The question was then taken on the passage of the bill, and carried in the affirmative--yeas 26, nays 5, as follows:
YEAS--Messrs. Adams, Anderson, Bailey, Baldwin, Bradley, Breckenridge, Brown, Butler, Cocke, Condit, Dayton, Ellery, Franklin, Jackson, Logan, Maclay, Nicholas, Olcott, Plumer, Potter, Israel Smith, John Smith, Stone, Taylor, Worthington, and Wright.
NAYS--Messrs. Hillhouse, Pickering, Tracy, Wells, and White.
The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
By the copy now communicated of a letter from Captain Bainbridge, of the Philadelphia frigate, to our Consul at Gibraltar, you will learn that an act of hostility has been committed on a merchant vessel of the United States, by an armed ship of the Emperor of Morocco. This conduct on the part of that power is without cause and without explanation. It is fortunate that Captain Bainbridge fell in with and took the capturing vessel and her prize; and I have the satisfaction to inform you that about the date of this transaction, such a force would be arriving in the neighborhood of Gibraltar, both from the east and from the west, as leaves less to be feared for our commerce, from the suddenness of the aggression.
On the 4th of September, the Constitution frigate, Captain Preble, with Mr. Lear on board, was within two days’ sail of Gibraltar, where the Philadelphia would then be arrived with her prize; and such explanations would probably be instituted as the state of things required, and as might perhaps arrest the progress of hostilities.
In the mean while, it is for Congress to consider the provisional authorities which may be necessary to restrain the depredations of this power, should they be continued.
The Message and papers therein referred to were read and ordered to lie for consideration.
The credentials of JOHN CONDIT, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, for the time limited in the Constitution of the United States, were presented and read.
The PRESIDENT communicated a letter from De Witt Clinton, late a Senator from the State of New York, stating that he had resigned his seat in the Senate.