Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1813-12-16
CONGRESS.


sFVH VI W.T.. Ninuiey message was
sent to the Senate informing them that
quorum of the house had assembled.
On motion of hir. Findley the usual or.
der for furnishing the members with news
papers was adopted
A message was received from the Senate.
notifying the house that quorum of that
body had assembled & proceeded to business
and had chosen the Hon Mr. Varnum, their
president pro- fem.
Mr. King of Massachusetts, called the
attention of the house, to resolution of
Tered BY himself on the lith June last, rela-
tive to the appointment of the committee of
Elections. This resolution proposes to
change the rules and orders of the house
as they now stand, by altering the mode
OF appointing that committee, by making
it necessary that the names of ali the mem,
bers present be put into ballot box, and
the Speaker draw from the box the names
which shall constitute the committee except
parties to any contest may happen to be
drawn, when others shall be selected. Laid
on the table.
On motion of Mr.. Findley committee
was appointed to wait on the President of
the U. S. and inform him that quorums
of both houses having assembled, were rea-
dy to receive any communications he might
be pleased to make to them.
Adjourned
TUESDAY, December T..
This day, at l2 o'clock, the President of
the United States transmitted the fol.
lowing
MESSAGE
to both houses of Congress, by Mr. Coles,
his Secretary:
fetlozc Citizens Of the Sendts, and of
the House Of Representatives.,
aN'neesins you at the present interesting
conJuncture, 1t would have been highly sa-
tisfactory, II | could have communicated a
favorable result to the Mission charged with
negotiations Tor restoring peace 1t was a
just expectation from the respect due to the
distinguished sovereign who had invited
them Dy his offer of mediation, from the
r adlness with which the invitation was ac.
cepted by the United States, and from the
pledge to be found in an act of their Lesis
lature tor the liberality which their pleni-
potentiares would carry into the negocia-
tons, that no time would be lost by the Bri-
tlsh government In embracing the expert
ment Tor fastening stop to the effusion of
blood. prompt and cordial acceptance of
the mediation on that side was the less to
be doubted, as it was of a nature not to sub
init rights or pretensions on either side to
the decision of an umpire, but to afford
merely an opportunity, honorable and desi.
rable to both, for discussing, and if possible,
adjusting them, for the interest Of both
The British cabinet, either mistaking
our desire of peace for dread of British
power, or misled by other fallacious calcu- /
lations, has disappointed this reasonable an
tlcipation. NO communications from our
ENJOYS having reached US, no information
on the SUBJECT has been received from that
source But it is known that the mediation
was declined IN the first instance, and there
is no evidence, Notwithstanding the lapse
Of time, that change of disposition in the
British councils has taken place, or is to be
expected.
Under such circumstances, a nation proud
of its rights, and conscious of its strength,
has no choice but an e&ertion of the one In
support of the other
10 this determination, the best encourage
ment is derived from the success with which
it has pleased the Almighty to bless our
arms, both on land and on the water.
I Whilst proofs have been continued of the
enterprise and skin Of our cruisers, public
and private, on the ocean, and new tro-
ply gained in the capture of British by an
American vessel of war, after an action
giving celebrity to the name of the victori-
Gus commander--the great inland waters,
on which the enemy were also to be enconn-
tered, have presented achievements of our
naval arms as brilliant in their character
as they have been important in their conss-
quences. .s.
On lake Erie, the squadron under com
mand of capt Perry, having met the Bri-
fish squadron of superior force, sanguina-
ry conflict ended in the capture of the whole
The conduct of that officer, adroit as it was
daring, and which was SO we'll seconded by
his comrades, Justly entities them to the