H. OF R.] Death of General Washington. [DECEMBER, 1799. share, and voluntarily sinking the soldier in the | DENT OF THE UNITED STATES, to know when and citizen. where he will receive this House for the pur pose expressed in the first resolution. When the debility of our federal system had become manifest, and the bonds which connected the parts of this vast continent were dissolving, we have seen him the Chief of those patriots who formed for us a constitution, which, by preserving the Union, will, I trust, substantiate and perpetuate those blessings our Revolution had promised to bestow. In obedience to the general voice of his country, calling on him to preside over a great people, we have seen him once more quit the retirement he loved, and in a season more stormy and tempestuous than war itself, with calm and wise determination, pursue the true interests of the nation, and contribute, more than any other could contribute, to the establishment of that system of policy which will, I trust, yet preserve our peace, our honor, and our independence. Having been twice unanimously chosen the Chief Magistrate of a free people, we see him at a time when his re-election, with the univer sal suffrage, could not have been doubted, affording to the world a rare instance of moderation, by withdrawing from his high station to the peaceful walks of private life. However the public confidence may change, and the public affections fluctuate with respect to others, yet with respect to him they have in war and in peace, in public and in private life, been as steady as his own firm mind, and as constant as his own exalted virtues. Let us then, Mr. Speaker, pay the last tribute of respect and affection to our departed friendlet the Grand Council of the nation display those sentiments which the nation feels. For this purpose I hold in my hand some resolutions, which I will take the liberty to offer to the House. Mr. MARSHALL having handed them in at the table, they were read, and unanimously agreed to by the House, in the words following, to wit: The House of Representatives of the United States, having received intelligence of the death of their highly valued fellow-citizen, GEORGE WASHINGTON, General of the Armies of the United States, and sharing the universal grief this distressing event must produce, unanimously resolve: 1. That this House will wait on the President of the United States, in condolence of this national calamity. 2. That the Speaker's chair be shrouded with black, and that the members and officers of the House wear mourning, during the session. Ordered, That Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. CRAIE, Mr. HENRY LEE, Mr. EGGLESTON, Mr. SMITE, Mr. STONE, Mr. RUTLEDGE, Mr. ABIEL FOSTER, Mr. MUHLENBERG, Mr. VAN CORTLANDT, Mr. DWIGHT FOSTER, Mr. FRANKLIN Davenport, Mr. CLAIBORNE, Mr. MORRIS, Mr. JOHN BROWN, and Mr. TALIAFERRO, be a committee, jointly with such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, for the purpose express ed in the third resolution. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do acquaint the Senate therewith. A Message was received from the PRESIDENT oF THE UNITED STATES, which, together with the letter accompanying the same, was read and referred to the committee last appointed, and is as follows: Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: The letter herewith transmitted, will inform you that it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life our excellent fellow-citizen, GEORGE WASHINGTON, by the purity of his character, and a long series of services to his country, rendered illustrious through the world. It remains for an affectionate and grateful people, in whose hearts he can never die, to pay suitable honor to his memory. UNITED STATES, Dec. 19, 1799. "SIR : JOHN ADAMS. "MOUNT VERNON, Dec. 15, 1799. It is with inexpressible grief that I have to announce to you the death of the great and good tween ten and eleven o'clock, after a short illness of General WASHINGTON, He died last evening, beabout twenty hours. His disorder was an inflammatory sore throat, which proceeded from a cold, of which he made but little complaint on Friday. On Saturday morning, about three o'clock, he became ill. Doctor Craik attended him in the morning, and Doctor Dick, of Alexandria, and Doctor Brown, of Port Tobacco, were soon after called in. Every medical assistance was offered, but without the desired effect. His last scene corresponded with the whole tenor of his life; not a groan, nor a complaint, escaped him in extreme distress. With perfect resignation, and in full possession of his reason, he closed his well spent life. "I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, "TOBIAS LEAR "The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES." ed to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED Mr. MARSHALL, from the committee appoint3. That a joint committee of both Houses be ap- STATES, to know when and where it will be conpointed to report measures suitable to the occasion, venient for him to receive this House in conand expressive of the profound sorrow with which dolence of the national calamity, reported that Congress is penetrated on the loss of a citizen, first in the committee had, according to order, performfirst in peace, and first in the hearts of his coun-ed that service, and that the PRESIDENT signified to them it would be convenient for him to receive this House at one o'clock this afternoon, at his own house. war, trymen. 4. That when this House adjourn, it will adjourn until Monday next. Ordered, That Mr. MARSHALL and Mr. SMITH A message from the Senate informed the be appointed a committee to wait on the PRESI- | House that the Senate have agreed to the res� DECEMBER, 1799.] Respect to the Memory of Washington. lution passed by the House of Representatives for the appointment of a joint committee of both Houses to report measures suitable to the occasion, and expressive of the profound sorrow with which Congress is penetrated on the loss of a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen; and have appointed Mr. DAYTON, Mr. BINGHAM, Mr. DEXTER, Mr. GUNN, Mr. LAURANCE, and Mr. TRACY, a committee on their part. The SPEAKER, attended by the House, then withdraw to the house of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, when Mr. SPEAKER addressed the PRESIDENT as follows: SIR: The House of Representatives, penetrated with a sense of the irreparable loss sustained by the nation in the death of that great and good man, the illustrious and beloved WASHINGTON, wait on you, sir, to express their condolence on this melancholy and distressing event. [H. OF R. And be it further resolved, That it be recommended to the people of the United States to wear crape on the left arm, as mourning for thirty days. And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to direct a copy of these resolutions to be transmitted to Mrs. WASHINGwill ever bear to her person and character; of their TON, assuring her of the profound respect Congress condolence on the late afflicting dispensation of Providence; and entreating her assent to the inter ment of the remains of General GEORGE WASHINGTON, in the manner expressed in the first resolution. And be it further resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to issue a proclamation, notifying to the people throughout the United States the recommendation contained in the third resolution. Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do carry the said resolutions to the Senate, and desire their concurrence. Previous to the question being put upon the To which the PRESIDENT replied as follows: first resolution, Mr. H. LEE of Virginia, rose, and addressed the Chair as follows: Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: I receive, with great respect and affection, the condolence of the House of Representatives, on the melancholy and affecting event, in the death of the most illustrious and beloved personage which this country ever produced. I sympathize with you, with the nation, and with good men through the world, in this irreparable loss sustained by us all. JOHN ADAMS. UNITED STATES, Dec. 19, 1799. MONDAY, December 23. THOMAS T. DAVIS, from Kentucky; ROBERT WILLIAMS, from North Carolina; and JOHN DENNIS, from Maryland; appeared, produced their credentials, were qualified, and took their seats in the House. Mr. Speaker: In executing the task assigned to the committee, it will be observed much remains to be done; so far as they have gone, and as far as they may go, one hope is cherished, that whatever is done, will be unanimously adopted. This will be most pleasing to our constituents, and most honorable to the character we all honor. Out of a wish to execute in the best manner the direction of the House, a difference of opinion will naturally prevail. This difference of opinion, however commendable, upon ascertaining the mode of public mourning, ought to be suppressed when we come to act; for unanimity then is, as I before stated, most to be wished for, whether the feelings of our constituents, or our intentions, on the celebrity which all desire to give to the high occasion, A message was received from the Senate, announcing their concurrence in the report of the joint committee made this day; and then the House adjourned till to-morrow morning. Respect to the Memory of General Washington. TUESDAY, December 24. Respect to the Memory of General Washington. Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives The SPEAKER informed the House that, conof the United States of America in Congress assem- formably to the resolution of Congress, the bled, That a marble monument be erected by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the United States, in the capitol, in the city of Washing- House of Representatives had requested Major ton, and that the family of General WASHINGTON be General HENRY LEE, one of the Representatives requested to permit his body to be deposited under from the State of Virginia, to prepare and deit; and that the monument be so designed as to commemorate the great events of his military and politi-Thursday, the twenty-sixth instant, in honor of liver a funeral oration before both Houses, on cal life. And be it further resolved, That there be a funeral procession from Congress Hall to the German Lutheran Church, in honor of the memory of General GEORGE WASHINGTON, on Thursday, the 26th instant, and that an oration be prepared at the request of Congress, to be delivered before both Houses on that day, and that the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives be desired to request one of the members of Congress to prepare and deliver the same. the memory of GEORGE WASHINGTON, late General of the Armies of the United States; and that Mr. LEE had been pleased to accept of the appointment. And, on motion, the House adjourned. THURSDAY, December 26. This being the day appointed by the resolution of Congress for the funeral procession in H. OF R.] Petition of Free Blacks. [JANUARY, 1800 honor of the memory of GEORGE WASHINGTON, | honorable to themselves, to embrace the opportunity late General of the Armies of the United States, to declare that I am, personally, with great esteem the House proceeded to the German Lutheran and sincere regard, dear sir, your friend and obedient Church, where they attended the funeral ora- servant, tion, prepared and delivered on the occasion by "THEODORE SEDGWICK. Major General LEE, one of the members of this "The Hon. Maj. Gen. LEE." House for the State of Virginia. The House, having returned, adjourned until to-morrow morning. Respect to the Memory of General Washington. "The House of Representatives of the United States, highly gratified with the manner in which Mr. LEE has performed the service assigned to him under the resolution desiring the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives to request one of the members of Congress to prepare and deliver a funeral oration on the death of GEORGE WASHINGTON; and desirous of communicating to their fellow-citizens, through the medium of the press those sentiments of respect for the character, of gratitude for the services, and of grief for the death of that illustrious personage, which, felt by all, have on this melancholy occasion been so well pressed: To which Mr. Lee had replied as follows: "FRANKLIN COURT, Dec. 28, 1799. "DEAR SIR: I owe to the goodness of the House of Representatives the honor which their resolutions confer on my humble efforts to execute their wish furnish a copy of the oration delivered on the late "I can never disobey their will, and therefore will afflicting occasion, much as I had flattered myself with a different disposition of it. 66 tions with which you honor me, I am, very respect'Sincerely reciprocating the personal considerafully, sir, your friend and obedient servant, “HENRY LEE. "The SPEAKER of the House of Reps." Mr. MARSHALL, from the joint committee appointed to consider and report what measures ought to be adopted in honor of the memory of General WASHINGTON, made another report in part, which was unanimously agreed to by the House, in the words following, to wit: Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, That it be recommended to the people of the United States to assemble on the twenty-second day of February next, in such numbers and manner as may be conex-venient, publicly to testify their grief for the death of General GEORGE WASHINGTON, by suitable eulogies, orations, and discourses, or by public prayers. "Resolved, That the Speaker present the thanks of this House to Mr. LEE, for the oration delivered by him to both Houses of Congress on Thursday, the twenty-sixth instant; and request that he will permit a copy thereof to be taken for publication: The question was taken that the House do agree to the same, and unanimously resolved in the affirmative. MONDAY, December 30. Respect to the Memory of General Washington. The SPEAKER informed the House that, in pursuance of the resolution of Friday last, he had addressed to Major General HENRY LEE, one of the members for the State of Virginia, the following letter: "PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 27, 1799. "DEAR SIR: The enclosed resolutions, which unanimously passed the House of Representatives this day, will make known to you how highly they have been gratified with the manner in which you have performed the service assigned to you, in preparing and delivering a funeral oration on the death of General WASHINGTON. That our constituents may participate in the gratification we have received, from your having so well expressed those sentiments of respect for the character, of gratitude for the services, and of grief for the death of that illustrious personage, I flatter myself you will not hesitate to comply with the request of the House, by furnishing a copy of your oration, to be taken for publication. "Allow me, while performing this pleasing task of official duty in communicating an act of the Representatives of the people, so just to you and, so the United States be requested to recommend the And be it further resolved, That the President of same, by a proclamation for that purpose. carry the said resolutions to the Senate, and Ordered, That the Clerk of this House do desire their concurrence. THURSDAY, January 2, 1800. RICHARD DOBBS SPAIGHT, from North Carolina, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat. Petition of Free Blacks. Mr. WALN presented a petition of Absalom Jones and others, free men of color, of the city and county of Philadelphia, praying for a revision of the laws of the United States relative to the slave trade; of the act relative to fugitives from justice; and for the adoption of such measures as shall in due course emancipate the whole of their brethren from their present situation; which he moved to have referred to the committee appointed to inquire whether any and what alterations ought to be made in the existing law prohibiting the slave trade from the United States to any foreign place or country. The petitioners, after mentioning their sense of the bounties of Providence in their freedom, and the happiness they felt under such a form of Government, represent that they cannot but be impressed with the hardships under which numbers of their color labored, who they conceived equal objects of representation and attention with themselves or others under the constitution. That the solemn compact, the constitution, was violated by the trade of kidnapping, carried on by the people of some of the Southern States on the shores of Maryland and Delaware, by which numbers were hurried into holes and cellars, torn from their families and transported to Georgia, and there inhumanly exposed to sale, which was degrading to the dignified nature of man. That by these and other measures injurious to the human species, there were 700,000 blacks now in slavery in these States. They stated their application to Congress to be, not for the immediate emancipation of the whole, knowing that their degraded Estate and want of education would render that measure improper, but they ask an amelioration of their hard situation. They prayed that the act called the fugitive bill, which was very severe on that race of people, might be considered; also that the African slave trade might be put a stop to. Mr. WALN moved its reference to the committee appointed to prohibit carrying on the slave trade to any foreign place or country. Mr. RUTLEDGE thought any reference at all very improper; he hoped it would be laid on the table, and with a view never to be called up hereafter. Petitions of this sort had repeatedly come before the House, only with the difference of transfer of hands. When the Congress sat at New York, they spent much time and attention on the subject, but no sooner had it been decided that nothing could be done, than the same scenes were acted over again by repeatedly petitioning. Those gentlemen who used to come forward, to be sure, had not avowedly come forward again, but had now put it into the hands of the black gentlemen. They now tell the House these people are in slavery -I thank God they are! if they were not, dreadful would be the consequences. They say they are not represented. To be sure a great number of them are not. Farther, they say they are sent to the Southern States. Who can prevent that? Persons possessing slaves have a right to send them there if they choose. They tell you that they are brought from Africa. This matter is in a train to be prevented, the subject being now in the hands of a committee. Already had too much of this new-fangled French philosophy of liberty and equality found its way and was too apparent among these gentlemen in the Southern States, by which nothing would do but their liberty. This appeared to be the intention of the petition, but he supposed the people of the Eastern States had felt as much in having them among them as those of the Southern States in losing them, and therefore he believed gentlemen from those parts would vote with them. However, he considered this subject very improper and unconstitutional to discuss, and, from the ill effects it might produce, should say no more. [H. OF R. Mr. WALN thought the gentleman mistaken as to the nature of the petition; it related but two grievances: one was the operation of the fugitive act, by which free men were carried and sold into slavery, and the other was the slave trade. He did not wish to enter into general principles, because he conceived it as improper as any gentleman, but he could see no good reason why the petition might not be committed; every petition presented to the House ought to receive that attention, and a rejection of the present without examination could have no good effect. Mr. SMILIE was much surprised at the opposition of the gentleman from South Carolina to the reference. To be sure a great part of what these people asked, as far as he was acquainted with it, was out of their power to grant, but there was much of the petition which was within the power of the House. So far as they had power, he considered it the duty of the House to attend and grant relief. He could wish to drop some ideas on the situation of those people, but felt a contrary impulse from motives of prudence. However, he must consider them as a part of the human species, equally capable of suffering and enjoying with others, and equally objects of attention, and therefore they had a claim to be heard. Mr. OTIS hoped the petition would not be committed; he had never seen a petition presented under a more dangerous and unpleasant aspect. It appeared to be subscribed by a number of individuals who were incapable of writing their names, or of reading the petition, and, a fortiori, of digesting the principles of it. It therefore was a petition of certain men made out by other men, who ought to have come forward themselves, but had forborne. To encourage a measure of the kind would have an irritating tendency, and must be mischievous to America very soon. It would teach them the art of assembling together, debating, and the like, and would soon, if encouraged, extend from one end of the Union to the other. A great part of the petition was improper, and the other part entirely unnecessary. No particular object or evils were pointed out in the fugitive law, but the truth was, they wanted a repeal of the law. Although, he thanked God he had no slaves, nor ever wished to possess any, yet he thought the subject ought not to be meddled with by the General Government, and if any grievances existed, they were properly and only objects of legislation in the several States. It was the duty, and he thought the interest of the States, while they were kept in servitude, to ameliorate their situation as much as consisted with security. He thought those who did not possess that species of property had better leave the regulation of it to those who were cursed with it. However, it was unjust to intermeddle with it to the injury of the pos sessors. Mr. H. LEE observed that gentlemen were sent to that House to preserve the rights of the (JANUARY, 1801 He con went into a view of the federal compact, te argue the impropriety of legislating on the subject. This petition, he said, did not come from the blacks, but from a combination of people who had troubled Congress for many years past, and he feared never would cease. He did no fear the power of the 700,000 enemies that the gentleman had pointed out, since there were five millions to withstand them: they could st any time subdue them. He begged that the gentleman, who put the petition on the table, might be desired to take it back again. He was sorry to see the commitment supported by two such worthy members of the House, both good Federalists. [A laugh.] people and the rights of property. That pro- | did, as though he was a slave owner. perty which the people of the Southern States sidered this as much personal property as a farm possess consisted of slaves, and therefore Con- or a ship, which was incontestably so. He gress had no authority but to protect it, and not take measures to deprive the citizens of it. He said he held himself not second to any gentleman in a genuine attachment to the rights of humanity, but he could not believe that great ends would be answered by the reference of the petition, but much evil might accrue. It contained sentiments which he thought it would be highly improper so far to encourage. One object prayed for in this petition was now in the hands of a committee; let that committee report respecting the Guinea trade, let it be entirely obliterated; to that he would agree with all his heart, but he hoped the House would never intermeddle with the property of any of the citizens. Instead of voting with the worthy member who wished it to lie on the table, he would have it returned to the gentleman who presented it, as the only effectual means of checking an injurious practice. Mr. WALN contended, that at least the House had the power of legislating on the state of free blacks as well as other people, and on the slave trade, much of which was still carrying on from Rhode Island, Boston and Pennsylvania. This ought to be looked into. He denied that any idea had ever entered his mind on presenting the petition either to debate on the subject, or to will an emancipation of the slaves. Gentle men from the Southern States appeared to la Mr. RUTLEDGE, in addition to his former arguments, observed, that so improper was it to consider this subject that some of the States would never have adopted the federal form of Government if it had not been secured to them that Congress would never legislate on the sub-ment there were so many among them, but ject of slavery. Inasmuch, therefore, as it might their conduct was very contrary to their declsrouse the jealousy and fears of those States, the ration. least attention paid to it might do mischief. Mr. THATCHER said that gentlemen generally set out wrong, on this subject, and leave off about half right; they debated till they were almost tired, and then the petition was not to be committed. If Congress had not power to legislate on the African trade, then why did they say it was with a committee? If they had power, where was the impropriety of referring, at least that part which could be considered? Would any gentleman say that it was policy not to legislate about 700,000 enemies in the very body of the United States? While they were slaves they were enemies. He declared a greater evil than the very principle could not exist; it was a cancer of immense magnitude, that would some time destroy the body politic, except a proper legislation should prevent the evil. It must come before the House sooner or later. Then why postpone it? It was true the Eastern States were now suffering from the streams which issued from this great and dangerous fountain, but the evil ought to be stopped, ere it become too strong. Mr. HILL thought if any evil existed under any law now in force, a committee ought to be appointed, to examine into and correct it: bat he hoped the petition would not be committed. It was to be lamented that this kind of property did exist; but it did exist, and was sanetioned by the constitution. That being the case, the House ought to set their faces against any innovations on it, either directly or indirectly. Mr. DENNIS rose, he said, principally because he conceived the petition implicated the justice of the States of Maryland and Delaware, respecting the abominable practice of kidnapping. In justice to the State he represented, he must say that none of this evil was attributable to that State, because they had enacted extremely penal laws to stop it. He wished the petition to lie on the table, because the objects of it appeared to be extremely multifarious, and he believed but few members knew its contents, from the different opinions they had advanced. He wished them to have an opportunity of examining it. Mr. BROWN, of Rhode Island, said he was in Mr. RANDOLPH hoped that the conduct of the hopes that every member belonging to the House would be so decided as to deter the peNorthern States would have seen by this time titioners, or any persons acting for them, from the impropriety of encouraging slaves to come ever presenting one of a similar nature hereaf from the Southern States to reside as vagabonds ter. The effects must be extremely injurious, and thieves among them, and have been tired He did wish that the conduct of the House of the bad policy. No subject surely was so would have been so indignant as to have passlikely to cause a division of the States as thated it over without discussion. He should not, respecting slaves. He did not hold a slave in therefore, say any thing that would tend to enthe world, he said, but he was as much for sup- courage that discussion. The constitution had porting the rights and property of those who put it out of the power of the House to do any |