Monday, March 2.
Answer to the Vice President's Valedictory.
Mr. Morris, from the committee appointed the 28th ultimo, on the Address of the Vice President, made, on his taking leave of the Senate, reported an answer thereto, which was read, as follows:
Sir: While we congratulate you on those expressions of the public will, which called you to the first office in the United States, we cannot but lament the loss of that intelligence, attention, and impartiality, with which you have presided over our deliberations. The Senate feel themselves much gratified by the sense you have been pleased to express of their support in the performance of your late duties. Be persuaded that it will never be withheld from a Chief Magistrate, who, in the exercise of his office, shall be influenced by a due regard to the honor and interests of our country.
In the confidence that your official conduct will be directed to these great objects, a confidence derived from past events, we repeat to you, sir, the assurance of our constitutional support in your future administration.
On the motion to strike out these words: "a confidence derived from past events," it passed in the negative—yeas 9, nays 19, as follows:
Yeas.—Messrs. Chipman, Hindman, Howard, Livermore, Paine, Read, Ross, Tracy, and Wells.
Nays.—Messrs. Anderson, Armstrong, Baldwin, Bloodworth, Brown, Cocke, Dayton, T. Foster, D. Foster, Franklin, Greene, Gunn, Hillhouse, Marshall, S. T. Mason, J. Mason, Morris, Nicholas, and Pinckney.
And the report was agreed to.
Ordered, That the committee who drafted the answer to the Address, wait on the President elect of the United States, and present it to him.
The President laid before the Senate a letter from the President elect of the United States; which was read, as follows:
/$ Washington, March 2, 1801. $/
Sir: I beg leave, through you, to inform the honorable the Senate of the United States, that I propose to take the oath which the constitution prescribes to the President of the United States, before he enters on the execution of his office, on Wednesday, the 4th instant, at 12 o'clock, in the Senate Chamber.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,
TH. JEFFERSON.
The President pro tempore of the Senate.
Ordered, That the foregoing letter be referred to Messrs. Morris, Dayton, and Ross, to report thereon.
Ordered, That the committee who were appointed to take into consideration the letter from the President elect of the United States, of this day, be discharged.
A motion was made as follows:
The President elect of the United States having informed the Senate that he proposes to take the oath which the constitution prescribes to the President of the United States before he enters on the execution of his office, on Wednesday, the 4th instant, at 12 o'clock, in the Senate Chamber:
Ordered, That the Secretary communicate that information to the House of Representatives; that seats be provided for such members of the House of Representatives and such of the public Ministers as may think proper to attend; and that the gallery be opened to the citizens of the United States.
And the motion was agreed to.