Wednesday, February 24.
Removal of Judges upon Address from Congress.
Mr. Whitehill presented the resolutions of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, requesting their members in Congress to use their endeavors to procure an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, so that the Judges of the United States should hold their offices for a term of years, and be liable to removal by the President, on the joint address of a majority of both Houses of Congress; and that, on trials by impeachment, a majority of the Senate should be competent to conviction.
Mr. Bard moved to refer the resolutions to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union.
Mr. Dana opposed the motion. The resolutions were only instructions to the Pennsylvania delegation. This House had nothing to do with them.
After a debate of about two hours, the question was taken and carried—yeas 82, nays 27.
Monday, April 4.
A new member, to wit, Adam Boyd, returned to serve in this House as a Representative for the State of New Jersey, in the room of Ezra Darby, deceased, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.