Monday, January 28.
Intercourse with France.
The bill further suspending our commercial intercourse with France and her dependencies, and for other purposes, having been read the third time,
Mr. Allen moved for a recommitment of the bill in order to have expunged a proviso introduced by the member from Tennessee, excluding the port of New Orleans from its operation. He stated his reason to be, that he did not believe that was likely to be a rendezvous for French privateers; but that, if it should be, it ought to be liable to the same restrictions with other ports; and, if it was not likely to become a harbor of privateers, to insert a proviso of this kind, was to show a distrust that the President would not exercise the power given to him for the interest of the United States.
This motion was seconded by Mr. Otis, and opposed by Messrs. Venable, Nicholas, S. Smith, W. Claiborne, and Harper. It was negatived, the yeas and nays being taken—74 to 18.
The question on the passing of the bill was then taken, and stood, yeas 55, nays 37, as follows:
Yeas.—John Allen, George Baer, jun., Bailey Bartlett, James A. Bayard, Jonathan Brace, David Brooks, Stephen Bullock, Christopher G. Champlin, John Chapman, James Cochran, William Craik, John Dennis, George Dent, William Edmond, Thomas Evans, Abiel Foster, Dwight Foster, Jonathan Freeman, Nathaniel Freeman, jun., Henry Glenn, Chauncey Goodrich, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, Robert Goodloe Harper, Thomas Hartley, William Hindman, Hezekiah L. Hosmer, James H. Imlay, John Wilkes Kittera, Samuel Lyman, James Machir, William Matthews, Daniel Morgan, Harrison G. Otis, Isaac Parker, Josiah Parker, Thomas Pinckney, John Reed, John Rutledge, jun., James Schureman, Samuel Sewall, William Shepard, Thomas Sinnickson, Samuel Smith, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Peleg Sprague, George Thatcher, Mark Thompson, Thomas Tillinghast, John E. Van Allen, Peleg Wadsworth, Robert Waln, John Williams, and Robert Williams.
Nays.—Abraham Baldwin, David Bard, Thos. Blount, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne, William C. C. Claiborne, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, Thomas T. Davis, John Dawson, Joseph Eggleston, Lucas Elmendorph, William Findlay, Albert Gallatin, James Gillespie, Andrew Gregg, John A. Hanna, Carter B. Harrison, Jonathan N. Havens, Joseph Heister, David Holmes, Walter Jones, Edward Livingston, Matthew Locke, Nathaniel Macon, Anthony New, John Nicholas, Thompson J. Skinner, William Smith, Richard Sprigg, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, and Abraham Venable.
French Affairs.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
An edict of the Executive Directory of the French Republic of the twenty-ninth of October, 1798, inclosed in a letter from our Minister Plenipotentiary in London, of the sixteenth of November, is of so much importance that it cannot be too soon communicated to you and to the public.
JOHN ADAMS.
January 28, 1799.
Extract of a letter from Rufus King, Esq., Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at London, to the Secretary of State, dated November 16, 1798.
"The annexed arrêt would appear extravagant and incredible, if it proceeded from any other authority; but mankind is so accustomed to the violence and injustice of France, that we almost cease to express our surprise and indignation at the new instances that she continues to display."
[TRANSLATION.]
Decree of the Executive Directory, of October 29, 1798.
The Executive Directory, upon the report of the Minister of Foreign Relations, considering that the fleets, privateers, and ships, of England and Russia, are in part equipped by foreigners.
Considering that this violation is a manifest abuse of the rights of nations, and that the powers of Europe have not taken any measures to prohibit it. Decrees:
1st. Every individual, native (ou originaire) of friendly countries, allied to the French Republic, or neutral, bearing a commission, granted by the enemies of France, or making part of the crews of ships of war, and others, enemies, shall be by this single fact declared a pirate, and treated as such, without being permitted in any case to allege that he had been forced into such service by violence, threats, or otherwise.
2d. The Executive Directories of the Batavian, Lagurian, Cisalpine, and Roman Republics, shall be instructed to this effect.
3d. The provisions contained in the first article shall be notified to those powers which are neutral or allied to the French Republic.
4th. The Ministers of Exterior Relations is charged with the execution of the present arrêt which shall be printed in the Bulletin of the Laws.
(Signed)
TERILHARD, President.
The message and documents were read, and ordered to lie on the table.