proceed to take into their ferious confideration, the various and important matters recommended to their attention. Ordered, That Mr. Smith, of South-Carolina, Mr. Clymer and Mr. Lawrance, be appointed a committee to prepare an address, pursuant to the faid refolution. A petition of Chriftopher Saddler, of Nova-Scotia, in the dominion of GreatBritain, mariner, was prefented to the House and read, praying to be relieved from the forfeiture of his veffel and cargo, which have been feized in the port of Boston, for a violation of the impost law of the United States, of which law the petitioner was wholly ignorant. Ordered, That the faid petition do lie on the table. And then the House adjourned until Monday morning eleven o'clock. MONDAY, January 11. Several other members, to wit, from Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull; from New-York, John Hathorn; and from Virginia, Andrew Moore, appeared and took their feats. Mr. Boudinot, from the committee appointed to examine the Journal of the last feffion, and to report therefrom all fuch matters of business as were then depending and undetermined, made a report, which was read, and is as followeth : It appears to your committee, that the feveral petitions of David Ramfay, John Churchman, Alexander Lewis, Arthur Greer, Jedidiah Morfe, John Fitch, Englehart Crufe, Nicholas Pike, Samuel Briggs, John Christopher Stoebel, Leonard Harbaugh, Hannah Adams, Christopher Colles, David Greenleaf, John Macpherfon, Abraham Weftervelt, James Rumfey, and William Hoy, refpectively praying for exclufive privileges, as authors or inventors of fome ufeful work or difcovery, were ordered to lie on the table, and fo remained during the feffion. It further appears to your committee, that the feveral petitions of Martha Walker, Duncan Campbell, Triftram Coffin, William Finnie, Englebert Kemmena, Thomafin Gordon, Prudent la Jeuneffe, Baron de Steuben, and Richard Ham, respectively praying to be compenfated for military fervices, or for injuries or loffes fuftained during the late war, were referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, to examine and report upon to the prefent feffion. It further appears to your committee, that the feveral petitions of John M'Garragh, Dudley Tyler, Patrick Bennet, John Hurt, James Gibbons, Archibald M'Alifter, Alexander Power, Attorney for Colonel Flower's regiment, Henry Malcolm and Charles Markle, refpectively praying to be compenfated for military services rendered during the late war, were referred to the Secretary at War, to examine and report upon to the prefent feffion. It further appears to your committee, that the feveral petitions of Andrew Newell and Seth Clarke, Sarah Parker, Bartlet Hinds, Robert Frazier, David Sturges, Richard Philips, James M'Lean, James Read and Thomas Barclay, respectively praying that certain claims which they exhibit against the United States, may be confidered and allowed, were ordered to lie on the table, and fo remained during the feffion. It also appears to your committee, that the petition of Joseph Wheaton, ferjeant at arms to this House, praying an enquiry into the charges exhibited against him in certain anonymous letters, was ordered to lie on the table, and fo remained during the feffion. Your committee further report, that committees were appointed to prepare and bring in the feveral bills following, to wit: A bill to establish an uniform fyftem, on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States. A bill for the further encouragement of the commerce and navigation of the United States. A bill providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States. Alfo, a bill providing a proper fyftem of regulation for the militia of the United States: Neither of which bills were reported during the feffion. It also appears to your committee, that there were poftponed by this Houfe, for further confideration, until the present feffion, the feveral bills following, to wit: A bill to promote the progrefs of fcience and useful arts, by fecuring to authors and inventors the exclufive right to their refpective writings and dif coveries. A bill for the establishment of hospitals for the relief of fick and difabled fea men, and prescribing regulations for the harbors of the United States. A bill concerning the importation of certain perfons prior to the year one thoufand eight hundred and eight. A bill to establish a land-office in and for the western territory. Also, A bill fent from the Senate, entitled, “An a&t for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States." That the bill, entitled, "An act to establish the feat of government of the United States," was poftponed by the Senate, for the further confideration of an amendment proposed by this Houfe, until the present feffion. And lastly: That the report of the committee appointed to examine into the measures taken by Congrefs, and the state of Virginia, refpecting lands referved for the officers and foldiers of the faid State, was poftponed by this Houfe, for further confideration, until the present feffion Ordered, That the faid report do lie on the table. Mr. Smith, (of South-Carolina,) from the committee appointed, prefented, according to order, an Addrefs to the Prefident of the United States, in an fwer to his Speech to both Houses of Congrefs, which was read, and ordered to be committed to a committee of the whole House to-morrow. On motion, Ordered, That the petition of Chriftopher Saddler, prefented on Saturday. laft, be referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, with instruction to examine the fame, and report his opinion thereupon to the House. On motion, Ordered, That a committee be appointed to prepare and bring in a bill, providing for the actual enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States: And a committee was appointed of Mr. Fofter, Mr. Goodhue, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Schureman, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Seney, Mr. White, Mr. Smith, (of South-Carolina,) and Mr. Baldwin. A meffage, in writing, was received from the Prefident of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his private Secretary, who delivered in the fame, toge ther with the papers therein referred to, and then withdrew. The faid meffage and papers accompanying it, were read, and are as follow: UNITED STATES, January 11, 179 Gentlemen of the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES, I HAVE directed Mr. Lear, my private Secretary, to lay before you copy, of the adoption and ratification of the Conftitution of the United States by the state of North-Carolina, together with the copy of a letter from this C Excellency Samuel Johnston, Prefident of the Convention of faid State, to thế Prefident of the United States. The originals of the papers which are herewith transmitted to you, will be dged in the office of the Secretary of State. SIR, GEORGE WASHINGTON. FAYETTEVILLE, State of North-Carolina, 4th December, 1789. BY order of the Convention of the people of this State, I have the honor to tranfmit to you the ratification and adoption of the Conftitution of the United States, by the said Convention, in behalf of the people. With fentiments of the higheft confideration and respect, I have the ho- SAMUEL JOHNSTON, Prefident of the Convention. To the PRESIDENT of the United States. I DO certify the above to be a true copy from the orginal: TOBIAS LEAR, Secretary to the Prefident of the United States. A Copy of the Adoption and Ratification of the Conftitution of the United States, by the State of North-Carolina. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN CONVENTION. WHEREAS the General Convention which met in Philadelphia, in purfuance of a recommendation of Congress, did recommend to the citizens of the United States, a Constitution or Form of Government, in the following words, viz. "WE the People," &c. [Here follows the Constitution of the United States, verbatim.] Refolved, That this Convention, in behalf of the freemen, citizens and inhabitants of the state of North-Carolina, do adopt and ratify the said Conftitution and Form of Government. DONE in Convention, this twenty-first day of December, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine. (Signed.) J. HUNT, SAMUEL JOHNSTON, Prefident of the Convention. JAS. TAYLOR, } Secretaries: BY the direction of the President of the United States, I have examined and compared the foregoing with the adoption and ratification of the Conftitu of the United States, by the ftate of North-Carolina, which was transmitted to the President of the United States, by Samuel Johnston, Prefident of the Convention of faid State, as well as the tranfcript of the Conftitution of the United States, recited in the faid ratification, which I certify to be a true cópy. TOBIAS LEAR, Secretary to the President of the United States. Ordered, That the faid message and papers do lie on the table. TUESDAY, January 12. The Houfe, according to the order of the day, refolved itself into a committee of the whole Houfe, on the Addrefs to the Prefident of the United States, in answer to his Speech to both Houses of Congress. Mr. Speaker left the chair. Mr. Baldwin took the chair of the committee. Mr. Speaker refumed the chair, and Mr. Baldwin reported, that the committee had, according to order, had the faid Addrefs under confideration, and made no amendment thereto. Refolved unanimously, That this House doth agree to the faid Addrefs, in the words following, to wit: SİR; THE REPRESENTATIVES of the People of the United States, have taken into confideration your Speech to both Houfes of Congrefs, at the opening of the prefent feffion. We reciprocate your congratulations on the acceffion of the state of NorthCarolina; an event, which while it is a teftimony of the encreafing good-will towards the Government of the Union, cannot fail to give additional dignity and strength to the American Republic, already rifing in the estimation of the world, in national character and refpectability. The information that our measures of the last feffion have not proved diffatisfactory to our conftituents, affords us much encouragement at this juncture, when we are refuming the arduous task of legiflating for fo extenfive an empire. Nothing can be more gratifying to the Reprefentatives of a free People, than the reflection, that their labors are rewarded by the approbation of their fellowcitizens. Under this impreffion, we shall make every exertion to realize their expectations, and to fecure to them those bleffings which Providence has placed within their reach. Still prompted by the fame defire to promote their interests which then actuated us, we fhall, in the present feffion, diligently and anxiously pursue those measures which fhall appear to us conducive to that end. We concur with you in the fentiment, that agriculture, commerce and ma-, nufactures, are entitled to legislative protection, and that the promotion of science and literature will contribute to the fecurity of a free government; in. the progress of our deliberations, we shall not lose fight of objects so worthy of our regard. The various and weighty matters which you have judged neceffaty to recommend to our attention, appear to us effential to the tranquility and welfare of the Union, and claim our early and moft ferious confideration. We fhall proceed, without delay, to bestow on them that calin difcuffion which their importance requires. We regret that the pacific arrangements purfued with regard to certain hof tile tribes of Indians, have not been attended with that fuccefs which we had reason to expect from them: We shall not hesitate to concur in fuch further measures as may best obviate any ill effects which might be apprehended from the failure of those negociations. Your approbation of the vote of this Houfe, at the laft feffion, refpecting the provifion for the public creditors, is very acceptable to us: The proper mode of carrying that refolution into effect, being a fubject in which the future character and happiness of these States are deeply involved, will be among the first to deferve our attention. The profperity of the United States is the primary object of all our deliberas tions; and we cherish the reflection, that every measure which we may adopt for its advancement, will not only receive your cheerful concurrence, but will at the fame time derive from your co-operation, additional efficacy, in ensuring to our fellow-citizens the bleflings of a free, efficient and equal government Refolved, That Mr. Speaker, attended by the House, do prefent the faid Addrefs; and that Mr. Smith, of South-Carolina, Mr. Clymer and Mr. Lawrance, be a committee to wait on the Prefident, to know when and where it will be convenient for him to receive the fame, A meffage, in writing, was received from the Prefident of the United States, by the Secretary at War, accompanied by a statement of the fouth-western frontier, and of the Indian department, which were partly read. And then the Houfe adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. WEDNESDAY, January 13. Several other members, to wit, from Connecticut, Benjamin Huntington; from New-Jersey, Lambert Cadwalader; from Pennfylvania, Daniel Heifter; and from Maryland, William Smith, appeared and took their feats. On motion, Ordered, That fo much of the standing rules and orders of this House, as directs the mode of appointing committees, be refcinded; and that hereafter it be a landing rule of the Houfe, that all committees fhall be appointed by the Speaker, unless otherwise specially directed by the Houfe, in which cafe they shall be appointed by ballot; and if upon fuch ballot, the number required fhall not be elected by a majority of the votes given, the House fhall proceed to a fecond ballot, in which a plurality of votes fhall prevail; and in cafe a greater number than are required to compofe or complete the committee fhall have an equal number of votes, the Houfe fhall proceed to a further ballot or ballots. The House refumed the reading of the statement of the fouth-western frontiers, and of the Indian department, as referred to in the Prefident's message of yesterday; and having gone through the fame. Ordered, That the faid meffage and statement be referred to a committee of five, and that Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Brown, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Burke, and Mr. Baldwin, be of the faid committee. Mr. Smith, of South-Carolina, from the committee appointed to wait on the Prefident of the United States, to know when and where it will be convenient to him, to receive the address of this House, in answer to his speech to both Houses of Congrefs, reported, That the committee had, according to order, waited on the Prefident, and that he fignified to them that it would be convenient to him to receive the faid address at twelve o'clock to-morrow, at his own house. And then the House adjourned until to-morrow morning eleven o'clock. THURSDAY, January 14. Two other members, to wit, from Maffachusetts, Theodore Sedgwick; and from Pennsylvania, Thomas Hartley, appeared and took their feats. On motion, Ordered, That Mr. Livermore, Mr. Ames, Mr. Lawrance, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Smith (of Maryland) be added to the committee appointed yesterday, and to whom was referred the meffage of the Prefident of the United States of Tuesday laft, together with the statement of the southwestern frontiers, and of the Indian department. Mr. Speaker, attended by the Houfe, then withdrew to the house of the Prefident of the United States, and there prefented to him the address of this House in answer to his fpeech to both Houses of Congress, to which the Prefident made the following reply: |