Wednesday, November 29.
Address to the President.
Mr. Lyon said, when the motion was proposed yesterday on the subject of waiting upon the President, he should have opposed it, only that he did not wish to deprive some gentlemen of the gratification of attending the ceremony; and now he hoped those gentlemen would consent to gratify him by agreeing to a similar resolution to that of last session, excusing him from an attendance upon the occasion.
Mr. Macon observed, that whether the resolution was agreed to or not, the gentleman might doubtless remain behind if he chose, as he had no idea that the House could compel members to go about parading the streets of Philadelphia. The gentleman might have conscientious scruples, and if the ceremony were meant to be respectful to the President, members should attend it freely, or not at all. He should wish, therefore, that gentlemen disinclined to do the service, would not join it.
Mr. Otis hoped the motion would not prevail. He presumed no gentleman there was particularly anxious for the society of the gentleman from Vermont on this occasion. No doubt he would grace the procession, but it would be sufficiently long without him, and if he chose to remain behind, he need be under no apprehensions of being called to account for his conduct. It was not becoming the dignity of the House to pass the resolution in question. It appeared to him that the gentleman was in full health and spirits, and every way fit for business; and as the House had resolved the thing should be done, he had no idea of admitting the protest of an individual upon their journals against the measure.
Mr. Gallatin said he should be in favor of the previous question, but not for the reasons assigned by the mover of it, but for those offered by the gentleman from North Carolina, (Mr. Macon,) viz: because he did not believe there existed any power in that House to compel any member to wait upon the President with the Address; therefore it would be improper to grant an indulgence to a member from doing what there was no obligation upon him to do. He did not recollect the words of the resolution which had been agreed to. [The Speaker repeated them. They were, "that the Speaker, attended by the House of Representatives, shall wait upon the President, &c.">[ This, Mr. G. said, must be understood in a qualified sense, as the House of Representatives had no existence out of those walls. When the Speaker presented the Address, the House was not present; they could not debate nor do any act as a House. The Address was, therefore, strictly speaking, presented by the Speaker, followed by the members of the House of Representatives—as he did not conceive the House had any power without the walls of the house. They could, indeed, appoint committees to do business out of doors, but could not call out the members as a body. Upon this ground he was, therefore, in favor of the previous question.
Mr. Lyon said, understanding the matter in the light in which it had been placed by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, he would withdraw his motion.
The Speaker announced the arrival of the hour which the President of the United States had appointed to receive the Address of the House in answer to his Speech; and the Speaker, attended by the members, accordingly waited upon the President, at his house, and presented to him the Address: to which the President made the following reply:
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
I receive this Address from the House of Representatives of the United States with peculiar interest.
Your approbation of the meeting of Congress in this city, and of those other measures of the Executive authority of Government communicated in my Address to both Houses, at the opening of the session, afford me great satisfaction, as the strongest desire of my heart is to give satisfaction to the people and their representatives by a faithful discharge of my duty.
The confidence you express in the sincerity of my endeavors, and the unanimity of the people, does me much honor, and gives me great joy.
I rejoice in that harmony which appears in the sentiments of all the branches of the Government, on the importance of our commerce and our obligations to defend it, as well as in all other subjects recommended to your consideration, and sincerely congratulate you and our fellow-citizens at large on this appearance, so auspicious to the honor, interest, and happiness of the nation.
JOHN ADAMS.
United States, November 29, 1797.
The Speaker and members then returned to the House, and order being obtained, the Speaker, as usual, read the Answer of the President from the chair.