PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES
IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, December 7, 1795.
The following members appeared, and took their seats:
From New Hampshire.—Abiel Foster, Nicholas Gilman, John S. Sherburne, and Jeremiah Smith.
From Massachusetts.—Theophilus Bradbury, Henry Dearborn, Dwight Foster, Nathaniel Freeman, Jr., Benjamin Goodhue, George Leonard, Samuel Lyman, William Lyman, John Read, Theodore Sedgwick, George Thatcher, Joseph B. Varnum, and Peleg Wadsworth.
From Rhode Island.—Benjamin Bourne, and Francis Malbone.
From Connecticut.—Joshua Coit, Chauncey Goodrich, Roger Griswold, Zephaniah Swift, and Uriah Tracy.
From Vermont.—Israel Smith.
From New York.—Theodorus Bailey, William Cooper, Ezekiel Gilbert, Henry Glenn, Jonathan N. Havens, Edward Livingston, John E. Van Allen, Philip Van Cortlandt, and John Williams.
From New Jersey.—Jonathan Dayton, Aaron Kitchell, Isaac Smith, and Mark Thompson.
From Pennsylvania.—David Baird, Albert Gallatin, Daniel Heister, John Wilkes Kittera, Samuel Maclay, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Samuel Sitgreaves, John Swanwick, and Richard Thomas.
From Delaware.—John Patten.
From Maryland.—Gabriel Christie, George Dent, Gabriel Duvall, William Hindman, and William Vans Murray.
From Virginia.—Samuel J. Cabell, John Clopton, Isaac Coles, William B. Giles, George Hancock, Carter B. Harrison, John Heath, George Jackson, James Madison, Andrew Moore, Josiah Parker, Robert Rutherford, and Abraham Venable.
From North Carolina.—Thomas Blount, Nathan Bryan, Dempsey Burges, Jesse Franklin, William B. Grove, James Holland, Matthew Locke, Nathaniel Macon, and Absalom Tatom.
From South Carolina.—Samuel Earle, Robert Goodloe Harper, and William Smith.
From Georgia.—Abraham Baldwin.
And a quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number being present,
The House proceeded by ballot, to the choice of a Speaker; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Jonathan Dayton, one of the Representatives for the State of New Jersey. Whereupon,
The said Jonathan Dayton was conducted to the chair, from whence he made his acknowledgments to the House, as follows:
Gentlemen: It is with real diffidence that I undertake the execution of the duties which you have done me the honor to assign to me.
In discharging them to the best of my abilities, I anticipate, on your part, a liberal and indulgent temper towards those decisions which may be required from the Chair, and flatter myself that I shall experience, upon all occasions, your co-operation and support.
The House proceeded, in the same manner, to the appointment of a Clerk; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of John Beckley.
The oath to support the Constitution of the United States, as prescribed by the act, entitled "An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths," was then administered by Isaac Smith, one of the Representatives from the State of New Jersey, to the Speaker, and then by Mr. Speaker to all the members present.
The same oath, together with the oath of office prescribed by the said recited act, were also administered by Mr. Speaker to the Clerk.
A message was received from the Senate, informing the House that a quorum of members of that body is assembled, and the Vice President being absent, they have proceeded to the choice of a President pro tempore, and that Henry Tazewell has been duly elected.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform that body that a quorum of this House is assembled, and have elected Jonathan Dayton their Speaker; and that the Clerk of this House do go with the message.
Another message from the Senate was received, informing this House that they have appointed a committee on their part, to act jointly with such committee as may be appointed by this House, 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 communication he may think proper to make to them.
Ordered, That Mr. Madison, Mr. Sedgwick, and Mr. Sitgreaves, be appointed a committee on the part of this House, for the purpose expressed in the message of the Senate.
Petitions from sundry persons, praying to be appointed to the offices of Sergeant-at-Arms and Doorkeeper, were presented to the House and read: Whereupon,
The House proceeded, by ballot, to the choice of a Sergeant-at-Arms, Doorkeeper, and Assistant Doorkeeper; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Joseph Wheaton, as Sergeant-at-Arms, Thomas Claxton, as Doorkeeper, and Thomas Dunn, as Assistant Doorkeeper.
Ordered, That the said Joseph Wheaton, Thomas Claxton, and Thomas Dunn, do severally give their attendance accordingly.
Mr. Madison, 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 communication he may think proper to make to them, reported that the committee had, according to order, performed that service, and that the President signified to them that he would make a communication to both Houses of Congress to-morrow, at 12 o'clock, in the Representatives' Chamber.