjourned without considering the report.

      Friday, March 3

Adjournment

      A message was received from the Senate, stating that they had appointed a committee in conjunction with such committee as should be appointed by the House, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that they had concluded the business pending before them, and were ready to adjourn. A committee was appointed on the part of this House to join the committee of the Senate.

      Mr. Smilie offered the following resolution:

      Resolved, That the thanks of this House be presented to Joseph B. Varnum, in testimony of their approbation of his conduct in the discharge of the arduous and important duties assigned to him whilst in the Chair.

      Mr. Rowan moved that it be postponed indefinitely. Messrs. Rowan and Lyon supported the motion; and Messrs. Eppes and Jackson opposed it.

      The resolution passed, 68 to 9.

      The Speaker returned his acknowledgments to the House for this tribute of their approbation, as follows:

      Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

      The kind expression of your approbation of my conduct, in the discharge of the duties which you have been pleased to assign me as Speaker of the House, affords me that consolation which an approving conscience alone can surpass. You will please, gentlemen, to accept my thanks for the liberality and candor which you have uniformly manifested towards me: and be assured, that the friendly aid which I have experienced from you in the discharge of my official duty, has made a deep impression on the affections of my heart, which length of time cannot eradicate.

      Mr. Cutts, from the committee appointed to wait on the President, reported that they had performed that duty, and that the President had informed them that he had no further communication to make.

      And the House adjourned sine die.4

       ELEVENTH CONGRESS. – FIRST SESSION.

      BEGUN AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, MAY 22, 1809.

      PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, – JAMES MADISON.

       PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE. 5

      Monday, May 22, 1809

      Conformably to the act passed at the last session, entitled "An act to alter the time for the next meeting of Congress," the first session of the eleventh Congress commenced this day, and the Senate assembled in their chamber, at the city of Washington.

PRESENT:

      George Clinton, Vice President of the United States, and President of the Senate.

      Nicholas Gilman and Nahum Parker, from New Hampshire.

      Timothy Pickering, from Massachusetts.

      James Hillhouse and Chauncey Goodrich, from Connecticut.

      Elisha Mathewson and Francis Malbone, from Rhode Island.

      Jonathan Robinson, from Vermont.

      John Lambert, from New Jersey.

      Andrew Gregg and Michael Leib, from Pennsylvania.

      Samuel White, from Delaware.

      Samuel Smith, from Maryland.

      William B. Giles, from Virginia.

      Jesse Franklin and James Turner, from North Carolina.

      John Gaillard, from South Carolina.

      Buckner Thruston, from Kentucky.

      Return Jonathan Meigs, jr., from Ohio.

      Joseph Anderson, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of Tennessee, for the term of six years, commencing on the fourth day of March last; and Obadiah German, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of New York, for the term of six years, commencing on the fourth day of March last, severally produced their credentials, which were read; and the oath prescribed by law having been administered to them, they took their seats in the Senate.

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

      Resolved, That each Senator be supplied, during the present session, with three such newspapers, printed in any of the States, as he may choose, provided that the same be furnished at the usual rate for the annual charge of such papers: and, provided also, that if any Senator shall choose to take any newspapers other than daily papers, he shall be supplied with as many such papers as shall not exceed the price of three daily papers.

      Resolved, That James Mathers, Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper to the Senate, be, and he is hereby, authorized to employ one assistant and two horses, for the purpose of performing such services as are usually required by the Doorkeeper to the Senate; and that the sum of twenty-eight dollars be allowed him weekly for that purpose, to commence with, and remain during the session, and for twenty days after.

      Messrs. Anderson and Gilman were appointed a committee on the part of the Senate, together with such committee as may be appointed by the House of Representatives on their part, 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.

      A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that a quorum of the House is assembled, and that the House have elected Joseph B. Varnum, Esq., one of the Representatives for the State of Massachusetts, their Speaker, and are ready to proceed to business. The House of Representatives have appointed a committee on their part, jointly with the committee on the part of the Senate, 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.

      Tuesday, May 23

      Mr. Anderson reported, from the joint committee, that they had waited on the President of the United States, and that the President of the United States informed the committee that he would make a communication to the two Houses at 12 o'clock this day.

      James Lloyd, jr., appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts, for six years, commencing on the fourth day of March last, attended and produced his credentials; which were read.

President's Message

      The following Message was received from the President of the United States:

      Fellow-citizens of the Senateand House of Representatives:

      On this first occasion of meeting you, it affords me much satisfaction to be able to communicate the commencement of a favorable change in our foreign relations, the critical state of which induced a session of Congress at this early period.

      In consequence of the provisions of the act interdicting commercial intercourse with Great Britain and France, our Ministers at London and Paris were, without delay, instructed to let it be understood by the French and British Governments that the authority vested in the Executive to renew commercial intercourse with their respective nations would be exercised in the case specified by that act.

      Soon after these instructions were dispatched, it was found that the British Government, anticipating from early proceedings of Congress, at their last session, the state of our laws, which has had the effect of placing the two belligerent powers on a footing of equal restrictions, and, relying on the conciliatory disposition of the United States, had transmitted to their legation here provisional instructions, not only to offer satisfaction for the attack on the frigate Chesapeake, and to make known the determination of His Britannic Majesty to send an Envoy Extraordinary, with powers to conclude a treaty on all the points between

4

This was the end of Mr. Jefferson's administration; and, notwithstanding the purchase of Louisiana, (the annual interest on the cost of which had to be paid,) and the greatly extended frontier which required to be guarded, the system of order and economy which he cherished enabled him to carry on the government (until the privations of the embargo and non-intercourse) without increase of duties, and with a moderation of cost which should form the study and the imitation of succeeding administrations. The duties remained at the same moderate rates as before – the ad valorems, 12½, 15, and 20 per centum; the specifics (increased in number) were not increased in rate; the free list not only remained undiminished, but was happily augmented by the addition of salt. The average of the ad valorems was still about 13 per cent., and almost all fell upon the 12½ per centum class – the importations under the other two classes being inconsiderable, to wit, only about half a million, ($520,000,) subject to the 20 per centum; and only a little over nine millions under the 15 per centum; while the imports under the 12½ per centum class amounted to above thirty-six millions of dollars. The articles used by the body of the people fell into this class, (the other two classes embracing articles which might be called luxuries,) so that 12½ per centum upon the value may be considered as the duty which fell upon the country. The expenses of collection still remained at about 4 per centum, and the revenue cutter service (there being but little temptation to smuggle under such low duties) cost but a trifle; and the specific list being considerable, the number of custom house officers and agents was inconsiderable. The revenue collected from the ad valorem duties was about seven millions of dollars; that from specifics about nine millions – leaving sixteen millions for the net revenue. Of that sum the one-half (just eight millions) went to meet the interest, and part of the principal, of the public debt. Of the remainder there went to the military and Indian departments about two and three-quarter millions; to the navy about one million; to tribute to Algiers, (masked under the name of foreign intercourse,) two hundred thousand dollars; and to the civil list, embracing the whole machinery of the civil government, with all its miscellaneous expenses, about nine hundred thousand dollars – leaving some two millions surplus after accomplishing all these objects. It was a model administration of the government. Mr. Jefferson's administration terminated the 3d of March, 1809, but its fair financial working ceased two years before – with the breaking up of our commerce under the British orders in council, and the decrees of the French emperor, and the measures of privation and of expense which the conduct of Great Britain and of France brought upon us. The two last years of his administration were a strong contrast to the six first, and a painful struggle against diminished revenue and increased expenses, injuries and insults from abroad, and preparation for war with one of the greatest powers in the world, while doing no wrong ourselves, and only asking for what the laws of nations and of nature allowed us – a friendly neutrality, and exemption from the evils of a war with which we had no concern. Preparation for war was then a tedious and expensive process; embargo, non-intercourse, fortifications, ships, militia, regular troops. All this is now superseded by railroads and volunteers, ready at any moment to annihilate any invading force; and by privateers, ready to drive the commerce of any nation from the ocean.

5

LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE SENATE.

• New Hampshire.– Nicholas Gilman, Nahum Parker.

• Massachusetts.– Timothy Pickering.

• Connecticut.– James Hillhouse, Chauncey Goodrich.

• Rhode Island.– Elisha Mathewson, Francis Malbone.

• Vermont.– Jonathan Robinson, Stephen R. Bradley.

• New York.– John Smith.

• New Jersey.– John Lambert, John Condit.

• Pennsylvania.– Andrew Gregg, Michael Leib.

• Delaware.– Samuel White, James A. Bayard.

• Maryland.– Samuel Smith, Philip Reed.

• Virginia.– William B. Giles, Richard Brent.

• North Carolina.– Jesse Franklin, James Turner.

• South Carolina.– John Gaillard.

• Georgia.– William H. Crawford.

• Kentucky.– Buckner Thruston, John Pope.

• Tennessee.– Joseph Anderson, Jenkin Whiteside.

• Ohio.– Return Jonathan Meigs, jr., Stanley Griswold.