"Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy upon the members of this House, so far as it relates to that part of the communication made by the President, by his Message of January 9, which has been printed, be taken off, and that all future debates and proceedings thereon be had with open doors."
A motion was made to insert, after the words "be taken off," "together with the letter of Messrs. Barlow and Donaldson, of April 5, 1796." The question on the amendment was taken by yeas and nays, and lost—yeas 19, nays 65.
The main question was then taken by yeas and nays, and resulted—yeas 53, nays 36.
Reports of the Secretary of State, relative to the present situation of affairs with the Dey and Regency of Algiers, accompanying the following confidential Message from the President of the United States, received the 9th of January, 1797:
Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:
Herewith I lay before you, in confidence, reports from the Departments of State and the Treasury, by which you will see the present situation of our affairs with the Dey and Regency of Algiers.
G. WASHINGTON.
United States, January 9, 1797.
To the President of the United States, the Secretary of State respectfully makes the following brief representation of the affairs of the United States, in relation to Algiers:
When Colonel Humphreys left America, in April, 1795, he was accompanied by Joseph Donaldson, Esq., who had been appointed Consul for Tunis and Tripoli; and him Colonel Humphreys was authorized to employ in negotiating a Treaty with Algiers, while he should proceed himself to France, for the purpose of obtaining the co-operation of that Government in this negotiation.