Part 104

Several new members, to wit: from Massachusetts, SIMON LARNED, returned to serve in this House as a member for the said State, in the room of TOMPSON J. SKINNER, who has resigned his seat; from New York, SAMUEL RIKER, returned to serve as a member for the said State, in the room of JOHN SMITH, appointed a Senator of the United States; and from Virginia, CHRISTOPHER CLARK, returned to serve as a member for the said State, in the room of JOHN TRIGG, deceased; appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House; the oath to support the Constitution of the United States being first administered to them by Mr. SPEAKER, according to law.

And a quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present,

Ordered, That a message be sent to the Senate, to inform them that a quorum of this House is assembled, and ready to proceed to business; and that the Clerk of this House do go with the said message.

The following committees were appointed pursuant to the standing rules and orders of the House, viz:

Committee of Elections.--Mr. FINDLAY, Mr. VARNUM, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. EPPES, Mr. CLAGGETT, and Mr. ELMER.

Committee of Ways and Means.--Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, Mr. JOSEPH CLAY, Mr. GAYLORD GRISWOLD, Mr. BOYLE, Mr. DAVENPORT, Mr. NICHOLAS R. MOORE, and Mr. MERIWETHER.

Committee of Commerce and Manufactures.--Mr. SAMUEL L. MITCHILL, Mr. CROWNINSHIELD, Mr. MCCREERY, Mr. LEIB, Mr. NEWTON, Mr. EARLY, and Mr. CHITTENDEN.

Committee of Claims.--Mr. JOHN COTTON SMITH, Mr. HOLMES, Mr. PLATER, Mr. CHAMBERLIN, Mr. Bedinger, Mr. STANFORD, and Mr. STANTON.

Committee of Revisal and Unfinished Business.--Mr. TENNEY, Mr. DICKSON, and Mr. EARLE.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from the Governor of the State of Maryland, enclosing a certificate of the election of ROGER NELSON, to serve in this House as a member for the said State, in the room of DANIEL HEISTER, deceased; which was referred to the Committee of Elections.

TUESDAY, November 6.

Several other members, to wit: from Massachusetts, MANASSEH CUTLER; from Connecticut, SAMUEL W. DANA and ROGER GRISWOLD; from New Jersey, JAMES MOTT; from Pennsylvania, JOHN A. HANNA, JOHN B. C. LUCAS, and ISAAC VAN HORNE; from Maryland, JOHN CAMPBELL; from Virginia, JOHN CLOPTON; and from South Carolina, THOMAS LOWNDES, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

Another new member, to wit: ROGER NELSON, from Maryland, returned to serve in this House as a member for the said State, in the room of DANIEL HEISTER, deceased, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

Mr. J. RANDOLPH moved for the appointment of a committee on the part of the House to join a committee of the Senate to wait on the PRESIDENT and inform him that a quorum of both Houses is formed, and ready to receive his communications.

Mr. DANA inquired if a quorum of the Senate was formed? That circumstance, he thought, ought to be ascertained before the House adopted the gentleman’s resolution.

Mr. RANDOLPH did not know whether or no the Senate had formed a quorum, but he saw no objection on that account to proceeding with their own business. He, however, had understood that the Senate would form a quorum this day.

The resolution was carried, and Messrs. J. RANDOLPH and R. GRISWOLD appointed the committee.

WEDNESDAY, November 7.

Several other members, to wit: from Maryland, JOSEPH H. NICHOLSON; from Virginia, WALTER JONES; from South Carolina, THOMAS MOORE; and from Georgia, JOSEPH BRYAN, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, reported that the committee had performed that service, and that the President signified to them he would make a communication to this House, in writing, to-morrow at twelve o’clock.

THURSDAY, November 8.

Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, SAMUEL HUNT; from Massachusetts, SAMUEL TAGGART; from Connecticut, SIMEON BALDWIN and CALVIN GODDARD; and from North Carolina, SAMUEL D. PURVIANCE, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

A Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, by Mr. BURWELL, his Secretary, as follows:

Mr. Speaker: I am directed to hand you a communication, in writing, from the PRESIDENT to the two Houses of Congress.

The communication was read, and, together with the documents accompanying the same, referred to the Committee of the whole House on the state of the Union. [See Senate proceedings of this date, page 164, for the Message.]

Sword to Decatur.

Mr. J. CLAY moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to present, in the name of Congress, to Captain Stephen Decatur, a sword, of the value of ---- dollars, and to each of the officers and crew of the United States ketch Intrepid, ---- months’ pay, as a testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of the gallantry, good conduct, and services, of Captain Decatur, the officers, and crew, of the said ketch, in attacking and destroying a Tripolitan frigate, of forty-four guns, late the United States frigate Philadelphia.