Adams Papers

From William Blount and William Cocke to the Senate, 23 May 1796

From William Blount and William Cocke

Philadelphia, Monday, May 23d. 1796.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Senate of the United States,

We have the Honor to inform you that we are within the walls of your Chamber, ready to produce, to you papers to prove, that we have been duly and legally elected Senators to represent the State of Tennessee in your Body— And that State haveing a right to be represented in the Congress of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States; in all respects whatever; our Duty compels us to demand that we be now admited to our Seats.—1

Wm. Blount
Wm Cocke

RC (DNA:RG 46, Records of the U.S. Senate); docketed: “Letter signed / Wm Blount & Wm Cocke / claiming a seat in the / Senate / from the State of Tennessee / May 23d / 1796. / 4th Con / 1st Sess.”

1. Newly elected senators William Blount (1749–1800), of Windsor, N.C., and William Cocke (1748–1828), of Amelia County, Va., presented their credentials. However, since they were selected by the Tennessee legislature prior to the state’s admission to the union, Congress barred them from taking their seats until 6 Dec. (Biog. Dir. Cong. description begins Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–2005, Washington, D.C., 2005; rev. edn., bioguide.congress.gov. description ends ; Tennessee Timeline, www.senate.gov/states/TN/timeline.shtml).

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    Adams Papers
    Title
    From William Blount and William Cocke to the Senate, 23 May 1796
    Authors
    Blount, William
    Cocke, William
    Recipients
    Adams, John
    United States Senate
    Date
    23 May 1796

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From William Blount and William Cocke to the Senate, 23 May 1796,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-21-02-0341. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Papers of John Adams, vol. 21, March 1791–January 1797, ed. Sara Georgini, Sara Martin, R. M. Barlow, Gwen Fries, Amanda M. Norton, and Hobson Woodward. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2022, pp. 475–476.]