EXECUTIVE JOURNAL.
Reading edition
THE TENTH SESSION OF THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, CONVENED ON
MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1795.
Monday, June 8, 1795.
Pursuant to a call from the President of the United States, in a circular addressed to the several Senators, informing each that "certain matters touching the public good required that the Senate should be convened on the above day, at the Senate Chamber, in Philadelphia, then and there to receive and deliberate on such communications as he shall then make to them:" the Senate assembled accordingly.
PRESENT. John Adams, Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.
From New Hampshire.—John Langdon and Samuel Livermore.
From Massachusetts.—Caleb Strong and George Cabot.
From Vermont.—Moses Robinson.
From Connecticut.—Oliver Ellsworth and Jonathan Trumbull.
From Rhode Island.—Theodore Foster and William Bradford.
From New York.—Rufus King and Arron Burr.
From New Jersey.—John Rutherford.
From Pennsylvania.—James Ross and William Bingham.
From Delaware.—Henry Latimer.
From Maryland.—Richard Potts.
From Virginia.—Henry Tazewell and Stevens Thomson Mason.
From Kentucky.—John Brown and Humphrey Marshall.
From North Carolina.—Alexander Martin and Timothy Bloodworth.
From South Carolina.—Jacob Read.
From Georgia.—James Jackson.
Ordered, That Mr. Strong and Mr. Langdon be a committee to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the Senate is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make.
Mr. Strong reported, from the committee, that they had waited on the President of the United States, and that he informed them he would make some communications to the Senate immediately.
Tuesday, June 9.
Pierce Butler, from the State of South Carolina, and Frederick Frelinghuysen, from the State of New Jersey, severally attended.
James Gunn, from the State of Georgia, produced his credentials, and, the usual oath being administered, took his seat in the Senate.
Friday, June 12.
John Henry, from the State of Maryland, produced his credentials, and, the usual oath being administered, he took his seat in the Senate.
Saturday, June 13.
Elijah Paine, from the State of Vermont, produced his credentials, and the usual oath being administered, he took his seat in the Senate.
Monday, June 15.
John Vining, from the State of Delaware, attended.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the Treaty, communicated by the President of the United States, with his Message of the 8th instant: and, after progress, the Senate adjourned.
Wednesday, June 17.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the Treaty, communicated with the Message of the President of the United States, of the 8th instant, and after discussion on the remaining articles, a motion was made and seconded, that it he
"Resolved, (two-thirds of the Senate concurring therein,) That they do consent to, and advise the President of the United States, to ratify the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, concluded at London, the 19th day of November, 1794, on condition that there be added to the said Treaty an article whereby it shall be agreed to suspend the operation of so much of the 12th article as respects the trade which his said Majesty thereby consents may be carried on between the United States and his Islands in the West Indies, in the manner, and on the terms and conditions therein specified.
"And the Senate recommend to the President, to proceed, without delay, to further friendly negotiations with His Majesty, on the subject of the said trade, and of the terms and conditions in question."
On motion, it was agreed, that this motion lie for consideration until to-morrow.[52]
Monday, June 22.
The Vice President laid before the Senate a letter from the Secretary for the Department of State, with a "list of the negroes, to which the correspondence between the Commander-in-chief of the American Army and Sir Guy Carleton relates;" which was read, and, with the document referred to, ordered to lie on the table.
Wednesday, June 24.
Deported Slaves of the Revolution.
A motion was made by Mr. Gunn, seconded by Mr. Read, as follows:
"Whereas it is alleged by divers American citizens, that negroes, and other property, to a considerable amount, were carried away, in contravention of the seventh article of the Treaty of Peace between the United States and His Britannic Majesty:
"Resolved, That the Senate recommend to the President of the United States, to renew, by friendly negotiation with his said Majesty, the claims of the American citizens, to compensation for the negroes and other property, so alleged to have been carried away; and in case the disagreement that has hitherto existed, relative to the construction in this behalf of the said article, cannot be removed by candid and amicable discussions, that it be proposed, as a measure calculated to cherish and confirm the good understanding and friendship which it is desired may prevail between the two countries, that commissioners be appointed, in the manner directed by the sixth article of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, lately concluded between the United States and his said Majesty, with authority to ascertain and decide, as well the interpretation of the said seventh article in this respect, as likewise the amount of the losses sustained by the alleged violation of the same.
"But the Senate are of opinion that the negotiation on this subject should be distinct from, and subsequent to that recommended by their act of the 24th instant, respecting the trade and intercourse between the United States and his said Majesty's islands in the West Indies."
And, after debate, it was agreed that this motion lie until to-morrow for consideration.
Thursday, June 25.
The motion made by Mr. Gunn, as last recited, and yesterday referred to this day for consideration, was resumed.
On motion to divide this motion, and to agree to all that is contained from the word "whereas," to the word "same," at the end of the first paragraph of the resolution inclusive, it passed in the affirmative—yeas 27, nay 1, as follows:
Yeas.—Messrs. Bingham, Bloodworth, Bradford, Brown, Burr, Butler, Cabot, Ellsworth, Foster, Frelinghuysen, Gunn, Jackson, King, Langdon, Latimer, Livermore, Marshall, Martin, Paine, Potts, Read, Robinson, Boss, Rutherford, Strong, Trumbull, and Vining.
Mr. Tazewell voted in the negative.[53]
The yeas and nays were required by one-fifth of the Senators present.
Those who voted in the affirmative, are—Messrs. Bingham, Bradford, Butler, Cabot, Ellsworth, Foster, Frelinghuysen, Gunn, King, Latimer, Livermore, Paine, Potts, Read, Ross, Rutherford, Strong, Trumbull, and Vining.
These who voted in the negative, are—Messrs. Bloodworth, Brown, Burr, Jackson, Langdon, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Robinson, and Tazewell.
Yeas 19, nays 10. So the question of reconsideration was lost, there not being two-thirds of the Senators present in the affirmative.
On motion, by Mr. Rutherford, for the question on the resolution as amended, to wit:
"Whereas, it is alleged by divers American citizens, that negroes and other property, to a considerable amount, were carried away in contravention of the 7th article of the Treaty of Peace between the United States and His Britannic Majesty:
"Resolved, That the Senate recommend to the President of the United States to renew, by friendly negotiation with his said Majesty, the claims of the American citizens to compensation for the negroes and other property so alleged to have been carried away; and in case the disagreement, that has hitherto existed relative to the construction in this behalf of the said article, cannot be removed by candid and amicable discussions, that it be proposed, as a measure calculated to cherish and confirm the good understanding and friendship which it is desired may prevail between the two countries, that commissioners be appointed in the manner directed by the 6th article of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation lately concluded between the United States and his said Majesty, with authority to ascertain and decide, as well the interpretation of the said 7th article, in this respect, as likewise the amount of the losses sustained by the alleged violation of the same."
It passed in the negative—yeas 14, nays 15, as follows:
Yeas.—Messrs. Bloodworth, Brown, Butler, Burr, Gunn, Jackson, Langdon, Marshall, Martin, Mason, Paine, Read, Robinson, and Tazewell.
Nays.—Messrs. Bingham, Bradford, Cabot, Ellsworth, Foster, Frelinghuysen, King, Latimer, Livermore, Potts, Ross, Rutherford, Strong, Trumbull, and Vining.
Friday, June 26.
Mr. Cabot reported that the President of the United States had no further communications to make to the Senate, than his hearty wishes that, in a speedy meeting with their friends, they may enjoy every felicity.
On motion,
Ordered, That there be paid by the Secretary of the Senate, out of the moneys appropriated for the contingent expenses of the Senate, to James Mathers, Doorkeeper, three dollars per day, and to Cornelius Maxwell, assistant Doorkeeper, two dollars per day, as compensation for their respective attendance during this special session of the Senate, over and above their stated allowance.
On motion, the Senate adjourned without day.
Attest:
SAM. A. OTIS, Secretary.