After a verbal report of the committee above mentioned who acquainted Congress that, in conference with Mr. Livingston, he professed a willingness to remain in office till the 1st of January, to give time for the choice of a successor, Mr. M’KEAN proposed the resolution which stands on the secret Journals; several alterations having been made, however, in the course of its consideration. With respect to the preamble, particularly, a change took place. As it was first moved, it recited, as the ground of the resignation, the incompatibility of the office of foreign affairs with the chancellorship of New York. To this recital it was objected, by Mr. MADISON, that such a publication of preference of the office of chancellor of a particular state to the office of foreign affairs under the United States, tended to degrade the latter. Whereupon, the preamble on the Journal was substituted. In the course of this business, the expediency of augmenting the salary was suggested, but not much supported. Mr. HOWELL and Mr. CLARK opposed it strenuously.

The report of the committee on the case of Vermont, mentioned on Thursday, the 14th of November, was called for by Mr. M’KEAN, and postponed, on his motion, to make way for a set of resolutions, declaring that, as Vermont, in contempt of the authority of Congress and their recommendations of 1799, exercised jurisdiction over sundry persons professing allegiance to the state of New York, banishing them and stripping them of their possessions, the former be required to make restitution, &c.; and that, in case of refusal or neglect, Congress will enforce the same, &c. A motion was made by Mr. CLARK, seconded by Mr. HOWELL, to strike out the latter clause; in favor of which it was said, that such a menace ought to be suspended until Vermont should refuse to comply with the requisition; especially, said Mr. Howell, as the present proceeding, being at the instance of Phelps and other exiles, was an ex parte one.

Against the motion for expunging the clause, it was observed, that a requisition on Vermont without such a menace would have no effect; that if Congress interposed, they ought to do it with a decisive tone; that as it only enforced restitution in cases where spoliations had been committed, and therefore was conditional, the circumstance of its being ex parte was of no weight, especially as Congress could not call on Vermont to appear as a party after her repeated protestations against appearing.

On this occasion, Mr. CARROLL informed Congress, that he had entirely changed his opinion with regard to the policy requisite with regard to Vermont, being thoroughly persuaded that its leaders were perfidious men, and that the interest of the United States required their pretensions to be discountenanced; that in this opinion he was not a little confirmed by a late conversation with General Whipple, of New Hampshire, at Trenton, in which this gentleman assured him, that the governing party in Vermont were perfidiously devoted to the British interests, and that he had reason to believe that a British commission for a governor of that district had come over, and was ready to be produced at a convenient season. Some of the members having gone out of Congress, and it being uncertain whether there would be more than six states for the clause, an adjournment was moved for and voted.

The proceedings on this subject evinced still more the conciliating effect of the territorial cession of New York, on several states, and the effect of the scheme of an ultra-montane state, within Pennsylvania, on the latter state. The only states in Congress which stood by Vermont were Rhode Island (which is supposed to be interested in lands in Vermont) and New Jersey, whose delegates were under instructions on the subject.

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