that salutary lesson of political experience which teaches that the military should be held subordinate to the civil power. The gradual increase of our Navy, whose flag has displayed, in distant climes, our skill in navigation and our fame in arms; the preservation of our forts, arsenals, and dockyards; and the introduction of progressive improvements in the discipline and science of both branches of our military service, are so plainly prescribed by prudence, that I should be excused for omitting their mention, sooner than for enlarging on their importance. But the bulwark of our defence is the national militia, which, in the present state of our intelligence and population, must render us invincible. As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of person and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth defending; and so long as it is worth defending, a patriotic militia will cover it with an impenetrable ægis. Partial injuries and occasional mortifications we may be subjected to; but a million of armed freemen, possessed of the means of war, can never be conquered by a foreign foe. To any just system, therefore, calculated to strengthen this natural safeguard of the country, I shall cheerfully lend all the aid in my power.

It will be my sincere and constant desire, to observe towards the Indian tribes within our limits a just and liberal policy; and to give that humane and considerate attention to their rights and their wants, which are consistent with the habits of our government, and the feelings of our people.

The recent demonstration of public sentiment inscribes, on the list of executive duties, in characters too legible to be overlooked, the task of reform; which will require, particularly, the correction of those abuses that have brought the patronage of the Federal Government into conflict with the freedom of elections, and the counteraction of those causes which have disturbed the rightful course of appointment, and have placed, or continued power in, unfaithful or incompetent hands.

In the performance of a task thus generally delineated, I shall endeavor to select men whose diligence and talents will ensure, in their respective stations, able and faithful co-operation-depending, for the advancement of the public service, more on the integrity and zeal of the public officers, than on their numbers.

A diffidence, perhaps too just, in my own qualifications, will teach me to look with reverence to the examples of public virtue left by my illustrious predecessors, and with veneration to the lights that flow from the mind that founded, and the mind that reformed, our system. The same diffidence induces me to hope for instruction and aid from the co-ordinate branches of the government, and for the indulgence and support of my fellow-citizens generally. And a firm reliance on the goodness of that Power whose providence mercifully protected our national infancy, and has since upheld our liberties in various vicissitudes, encourages me to offer up my ardent supplieations, that He will continue to make our beloved country the object of His divine care and gracious benediction.

After which the oath of office was administered by the Chief Justice.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1829.

On motion by Mr. White,

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that the Senate is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make.

Mr. Smith, of Maryland, and Mr. White, were appointed the Committee. [After the consideration of Executive business,]

Mr. White, from the Committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that the Senate is assembled, and ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make, reported that they had performed that duty, and that the President informed them that he would, to-morrow, make a communication to the Senate.

The following message from the President of the United States, received and considered the 3d instant, in legislative session, was, at that time, on motion by Mr. Tazewell, ordered to be transterred, with the accompanying documents, to the Executive Journal.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: WASHINGTON, 3d March, 1829.

I transmit, herewith, to Congress, a copy of the instructions prepared by the Secretary of State, and furnished to the Ministers of the United States, appointed to attend at the assembly of American Plenipotentiaries, first held at Panama, and thence transferred to Tacubaya. The occasion upon which they were given has passed away, and there is no present probability of the renewal of the negotiations; but the purposes for which they were intended, are still of the deepest interest to our country and to the world, and may hereafter call again for the active efforts and beneficent energies of the government of the United States. The motives for withholding them from general publication having ceased, justice to the government from which they emanated, and to the people for whose benefit it was instituted, require that they should be made known. With this view, and from the consideration that the subjects embraced by these instructions must probably engage, hereafter, the deliberations of our successors, I deem it proper to make this communication to both Houses of Congress. One copy, only, of the instructions being prepared, I send it to the Senate, requesting that it may be transmitted, also, to the House of Representatives.

The Senate then adjourned.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

[March 6th and 7th the Senate were engaged in Executive business.]

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1829.

On motion by Mr. Kane,

Ordered, That a Committee be appointed, in pursuance of the 33d rule, to audit and control the contingent expenses of the Senate.

It was agreed that the Vice-President appoint the Committee; and Messrs. Kane, Hendricks, and Chambers, were appointed accordingly. Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Benton asked and obtained leave to bring in the following resolution, which was read, and passed to the second reading: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to purchase copies of the third volume of Gales & Seaton's Register of Debates, being the debates of the second session of the ninteenth Congress; one copy of which shall be distributed to each member of the present Senate, and to each ex-member of the Senate during the nineteenth Congress; six copies shall be kept in the Senate Chamber when the Senate is in session; six copies shall be placed in the office of the Secretary of the Senate; and the remainder shall be kept by the Secretary, for the future disposition of the Senate.

[The Senate then proceeded to the consideration of Executive business.]

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 1829.

The resolution directing the purchase of a number of copies of Gales & Seaton's Register of Debates, was read the second time.

On motion by Mr. Woodbury,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

[After the consideration of Executive business,]

Mr. Chambers submitted the following motion; which was read: Ordered, That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to subscribe for 687 copies of the Congressional Documents proposed to be published by Gales & Seaton.

The Vice-President laid before the Senate a memorial of Messrs. Gales & Seaton, soliciting a subscription in behalf of the United States, to a proposed compilation of Executive and Legislative documents, connected with the history of Congress, anterior to the year 1815.

The memorial was read.

Mr. Benton submitted the following motion:

Ordered, That the message of the President of the United States, transmitting to the Senate the instructions to the Ministers of the United States at the Congress at Panama, with the accompanying documents, be referred to the Committee appointed the 5th instant.

The Senate proceeded to consider the motion; and,

After debate,

On motion by Mr. Smith, of Maryland, The Senate adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1829.

The resolution to authorize a subscription for a certain number of copies of the Congressional Documents proposed to be published by Gales & Seaton, was read the second time, and considered as in Committee of the Whole. On motion by Mr. White,

That the resolution lie on the table,

It was determined in the affirmative: Yeas, 25; Nays, 15,

On motion by Mr. Hayne,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are-Messrs. Barnard, Bibb, Burnet, Dickerson, Dudley, Frelinghuysen, Hayne, Hendricks, Iredell, Kane, King, Livingston, McKinley, McLane, of Delaware, McLean, of Illinois, Noble, Rowan, Ruggles, Sanford, Smith, of Maryland, Smith, of South Carolina, Tazewell, Tyler, White, and Woodbury.

Those who voted in the negative, are-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Chase, Clayton, Foot, Holmes, Johnston, Knight, Marks, Robbins, Seymour, Silsbee, Sprague, Webster, Willey.

[The Senate then proceeded to the consideration of Executive business.]

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1829.

[After the consideration of Executive business,]

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion, made the 10th instant, to refer the message transmitting the instructions to the Ministers of the United States at Panama, to a select committee.

Mr. Benton had leave to withdraw the motion, and submitted the following as a substitute:

The late President of the United States having, by his message of the 3d March, 1829, communicated to the Senate a copy of the instructions to the Ministers of the United States, appointed to attend at the assembly of American Plenipotentiaries, first held at Panama, and thence transferred to Tacubaya, with a view to their general publication;" which is claimed by him as an act of "justice to the government from which they emanated;" Therefore,

Resolved, That the injunction of secrecy be removed from said documents, so far as to permit the publication of the same, as containing the views of the late Executive of the United States; it being hereby declared that such publication is not to be considered as the expression of an opinion on the part of the Senate, in relation to any of the principles avowed, or measures suggested, in said instructions.

The Senate proceeded to consider the motion; and, after debate,
On motion by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina,

The Senate adjourned.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1829.

The Vice-President being absent, the Senate proceeded to the choice of a President pro tempore; and,

On counting the ballots, it appeared that the Hon. Samuel Smith had a majority, and was elected.

On motion by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina,

Ordered, That the Secretary wait on the President of the United States, and inform him that the Vice-President having retired, the Senate had elected the Hon. Samuel Smith, President pro tempore.

[After the consideration of Executive business,]

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion submitted yesterday, by Mr. Benton, relative to the instructions to the Ministers of the United States at Panama; and, after debate,

On motion by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina,

That it lie on the table,

It was determined in the negative: Yeas, 6; Nays, 30.

On motion by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are-Messrs. Dudley, Kane, Living'ston, Rowan, Ruggles, Smith, of South Carolina.

Those who voted in the negative, are-Messrs. Barnard, Barton, Bell, Benton, Bibb, Burnet, Chase, Dickerson, Foot, Hendricks, Holmes, Íredell, King, Knight, McKinley, McLane, of Delaware, McLean, of Illinois, Marks, Noble, Robbins, Sanford, Seymour, Silsbee, Smith, of Maryland, Tazewell, Tyler, Webster, White, Willey, Woodbury,

And, after debate,

On motion by Mr. Holmes,

The Senate adjourned.

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1829,

[The Senate were engaged on Executive business.]

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1829.

[After the consideration of Executive business,]

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion, submitted by Mr. Benton, the 12th instant, respecting the instructions to the Ministers of the United States at the Congress of Panama.

A motion was made by Mr. Webster, to amend the same, by striking out all after the word "Resolved," and inserting, "That the message of the late President of the United States, of 3d instant, transmitting the instructions given to the Ministers of the United States at the Congress of Panama, and the documents accompanying it, be transferred to the Legislative Journal of the Senate.

A division of the question was called for by Mr. King; and being taken on striking out,

It was determined in the negative: Yeas, 13; Nays, 19.

On motion by Mr. Barnard,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are-Messrs. Barton, Burnet, Chase, Foot, Hendricks, Marks, Noble, Robbins, Ruggles, Sanford, Seymour, Webster, Willey.

Those who voted in the negative, are-Messrs. Barnard, Benton, Bibb, Dickerson, Dudley, Iredell, Kane, King, Livingston, McKinley, McLane, of Delaware, McLean, of Illinois, Rowan, Smith, of Maryland, Smith, of South Carolina, Tazewell, Tyler, White, Woodbury.

On motion by Mr. Tazewell,

To amend the resolution, by striking out all after the word "emanated," and inserting the following: "The Senate have bestowed upon the said instructions the most careful attention; and not being able to discover any possible benefit which may result from their publication at this time; on the contrary, finding in them many expressions, insinuations, and opinions, in the justice and propriety of which the Senate do not concur, but regard the promulgation of the same as a measure which may be productive of much public detriment; therefore,

Resolved, That the said instructions be returned to the Department of State.

It was determined in the negative: Yeas, 9; Nays, 23.

On motion by Mr. Webster,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present, Those who voted in the affirmative, are-Messrs. Dickerson, Dudley, Kane, Livingston, Smith, of Maryland, Smith, of South Carolina, Tazewell, White, Woodbury.

Those who voted in the negative, are-Messrs. Barnard, Barton, Benton, Bibb, Burnet, Chase, Foot, Hendricks, Iredell, King, McKinley, McLane, of Delaware, McLean, of Illinois, Marks, Noble, Robbins, Rowan, Ruggles, Sanford, Seymour, Tyler, Webster, Willey.

On motion by Mr. McLane, of Delaware,

To amend the resolution, by striking out all after the words "Resolved, That," and inserting, "The said message and the documents accompanying it, as containing the views of the late Executive, be transferred to the Legislative Journal of the Senate; it being hereby declared that such transfer is not to be considered as the expression of an opinion on the part of the Senate, of the propriety of the said message, or of the language used, the prin ciples avowed, or the measures suggested in said instructions,