House Journal of the First Session of the First Congress
4/7/1789
Add to Favorites:
Add all page(s) of this document to activity:
Add only page 1 to activity:
Add only page 2 to activity:
Add only page 3 to activity:
Add only page 4 to activity:
Add only page 5 to activity:
Add only page 6 to activity:
This item shows the duties of the Speaker of the House.
Transcript
Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, to wit;New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia, being the eleven states that have respectively ratified the Constitution of Government for the United States, proposed by the Federal Convention held in Philadelphia, on the 17th of September, 1787.
Congress of the United States, begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, One thousand seven hundred and eighty nine, pursuant to a resolution of the late Congress, made in conformity to the Resolutions of the Federal Convention of the 17th: of September 1787; being the first session of the Congress held under the Constitution aforesaid. On which day, the following members of the House of Representatives appeared, and took their seats, to wit:
From Massachusetts, George Thatcher, Fisher Ames, George Leonard, and Elbridge Gerry.
From Connecticut, Benjamin Huntington, Jonathan Trumbull, and Jeremiah Wadsworth.
From Pennsylvania, Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, Thomas Hartley, Peter Muhlenberg, and Daniel Heister.
From Virginia, Alexander White, and from South Carolina, Thomas Tudor Tucker. But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until tomorrow morning, eleven o'clock.
5.
Thursday the 26th of March
The House met according to adjournment; But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to morrow morning, eleven O'Clock.
Friday the 27th of March
The House met according to adjournment; But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to morrow morning, eleven O'Clock.
Saturday, the 28th of March
The House met according to adjournment; But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until Monday morning, eleven O'Clock.
Monday, the 30th of March.
The House met according to adjournment; Two other members, to wit; George Gale from Maryland, and Theodorick Bland from Virginia, appeared and took their seats. But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to morrow morning, eleven O'Clock.
Tuesday, the 31st of March.
The House met according to adjournment; But a quorum of the whole number not being present, the House adjourned until to morrow morning, eleven O'Clock.
Wednesday, the 1st of April
The House met according to adjournment; Two other members, to wit; James Schureman from New Jersey, and Thomas Scott from Pennsylvania, appeared, and took their Seats; And a quorum, consisting of a majority of the whole number, being present,
6.
Resolved, that this house will proceed to the choice of a Speaker by ballot. The House accordingly proceeded to ballot for a Speaker, and upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg, one of the Representatives for the State of Pennsylvania; Whereupon the said Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg was conducted to the chair, from whence he made his acknowledgements to the House for so distinguished an honor. The House then proceeded in the same manner to the appointment of a clerk, and upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Mr. John Beckley.
On motion, Ordered that the members of this House do severally deliver in their credentials at the Clerk's table.
And then the House adjourned until tomorrow morning, eleven o'clock.
Thursday, the 2d: of April.
Another member to wit; Lambert Cadwallader from New Jersey, appeared and took his seat. On motion, Ordered that a Committee be appointed to prepare and report such standing rules and orders of proceeding as may be proper to be observed in this House:
And a committee was appointed of Mr. Gilman, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Hartley, Mr. Smith, Mr. Lee, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Madison, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Goodhus. On motion, Resolved that a door keeper and an assistant be appointed for the service of this House.
On motion, Ordered that it be an instruction to the Committee appointed to prepare and report such standing rules and Orders processing as may be proper to be observed in this House, that they also report the duty and service of a Serjeant at Arms, or other proper Officer for enforcing the orders of the house.
And then the House adjourned until tomorrow, twelve o'clock.
Friday, the 3rd of April.
Another member to wit, George Clymer from Pennsylvania, appeared and took his seat. And then the House adjourned until tomorrow, twelve o'clock.
7.
Saturday the 4th of April.
Another member to wit George [Barbridge] from Massachusetts appeared and took his seat.
On motion, The House proceeded by ballot to the appointment of a door keeper, and upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Gifford Dalley.
Ordered that the said Gifford Dalley do give his attendance accordingly.
The House then proceeded in the same manner to the appointment of an assisting door-keeper, and upon examining the ballots, a majority of the votes of the whole House was found in favor of Thomas Claxton.
Ordered that the said Thomas Claxton do give his attendance accordingly.
And then the House adjourned until Monday morning, eleven o'clock.
Monday the 6th of April.
Another member to wit, Daniel Carroll from Maryland, appeared and took his seat.
On motion, Ordered that leave be given to bring in a Bill to regulate the taking the oath on affirmation prescribed by the sixth article of the Constitution; and that Mr. White, Mr. Madison, Mr. Trumbull, Mr. Gilman, and Mr. Cadwallader do prepare and bring in the same.
On motion, Resolved that the form of the oath to be taken by the members of this House, as required by the third clause of the sixth article of the Constitution of Government of the United States be as followeth, to wit; "I, A.B, a Representative of the United States in the Congress thereof, do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) in the "presence of Almighty God, that I will support the Constitution of the United States."
"So help me God."
A message from the Senate by Mr. Ellsworth.
Mr. Speaker, I am charged by the Senate to inform this House, that a quorumm of the Senate as now formed; that a president is elected for the sole purpose of opening the Certificates, and counting the votes of the Electors of the several States in the choice of a President and Vice-president of the United States; and that the Senate is now ready in the Senate chamber, to proceed in presence of this House to discharge that duty: I have it also in farther charge to inform this House, that the Senate has appointed one of its members to sit at the Clerk's table to make a list of the votes
8.
as they shall be declared, submitting it to the wisdom of this House to appoint one or more of its members for the like purpose. And then he withdrew.
On motion, Resolved that Mr. Speaker attended by the House do now withdraw to the Senate chamber for the purpose expressed in the message from the Senate, and that Mr. Parker and Mr. Heister be appointed on the part of this House to sit at the Clerk's table with the member of the Senate, and make a list of the votes as the same shall be declared.
Mr. Speaker accordingly left the chair, and attended by the House withdrew to the Senate chamber, and after some time returned into the House.
Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.
Mr. Parker and Mr. Heister then delivered in at the Clerk's table, a list of the votes of the Electors of the several States, in the choice of a President and Vice-president of the United States, as the same were declared by the President of the Senate in the presence of the Senate and this House, which was ordered to be entered on the Journal, and is as followeth;
New Hampshire, George Washington (5), John Adams (5)
Massachusetts, George Washington (10), John Adams (10)
Connecticut, George Washington (7), John Adams (5) , Samuel Huntington (2)
New Jersey, George Washington (6), John Adams (1), John Jay (5)
Pennsylvania, George Washington (10), John Adams (8), John Hancock (2)
Delaware, George Washington (3), John Jay (3)
Maryland, George Washington (6), Robert H. Harrison (6)
Virginia, George Washington (10), John Adams (5), John Jay (1) John Hancock, (1) George Clinton (6)
South Carolina, George Washington (7), John Hancock (1), John Ruttedge (6)
Georgia, George Washington (5), John Milton (2), James Armstrong (1), Edward Telfair (1), Benjamin Lincoln (1)
George Washington - 69
John Adams - 34
Samuel Huntington - 2
John Jay - 9
John Hancock - 4
Robert H. Harrison - 6
George Clinton - 3
John Ruttedge -6
John Milton - 2
James Armstrong - 1
Edward Telfair - 1
Benjamin Lincoln - 1
9.
Recapitulation of the votes of the Electors.
His Excellency George Washington 69 Votes.
The Honorable John Adams 34. do.
The Honorable John Jay 9. do.
Robert H. Harrison, Esquire 6. do.
John Rutledge, Esquire 6. do.
John Hancock, Esquire 4. do.
George Clinton, Esquire 3. do.
Samuel Huntington, Esquire 2 do.
John Milton, Esquire 2. do.
James Armstrong, Esquire 1 do.
Edward Telfair, Esquire 1 do.
Benjamin Lincoln, Esquire 1. do.
On motion, Ordered that a message be sent to the Senate, to inform them that it is the desire of this House, that the notifications of the election of the president and vice-president of the United States, should be made by such persons, and in such manner as the Senate shall be pleased to direct; and that Mr Madison do communicate the said message.
And then the House adjourned until tomorrow, twelve O'Clock.
Tuesday the 7th of April
The Speaker laid before the House a letter from the Mayor of the City of New York, covering certain Resolutions of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the said City, appropriating the City Hall for the accommodation of the General Government of the United States; which were read and Ordered [tolis?] on the table.
Mr. Boudinot reported from the Committee appointed to prepare such Rules and Orders of proceeding as many be proper to be observed in this House, that the Committee had according to Order prepared the same, and agreed to a report thereupon, which he delivered in at the Clerks table, where the same was read, and on a question put thereupon, agreed to by the House as followeth;
Resolved that it is the opinion of this Committee, that the Rules and Orders following are proper to be established as the standing Rules and Orders of this House, to wit;
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. House of Representative.
National Archives Identifier: 1151130
Full Citation: House Journal of the First Session of the First Congress; 4/7/1789; (HR 1A-A1); Journal of the House of Representatives, 3/4/1789 - 2000; Records of the U.S. House of Representative, Record Group 233; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/house-journal-first-session-first-congress, April 24, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.