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

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СКАЧАТЬ of the law of 1807 to increase our population in free blacks. It was not to set free the people of this description that the law had been passed, but to prevent them from being brought here at all. For even in Pennsylvania he had no doubt the gentleman would be content to have no further population of this sort. Mr. T. said that he knew that in the Southern States there was an extreme aversion to receiving an additional free black population. The intent of this bill, so far from being in hostility to the law quoted by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, was in furtherance of it. It was to remove them out of the country.

      Mr. Ross said that it was strange that the House should have a bill before it contemplating the removal of a certain description of persons out of the country, when nothing of the kind appeared on the face of it. If that was its intention, there should be a condition that the persons bringing in these slaves should carry them out again.

      Mr. Newton observed that unless this law passed, the inevitable consequence must be that the negroes must remain here. He did not want them, they brought principles which it was known would not promote our interest or happiness.

      The committee then rose and reported the bill.

      Mr. Newton moved a new section for the relief of Foster and Girard, of New York, whose ship had been forfeited under the law prohibiting the importation of slaves. – Agreed to.

      And the bill was ordered to a third reading, and subsequently passed without opposition.

Evening Session

      Mr. Root reported that the committee had waited on the President according to order, who was pleased to say that he had no further communications to make.

      About nine o'clock, all the bills having been enrolled and signed, a motion was made to adjourn, and carried; and the Speaker, after wishing the members of the House a pleasant journey home, and a happy meeting with their friends, adjourned the House to the fourth Monday in November next.

      ELEVENTH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION. BEGUN AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 27, 1809.

      PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE

      Monday, November 27, 1809

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

PRESENT:

      • Nicholas Gilman, from New Hampshire.

      • Timothy Pickering, from Massachusetts.

      • Chauncey Goodrich, from Connecticut.

      • Stephen R. Bradley and Jonathan Robinson, from Vermont.

      • John Lambert, from New Jersey.

      • Andrew Gregg and Michael Leib, from Pennsylvania.

      • William B. Giles, from Virginia.

      • James Turner, from North Carolina.

      • Thomas Sumter and John Gaillard, from South Carolina.

      • Buckner Thruston and John Pope, from Kentucky.

      • Return Jonathan Meigs and Stanley Griswold, from Ohio.

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

      Tuesday, November 28

      The Senate assembled – present as yesterday; and Obadiah German, from the State of New York; James Hillhouse, from the State of Connecticut; Elisha Mathewson, from the State of Rhode Island; and Nahum Parker, from the State of New Hampshire, severally attended.

      Andrew Gregg, President pro tempore, resumed the chair.

      The President communicated a letter from the Surveyor of the Public Buildings, stating the difficulties that have prevented the entire completion of the permanent Senate Chamber; which letter was read.

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

      Ordered, That Messrs. Gilman and Gaillard be 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.

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

      A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House have appointed a committee, on their part, jointly with such committee as may be appointed 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.

      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.

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

      Wednesday, November 29

      James Lloyd, from the State of Massachusetts, attended.

      President's Message

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

      Fellow-citizens of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:

      At the period of our last meeting, I had the satisfaction of communicating an adjustment with one of the principal belligerent nations, highly important in itself, and still more so, as presaging a more extended accommodation. It is with deep concern I am now to inform you, that the favorable prospect has been overclouded by a refusal of the British Government to abide by the act of its Minister Plenipotentiary, and by its ensuing policy towards the United States, as seen through the communications of the Minister sent to replace him.

      Whatever pleas may be urged for a disavowal of engagements formed by diplomatic functionaries, in cases where, by the terms of the engagements, a mutual ratification is reserved; or where notice at the time may have been given of a departure from instructions; or, in extraordinary cases, essentially violating the principles of equity; a disavowal could not have been apprehended in a case where no such notice or violation existed; where no such ratification was reserved; and, more especially, where, as is now in proof, an engagement, to be executed, without any such ratification, was contemplated by the instructions given, and where it had, with good faith, been carried into immediate execution on the part of the United States.

      These considerations not having restrained the British Government from disavowing the arrangement, by virtue of which its orders in council were to be revoked, and the event authorizing the renewal of commercial intercourse having thus not taken place, it necessarily СКАЧАТЬ