Sunday, March 3.
Importation of Slaves.
Mr. Varnum, one of the members for the State of Massachusetts, presented to the House a letter from the Governor of the said State, enclosing an attested copy of two concurrent resolutions of the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts, passed the fifteenth of February in the present year, “instructing the Senators and requesting the Representatives in Congress, from the said State, to take all legal and necessary steps, to use their utmost exertions, as soon as the same is practicable, to obtain an amendment to the Federal Constitution, so as to authorize and empower the Congress of the United States to pass a law, whenever they may deem it expedient, to prevent the further importation of slaves from any of the West India islands, from the coast of Africa, or elsewhere, into the United States, or any part thereof:” Whereupon, a motion was made and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, That the following article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as a part of the said constitution, to wit:
“That the Congress of the United States shall have power to prevent the further importation of slaves into the United States and the Territories thereof.”
The said proposed resolution was read, and ordered to lie on the table.
Commodore Preble.
The resolutions sent from the Senate, “expressive of the sense of Congress of the gallant conduct of Commodore Edward Preble, the officers, seamen, and marines, of his squadron,” together with the amendments agreed to this day, were read the third time; and on the question that the same do pass, it was unanimously resolved in the affirmative.
Eodem Die, 5 o’clock, P. M.
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate insist on their amendments disagreed to by this House to the bill, entitled “An act making an appropriation for the payment of witnesses summoned on the part of the United States, in support of the impeachment of Samuel Chase,” and desire a conference with this House on the subject-matter of the said amendments; to which conference the Senate have appointed managers, on their part.
The Senate have agreed to the amendments proposed by this House to the resolutions “expressive of the sense of Congress of the gallant conduct of Commodore Edward Preble, the officers, seamen, and marines, of his squadron,” with amendments; to which they desire the concurrence of this House.
Divorces.
The order of the day for the House to resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill to authorize the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia to decree divorces in certain cases, being called for, a motion was made, and the question being put, that the said order of the day be postponed until the first Monday in December next, it was resolved in the affirmative.
A motion was then made and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the Clerk of this House be, and he is hereby, directed to pay out of the contingent fund of this House, to every witness summoned on behalf of the House of Representatives, to attend the Senate in support of the impeachment of Samuel Chase, for every day’s attendance, the sum of three dollars, and the further sum of twenty cents for each mile in coming from and returning to his place of abode.
Resolved, That the Clerk be likewise directed to pay, out of the said fund, any other expense incurred by order of the managers of the said impeachment, and certified by their chairman.
On which motion, various efforts were made to obtain a decision of the House on the previous question, “that the House do now proceed to consider the said motion;” but no result could, in any instance, be obtained for the want of a quorum.
Adjournment.
After which, a quorum being present,
A message from the Senate informed the House, that the Senate have appointed a committee, on their part, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of this House, to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him of the proposed recess of Congress.
The House proceeded to consider the foregoing message of the Senate, and
Resolved, That this House do agree to the same, and that Mr. John Randolph, Mr. Huger, and Mr. Nelson, be appointed of the said committee, on the part of this House.
Mr. John Randolph, from the committee appointed on the part of this House, jointly with the committee appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him of the proposed recess of Congress, reported that the committee had performed that service; and that the President signified to them that he had no further communication to make during the present session.
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate, having finished the legislative business before them, are now ready to adjourn.
Ordered, That a message be sent to the Senate to inform them that this House, having completed the business before them, are now about to adjourn, without day; and that the Clerk of this House do go with the said message.
The Clerk, accordingly, went with the said message; and, being returned,
The Speaker adjourned the House, sine die.[27]