PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES
IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, October 24, 1791.
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.
From Massachusetts, Fisher Ames, Shearjashub Bourne, Elbridge Gerry, Benjamin Goodhue, George Thatcher, and Artemas Ward.
From Rhode Island, Benjamin Bourne.
From Connecticut, James Hillhouse, Jonathan Sturges, Jonathan Trumbull, Jeremiah Wadsworth, and Amasa Learned.
From New York, James Gordon, John Laurance, Peter Sylvester, and Thomas Tredwell.
From New Jersey, Elias Boudinot.
From Pennsylvania, Thomas Fitzsimons, Daniel Heister, and Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg.
From Delaware, John Vining.
From Maryland, Joshua Seney, and Samuel Sterrett.
From Virginia, John Brown, William B. Giles, Samuel Griffin, James Madison, Andrew Moore, and Alexander White.
From North Carolina, John Steele, and Hugh Williamson.
From South Carolina, Daniel Huger, William Smith, and Thomas Tudor Tucker.
From Georgia, Francis Willis.
A quorum of the members being present, the House proceeded to ballot for Speaker, when it appeared that Jonathan Trumbull, from Connecticut, was elected.
On being conducted to the chair, Mr. Trumbull addressed the House as follows:
Gentlemen: I find myself unable to express to you the full sense I have of the distinguished honor you have done me in the choice of your Speaker.
The diffidence I feel in my abilities to discharge, with propriety, the duties of the chair, is almost insuperable in my own mind. But, encouraged by the known candor of this honorable body, and depending, as I think I may confidently do, on the kind assistance of each individual in it, I shall enter on its duties, with full assurances to you, gentlemen, that I shall endeavor to conduct myself with that impartiality, integrity, and assiduity, which become the conspicuous station in which you have been pleased to place me.
The House then proceeded to ballot for a Clerk, when there appeared a unanimous vote for John Beckley.
The oath to support the constitution was then administered to the members present, and the oath of office to the Speaker and Clerk.
Ordered, That the Speaker appoint committees until the House shall otherwise determine.
A message was received from the Senate, informing the House that a quorum of that body is assembled and ready to proceed to business; and that the Senate have informed the President of the United States that they are ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make to them.
Resolved, That Mr. Smith, of South Carolina, Mr. Laurance, and Mr. White, be a committee on the part of this House, to act jointly with the committee from the Senate, to wait on the President.
Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and report Standing Rules and Orders of proceeding for the House. Messrs. Muhlenberg, Tucker, Williamson, Ames, and Smith, of New Hampshire, were named.
Joseph Wheaton was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms; and Gifford Dalley, Doorkeeper, and Thomas Claxton, assistant Doorkeeper.
Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress for the present session, to interchange weekly.
Mr. Smith, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, reported that the President would make a communication to both Houses to-morrow at twelve o'clock, in the Senate Chamber.
A message from the Senate announced the agreement of that body to the resolution of this House for the appointment of two Chaplains, and had elected the Right Reverend Bishop White, on their part.