Thursday, December 19.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States:
Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
The letter herewith transmitted will inform you that it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life our excellent fellow-citizen George Washington, by the purity of his character, and a long series of services to his country, rendered illustrious through the world. It remains for an affectionate and grateful people, in whose hearts he can never die, to pay suitable honors to his memory.
JOHN ADAMS.
United States, December 19, 1799.
The Message and letter were read and ordered to lie for consideration.
A message from the House of Representatives informed the Senate that the House having received intelligence of the death of their highly-valued fellow-citizen, General George Washington, and sharing the universal grief this distressing event must produce, have resolved that a joint committee be appointed, to report measures suitable to the occasion, and expressive of the profound sorrow with which Congress is penetrated on the loss of a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen; and, having appointed a committee on their part, desire the concurrence of the Senate.
The Senate proceeded to consider the foregoing resolution of the House of Representatives; whereupon,
Resolved, That they do concur therein, and that Messrs. Dayton, Bingham, Dexter, Gunn, Laurance, Tracy, and Read, be the committee on the part of the Senate.
Resolved, That the Senate will wait on the President of the United States, to condole with him on the distressing event of the death of General George Washington; and that a committee be appointed to prepare, for that occasion, an Address to the President of the United States, expressive of the deep regret of the Senate; and that this committee consist of Messrs. Dexter, Ross, and Read.
Resolved, That the chairs in the Senate Chamber be covered, and the room hung with black, and that each member, and the officers of the Senate, go into mourning, by the usual mode of wearing a crape round the left arm, during the session.