Part 66

From Mississippi Territory--George Poindexter.

From Indiana Territory--Jonathan Jennings.

From Orleans Territory--Julien Poydras.

ADAM SEYBERT, returned to serve as a member of this House, for the State of Pennsylvania, in the room of Benjamin Say, resigned, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat.

JONATHAN JENNINGS, returned to serve as a Delegate from the Territory of Indiana, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat.

A quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, Mr. GOODWYN and Mr. ROOT 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.

TUESDAY, November 28.

Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, JOHN C. CHAMBERLAIN and JAMES WILSON; from Rhode Island, ELISHA R. POTTER; from Pennsylvania, WILLIAM FINDLAY and DANIEL HEISTER; from Virginia, MATTHEW CLAY and JACOB SWOOPE; and from North Carolina, JOHN STANLEY, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

A message from the Senate informed the House that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to proceed to business. They have appointed a committee on their part, jointly with the committee appointed on the part of this House, to inform the President that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communications that he may be pleased to make them.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a certificate of the election of ADAM SEYBERT, to serve as a member for the State of Pennsylvania, in the room of Benjamin Say, resigned; which was read, and, together with the certificate of the election of JONATHAN JENNINGS, the delegate from the Territory of Indiana, referred to the Committee of Elections.

WEDNESDAY, November 29.

Several other members, to wit: from New York, JOHN NICHOLSON; from Maryland, JOHN BROWN; and from Virginia, WALTER JONES, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

THURSDAY, November 30.

Several other members, to wit: from New Hampshire, WILLIAM HALE; from Massachusetts, GIDEON GARDNER and EZEKIEL WHITMAN; and from New York, VINCENT MATTHEWS, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

The SPEAKER laid before the House the following letter, which was read:

Respect for the House.

To the Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Sir: An occurrence having recently taken place between a member of the House of Representatives and myself, produced by circumstances not at all connected with his official duties or opinions, which from the time and place may be considered disrespectful to the House of Representatives, I take the liberty of tendering through you my most respectful declarations, that I am the last who would wilfully manifest a deficiency of that reverence which is due to the Representatives of my country, or that sacred regard which is also due to their privileges.

To yourself, sir, personally, I tender the assurances of my very great respect.

I. A. COLES.

NOVEMBER 29, 1809.

FRIDAY, December 1.

Two other members, to wit: from Virginia, EDWIN GRAY; and from North Carolina, MESHACK FRANKLIN, appeared, and took their seats in the House.

Navigation Laws.

Mr. MACON said he wished early to call the attention of the House to two motions, the object of which he deemed to be very important. The first of them had been formerly submitted to the House by a gentleman from Georgia, (Mr. EARLY) but never acted on, and afterwards by a gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr. D. R. WILLIAMS;) the other had been presented by Mr. MACON himself at the last session, but at so late a period that it had not been acted on. It appeared to Mr. MACON that these motions combined with one submitted at different times by a gentleman from Connecticut, (Mr. DANA,) would form something like a system. The object of the first motion he was about to submit, was to prohibit any foreign vessel from coming from any port or place to which the vessels of the United States could not go. Gentlemen would at once observe that there were many places whence vessels came to this country, to which we cannot go, and would perceive the extent of the motion. The other motion related to sea-letter vessels only. Mr. MACON said he wished to put them out of the nation, and to have no vessels belonging to the United States which were not perfectly American. He would have our vessels wholly American, or they should not at all partake of the character of American vessels.

After declaring that he considered his motions as calculated for permanent regulations, Mr. MACON submitted the following resolutions:

Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting the entry of any vessel into the United States from any port or place to which a vessel of the United States is not admitted by permanent regulation of the Government owning such port or place by treaty.

Resolved, That the Committee of Commerce and Manufactures be instructed to inquire into the expediency of authorizing the registering anew of vessels built in the United States, which are owned in whole by citizens of the United States, any disability incurred by such vessel to the contrary notwithstanding; and also into the expediency of forbidding by law sea-letters or any custom-house documents being granted to vessels not registered or licensed according to law, or not owned by citizens of the United States, within a limited time after the passing of such a law.