EXECUTIVE JOURNAL

IN THE SENATE OF THE

UNITED STATES.

Wednesday Dec. 7, 1831

The following Message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Donelson his Secretary:

Gentlemen: Commissions having been granted, during the recess of the Senate, to the following persons, I now nominate them to the same offices which are respectively annexed to their names.

[The following nominations, among others are contained in the Message:]

David Porter of Pennsylvania to be Charge d'Affaires of the United States at the sublime Porte.

Edward Livingston of Louisiana to be Secretary of State of the United States, vice Martin Van Buren resigned.

Levi Woodbury, of New Hampshire, to be Secretary of the Navy vice John Branch resigned.

Roger Brooke Taney of Maryland to be the Attorney General of United States, vice John Macpherson Berien resigned.

Lewis Cass of Ohio, to be Secretary for the War Department, vice John H. Eaton resigned.

Martin Van Buren of New York, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Aaron Vail of New York to be Secretary of the Legation of the United States near His Britannic Majesty

Louis M'Lane of Delaware, to be Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, vice Samuel D. Ingham resigned.

ANDREW JACKSON

Washington City, 7th Dec. 1831.

The message was read.

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Tuesday, Dec. 27. 1831

The Senate resumed the consideration of the Message of the 7th December, nominating David Porter and others.

Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to the appointment of Levi Woodbury and Roger Brook Taney agreeably to their respective nominations.

Ordered, That the nominations of Edward Livingston, Martin Van Buren, Aaron Vail and Louis MacLane be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Ordered, That the nomination of Lewis Cass be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

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Friday, Dec. 30 1831

Mr. White, from the Committee on Indian Affairs to whom was referred on the 27 instant, the nomination of Lewis Cass reported.

Whereupon Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to the appointment of Lewis Cass agreeably to the nomination.

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Tuesday Jan 3, 1832

The Senate resumed the consideration of the Message of the 7th Dec. nominating David Porter and others, and

Resolved, That they do advise and consent to the appointment of David Porter, agreeably to the nomination.

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Tuesday Jan 10, 1832

Mr. Tazewell from the Committee on Foreign Relations to whom were referred on the 27th December the nominations of Edward Livingston, Martin Van Buren, Aaron Vail, and Louis M'Lane reported.

The Senate proceeded to consider the nomination of Edward Livingston; and

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

The following motion, submitted by Mr. Clay, was considered by unanimous consent:

Resolved, That the President of the U. S. be requested to direct the proper accounting officers, of the Treasury to lay before the Senate a detailed account of the manner in which the balance lately standing on the books of the Treasury against Edward Livingston was contracted, and how it has been discharged; showing in what property, if paid improperly that balance wa paid, and how its value was ascertained, and by what authority it was received in payment.

And after debate the Senate adjourned.

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Thursday, Jan 12, 1832

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion submitted yesterday, relating to the settlement of the public account of Edward Livingston and after debate

Mr. Clay withdrew the motion.

The Senate resumed the consideration of the nomination of Edward Livingston: and

Resolved, That the Senate do advise and consent to the appointment of Edward Livingston agreeably to the nomination.

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Friday Jan 13, 1832

The following motion, submitted by Mr. Holmes was considered:

Resolved, That the nomination of Martin Van Buren be recommitted to the Committee on Foreign Relations: and that said Committee be instructed to investigate the cause which produced the removal of the late Secretaries of the Treasury and Navy Departments, and the Attorney General of the United States; and also the resignations of the Secretaries of State and War Departments; and report to the Senate whether the only causes of that novel and important political movement are given in the Letters of the President of the United States, addressed on that occasion to the several Officers above enumerated; and, if not, what were the causes to which these removals ' resignations ought to be ascribed; And, also, whether the said Martin Van Buren, then Secretary of State, participated in any practices disreputable to the national character, which were designed to operate on the mind of the President of the United States, and calculated to smooth the way to his appointment to the high office to which he has been nominated.

Resolved, That, for the purpose of carrying into effect the objects of the proceeding resolution, the said Committee be further authorized to send for persons and papers,and to compel the attendance before them of such witness or witnesses as they may desire to examine on oath, touching the matter submitted to their investigation, and report the same to the Senate, with their opinion thereon, together with the nomination aforesaid.

A debate ensued: and

On motion of Mr. Holmes,

Ordered, That it lie on the table.

The Senate proceeded to consider the nomination of Martin Van Buren.

On motion, that it lie on the table:

It was determined in the affirmative, yeas 21, nays 21.

On motion by Mr. Brown,

The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the Senators present:

Those who voted in the affirmative are:-

Messrs. Bell, Bibb, Chambers, Clay, Ewing, Foot, Frelinghuyser, Hayne, Holmes, Johnston, Knight, Miller, Moore, Naudain, Prentiss, Robbins Ruggles, Seymour, Silsbee, Tomlinson, Tyler.

Those who voted in the negative are:

Messrs: Benton, Brown, Buckner, Dallas, Dickerson, Ellis, Forsyth, Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King, Mangum, Marcy, Robinson, Smith, Tazewell, Tipton, Troup, White, Wilkins.

The Senate being equally divided the Vice President determined the question in the affirmative.

The Senate proceeded to consider the nomination of Louis McLane, and Aaron Vail; and

Resolved, That they do advise and consent to the appointment of Louis McLane and Aaron Vail, agreeably to their respective nominations.

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Tuesday, Jan. 24, 1832

On motion by Mr. Marcy,

The Senate resumed the consideration of the nomination of Martin Van Buren.

And after debate,

On motion by Mr. Chambers,

The Senate adjourned.

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Wednesday Jan. 25, 1832

The Senate resumed the consideration of the nomination of Martin Van Buren:

On the Question -Will the Senate advise and consent to the appointment of Martin Van Buren?

It was determined in the negative yeas 23, nays 23

On motion by Mr. Holmes,

The Yeas and nays being desired by one fifth of the Senators present.

Those who voted in the affirmative are:

Messrs, Benton, Brown, Buckner, Dallas, Dickerson, Dudley, Ellis, Forsyth, Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King, Mangum, Marcy, Robinson, Smith, Tazewell, Tipton, Troup, Tyler, White, Wilkins.

Those who voted in the negative are:

Messrs. Bull, Chambers, Clay, Clayton, Ewing, Foot, Frelinghuyser, Hayne, Holmes, Johnston, Knight, Miller, Moore, Naudian, Poindexter, Robbins, Ruggles, Seymour, Silsbee, Sprague, Tomlinson, Waggaman, Webster.

The Senate being equally divided the Vice President determined the question in the negative.

So it was

Resolved, That the Senate do not advise and consent to the appointment of Martin Van Buren.

A motion was made by Mr. Chambers to remove the injunction of secrecy from all the proceedings on the nomination of Martin Van Buren, and before the question was taken.

On motion of Mr. Kane

The Senate adjourned.

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Thursday, Jan 26, 1832

The Senate resumed the consideration of the motion made yesterday to remove the injunction of secrecy from the proceedings of the Senate on the nomination of Martin Van Buren; and the motion was modified and agreed to as follows,

Ordered, That the injunction of secrecy be removed from all the proceedings of the Senate, and the debates, in relation to all nominations made during the present session of the Senate and finally acted on; and that the Secretary be authorized to furnish extracts of the proceedings from the Executive Journal.

True extracts from the Executive Journal.

WALTER LOWRIE

Secretary Senate U.S.