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3 acceptance of the office of President by an address and took the chair.

President's Address. Gentlemen of the Senate, I feel grateful for the honorable distinction you have been pleased to confer on me. And the more so as it is the voluntary offerings of those who are themselves distinguished by the implicit confidence of a virtuous and intelligent people. Nevertheless, admonished by the great responsibility of the station assigned me and by my want of experience in the duties that are incident to it; I cannot but distrust my capacity to fulfil [sic] your anticipations and reasonable wishes. I must rely Gentlemen on your assistance and kind co-operation continually for support, and to these I shall mainly attribute whatever success may attend my exertions to render the business for which we are convened agreeable to yourselves individually and satisfactory to our constituents. If the public interest should suffer detriment from any unintentional error, or omission of duty on my part, let him take the guilt of it home exclusively to his own bosom, who shall feel conscious of having had it in his power to correct it, yet from any cause what ever neglected to do so.

Gentlemen, I accept the chair in the full hope and confidence that through your united wisdom and disinterested patriotism, under the guidance of Divine Providence, we shall be enabled to discharge our respective duties in a way to secure the approbation of our own consciences. And of those for whom, and by whom, we have been delegated to act.

Messrs. Gibson, Knowlton and Drummond were appointed to a Committee to receive, sort and count the votes for Secretary, who having attended to the duties assigned them reported that the whole