Mr. John Randolph, Jr., from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make to them, reported that the committee had performed that service, and that the President had signified to them that he would make a communication to this House, to-day, in writing.
A communication was received from the President of the United States to the two Houses of Congress. The said communication was read, and referred to the committee of the whole House on the state of the Union. [See Senate proceedings of this date, for the Message, ante [page 4].]
Tuesday, October 18.
Several other members, to wit: from Pennsylvania, John B. C. Lucas; from Maryland, Daniel Heister; from Virginia, John Clopton, and John Trigg; from North Carolina, Samuel D. Purviance; and from Georgia, David Meriwether, appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats in the House;
President’s Message.
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union; and, after some time spent therein, the Committee rose and reported the following resolutions:
1. Resolved, That so much of the President’s Message as relates to the regulations proper to be observed by foreign armed vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States; to the restraining of our citizens from entering into the service of the belligerent powers of Europe; and to the exacting from all nations the observance, towards our vessels and citizens, of those principles and practices which all civilized people acknowledge; be referred to a select committee.
2. Resolved, That so much of the President’s Message as relates to the adopting of measures for preventing the flag of the United States from being used by vessels not really American, be referred to the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures.
3. Resolved, as the opinion of this committee, That so much of the Message of the President of the United States as relates to our finances, ought to be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.
The House proceeded to consider the said resolutions, and the same being again read, were agreed to by the House.