801Citizenship, [22 May] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The House took up the petition of David Ramsay, who claimed that the election of William Smith of South Carolina was invalid because he had not been a citizen for seven years when elected ( Ramsay to JM, 4 Apr. 1789 and n. 2). Mr. Madison. I think the merit of the question is now to be decided, whether the gentleman is eligible to a seat in this house or not, but it will depend on the decision...
802Assignment of a Share in the Library Company of Philadelphia, 22 February 1796 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
22 February 1796. JM, having by marriage to the widow of John Todd inherited a share in the Library Company, for valuable consideration assigns that share to George McCall of Philadelphia. Letterbook copy ( PPL ). 1 p. Witnessed by George Washington and Isaac Winston, Jr. Recorded by Benjamin R. Morgan, secretary, 24 Mar. 1796.
803Relations with Algiers, [17 January] 1797 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Madison moved that the house should resolve itself into a committee of the whole, on the Algerine business, for which purpose he supposed it would be necessary to clear the house and galleries. Claypoole’s Am. Daily Advertiser , 18 Jan. 1797 (reprinted in Philadelphia Gazette , 19 Jan. 1797, Gales’s Independent Gazetteer , 20 Jan. 1797, New World , 20 Jan. 1797, Aurora General Advertiser ,...
804Resolution on Franco-American Relations, [ca. 27 August] 1793 (Madison Papers)
In August 1793 relations dramatically deteriorated between the Washington administration and the French minister to the United States, Edmond Charles Genet. Federalists circulated a report that he had threatened to appeal to the American people against Washington’s neutrality policy. His denial of this report only made matters worse since Genet wrote directly to Washington, thereby drawing a...
805Address of the House of Representatives to the President, [5 May] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The Representatives of the People of the United States present their congratulations on the event by which your fellow-citizens have attested the pre-eminence of your merit. You have long held the first place in their esteem: you have often received tokens of their affection. You now possess the only proof that remained of their gratitude for your services, of their reverence for your wisdom,...
806Militia, [16 December] 1790 (Madison Papers)
A bill to establish a more uniform militia system throughout the nation was under consideration. After some debate the Committee of the Whole amended and approved the first section. The second section listed those to be exempted from militia service ( Pa. Packet , 17 and 18 Dec. 1790). Mr. Madison moved, to strike out that part which related to the members of Congress, with their officers and...
807Report on Robert Morris’s Petition, [9 March] 1790 (Madison Papers)
That the Committee have enquired at the Register’s office into the state of the accounts of the department of Finance, lately administered by Mr. Morris. That, for the information of the House, a general account of the receipts and expenditures has been obtained from the Register, together with a printed Statement in detail, both of which are herewith reported, together with a paper containing...
808Militia, [20 December] 1790 (Madison Papers)
The Committee of the Whole took up the fourth section of the militia bill, which provided that male citizens between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five should be organized into distinct companies of light infantrymen and riflemen. FitzSimons objected that this would injure the manufacturing interest by discouraging artisans from taking on apprentices. He moved to strike out the reference to...
809Report on Sale of Ohio Company Lands, [3 May] 1796 (Madison Papers)
On 19 April, Henderson (New Jersey) had suggested that revenue be raised by selling lands reserved for public use from the lands sold to the Ohio Company and others. The next day JM was appointed to a committee of three to inquire into the amount of land available and the expediency of selling it ( Annals of Congress Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States … (42 vols.;...
810Commercial Discrimination, [30 January] 1794 (Madison Papers)
The Committee of the Whole continued its consideration of JM’s resolutions. As it appeared, he said, that most of the objections against the proposed Resolutions, had been made by those who meant to combat them, and that a question would soon be called for; it might perhaps be expected that he should review those objections, and assign the reasons which induced him to continue in the opinion...