Yeas.—Theodorus Bailey, James A. Bayard, Thomas Boude, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, John Campbell, John Clopton, John Condit, Manasseh Cutler, Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, Thomas T. Davis, William Dickson, Peter Early, William Eustis, Abiel Foster, Calvin Goddard, Edwin Gray, Andrew Gregg, Roger Griswold, William Barry Grove, John A. Hanna, Daniel Heister, William Helms, Joseph Hemphill, Archibald Henderson, William H. Hill, David Holmes, Benjamin Huger, Samuel Hunt, George Jackson, William Jones, Ebenezer Mattoon, David Meriwether, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Moore, Lewis R. Morris, Thomas Morris, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jun., Joseph H. Nicholson, Elias Perkins, Thomas Plater, Nathan Read, John Rutledge, William Shepard, Israel Smith, John Cotton Smith, John Smith, (of Virginia,) Samuel Smith, Henry Southard, John Stanley, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Samuel Tenney, Samuel Thatcher, Thomas Tillinghast, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, George B. Upham, Killian K. Van Rensselaer, Peleg Wadsworth, Lemuel Williams, Richard Winn, and Thomas Wynns.
Nays.—Willis Alston, John Archer, John Bacon, Phanuel Bishop, William Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne, Matthew Clay, Richard Cutts, John Dawson, Lucas Elmendorph, Ebenezer Elmer, John Fowler, William Hoge, James Holland, Michael Leib, James Mott, John Randolph, jr., John Smilie, John Smith, (of New York,) Josiah Smith, Richard Stanford, David Thomas, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, and Robert Williams.
The second and last resolution to which the Committee of the Whole reported their disagreement, being twice read, in the words following, to wit:
Resolved, That it is expedient for Congress to recede to the State of Maryland the jurisdiction of that part of the Territory of Columbia, which was ceded to the United States by the said State of Maryland, by an act passed the nineteenth day of December, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, entitled "An act concerning the Territory of Columbia and the City of Washington;" provided the said State of Maryland shall consent and agree thereto:
The question was taken that the House do concur with the Committee of the Whole in their disagreement to the same, and resolved in the affirmative.[77]
The House resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the committee of the second instant, to whom were referred, on the twenty-third of December last, a letter from Edward Tiffin, President of the Convention of Ohio, and a letter from Thomas Worthington, special agent of the said State, enclosing a copy of the constitution thereof, together with sundry propositions in addition to, and in modification of, those contained in an act passed at the last session of Congress; and after some time spent therein, the committee rose and reported to the House their agreement to the resolutions contained therein, with two amendments, which being severally read, the first amendment was, on the question put thereupon, agreed to, and the other disagreed to by the House.
The said resolutions, as amended, were again severally read at the Clerk's table, and agreed to by the House, as follows:
1. Resolved, That a donation, equal to one thirty-sixth part of the amount of the lands in the United States' Military Tract, within the State of Ohio, be made for the support of schools within that tract.
2. Resolved, That a donation equal to one thirty-sixth part of the county of Trumbull, be made, out of the lands within the United States' Military Tract, for the support of schools within the said county of Trumbull.
3. Resolved, That a donation equal to one thirty-sixth part of the Virginia reservation, so far as the unlocated lands, within that reservation, (after the warrants issued by that State shall have been first satisfied,) will supply the same, be made for the support of schools in the district contained between the Scioto and Little Miami Rivers.
4. Resolved, That a like provision, for the use of schools, be made, out of any lands which may hereafter be acquired from the Indian tribes.
5. Resolved, That the lands which now are, or hereafter may be, appropriated to the use of schools within the State of Ohio, be vested in the Legislature thereof, in trust for that object.
6. Resolved, That not less than three-fifths of the sum offered to be appropriated by Congress for the opening of roads, from the Western to the Atlantic waters, shall be appropriated under the direction of the State of Ohio, for the laying out of roads within that State.
7. Resolved, That, in lieu of the township proposed to be granted for the use of an academy, by the act passed the fifth day of May one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, there be granted to the State of Ohio, for the purposes described in that act, one other entire township, within the district of Cincinnati; provided that the State of Ohio shall relinquish to the United States, all their claims, under the act aforesaid, against the said John C. Symmes.
8. Resolved, That these propositions shall depend on the compliance, by the State of Ohio, with the provisions of the third proposition, and second section of the aforesaid act, entitled "An act to enable the people of the eastern division of the territory north-west of the river Ohio to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes," passed the thirtieth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and two.
Ordered, That a bill or bills be brought in, pursuant to the said resolutions; and that Mr. Randolph, Mr. Elmendorph, Mr. Goddard, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Archer, do prepare and bring in the same.
An engrossed bill to prevent the importation of certain persons into certain States, where, by the laws thereof, their admission is prohibited, was read the third time.
And, on the question that the same do pass, it was resolved in the affirmative—yeas 48, nays 15, as follows:
Yeas.—Willis Alston, John Bacon, Theodorus Bailey, James A. Bayard, Phanuel Bishop, Thomas Boude, William Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, John Campbell, Matthew Clay, John Clopton, John Dawson, Peter Early, Lucas Elmendorph, Ebenezer Elmer, Calvin Goddard, Edwin Gray, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, Archibald Henderson, William H. Hill, William Hoge, James Holland, George Jackson, Michael Leib, David Meriwether, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., Joseph H. Nicholson, Thomas Plater, John Rutledge, William Shepard, John Smilie, Samuel Smith, Richard Stanford, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., Samuel Tenney, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, Robert Williams, Henry Woods, and Thomas Wynns.
Nays.—Robert Brown, John Condit, Richard Cutts, John Davenport, Abiel Foster, John A. Hanna, Seth Hastings, Samuel L. Mitchill, James Mott, Israel Smith, Josiah Smith, Henry Southard, Joseph Stanton, David Thomas, and Peleg Wadsworth.
Resolved, That the title be, "An act to prevent the importation of certain persons into certain States, where, by the laws thereof, their admission is prohibited;" and that the Clerk of this House do carry the said bill to the Senate, and desire their concurrence.
The House took up the bill respecting military land warrants.
Mr. Davis hoped it would not be adopted without inquiring whether the land proposed to be given to General Lafayette was the same as was given to other Major Generals. It was true he had rendered services to the United States, for which they had made him an allowance. There were other claims, in his opinion of greater force, made day after day, without being attended to. If this provision were annexed to the bill he should vote against its passage; though, otherwise, he would be glad to vote for it. If General Lafayette was entitled to this land, he wished to see the business regularly conducted. We are now making provision for persons who have legal claims. It is right, therefore, to separate these subjects. Let us attend to one first, and afterwards consider the other.
Mr. Dawson.—When, on yesterday, I had the honor to submit this amendment, I indulged the pleasing hope that it would have received not only the vote of this House, but would have met with the patronage of all—of all the friends of justice, and of those who remember past services; and that it would have been adopted without delay and without debate.
In this I have been wofully disappointed. My fond anticipation was immediately damped by a gentleman from New York, on whose friendship I did count, and do now expect; and the amendment, instead of finding sympathizing advocates, has met with an unexpected opposition; instead of finding friends proud to reward past services, it has met with enemies, seeking for reasons to withhold justice.
Mr. Chairman, the search has been in vain; the grateful, the patriot mind will remember those services, while the reflection on a wish to withhold justice will be left as consolation to those who have made the search.
Sir, it was my wish, and it is my determination to support this amendment solely on the grounds of services rendered to us. Whatever may have been the conduct and the situation of General Lafayette since our Revolution, humanity may lament; but, sir, it belongs to us to pay this tribute to justice, if not to gratitude.
Sir, on yesterday, I stated what was known to every gentleman of this House, that this gentleman at an early period of life, animated by the love of liberty, left the pleasures of an enticing Court, encountered the danger of winds and waves, and entered into the service of a country known to him only by name, and endeared to him only by its devotion to that flame which he felt himself. In this service he continued until the end of our war, submitting to all the hardships and fatigues of the field; leading our armies to victory, and exposing himself to every danger; and this without any compensation, and at the sacrifice of the greater part of his private fortune.
I stated more—that that fortune is now much reduced; and this is what I do know. Yes, sir, I have spent two days with this adopted child of America on his little farm. I saw him surrounded by an amiable family, but not with wealth. I heard him pouring forth his best wishes for the prosperity and happiness of this country; and I witnessed his constant exertions to promote its interests. It may not be improper here to remember what I do know. Some short time before I went to France, the First Consul applied to Mr. Lafayette to come to this country as Minister. He replied, "I am by birth a French citizen, by adoption a citizen of the United States. I have served in that country, and am so attached to its interest that I doubt, if a case of difficulty should arise, whether I should do justice to my own; if I did, I am sure I should be suspected, and therefore I will not place myself in that delicate situation."
And now, sir, what is it that it is proposed to do for this gentleman; for him who rendered you services without emolument, and risked his life without hesitation; to this citizen of the United States; and not a foreigner, as the gentleman from Kentucky has been pleased to call him? It is to give to him what we give to others; and what he never would have received had it not been for the reverse of his fortunes. And shall we hesitate? I trust not.
Sir, this is not only a question of justice, but it is of feeling; every soldier, every officer must feel for a fellow-soldier and a fellow-officer, and every citizen for a fellow-citizen; and such is Mr. Lafayette.
Whatever may be the fate of that amendment, if it shall be adopted I shall feel proud for my country. If it shall be negatived, I shall have the pleasing reflection of having discharged a duty to my country and to my own feelings.
Mr. T. Morris said that the opposition he had made was more to the manner than to the matter of the motion. He thought it improper to decide upon it at so late an hour, and when there was scarcely a quorum of members within the walls. I have, said Mr. M., no objection to the grant. On the contrary I think it ought to be made in consideration of the circumstances of General Lafayette. I should indeed have wished that it had been the subject of a distinct bill. The value of gifts of this nature depends as much on the manner in which they are made, as on the gifts themselves; and I think the donation would, in this case, have been deemed more honorable, if a special bill had been passed, instead of inserting a clause in another bill. If there were time to bring in a distinct bill I should now vote against the amendment; but as I am unwilling to hazard the object altogether, I shall vote for it: expressing my regret, at the same time, that the gentleman who has viewed the distressed situation of General Lafayette had not sooner brought the business forward.
A debate of short duration ensued, between Messrs. S. Smith, Shepard, Dawson, and Bacon, in favor of the amendment, and Mr. Davis against it, when it was carried without a division.
On engrossing the bill for a third reading, Messrs. Southard, and Shepard spoke in favor of, and Mr. Varnum against it—carried, and ordered to a third reading to-morrow.
Mr. Bayard moved that the House do now resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House on a motion of the thirty-first ultimo, "for indemnifying the citizens of the United States, who, in carrying on a lawful trade to foreign parts, have suffered losses by the seizure of their property, made by unauthorized French cruisers, or by any French cruiser, without sufficient cause," to which Committee of the whole House was also referred, on the second instant, the report of a select committee, made the twenty-second of April last, on "the memorials and petitions of sundry citizens of the United States, and resident merchants therein, praying relief, in the case of depredations committed on their vessels and cargoes, while in pursuit of lawful commerce, by the cruisers of the French Republic, during the late European war:"
It passed in the negative—yeas 21, nays 48, as follows:
Yeas.—John Bacon, James A. Bayard, John Campbell, Samuel W. Dana, William Eustis, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold, Seth Hastings, William H. Hill, Benjamin Huger, Samuel Hunt, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Morris, Thomas Plater, Nathan Read, John Cotton Smith, Samuel Tenney, Samuel Thatcher, George B. Upham, Peleg Wadsworth, and Lemuel Williams.
Nays.—Willis Alston, John Archer, Theodorus Bailey, Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, William Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne, John Clopton, John Condit, William Dickson, Peter Early, Lucas Elmendorph, Ebenezer Elmer, Andrew Gregg, Daniel Heister, Joseph Heister, William Helms, William Hoge, James Holland, George Jackson, Michael Leib, David Meriwether, Thomas Moore, James Mott, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., John Randolph, jr., John Smilie, Israel Smith, John Smith, (of New York,) John Smith, (of Virginia,) Henry Southard, Richard Stanford, Joseph Stanton, John Stewart, John Taliaferro, jr., David Thomas, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum, Isaac Van Horne, Robert Williams, Robert Williams, Richard Winn, and Thomas Wynns.
On a motion made and seconded,
"That the thanks of this House be presented to Nathaniel Macon, the Speaker, in testimony of their approbation for his conduct in discharging the arduous and important duties assigned him, while in the chair:"
It was unanimously resolved in the affirmative, by yeas and nays, every member present voting in the affirmative.
Whereupon, Mr. Speaker made his acknowledgments to the House, in manner following:
"Gentlemen: Accept my sincere thanks for the vote which you have been pleased to pass, expressive of your approbation of my conduct in the chair; they are also due to each of you, for the liberal support which I have uniformly received.
"Permit me to wish you a safe return home and happy meeting with your friends."
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate having completed the Legislative business before them, are now ready to adjourn.
Whereupon, Mr. Speaker adjourned the House, sine die.