The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

Nov. 25.

The bill providing for the conveyance by mail, free of postage, of all public documents, to or from members of Congress, was read the third time; and on the question shall the bill pass?

Mr. Anderson, observed the committee of the Senate to whom the bill from the House of Representatives had been committed, had reported the bill without amendment, because they thought the principle objectionable. The committee had conceived that under this law any package, book, bundle of paper, or anything else might be franked. They had also understood from the Department that the contractors for carrying the mail already complained of its great bulk, proceeding from the quantity of documents and communications sent from Congress; and that were the present regulation to be adopted, great part of the mail must often be omitted, by which letters or communications requiring expedition and safe carriage might be mislaid or lost. These disadvantages the committee had conceived to be too great to be counterbalanced by the advantages to be derived from a saving to the U. S. of the sum allowed to the Post-Master here on free packets, which he understood had been the chief reason for the introduction of the law. He wished therefore that the bill might be negatived.

And on the question on its passage, but three members rose in favor of it.

Mr. Pickering laid before the Senate a resolution of the Legislature of the state of Massachusetts, instructing their Senators and requesting their representatives to use their endeavors to have the embargo laws repealed.

The House agreed that it should be read.
The Clerk was proceeding to read the instructions, when

Mr. Anderson objected to it, as he found it was the report of a committee which the gentleman had presented, and which he did not wish to be entered on the journal of the Senate.

Mr. Pickering observed, that it was not merely the report of a committee but the act of the legislature, both houses having concurred in it.

Mr. Anderson said he objected to its being read in any point of view, because it was a novel thing in legislation that instructions given by a state to its representatives should be inserted on the journals of the Senate. He therefore moved a reconsideration of the motion for reading it.

Messrs. Milledge, White, Pickering & Lloyd, opposed Mr. Anderson's motion, contending that this was the mode in which the Legislature of Massachusetts had thought fit to express its sentiments of the measures of the general government; that so much respect was always given to the memorial of an individual, as to suffer it to be read, and at least as much respect should be shewn to the act of a state Legislature.

Messrs. Anderson & S. Smith advocated the motion for reconsideration, contending that it was in nothing like a memorial from the state of Massachusetts, for whom they professed a great respect; that in no former instance had similar instructions been read by the Clerk of the House, except in the case of amendments to the constitution, in respect to which every state had a constitutional right to interfere. Mr. Smith particularly stated an instance in which he had been prevented from presenting to the House resolutions of the Legislature of Maryland instructing him to oppose the erection of a bridge over the Potomac: which however he had read in his place as a part of the debate, and which the gentleman from
Massachusetts were certainly at liberty to do.

Mr. Hillhouse called for the Yeas and Nays on the question of reconsideration.

Mr. Giles taking his seat about this time requested, as he had not heard the discussion, that the farther consideration of the subject should be postponed till Monday next--Agreed to.

The Senate then resumed the consideration of Mr. Hillhouse's resolution for the repeal of the embargo.

Mr. Lloyd made a speech of about half an hour in support of the resolution; when

Mr. Milledge observed that as he had but this day taken his seat, and had always been in favor of granting time to others, he wished that its further consideration should be postponed till Monday next. Agreed to without opposition.

The Senate then adjourned till Monday.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25.

Mr. Elliot observed, that there was more than one precedent on the journals of the House, of cases in which copies of proclamations of the President of the U. States had been called for. At the last session the House had called for a copy of the proclamation interdicting British ships from our waters. Therefore, in order to add another link to the chain of documents respecting the execution of the embargo laws, he wished to call for the proclamation alluded to by his colleague who had offered a resolution on the subject of the embargo.

Mr. E. then offered the following resolution, which was agreed to without opposition :

Resolved, That the President of the U. States be requested to cause to be laid before the House a copy of a proclamation issued in April last, in consequence of the opposition to the embargo laws near lake Champlain.
Mr. Macon said he had some time ago moved three resolutions, two of which had been agreed to, and the third ordered to lie on the table, on the suggestion of some gentlemen that it would interfere with a resolution already referred. He had waited thus long that a decision might be had on the resolution alluded to (Mr. Chittenden's.) Several unsuccessful attempts having been made to get that up, he now moved for the consideration of his resolution in the following words :

Resolved, That the same committee be instructed to enquire into the expediency of amending the act laying an embargo and the several acts supplemental and additional thereto.

The resolution was taken up and agreed to without opposition.

Mr. Gardner presented several petitions from the inhabitants of Ontario county, New York, praying for the repeal of the embargo laws. Referred to the committee on Mr. Chittenden's resolution.

CLOSED DOORS.

Mr. Randolph said he was very sorry to be compelled by a sense of duty again to close the doors of the House, but he had a motion to make, which could not, agreeably to the rules and orders of the House, be made with the galleries open.

The doors were accordingly closed, and so remained for two hours, when they were opened.

The House then went into committee of the whole, Mr. Helms in the chair, on the report of the committee of Claims favorable to the petition of the inhabitants of Knox county; which was concurred in, reported to the House, by whom it was also agreed to.

The House then adjourned till Monday morning 11 o'clock.

A supplemental journal of such proceedings as, during the time they were depending, were ordered to be kept secret, and respecting which the injunction of secrecy was afterwards removed by order of the House.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and the Clerk,

A confidential message in writing was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Coles, his Secretary, who delivered in the same and withdrew.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 9.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and the clerk proceeded in the reading of the confidential message from the President of the United States, and the accompanying documents received on the 8th inst. and went through the same.--The said message is in the words following, to wit :

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

The documents communicated with my public message of this day, contain such portions of the correspondences therein referred to, of the ministers of the United States at Paris and London, as relate to the present state of affairs between those governments and the United States, and as may be made public.

I now communicate confidential such supplementary portions of the same correspondences as I deem improper for publication, yet necessary to convey to Congress full information on a subject of their deliberations so interesting to our country.

TH: JEFFERSON

Nov. 8, 1808.

Ordered, That the said message and documents do lie on the table.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and clerk--

A motion was made by Mr. Randolph and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution :

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, so far as it relates to the substance of the communications from our respective ministers at Paris and London, which accompanied the President's message of the 8th inst. be taken off.

And on the question that the House do now proceed to take the said proposed resolution into consideration, it was resolved in the affirmative--Yeas one hundred and thirteen--Nays one.

Yeas--Messrs. L. G. Alston, W. Alston, Bacon, Bard, Barker, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Blount, Boyle, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Calhoun, G. W. Campbell, J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Clay, Clopton, Cook, Culpepper, Cutts, Dane, Davenport, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Durell, Elliot, Ely, Eppes, Findley, Fisk, Franklin, Gardner, Garnett, Gholson, Goodwyn, Gray, Green, Harris, Heister, Helms, Hoge, Holland, Holmes, Humphreys, Ilsley, Jenkins, J. G. Jackson, R. Jackson, Jones, Kirkpatrick, Lambert, Livermore, Lloyd, Love, Macon, Marion, Masters, M'Creery, Milnor, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, John Morrow, Mosely, Mumford, Nelson, Newbold, Newton, Nicholas, Pitkin, Porter, Quincy, Randolph, Rea, Rhea, J. Richards, M. Richards, Riker, Russell, Say, Seaver, Shaw, Sloan, Smelt, Smilie, J. K. Smith, John Smith, Southard, Stanford, Steedman, Storer, Sturges, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Thompson, Trigg, Troup, Upham, Van Alen, Van Horne, Van Rensselaer, Verplanck, Whitehill, Wilbour, D. R. Williams, A. Wilson, N. Wilson, Winn--113.

Nay--Mr. Boyd.

The motion was then modified by Mr. Randolph, and seconded, to read as follows:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy imposed on the communications from our respective ministers at Paris and London, which accompanied the President's message of the 8th inst. be taken off, with the exception of the extract of a letter from general Armstrong to the secretary of state, dated Paris, 27th December, 1807.

And on the question that the House do agree to the same, it passed in the negative--Yeas 81--Nays 82.

Yeas--Messrs. J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Davenport, Durell, Ely, Garnett, Gray, Harris, Hoge, R. Jackson, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Macon, Masters, Milnor, John Morrow, Mosely, Nelson, Quincy, Randolph, Russell, Shaw, Steedman, Sturges, Trigg, Upham, Van Rensselaer, D. R. Williams, N. Wilson--31.

Nays--Messrs. L. G. Alston, W. Alston, Bacon, Bard, Barker, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Blount, Boyd, Boyle, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Calhoun, Clopton, Cook, Culpepper, Cutts, Dana, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Elliot, Eppes, Findley, Fisk, Franklin, Gardner, Gholson, Goodwyn, Green, Heister, Helms, Holland, Holmes, Howard, Humphreys, Ilsley, J. G. Jackson, Jenkins, Jones, Kirkpatrick, Lambert, Marion, M'Creery, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, Mumford, Newbold, Newton, Nicholas, Pitkin, Porter, Rea, Rhea, J. Richards, M. Richards, Say, Seaver, Sloan, Smelt, Smilie, J. K. Smith, John Smith, Southard, Stanford, Storer, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Thompson, Troup, Van Alen, Van Horne, Verplanck, Whitehill, Wilbour, A. Wilson, Winn--82.

Another motion was then made by Mr. Randolph, and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, so far as it relates to the substance of the communications from our respective ministers at Paris and London, which accompanied the President's message of the 8th inst. be taken off.

And on the question that the House do now proceed to take the same into consideration, an adjournment was called for and carried.

THURSDAY, NOV. 24.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and the clerk, proceeded to take into further consideration the resolution which Mr. Randolph submitted yesterday, in the following words, to wit:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, so far as it relates to the substance of the communications from our respective ministers at Paris and London, which accompanied the President's message of the 8th inst. be taken off.
Extract of a letter from general Armstrong to the secretary of state, dated Paris, 27th December, 1807.

And on the question for consideration, it was resolved in the affirmative. The same being withdrawn, a motion was then made by Mr. Macon, and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, imposed on the communications from the President, from our respective ministers at Paris and London, be taken off, and that the same be published with the exception of the extract of a letter from general Armstrong to the secretary of state, dated Paris, 27th December, 1807.

And on the question that the House do agree to the same, it passed in the negative, Yeas 39 Nays 92.

YEAS—Messrs. J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Davenport, Durell, Ely, Garnett, Gray, Harris, Hoge, R. Jackson, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Macon, Masters, Jno. Morrow, Mosely, Nelson, Quincy, Randolph, Russell, Shaw, Stedman, Sturges, Trigg, Upham, Van Rensselaer, D. R. Williams—39.

NAYS—Messrs. L. J. Alston, W. Alston, Bacon, Bard, Barker, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Blount, Boyd, Boyle, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Calhoun, M. Clay, Clopton, Cook, Culpeper, Cutts, Dana, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Elliott, Eppes, Findley, Fisk, Franklin, Gholson, Goodwyn, Green, Heister, Holmes, Holland, Howard, Humphreys, Ilsley, J. G. Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lambert, Love, Marion, M'Creery, Milnor, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, Munford, Newbold, Newton, Nicholas, Pitkin, Rea, (Pen.) Rhea, (Ten.) J. Richards, M. Richards, Riker, Say, Seaver, Sloan, Smilie, J. K. Smith, J. Smith, Southard, Stanford, Storer, Swart, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Thompson, Troup, Van Allen, Van Horn, Verplank, Wharton, Whitehill, Wilbour, N. Wilson and Winn—92.

A motion was then made by Mr. Randolph and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, so far as it relates to the substance of the communications from our respective ministers at Paris and London, which accompanied the President's message of the 8th inst. be taken off, with the exception of the extract of a letter from general Armstrong to the Secretary of State, dated Paris, 27th Dec. 1807.

And on the question that the House do agree to the same, it passed in the negative. Yeas 39, Nays 67.

YEAS—Messrs. J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Culpepper, Dana, Davenport, Durell, Elliot, Ely, Gardenier, Garnett, Gray, Harris, Hoge, R. Jackson, Jenkins, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Marion, Masters, Milnor, Mosely, Mumford, Pitkin, Quincy, Randolph, Riker, Russell, Stanford, Stedman, Sturges, Swart, Taggart, Tallmadge, Upham, Van Horne, Van Rensselaer, D. R. Williams, N. Wilson—39.

NAYS—Messrs. L. J. Alston, W. Alston, Bacon, Bard, Blackledge, Blake, Blount, Boyd, Boyle, Brown, Butler, Calhoun, Clay, Clopton, Cook, Cutts, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Findley, Fisk, Franklin, Gardner, Gholson, Goodwyn, Green, Heister, Holmes, Holland, Humphreys, Ilsley, J. G. Jackson, Lambert, Macon, M'Creery, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, John Morrow, Nelson, Newbold, Nicholas, Rea, (Pen.) Rhea, (Ten.) J. Richards, M. Richards, Riker, Say, Seaver, Shaw, Sloan, Smilie, J. K. Smith, J. Smith, Southard, Storer, Taylor, Thompson, Trigg, Troup, Van Allen, Verplank, Wharton, Whitehill, Wilbour, Winn—67.

On motion, ordered the doors be now opened.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and the clerk—

A motion was made by Mr. Randolph, and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

"That the secret journal be published."

The question was taken that the House do now proceed to consider the said proposed resolution, and resolved in the affirmative. Yeas 101—Nays 16.

YEAS—Messrs. W. Alston, Bacon, Barker, Bassett, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Boyle, Brown, Burwell, Calhoun, J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Clay, Clopton, Culpepper, Dana, Davenport, Dawson, Desha, Durell, Elliot, Ely, Eppes, Fisk, Franklin, Gardenier, Gardner, Garnett, Gholson, Goodwyn, Gray, Harris, Hoge, Holland, Holmes, Howard, Ilsley, J. G. Jackson, R. Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lambert, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Macon, Marion, M'Creery, Milnor, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, John Morrow, Mosely, Mumford, Newbold, Newton, Pitkin, Porter, Quincy, Randolph, Rea (Pen.) Rhea (T.) J. Richards, M. Richards, Riker, Russell, Say, Seaver, Shaw, Sloan, Smelt, J. K. Smith, J. Smith, S. Smith, Southard, Stanford, Stedman, Storer, Sturges, Swart, Taggart, Tallmadge, Taylor, Thompson, Trigg, Troup, Upham, Van Allen, Van Cortlandt, Van Horn, Van Rensselaer, Verplank, Wharton, Wilbour, D. R. Williams, A. Wilson, and N. Wilson—101.

NAYS. Messrs. L. J. Alston, Bard, Blount, Boyd, Cook, Cutts, Deane, Findley, Green, Heister, Helms, Humphreys, Nicholas, Smilie, Whitehill, and Winn—16.

The question was then taken, that the House do agree to the said resolution, and resolved in the affirmative. Yeas 95—Nays 23.

Yeas. Messrs. W. Alston, Bacon, Barker, Bassett, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Burwell, J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Clay, Clopton, Culpeper, Cutts, Dana, Davenport, Dawson, Desha, Elliot, Ely, Eppes, Franklin, Gardenier, Gardner, Garnett, Gholson, Goodwyn, Gray, Harris, Hoge, Holmes, Howard, Ilsley, J. C. Jackson, R. Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Kirkpatrick, Lambert, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Macon, Marion, Masters, M'Creery, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jr. Morrow, John Morrow, Mosely, Mumford, Nelson, Newbold, Newton, Pitkin, Porter, Quincy, Randolph, Rea, (P.) Rhea, (T.) J. Richards, M. Richards, Riker, Russell, Say, Shaw, Sloan, J. K. Smith, John Smith, S. Smith, Southard, Stanford, Stedman, Storer, Sturges, Swart, Taggart, Tallmadge, Thompson, Trigg, Troup, Upham, Van Allen, Van Cortlandt, Van Horn, Van Rensselaer, Verplank, Wharton, Wilbour, D. R. Williams, A. Wilson, and N. Wilson—95.

Nays. Messrs. L. J. Alston, Bard, Blount, Boyd, Boyle, Brown, Butler, Calhoun, Cook, Deane, Durell, Findley, Green, Heister, Helms, Holland, Nicholas, Seaver, Smelt, Smilie, Taylor, Whitehill, and Winn—23.

A motion was made by Mr. D. R. Williams and seconded, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy, imposed on the letters and extracts from our ministers at Paris & London, accompanying the message of the President of the U. States, of the 8th inst. except the letter of Mr. Armstrong of the 27th of December, 1807, and the words contained in the parenthesis of Mr. Pinkney's letter of the 26th January, 1808, be removed.

It passed in the negative. Yeas 43—Nays 72.

Yeas. Messrs. Bassett, J. Campbell, Champion, Chittenden, Culpeper, Dana, Davenport, Durell, Elliot, Ely, Fisk, Gardenier, Garnett, Gray, Harris, Hoge, R. Jackson, Lewis, Livermore, Lloyd, Macon, Masters, John Morrow, Mosel, Mumford, Nelson, Pitkin, Quincy, Randolph, Riker, Russell, Shaw, S. Smith, Stedman, Sturges, Swart, Tallmadge, Trigg, Upham, Van Cortlandt, Van Horn, Van Rensselaer, and D. R. Williams—43.

Nays. Messrs. L. J. Alston, W. Alston, Bacon, Bard, Barker, Bibb, Blackledge, Blake, Blount, Boyd, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Calhoun, Clay, Clopton, Cook, Cutts, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Findley, Franklin, Gardner, Gholson, Goodwyn, Green, Heister, Helms, Holland, Holmes, Howard, Humphreys, Ilsley, J. G. Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Kirkpatrick, Lambert, Marion, M'Creery, Milnor, D. Montgomery, J. Montgomery, Jer. Morrow, Newbold, Newton, Nicholas, Porter, Rea of Pen., Rhea of Ten., M. Richards, Say, Seaver, Sloan, Smelt, Smilie, J. K. Smith, John Smith, Southard, Stanford, Storer, Taylor, Troup, Van Allen, Verplanck, Wharton, Whitehill, Wilbour, A. Wilson, Winn—72.

On motion of Mr. Macon and seconded,

Ordered, That the secret journal of this day be published.

On motion ordered, that the doors be now opened.