Part 16

NAYS.--Messrs. Anderson, Armstrong, Baldwin, Bradley, Breckenridge, Brown, Cocke, Ellery, Hillhouse, Maclay, Olcott, Pickering, Plumer, Potter, I. Smith, S. Smith, Tracy, Venable, White, and Worthington.

FRIDAY, December 30.

Erection of Louisiana into two Territories.

Mr. BRECKENRIDGE, from the committee appointed, on the 5th instant, for that purpose, reported a bill erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof; and the bill was read, and ordered to the second reading.

TUESDAY, January 3, 1804.

Erection of Contingent Fund.

The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I now lay before the Congress the annual account of the fund established for defraying the contingent charges of Government. No occasion having arisen for making use of any part of it in the present year, the balance of eighteen thousand five hundred and sixty dollars, unexpended at the end of the last year, remains now in the Treasury.

TH. JEFFERSON.

DEC. 31, 1803.

The Message and account therein referred to were read, and ordered to lie on file.

MONDAY, January 16.

The VICE PRESIDENT communicated a letter of this date from the Hon. THEODORUS BAILEY, resigning his seat in the Senate; which was read, and

Ordered, That the VICE PRESIDENT be requested to notify the Executive of the State of New York accordingly.

Transfer of Louisiana.

The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

In execution of the act of the present session of Congress, for taking possession of Louisiana, as ceded to us by France, and for the temporary government thereof, Governor Claiborne, of the Mississippi Territory, and General Wilkinson, were appointed Commissioners to receive possession. They proceeded with such regular troops as had been assembled at Fort Adams, from the nearest posts, and with some militia of the Mississippi Territory, to New Orleans. To be prepared for any thing unexpected which might arise out of the transaction, a respectable body of militia was ordered to be in readiness in the States of Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and a part of those of Tennessee was moved on to the Natchez. No occasion, however, arose for their services. Our Commissioners, on their arrival at New Orleans, found the province already delivered by the Commissioners of Spain to that of France, who delivered it over to them on the 20th day of December, as appears by their declaratory act accompanying this. Governor Claiborne being duly invested with the powers heretofore exercised by the Governor and Intendant of Louisiana, assumed the government on the same day, and, for the maintenance of law and order, immediately issued the proclamation and address now communicated.

On this important acquisition, so favorable to the immediate interests of our western citizens, so auspicious to the peace and security of the nation in general, which adds to our country territories so extensive and fertile, and to our citizens new brethren to partake of the blessings of freedom and self-government, I offer to Congress and our country my sincere congratulations.

TH. JEFFERSON.

JANUARY 16, 1804.

The Message and papers therein referred to were read.

Erection of Louisiana into two Territories.

The Senate resumed the second reading of the bill erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof.

On motion to amend the fourth section of the bill, by inserting the following words at the end thereof:

“The Legislative Council, a majority of the whole number concurring therein, shall have power to elect, by ballot, a delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in the House of Representatives, and shall have the right of debating, but not of voting:”

It passed in the negative--yeas 12, nays 18, as follows: