The President of the United States.
Ordered, That the Message and letter be referred to the joint committee appointed on the 19th December last, to report suitable measures in honor of the memory of General George Washington, deceased.
Thursday, January 23.
Charles Pinckney, appointed a Senator by the State of South Carolina, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the Senate.
Disputed Presidential Elections.
On motion, of Mr. Ross, that it be
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to consider whether any, and what, provisions ought to be made by law for deciding disputed elections of President and Vice President of the United States, and for determining the legality or illegality of the votes given for those officers in the different States:
A motion was made to amend the motion by adding, "and that the committee be authorized to report by bill or otherwise."
Mr. Brown, of Kentucky, was of opinion that this was a subject on which Congress had no right to legislate. When the constitution undertook to make provisions on a subject, if they were found incomplete, or defective, they must be remedied by recommending an amendment to the constitution. He wished the gentleman who had made this motion would pay further attention to the subject, and believed he would find that if any thing was to be done it must be done by proposing an amendment to the constitution.
Mr. Ross said, that the constitution had certainly made no provision on this subject. It only directed that after the votes were received, &c., the President of the Senate should, in the presence of the Senate and the House of Representatives, open the certificates, and the votes should be counted. Suppose, said he, persons should claim to be Electors, who had never been properly appointed, should their vote be received? Suppose they should vote for a person to be President who had not the age required by the constitution, or who had not been long enough a citizen of the United States, or for two persons who were both citizens of the same State—such cases might happen and were very likely to happen, and is there no remedy? What a situation would the country be in if such a case was to happen! He thought it their duty to make provision for it, and he believed a law was sufficient.