Part 185

Two new members, to wit: from Connecticut THEODORE DWIGHT, returned to serve in this House, as a member for the said State, in the room of John Cotton Smith, who has resigned his seat; and, from Virginia, WILLIAM A. BURWELL, returned to serve in this House, as a member for the said State, in the room of Christopher Clark, who has resigned his seat, appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats in the House.

DANIEL CLARK, returned to serve as a delegate from the Orleans Territory of the United States, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

And a quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, a message was sent to the Senate to inform them that a quorum of the House is assembled, and ready to proceed to business.

A message from the Senate informed the House, that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to proceed to business.

Mr. DAWSON and Mr. GEORGE W. CAMPBELL were appointed a committee, on the part of the House, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make to them.

A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate have appointed a committee on their part for the same purpose.

TUESDAY, December 2.

Several other members, to wit: from New York, HENRY W. LIVINGSTON, and URI TRACY; from Maryland, JOHN CAMPBELL; from Virginia, JOHN MORROW, THOMAS M. RANDOLPH, JOHN SMITH, PHILIP R. THOMPSON, and ALEXANDER WILSON; from North Carolina, JAMES HOLLAND; and from South Carolina, ELIAS EARLE, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

A Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [For which, see Senate proceedings of this date, ante, page 485.]

WEDNESDAY, December 3.

Several other members, to wit: from New York, JOSIAH MASTERS and DAVID THOMAS; from Maryland, LEONARD COVINGTON; and from South Carolina, LEVI CASEY, appeared and took their seats in the House.

Another new member, to wit, EDWARD LLOYD, from Maryland, returned to serve in this House as a member for the said State, in the room of Joseph H. Nicholson, who has resigned his seat, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

MONDAY, December 15.

Two other members, to wit: GEORGE CLINTON, junior, from New York, and WILLIAM DICKSON, from Tennessee, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

Coast Survey.

Mr. DANA, of Connecticut.--In 1802, an act was passed, authorizing a survey of Long Island Sound. In pursuance of that act, the Secretary of the Treasury caused a survey to be taken by two men, who appear to have been, what the act intended, intelligent and proper persons. And there has since been published a chart of the Sound, handsomely executed, on a large scale, which must, I presume, be regarded as convenient and valuable by those concerned in that branch of navigation.

At the last session of Congress, an act was passed for another survey. It made provision for surveying the coast of North Carolina between Cape Hatteras and Cape Fear, with the shoals lying off or between those capes. I understand that measures have been taken for executing this act, but that the vessel employed in the service, and all the papers respecting the survey which had been made, had been lost near Ocracoke Inlet, in one of the desolating storms experienced on the coast in the course of the present year.

The surveys, which have thus been authorized, were perhaps of the most urgent necessity; but other surveys of the coast are desirable. What has already been done may be regarded as introductory to a general survey of the coasts of the United States under authority of the Government. With a correct chart of every part of the coast, our seamen would no longer be under the necessity of relying on the imperfect or erroneous accounts given of our coasts by foreign navigators. I hope the lives of our seamen, the interest of our merchants, and the benefits to the revenue, will be regarded as affording ample compensation for making a complete survey of the coasts of the United States at the public expense.

The information which may be obtained will also be useful in designating portions of territorial sea to be regarded as the maritime precincts of the United States, within which, of course, the navigation ought to be free from the belligerent searches and seizures.

It is proposed to extend the survey to the distance of twenty leagues from the shore. This distance is mentioned with a view to the second article of the treaty with Great Britain in 1783, which describes our boundaries as “comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States.”

The resolution, which I propose for the consideration of the House, is expressed in these words:

Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making provision for a survey of the coasts of the United States, designating the several islands, with the shoals and roads or places of anchorage within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States.

WEDNESDAY, December 17.

Two other members, to wit: PELEG WADSWORTH, from Massachusetts, and DANIEL C. VERPLANCK, from New York, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

THURSDAY, December 18.

Another member, to wit, ANDREW GREGG, from Pennsylvania, appeared, and took his seat in the House.

Importation of Slaves.

The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, on the bill prohibiting the importation of slaves.