Martinsburgh Gazette

18TH CONGRESS,
SECOND SESSION.

Monday, December 6, 1824.

IN SENATE.

This being the day fixed for the opening of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress, Mr. Gaillard, President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, took the chair and the roll being called over, it appeared that 35 members were present.
A committee was appointed, jointly, with such committee as the House of Representatives might appoint, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that the two Houses were assembled, and ready to receive any communication he might have to make.- Mr. Smith of Maryland. and Mr. Macon of North Carolina, were the committee on the part of this body.
The usual orders for appointing the standing committees. furnishing newspapers to the Members, &c. were adopted: and then The Senate adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

At 12 o'clock this day, the Speaker, (Hon. Henry Clay, of Kentucky,) took the Chair, and the roll being called, 180 members answered to their names,
On motion of Mr. Taylor. a message Was sent to the Senate, informing them that a quorum of this House is assembled, and is ready to proceed to business.
Mr. Taylor also moved that a Committee be appointed on the part of this House, to join with such Committee as shall be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of both Houses is assembled, and ready to receive any communication he may have to make to them. The resolution was adopted, and Messrs. Taylor and Rankin were appointed on the part of the House.
Mr. Alexander Thompson, of Pennsylvania, (elected in the room of Mr. Tod, resigned,) appeared, was sworn, and took his seat.
Mr Mitchell, of Maryland, offered the following resolution- Resolved. That the Honorable the Speaker invite our distinguished guest and benefactor. General Lafayette, to a seat within the Hall of this House, and that he direct the manner of his reception.
This resolution gave rise to some conversation as to what would be the most proper mode of expressing the respect felt by this House towards the illustrious individual referred to, which resulted in the adoption of the following resolution, which was proposed by Mr. A. Stevenson, as a substitute for the other Resolved, That a Committee be appointed on the part of this House, to join such Committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider and report what respectful mode it may be proper for Congress to adopt to receive General Lafayette, and to testify the very high gratification which he has afforded it by his present visit to the United States, made in pursuance of the invitation given to him by Congress during its last Session.
The Committee was appointed, to consist, on the part of this House of thirteen Members viz: Messrs. Mitchell, A. Stevenson, Livingston, Storrs, Trimble, McLane, of Delaware, Webster, Mallary, Ingham, Forsyth, Mangum, McDuffie, and Eddy.
On motion of Mr. Taylor, of New York, it was Resolved, That two Chaplains, of different denominations, be elected for Congress during the present Session, one by each House, who shall interchange weekly.
Mr. Little moved that the House do now proceed to elect a Sergeant-at-Arms, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Thomas Dunn, late Sergeant-at Arms; which motion was agreed to, and the House proceeded to ballot accordingly, after the nomination, by different members, of at least twenty candidates.
The votes being counted, it appeared that 180 votes had been given in--of which 91 would be a majority-and that the highest number of votes given for any one candidate, being 81, (for J. O Dunn.) a second ballot was taken, which resulted in the election of John Oswald Dunn, who had 115 votes.
Mr. Dunn was accordingly declared by the Speaker to be duly elected Sergeant-at-Arms of this House-and the oath of office was then administered to him.
Mr. Taylor, from the joint Committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, and the President had informed them that, to morrow. at 12 o'clock, he would make to this House a communication in writing.
On motion of Mr Ingham, it was Resolved. That the Clerk be directed to cause the Members of this House to be furnished with such newspapers as they respectively may elect, the expense of each Member not to exceed the price of three daily newspapers per annum.
On motion of Mr. Taylor. the stated hour for the meeting of the House, until otherwise ordered: was fixed at 12 at noon.
And then the House adjourned.