PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES
IN
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, December 5, 1796.
This being the day appointed by the constitution for the annual meeting of Congress, in the House of Representatives, the following named members appeared and took their seats, viz:
From New Hampshire.—Abiel Foster, Nicholas Gilman, John S. Sherburne, and Jeremiah Smith.
From Massachusetts.—Fisher Ames, Theophilus Bradbury, Henry Dearborn, Dwight Foster, Nathaniel Freeman, Jr., Samuel Lyman, William Lyman, John Read, George Thatcher, Joseph B. Varnum, and Peleg Wadsworth.
From Rhode Island.—Francis Malbone.
From Connecticut.—Joshua Coit, Chauncey Goodrich, Roger Griswold, Nathaniel Smith, and Zephaniah Swift.
From New York.—Theodorus Bailey, William Cooper, Ezekiel Gilbert, Henry Glenn, Jonathan N. Havens, John E. Van Allen, Philip Van Cortlandt, and John Williams.
From New Jersey.—Jonathan Dayton, Aaron Kitchell, and Isaac Smith.
From Pennsylvania.—Albert Gallatin, Samuel Maclay, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, John Richards, Samuel Sitgreaves, and John Swanwick.
From Delaware.—John Patton.
From Maryland.—George Dent, William Hindman, and Richard Sprigg, Jr.
From Virginia.—John Clopton, Isaac Coles, George Jackson, James Madison, Anthony New, and Robert Rutherford.
From Kentucky.—Christopher Greenup.
From North Carolina.—Thomas Blount and Matthew Locke.
From South Carolina.—William Smith.
From Georgia.—Abraham Baldwin.
The following new members appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats, viz:
From Tennessee.—Andrew Jackson.
From Maryland.—William Craik, in place of Jeremiah Crabb, resigned.
From Connecticut.—James Davenport, in place of James Hillhouse, appointed a Senator of the United States.
The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Governor of Pennsylvania, with the return of the election of George Ege, to serve as a member of the House in place of Daniel Heister, resigned.
A quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, it was ordered that the Clerk wait on the Senate, to inform them that this House was ready to proceed to business; but it appeared that the Senate had not been able to form a quorum by one member, and had adjourned.
Mr. William Smith presented a petition from Thomas Lloyd, proposing to take, in short-hand, and publish the Debates of Congress at $1,000 per session salary. The expense of printing, &c. he estimated at $540, for which he would furnish the House with five hundred copies of that work; engaging to use every possible precaution, and pay prompt attention.
Mr. S. referred to the unfavorable reception of a proposal of this nature at the last session, and supposed this would not be more successful; however, he moved that it be referred to a committee.
The motion was agreed to, and Mr. W. Smith, Mr. Gallatin, and Mr. Swift, were appointed to examine the petition, and report thereon to the House.