MONDAY, December 2, 1805.

This being the day appointed by the constitution for the annual meeting of Congress, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats, to wit:

From New Hampshire-Silas Betton, Caleb Ellis, David Hough, Samuel Tenney, and Thomas W. Thompson.

From Vermont-Martin Chittenden, James Elliot, James Fisk, and Gideon Olin.

From New York-John Blake, jr., Silas Halsey, Josiah Masters, Gurdon S. Mumford, John Russell, Peter Sailly, Thomas Sammons, Martin G. Schuneman, David Thomas, Uri Tracy, Killian K. Van Rensselaer, and Nathan Williams.

From New Jersey-Ezra Darby, Ebenezer Elmer, John Lambert, James Sloan, and Henry Southard.

From Pennsylvania-Isaac Anderson, David Bard, Robert Brown, Joseph Clay, Frederick Conrad, William Findlay, Andrew Gregg, Michael Leib, John Pugh, John Rea, Jacob Richards, John Smilie, Samuel Smith, John Whitehill, and Robert Whitehill. From Maryland-John Campbell, Leonard CovWilliam McCreery, Nicholas R. Moore, and Joseph H. Nicholson.

From Rhode Island-Nehemiah Knight and Joseph Stanton.

From Connecticut-Samuel W. Dana, John Davenport, jr., Jonathan O. Mosley, John Cotton Smith, Lewis B. Sturges, and Benjamin Tallmadge.

LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES.

New Hampshire.-Silas Betton, Caleb Ellis, David Hough, Samuel Tenney, and Thomas W. Thompson.

Massachusetts.-Joseph Barker, Barnabas Bidwell, Phanuel Bishop, John Chandler, Orchard Cook, Jacob Crowninshield, Richard Cutts, William Ely, Isaiah L. Green, Seth Hastings, Jeremiah Nelson, Josiah Quincy, Ebenezer Seaver, William Stedman, Samuel Taggart, Joseph B. Varnum, and Peleg Wadsworth.

From Virginia-Burwell Bassett, John Claiborne, John Clopton, John Dawson, John W. Eppes, James M. Garnett, Peterson Goodwyn, David Holmes, John G. Jackson, Joseph Lewis, jun., John Morrow,

Delaware.-James M. Broom.

Maryland.-John Archer, John Campbell, Leonard Covington, Charles Goldsborough, Patrick Magruder, Roger Nelson, William McCreery, Nicholas R. Moore, and Joseph B. Nicholson.

Virginia.-Burwell Basset, Matthew Clay, John Claiborne, John Clopton, Christopher Clark, John Dawson, John W. Eppes, James M. Garnett, Peterson Goodwyn, Edwin Gray, David Holmes, John G. Jackson, Walter Jones, Joseph Lewis, Jr., John Morrow, Thomas Newton, jr., John Randolph, Thomas Mann Randolph, John Smith, Philip R. Thompson, Abram Trigg, and Alexander Wilson. Kentucky.-Geo. Michael Bedinger, John Fowler, Thos.

New York.-John Blake, jr., Philip Van Cortlandt, George Clinton, Silas Halsey, Josiah Masters, Henry W. Livingston, Gurdon S. Mumford, John Russell, Peter Sailly, Thomas Sammons, Martin G. Schuneman, David Thomas, Uri Tracy, Killian K. Van Rensseler, Nathan Williams, Eliphalet Wickes, and Daniel C. Verplanck.

New Jersey.-Ezra Darby, Ebenezer Elmer, John Lambert, James Sloan, Henry Southard, and William Helms. Pennsylvania.-Isaac Anderson, David Bard, Robt. Brown, Joseph Clay, Frederick Conrad, Wm. Findlay, Andrew Gregg, James Kelly, Michael Leib, John Pugh, John Hamilton, John Rea, Jacob Richards, John Smilie, Samuel Smith, John Whitehill, and Robert Whitehill.

North Carolina.-Nathaniel Alexander, Willis Alston, jr., William Blackledge, Thomas Blount, Evans Alexander, James Holland, Thomas Keenan, Nathaniel Macon, Duncan MacFarland, Richard Stanford, Marmaduke Williams, Joseph Winston, and Thomas Wynns.

Tennessee.-Wm. Dickson, John Rhea, G. W. Campbell. South Carolina.-Levi Casey, William Butler, Elias Earle, Thomas Moore, Robert Marion, David R. Williams, O'Brien Smith, and Richard Wynn.

Georgia.-Peter Early, Joseph Bryan, Cowles Mead, and David Meriwether.

Ohio.-Jeremiah Morrow.

Mississippi Territory.-Delegate: William Lattimore. Indiana Territory.-Delegate: Benjamin Parke.

H. OF R.]

[DECEMBER, 1805.

From Kentucky-George Michael Bedinger, and

Thomas Sanford.

From North Carolina-Willis Alston, jun., Thomas Blunt, James Holland, Thomas Keenan, Nathaniel Macon, Richard Stanford, Marmaduke Williams, Joseph Winston, and Thomas Wynns.

From Tennessee-William Dickson, and John Rhea. From South Carolina-Levi Casey, Elias Earle,

Thomas Moore, and David R. Williams.

From Georgia-Peter Early, Cowles Mead, and David Meriwether.

From Ohio-Jeremiah Morrow.

Delegate from the Mississippi Territory-William Lattimore.

And a quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present, the House proceeded, by ballot, to the choice of a Speaker; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of NATHANIEL MACON, one of the Representatives for the State of North Carolina: whereupon Mr. MACON was conducted to the Chair, from whence he made his acknowledgments to the House as follows:

"Gentlemen: Accept my sincere thanks for the honor you have conferred on me. Permit me to assure you, that my utmost endeavors will be exerted to discharge the duties of the Chair with fidelity, impartiality, and industry; and that I shall rely with confidence on the liberal and candid support of

the House."

The House proceeded in the same manner to the appointment of a Clerk; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of JOHN BECK

LEY.

The oath to support the Constitution of the United States, as prescribed by the act, entitled "An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths," was administered by Mr. NICHOLSON, one of the Representatives for the State of Maryland, to the Speaker; and then the same oath of affirination was administered by Mr. SPEAKER to all the members present.

appointed on the part of this House, 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 communication that he may be pleased to make to them.

CAMPBELL of Maryland, and Mr. CROWNINResolved, That Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, Mr. SHIELD, be appointed a committee on the part of this House, jointly, with the cominittee 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 communication that he may be pleased to make to them.

The House then proceeded, by ballot, to the appointment of a Sergeant-at-Arms to this House; and, upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of JOSEPH WHEATON.

Resolved, That THOMAS CLAXTON be appointed Doorkeeper, and THOMAS DUNN Assistant Doorkeeper of this House.

Resolved, That the Rules and Orders established by the late House of Representatives, shall be deemed and taken to be the Rules and Orders

of proceeding to be observed in this House, until a revision or alteration of the same shall take place.

Mr. JOHN RANDOLPH, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that a quorum of the two Houses is assembled, reported that the committee had performed that service; and that the President signified to them that he would make a communication to this House to-morrow, at twelve o'clock, by way of message.

TUESDAY, December 3.

Several other members, to wit: ABRAM TRIGG, from Virginia; GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, from Tennessee; and ROBERT MARION, from South Carolina, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House. President's Message.

A message from the Senate informed the House that a quorum of the Senate is assembled and ready to proceed to business; and that, in the absence of the VICE PRESIDENT of the United States, the Senate have elected the Honorable SAMUEL SMITH their President pro tempore: the Senate have resolved that two Chaplains, of different denominations, be appointed to Congress, for the present session, one by each House, who shall interchange weekly. The Senate having appointed a committee on their

WEDNESDAY, December 4.

Two other members, to wit: JoHN ARCHER, from Maryland, and WILLIAM BUTLER, from South Carolina, appeared, produced their credentials, and took their seats in the House.

THURSDAY, December 5.

Another member, to wit: JAMES KELLY, from Pennsylvania, appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat in the House.

DECEMBER, 1805.]

FRIDAY, December 6.

Army Rules, &c.

Mr. VARNUM said it would be recollected that the rules and regulations for the government of the Army had never been revised since the era of the present Government; and that consequently the rules and regulations established during the Revolutionary war still continued in force, though our circumstances had materially changed. From the present aspect of affairs, he thought it became necessary that a revision should take place, that they might be adapted to the provisions under the present Government. An attempt to this effect had been made during the two last sessions; and in this House a bill had passed, which had been rejected in the Senate. He was of the opinion that it became the House, by again attending to the subject, to do their duty; and if neglect should attach any where, it should be at the proper door. He, therefore, moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to prepare rules and regulations for the government of the Army of the United States, and that they have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

Executive Documents.

[H. OF R.

A Message was delivered from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, by Mr. Coles, his Secretary, as follows:

"Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the President of the United States to deliver you a Message in writing."

The SPEAKER having received and opened a packet of considerable size, observed that the Message was confidential, and thereupon ordered the galleries to be cleared.

In about one hour and a half, the doors were opened, when it appeared that part of the communications made by the President were confidential, and that the members of the House remained under an injunction of secrecy with regard to them; and that another part was not confidential. This part embraces, among others, the following documents:

1. A letter from Governor Claiborne to the Secre

tary of State, dated October 24, 1805, in which, after stating the preparations making by the Spaniards at Pensacola and other places, he says: "I flatter myself that hostilities between the United States and Spain may be avoided, and that an honorable adjustment of our differences may ensue. But I am inclined to think that the Spanish agents calculate on a speedy

Yazoo Claims.

Mr. GREGG said he wished to submit to the House a resolution on a subject of considerable importance, which had engaged the House at several of its previous sessions, and which was generally known by the name of the Yazoo claims. The discussions on this subject had occupied much time, and had excited greater irritation than any other subject within these walls. He supposed there was no probability that the subject would be permitted, by the claimants, to sleep, while the act appropriating five millions was permitted to remain in force. His object was, to repeal that act. By this step the claimants would not be placed in a worse situation, as the courts of justice would be open to them. Mr. G. said he did not expect the House immediately to act on this resolution, though he was prepared, at once, to go into it. But as it was important, and related to a subject on which the papers were voluminous, he would be satisfied that it should lie for some time on the table, the more especially that new members might become acquainted with it. He then offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That so much of an act, entitled "An act regulating the grants of land, and providing for the disposal of the lands of the United States south of the State of Tennessee," as appropriates any portion of the said lands for the purpose of satisfying, quieting, or compensating any claims to the said lands, derived from any act, or pretended act of the State of Georgia, and neither recognized by the articles of agreement and cession between the United States and the State of Georgia, nor embraced by the two first sections of the above-mentioned act, be repealed. Ordered to lie on the table.

their means permit to commence the war in this quarter."

2. Statements respecting the detention of the American gunboats.

3. Correspondence between Governor Claiborne and the Marquis de Casa Calvo, on exempting the Spanish officers from muncipial taxes.

4. Correspondence between Governor Williams, of the Mississippi Territory, and Governor Grandpre, State on outrages committed in the Mississippi Terwith sundry communications to the Secretary of

ritory.

5. Documents to show that the settlement of Bayou Pierre, on the Red River, at which a principal aggression took place, was originally made by France while possessing Louisiana, and came to the possession of Spain only by the general delivery of Louisiana to her, and as a part of it.

6. Extract of a letter from C. Pinckney, dated August 1805, as well as one dated September 22, 1805, respecting Spanish spoliations.

7. Communications from Gov. Claiborne, dated October 24, 1805, respecting obstructions on the Mobile.

ship Huntress to the Secretary of the Navy.

8. Copy of a letter from the commandant of the

MONDAY, December 9.

Several other members, to wit, from Virginia, EDWIN GRAY, and WALTER JONES; from New York, HENRY W. LIVINGSTON and ELIPHALET WICKES; and from Georgia, JOSEPH BRYAN; appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats in the House.

Mr. LEIB presented a petition of the late crew of the frigate Philadelphia, representing that they have been advised that under the maritime regulations of the United States, persons taken by the Barbary Powers are allowed on their re