11. IV:45. Monday.
This was the day on which the corner Stone of the Jackson City was laid
by the President of the United
States— Before going to the House I returned to the
Library, the four Volumes of Hatsell’s Precedents, and met in the Library Judge Wayne of the Supreme Court of the
United States, the Session of which commences this day— At the House
immediately after the Journal was read, I stated to the Speaker that since last Thursday I had
been informed at the Department of State, that there was reason to
believe the accounts from New-Orleans of an Embargo and interdict upon
the vessels of the United States in the Ports of Mexico, were wholly
unfounded— I should therefore not submit to the House the proposition
which I had contemplated— I had seen indeed in the newspapers of this
day statements that eleven citizens of the United States had been shot
by a summary process of court-martial, for intermeddling with Mexican
civil dissensions, and that a remonstrance against such intermeddling
had recently been addressed by the Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs
to our Secretary of State— If
however any thing further should occur between the two Countries which
should require the action or notice of Congress, I presumed their
attention would be called to it by a communication from the Executive—
This was Petition day— The Speaker announced that the first subject
before the House was the motion of Hannegan to reject the memorial of the Senate and
Representatives of the State of Michigan, which was debated about three
hours and finally decided by the previous Question and the Memorial
received ordered to be printed and referred to the Committee of the
Judiciary. Jarvis chairman of
the Committee on Naval Affairs, after moving and carrying a suspension
of the Rules offered a Resolution that the naval Committee be instructed
to enquire into the expediency of increasing the naval force in
Commission; vehemently opposed by Wise and Hammond,
who with the aid of Grennell,
after a debate of nearly two hours, and a call for the previous
question, which was carried, and an attempt to adjourn lost by a very
small majority, finally carried only a vote of 18 agains 166— The House
immediately afterwards, about five O’Clock adjourned— I walked home with
Jarvis, who said he had not expected any opposition to his
Resolution.
