From James Madison to Congress, 4 June 1809
To Congress
June 4. 1809
In compliance with the request of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, I transmit to Congress a copy of certain of its proceedings, communicated for the purpose, by the Governor of that State.1
James Madison
RC, two copies (DNA: RG 233, Legislative Proceedings, and DNA: RG 46, Legislative Proceedings); enclosure (DNA: RG 46, Legislative Proceedings). House copy headed: “To the House of Representatives of the U. States.” Senate copy headed: “To the Senate of the U. States.” Received by both houses on 9 June; Senate copy tabled (, 11th Cong., 1st sess., 33, 258). For House action, see n. 1. Enclosure is a copy of the 23 Apr. 1809 joint resolutions of the Pennsylvania General Assembly (printed in , Miscellaneous, 2:2–7).
1. One of the resolutions requested the representatives and instructed the senators from Pennsylvania “to use their influence to procure amendment to the constitution of the United States, that an impartial tribunal may be established to determine disputes between the General and State Governments.” During the 9 June debate on a motion to print JM’s message and enclosed document, Representative William Milnor of Pennsylvania argued that the resolutions “had been produced by the idea that the case of Olmstead was a dispute between the United States and the State of Pennsylvania.… The case appeared to be completely at rest; and the resolutions of the Legislature appeared to be bottomed on a false foundation.” The House defeated the motion, then tabled the message and document (, 11th Cong., 1st sess., 258–60).