Ordered, That this message and papers be committed to Messrs. Morris, King, Izard, Strong, and Ellsworth, to consider and report what is proper to be done thereon. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1791. Mr. Morris reported from the Committee, appointed to take into consideration the message of the President of the United States, of the 19th instant. Ordered, That the report lie for consideration. FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1791. The Senate took into consideration the report of the Committee, made yesterday, on the message of the President of the United States, of the 19th instant, and after debate the farther consideration thereof was postponed. MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1791. The Senate resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee, made the 27th instant, and after debate it was farther postponed. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1791. Mr. Langdon reported from the Committee, appointed as per Legislative Journal, December 15th, 1790, on that part of the speech of the President of the United States, which relates to the commerce of the Mediterranean, together with his message recorded, also on the Legislative Journal of the 30th of December, 1790, and on the letter of the 20th of January, from the Secretary of State, respecting the American prisoners in captivity at Algiers, with the papers accompanying the same; and the report is, that it be 1 Resolved, That the Senate 10 shall not exceed forty thousand 11 dollars; and also, that measures 12 be taken to confirm the treaty 13 now existing between the U. S. 14 and the Emperor of Morocco, 15 provided no greater sum than 16 twenty thousand dollars be 17 expended in that business. On motion to postpone the first clause of the report, to wit: from "Resolved," line 1st, to "that," line 11th, it passed in the negative. And on motion to expunge from the second clause of the report, these words, lines 15, 16 and 17, "provided no greater sum than twenty thousand dollars be expended in that business;" it passed in the affirmative. And the report, as amended, was agreed to. Whereupon, Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent that the President of the United States take such measures as he may think necessary for the redemption of the citizens of the United States now in captivity at Algiers, provided the expense shall not exceed forty thousand dollars; and also, that measures be taken to confirm the treaty now existing between the United States and the Emperor of Morocco. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate this resolution to the President of the United States. Mr. Langdon, from the Committee, appointed the 15th of December, 1790, as recorded on the Legislative Journal of that date, reported January the 6th, 1791, on the same subject: "That the trade of the United States to the Mediterranean cannot be protected but by a naval force, and that it will be proper to resort to the same, as soon as the state of the public finances will admit." On motion, Ordered, That this report be re-committed, with an instruction to the Committee to consider the subject, and report generally thereon. See Legislative Journal of the 6th and 20th January, for farther instructions to this Committee. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1791. A letter from the Secretary of State enclosing an extract of one from William Short, Chargé des Affairs at the Court of France, was read. Ordered, That the letter and enclosure lie for consideration. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1791. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew. Gentlemen of the Senate: UNITED STATES, February 14th, 1791. Conceiving that in the possible event of a refusal of justice on the part of Great Britain, we should stand less committed should it be made to a private rather than to a public person, I employed Mr. Governeur Morris, who was on the spot, and without giving him any definite character, to enter informally into the conferences before mentioned. For your more particular information, I lay before you the instructions I gave him, and those parts of his communications wherein the British Ministers appear either in conversation or by letter. These are two letters from the Duke of Leeds to Mr. Morris, and three letters of Mr. Morris, giving an account of two conferences with the Duke of Leeds, and one with him and Mr. Pitt. The sum of these is, that they declare, without scruple, they do not mean to fulfil what remains of the Treaty of Peace to be fulfilled on their part (by which we are to understand the delivery of the posts and payment for property carried off) till performance on our part, and compensation where the delay has rendered the performance now impracticable: that on the subject of a treaty of commerce they avoided direct answers, so as to satisfy Mr. Morris they did not mean to enter into one unless it could be extended to a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, or unless in the event of a rupture with Spain. As to the sending a minister here, they made excuses at the first conference, seem disposed to it in the second, and in the last express an intention of so doing. Their views being thus sufficiently ascertained, I have directed Mr. Morris to discontinue his communications with them. Go. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That this message lie for consideration. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1791. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew. Gentlemen of the Senate: UNITED STATES, February 18th, 1791. The aspect of affairs in Europe during the last summer, and especially between Spain and England, gave reason to expect a favorable occasion for pressing to accommodation the unsettled matters between them and us. Mr. Carmichael, our Chargé des Affaires at Madrid, having been long absent from his country, great changes having taken place in our circumstances and sentiments during that interval, it was thought expedient to send some person in a private character, fully acquainted with the present state of things here, to be the bearer of written and confidential instructions to him, and at the same time to possess him in full and frequent conversations, of all those details of facts, and topics of argument, which could not be conveyed in writing; but which would be necessary to enable him to meet the reasonings of that Court with advantage. Colonel David Humphreys was therefore sent for these purposes. An additional motive for this confidential mission, arose in the same quarter. The court of Lisbon had, on several occasions, made the most amicable advances for cultivating friendship and intercourse with the United States. The exchange of a diplomatic character had been informally, but repeatedly suggested on their part. It was our interest to meet this nation in its friendly dispositions, and to concur in the exchange proposed. But my wish was, at the same time, that the character to be exchanged should be of the lowest and most economical grade. To this it was known that certain rules, of long standing at that court, would produce obstacles. Colonel Humphreys was charged with despatches to the Prime Minister of Portugal, and with instructions to endeavor to arrange this to our views. It happened, however, that previous to his arrival at Lisbon, the Queen had appointed a Minister resident to the United States. This embarrassment seems to have rendered the difficulty completely insurmountable. The Minister of that court, in his conferences with Colonel Humphreys, professing every wish to accommodate, yet expresses his regrets that circumstances do not permit them to concur in the grade of Chargé des Affaires, a grade of little privilege or respectability by the rules of their court, and held in so low estimation with them, that no proper character would accept it, to go abroad. In a letter to the Secretary of State he expresses the same sentiments, and announces the appointment, on their part, of a Minister resident to the United States, and the pleasure with which the Queen will receive one from us at her court. A copy of his letter and also of Colonel Humphreys, giving the details of this transaction, will be delivered to you. On consideration of all circumstances, I have determined to accede to the desire of the court of Lisbon, in the article of grade. I am aware that the consequences will not end here, and that this is not the only instance in which a like change may be pressed. But should it be necessary to yield elsewhere also, I shall think it a less evil than to disgust a government so friendly and so interesting to us as that of Portugal. I do not mean that the change of grade shall render the mission more expensive. I have therefore nominated David Humphreys, Minister resident from the United States to her most faithful Majesty the Queen of Portugal. Go. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That this message lie for consideration. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1791. The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the message from the President of the United States, of the 18th instant, and the nomination therein contained, of David Humphreys, to be Minister resident from the United States to her most faithful Majesty the Queen of Portugal; and Resolved, That the Senate advise and consent to his appointment accordingly. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate this resolution of Senate to the President of the United States. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1791. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew. Gentlemen of the Senate: UNITED STATES, February 22d, 1791. I will proceed to take measures for the ransom of our citizens in captivity at Algiers; in conformity with your resolution of advice of the first instant, so soon as the moneys necessary shall be appropriated by the Legislature, and shall be in readiness. The recognition of our treaty with the new Emperor of Morocco requires also previous appropriation and provision. The importance of this last to the liberty and property of our citizens, induces me to urge it on your earliest attention. Go. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That the message be committed to the Committee appointed the 15th of December, 1790, to consider and report on that part of the President's message relating to the commerce of the Mediterranean. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew. Gentlemen of the Senate: UNITED STATES, February 22d, 1791. I lay before you a report of the Secretary of War, relative to the appointment of two Brigadier Generals of militia in the Territory of the United States Bouth of the Ohio; and I nominate John Sevier to be Brigadier General of the militia of Washington district; and James Robertson to be Brigadier General of the militia of Miro district, both within the said Territory. Go. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That this message lie for consideration. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1791. The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the message from the President of the United States, of the 22d instant, and the nominations therein contained, of John Sevier, to be Brigadier General of the militia of Washington district, and James Robertson to be Brigadier General of the militia of Miro district, both within the Territory of the United States south of the Ohio; and Resolved, That they do advise and consent to the appointments therein mentioned, respectively. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate this resolution of Senate to the President of the United States. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew. UNITED STATES, February 23d, 1791. Gentlemen of the Senate: Information having been received from Thomas Auldjo, who was appointed Vice-Consul of the United States at Cowes, in Great Britain, that his commission has not been recognised by that government, because it is a port at which no foreign Consul has yet been received, and that it has been. intimated to him that his appointment to the port of Poole, and parts nearer to that than to the residence of any other Consul of the United States, would be recognised, and his residence at Cowes not noticed; I have therefore thought it expedient to nominate Thomas Auldjo, to be Vice-Consul for the United States at the port of Poole, in Great Britain, and such parts within the allegiance of his Britannic Majesty as shall be nearer thereto than to the residence of any other Consul or Vice-Consul of the United States within the same allegiance. I also nominate James Yard, of Pennsylvania, to be Consul for the United States in the island of Santa Cruz, and such other parts within the allegiance of His Danish Majesty as shall be nearer thereto than to the residence of any other Consul or Vice-Consul of the United States within the same allegiance. Go. WASHINGTON. Ordered, That this message lie for consideration. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1791. The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the message from the President of the United States, of the 23d instant, and the nominations therein contained, of Thomas Auldjo, to be Vice-Consul for the United States at the port of Poole, in Great Britain, and such parts within the allegiance of his Britannic Majesty as shall be nearer thereto than to the residence of any other Consul or Vice-Consul of the United States within the same allegiance; and James Yard, of Pennsylvania, to be Consul for the United States in the island of Santa Cruz, and such other parts within the allegiance of his Danish Majesty as shall be nearer thereto than to the residence of any other Consul or Vice-Consul of the United States within the same allegiance; and Resolved, That they do advise and consent to the appointments therein mentioned, respectively. Ordered, That the Secretary communicate this resolution of the Senate to the President of the United States. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1791. A written message from the President of the United States, by Mr. Lear, his Secretary, was delivered to the Vice-President, and he withdrew, |