The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-01-11 00:00:00, page 2

From the Baltimore American.
, Strong symptoms of the circumscription of the j
British empire in the Hast have been manifested
|w that very power which produced its extension ;
We mean the military power in the English East
India settlements. A revolutionary spirit was
engendered among the officers of the East India
company’s troops as early at the*year 1T93, and.
f discovery of some plans und the manly and d g- j
nitied manner in which the inherent rights ot tree
men were supported in the “ Indian World,” at
Calcutta, sent its Editor (the pres< nt Editor of
the Aurora) a state prisoner to England, ami pro
duced the discharge of many of the company's
• ofliccrs, from the service, whose places it was
judged proper to supply with officer-. & troops
acting under the immrdiate orders of the crown.
This spirit has been smothered for some years,
but if we may judge from Bengal, the fl-me will
burst forth with renovated brightness and pos
aiblv end in the extinction of the British Empire in
tliv East. These possessions since the loss of tiie
Americtfn colonies, have been cons dercd ns the
brightest gem in the English diadenf, ar.d of such
consequence were they considered, that at one
pvriod when the English court dreaded a revo
lution, it was reported to have Actually made
preparations to remove the scat of Empire t!.:
ther, t example which has since been followed
by the court of Lisbon in their removal to the
Brazils. The plan which was formerly in con
templation, was the establishment on the ruins
of the English power in India, of a government
founded on principles similar to those of the U
nited St..tes. The extent ot the present revolu
tionary spirit of the soldiery and the fears’which
they have excited in the government, may lie
judgrd of from the oilicial proclamations and
manifestos of the government itself, and the re
cent int.liigence from that quarter.
From the Atiatic Mirror Extraordinary, An- \
£Utt 23.
CalccttK, Aug 23—It is the chief design
6f our present publication to submit to the public
a view of the extraordinary events that are now
passing on the coast, and winch are of such mo
mentous consequence, as almost to preclude
at th"e present moment, attention to any oilier ob
jects.
His majesty's 63th regiment arrived at M ul
ras on the 18ih inst. on board the Cornwallis fri
gate, the Bnnmoolah and Windham country
ships. OtF Ceylon, the Cornwallis saw a French
frigate ; but captain Montague could not gi» e
chase, under the positive orders with which lie
was charged, respecting the troops proceeding
under his convoy to Madras.
The Cornwallis sailed from Madras to tiie nnrt! -
•ward, in consequence of some unpleasant intel
ligence from thence.
The military force assembled at Madras, under
the orders of government oftliat presidency, were
to march on the 13th inst. for Vellore.
G. O. Paha 1. The honorable the govern
or in council, judges it proper to announce to
the native troops, that the very improper con
duct of some of the European officers of the
company's service, and the refusal of others to
acknowledge their allegiance to the government,
have rendei < d it indispensably necessary to re
move for a tune a considerable number of Eu
ropean officers from the exercise of authority.
2. This measure will not however affect in a
ny respect the situation of die native troops, who
must know that their first duty is to the govern
ment which they serve, and from which all au
thority i? derived.
3 The governor in council entertains the same
solicitude for the welf.re and com fiirt of the na
tive troops that has invariably been manifested by
the British government.
4 He has no intention whatever of making a
ny changes in their situati in, and he expects that
the native troops will display on cv-*ry emergen
cy the unshaken fidelity to government which
constitutes the first duty of a soldier, that they
will obry with zeal the orders of the officers
whom the government shall place in authority
over them, that they will refuse a belief to all
reports circulated to agitate their minds .ml di
minish their confidence in the government, and
that they will not allow themselves to lie involv
ed in measures in any respect adverse to their
duty and allegiance.
5. The governor in council is pleased to ex
press his approbation of the good conduct which
has been recently manifested by the native troop*
at the presidency, in the camp at the Mount, at
Tricliiiiopoly and at Vellore, and lie is confident
that their behavior will be equally correct and
loyal at all other stations of the army.
Captain Patterson of bis Jilajesty’ss 22d regi
ment of light dragoons to be agent Tor cavahy
supplies to the detachment under command of
lieut col. Hare.
The liono. able the governor in council has
b«>en pleased to resolve, that all the European
officers of tiie company’s sen ice who may be re
moved from the exercise of their military func
tions in consequence of their retiming or omitting
to sign the declaration required in the orders til
the 26lh July last shall be permitted to choose a
place for their residence, until iurtlier orders,
be ween S.idras and Negapatam, both places in*
chided fra in which they are not afterwards to
proceed beyond the distance of five m.les, with
out the permission of the governor in council.
The governor in council is further pleased to
direct that the commanding officers of divisions,
•t -ti l ls .*r corps shall take the most eficctual
tne.isu e* for obliging the officers who may be
suspended from the exercise of their military
functions tor the reasons above stated to quit the
stations of their corps without any delay whatc*
ver, and to proceed with all practicable dispatch
to tlic places which they may choose for their re
Commanding officers of divisions, 8tc. are di
. rected to report to the office or the adjutant gen
er.l of the army—the nanus of the places which
nriy be selected by tiie officers for their residence
under this oilier.
On the march of his majesty's 2<1 battalion of]
the royal from the garrison of Fort tit. (ieorge, I
bent. col. Conran, will a m ine the command of
the force under orders of march to the ceded
district without interfering with the command ,
•fine troops in the centre division of the army, i
Chahlrston, Jin 2 —Wc are favored
by captain Dnjmlalc. of the Charles Curler,
with Lisbon papers to the 18th November,
from which some interesting translations
follow:
Cokdov a , Nov. 3.—Our army at La Man
cha is advancing against the enemy ns far
as Daymiel. 1 Here seems to be exn aordi - \
rmry movements in the French army, which
announces great things.
Tkuxii.lo, Nov. 9—by the post, which ;
arrived yesterday from La Mancha, news !
is received that the General with his army j
mill remains in Daymiel.
Sevili.k, Nov. fi—Just arrived at Cadiz j
from Eng anti 10,000 muskets and 200 chests j
#>f broad swords. It appears by further news
that Jour dan has fallen into tli.-gr.acc with 1
Bonaparte, and by later accounts, it is stated 1
that Marshal Sou It is to act as Major Gene-1
ral iu Spaio.^
Our affairs are every day becoming, more j
interes'ing in the cause we are contending
for We have had the good fortune to in
tercept the mails, provisions and am muni
tion of the enemy, tin ihe 3d ilist arrived
in this city ft clet gyrnnn, commanding n par
ty of Spaniard j, with ven p icki.dft of letter*
liitcircpfecl b«!tivfc“M bingos ;,nd I'nncoroo,
and made a prize t» .5 c irt foMs of muskets
stud 4 bairel* oi powder, kii..ig 7fi
on t ic Held and taking a number oV prison,
era.
Cadiz, Nov. 7.—The news from Madrid
give-, us cause to believe that the enemy are
uniting their forces in Valladolid, in order to
obstruct the Duke del Barque and his army.
They also write from ELstremudura, that
Mortieris in Talavera with GCOO men, and
Soult is in Oropesa with dow) men and 8 pie
ces of artillery : Both those (Icnerals are on
their way towards Casietla
Lisbon, Nov 18.—All those persons in
debted to government are publickly notified >
to make immediate payment to the Treacu
rer, for the support of the army for the
general defence ot the kingdom, and if they
do not come forward and pay their arrear
ages they will be compelled by the utmost
rigor of the Law after the month of Decem
ber.
Aew Yoek, Jan. 3.
Extract of a letter from one of the most re
spectable houses in London to a partner
of the house in this city, dated
- •*London, Nov. 7.
“ I am very sorry to inform you that tet
ters have been received by me from Naples
of the middle of October. [much later th in
our advices] advising tha• all the American j
vessels, entered at hut pom have b teti seiz- !
ed by special orders front Palis. 1 rccom- j
mend you to suspend till speculations to that
quarter, until more favorable intelligence is
received.
“ There is no doubt in my mind that the :
same system unit be extended to '1'onningen j
and every port on the continent under the
control oj Prance
P itlLADE LPHIA, Jail. S.—I.ctters from
Paris, dated Oct 26, say, the council of
prizes mas then sitting. and many cases be
fore them. The writer of one of the letters
observes, “ I cannot flatter you that there
is the least hope of your ships being rcsto
red, for the Emfieror is determined to exe
cute /its decrees with rigor."
11 y he last arrivals from Lisbon we larn
that the Portuguese government h ive laid
an export duty of 30 per cent beforegran !
ting permission to let it be re shipped for
England or any port in G. 11.
Capt. Anderson oj brig Southwark, 18
days from Aiargalant, informs that it was
reported and generally believed, that a
considerable 11 HI PISH ARMY, and a feet
under Admirals Cochrane and Duckworth,
were assembling at Martinico, from Hah
fax and the different IV I. Islands, audit
was expected to sail in about 10 days, after
him. for Guadaloupe where they expected tv
! make short work of it
I J
From Bell's Weekly Messenger.
It has ever been our opinion that the Eng
lish ministry have not conducted themselves
wisely towards America, an ' that nothing
can be more unreasonable than the restric
tions on their commerce. Wnnt should we
think of a trader who, having a wholesale
establishment, and ihence supplying a l the
shops of a district, should stop up all the
roads, and prohibit the retailers, whom he
supplied, from all access to their custom
ers—could he reasonably expect that nis
custom cou.d continue from die retailers,
when he lmd thus cut off from these retail
ers their customers? could lie exptet that
they should continue to buy from him what
he would not permit them to sell toothers?
j \et has not such been our conduct towards
'America? The wholesale dealer has be
I come jealous of the retailer’s profits and-pros
! perous commerce, and under this impressi
on not seeing that the prosperity of the re
tailer was intimately connected with his
own, has acted in the spirit of a narrow jea
lousy, and endcavoted to demolish the re
tailer, or at least to check his trade.—Such
is the basis of our orders of council. As to
the right of search, it is founded on equally
absurd principles—it is an extension of the
principle of blockade and contraband from a
single point of siege to a nation. Where an
army is besieging a city, the supply ofitmust
necessarily defeat the purpose of the siege
and the just end of the war; the besieging
army, therefore, has an undoubted right to
prevent such a supply, and to take every
means necessary for that purpose ; but the
supply of a belligerent nation, in the present
state of society in Europe, with gunpowder,
&c. must be of such trivial value and con
sequence, that it is matter of doubt to us,
whether it can in any degree justify or au
thorise the serious evil of the right of gene
ral search.
One of the first principles of our duty to
wards others should be, 'hat we should not
do a great injury to them, for the sake of a
pitiful advantnge to ourselves It should
be in morals as in trade—the articles should
be worth the cost. We should not turn the
house upside down for the sake of catching
the mice; we should not unload a ship to
search for a squib. There should be com
parative measures in all things.
from the AC kora.
I D THE FEDERAL LEADERS IN CON
GRESS.
Perhaps the period has arrived when our in
terest demands a public and wnya/f;_yirrf expressi
on of our smtimenU—perhaps thi i is the most
proper moment to press Upon our enemies n con
viction of our proud d'terini. ation. Perhaps to
dissipate that fanatic madness and delusion, and
t.-acli the vain boaster, who arrogantly tramples
upon us. and contemptuously sneers at our suffer
ings, that our forbearance Iias been the result of
wisdom, and not of ignorance, now is the instant
to rise in the real “ map sty of our strength" to J
proclaim our independence from the wretched
thraldom of assumption and vanity. There is a
pur.h of forbearance beyond which io pass is cri*
tniual—this our enemies know, and in view of
ti.ij thay tremble—they know we /kit-learnt that
between them and our natural, implae dde fo
re.gn enemy, exist a friendship, a c<> lituai, a
league thy know too that this knowledge on
our part wdlnnt be long smothered—VVhon the r
coalesced friends, in the sight of New-York,
murdered ;-.n Aumriran citizrn, you gave wav to
Inc genera'and honest indignation we expressed
—H It when that fervor had subsided which is
uriulty awakened hy acts of atrocity, what then
did; c i < o ?—your conduct was such ns made e
ven dm Dritish nation ashamed—this we have re
mem bored, and when, (if it has not air .dy Imp.
peimd) the measure sfir.ll be filled, you will find
liisf, that people, whom you have divided, whose
weakness you have delight?d to magnify, and
wiios e jotbltt you have viewed as the only pats
(■an for you to eminence and pouter, have v.nme
r* »cnttvc 11cutties, and a relentless amt, that nev’
er suij.-. short of extermination. When v-e ,u
ju t ^ child, in apology heals the wound, but
%.ien we injure our ma t'-, .vt l super,-dd insult,
** ■ *>1 at t iiows—l»«e peupic lojk upon the 1
government as their friend, and it will he hard for
you to root out so deep, so honorable a prejudice;.
You may lou^h and sneer at the povser whi-lt sup
ports you ; you niav. as you IVeqn mly do, speak
ofthe n as your wili ng tools, but in the end you
will discover energy, power and intelligence—
When the cowardly murder, which «tonsmed
the Chesapeake with the g- nemus blo>>d of our
brothers, that void weed ou> sisters, and ■ nt upon
tlie world the helpless orphan, w vs announced,
did we not instinctivelr sciz“ imr musket, and
was not our first, mu last, our only thought, v n
ifeance—you assassins you shitting dasiauus,
did you then appear? dare you then harhor
doubt ?—N>>, the gentlest murmur wool i have
been the signal for vour min —Hoi when r.n.
I'ud chilled the warm 1‘xcit: inents of our
when circumstances had cast tt sligfit veil ne;
that horrid, that bloody transaction, yon then
made full exhibiu ni ufyenr s ntimentN—you firs’
palliated,then mstifed— lloyou think vts ha'
bered over, w.dt unconcern, conduct lilt
this—do yon think, that we have forgotten, tha:
’he rigiits i.f losoiulity were violated, that so\<
nijfnty was despised, and that our brothers we e
murdered, and others led tt into r.ap*ivi’y—ami
that you h it-e palliated the oflencc, which do
minds fot atonement nothin* leis than nation a.
repartition, or national tour ?—N >, we shall in v
er let d part, the rcnolirc'ion, that on th it oeca
sion.V’.u even out-rivalled 'he murdering assas
sins, -ho « ommittc l the deed, in malice and bit
terness—What enhanced your crim*, was that
y >u called yourselves our trirnds—we understand
tiicsc ilairw, anil we 3Hall in iluc time urge an
argument that will admit of reply—we hIi-.11
spv It with a tongue, that r.o p iwercan resist.—
When th.c conflicts of the old world, threatened
to bury in out- eomn n grave t!." altar and ti t*
throne, when tlie reg irdleas ung-vet ■, able phten
sy, which forgot all right but power, n i h-m t *
ua-iinnallowcd pit’poses all principles hut equity
— when the ty rant’s pie 4 of necessity, waited • >r
no answer but submission—sml wh<*n you were
iii.idc a Sicr.fi :e to the mail fury of an unrighte
ous contest, then jour petitioning prayer f -r s»i|S
port atul protection was heard a<.«I answered_
the government of our. choice, \v:th a -matt t its
head, w hom we ever have, and ever will delight
to honor, bii-tched from the ruthless grasp of
pi alical orders, your property tnd persons, from
certain tap ure unil slavery ol our brethren— wli t
then tin I y<»u do ?—you obtained a protecti n
which you abused ; yes, y>. 1 inrrie a fatal pass
at the Lvii volent atm that »usi ined you —run
uugriti-fullj dr<*yv tin poinard upon the govtrr..
mem of our choice—you attempted in the East
U> behead the nation All this wt- have s: en, and
all this rt mains fic-h on toe pages of our m>
ry—you basely deluded some iaIocIi oper.veo
more powerful evil, th n would tire whole j>•<«•.- i
sure of alt continental Europe—you t .Ik «l>f? ci
violation of law as a virtue—you iirum.-nisi • j
o.oinunity—you give jhgnlutw r.i to til ,iw. umi !
invit'd tire commission ot cr mis by 1 t* emission I
of duty—you f used die tf id gau. of v i\it <i,-,..i
der, secure from dropping low r, you i. in.-d to
rise upon the ruins lKiv too »uv< ou been
waiciitd, and wuen the last column in die
in mnciicuii u'HTiy .gnaw lc », 1
posted upon its up.x s!i*ll si.m i a eertm,-*l, !
wuose tucsin « :l '•nnvince you. even n
t i it moment, a slumbering nation an kivi!; .
— When the oiivr E (inch wr ex .•!>.,< c! J,\ t!>*
perfidious hand ot Lh\ia:n, you .miaciously *:i ."n
cd the hunoi of its pmltic'ior.— In tins you d,d
not deceive us—we had viewed with p-.,*,ir-l
and satisfaction the unitmuted efforts of n: : - j
vernmeut to settle upon .• firm basis tlx- t,r-ace oVj
our country—we liau.i-.cii all its me sires d. I
rected to that «; j ci, and ve had at ail times j
found) ,u the iouii* s.'t embarrassment .id i.n |
union—it was Pence with indignation and disgust, j
Uiat we saw y tt ns:d.uus'y sic ding the kon«r ■
of a compromise which your rondnet nad rtia> .i(j j
and almost destroyed—but wliat \v.,s your su .-e
tpunt conduct ?—it was such as will not, a* c»u
• not tail to com ince tite world of your.dcgrada
tion r.nu meanness—you are next f ound justifying
the defeat of this measure, for whose oblainmcnt
you thought yourselves entitled to immortality
—can you, with all your contempt for tts, think
tli-t such shallow hypocrisy will pass unobsei ved,
or liave you vainly hopecl that we should never
find the cord that bound you to the throne •* En
gland ?— could you believe that with this tissue
of nets we should lie sceptics toy our allegiance ?
No—you could not—we have ;tacedyen in all
your hostility to us, and your sophisms, up to the
source of your supreme a fleet ions—you hug,t
p i flaps, that we heard, that we. knew, '.h-1 \v'i.<
Ersline was at Washington, that your principal.
your oracle, and our most deadly »nen- , de-rit
cd his seat in Senate, and ’till midnigni l .. ,;1 n
with tins foreign emissary upon the rum of oa
country—you forgot, that we have leami in, ,,
your speeches in congress curing tti.ii mv.s
was omy a commentary upon that agent's seer.
instructions—and that we know the conduct of
England towards us was in a degree shaped to
suit your policy—can you expect an amnesty f >r
these crimes—do you believe we s .r.il rod them
into oblivion—ctnyoti even hope for forgetful*
u-ss, which to you would be the greatest bl> s
sing—you must be mistaken—our country de
mauds it—she spurns with disdain those fi tters
which you Slave forge<1, and we should cease in
justice to exist, could her mandates he alighted_
you mun prepare mr political ne3Ui—tne grave
which your folly lias dug must be inhabited—we
•iave a great and paramount duty to perform to
ur country —What - onfcssnn can you m.ike aid
Hcitnily ample to jus ify corruption ? can Pick
ering urge that lias served us in the revolution
— will tins pit* .ava l him ? did not Liumouricr
valiantly lead the armies of France, and he too
sold his integrity for British gold, :.nd tepaid the
affections of hu country in rebellion andtteason—
we too well understand die language l this
mr.n's conduct—we pi only see that in. personal
hatred and bitterness of soul, lias sou*. d his at
tachments to his < nnntry, and pusl ed him from
a patriot to * mail infuriated monarchist—he
steins to say, you have detected rue ill the aban
donment of your rights—you have fathomed nn
intrigue which had for it** onj* ct ny own aggran
dizement and your destruction—by your high
and impressive comma d 1 was divested of the
seals of an important office—l sunk into disgrace
before you, and you have told posterity to acid
my memory with ini j ; for this will J he re
venged—But when one ol our servants talks of
revenge, ’twould be treason to listen—If lie has
done in his life one good act, the catalogue ofliis
abuses to us, would, i( enrolled, reach to Heaven— ,
we can admire his virtues, but to forget bis in
suits would i»e criminal—No, Pickering, you cm '
never be pardoned— But you are not sloi the i
whole tribe of miserable pigmies that travel in'
your sortie, must be remembered-*-you will know 1
that when the present emissary of England was
announced, what our feelings were—you we ll |
recollect that we c .nsidertil the mis ion si no- \
thi«g less than an intended insult—you know that
we had our fears, not respecting the negotiation, I
for that we all knew would fail, but that our chil- 1
dren w utd be murdered and our dwellings I
burnt—v— then believed, and we are now con
firmed in it, that this incendiary, this willing in
strument of slaughte" and devastation, this ge
nius of discord, had in his pocket commissions I
of piracy and orders for conflagration—against
this wretch, tills drn; of diplomacy, tlm proscrib
ed assassin o« Europe, wo felt strong !<ut tearth*
prejudices—His mission resulted as we f iretold— i
anil our expectations in part realised—l)o yoth'
think nr have looked with indifference upon all
his movements—do y ou believe, because you ssv
to the contrary, that w» do not inoso lie has di
rectly given to our government the lie— and think
you, that to rs this is of no consequence ?—we
love our government and arc ready and willing
to avenge its wrong*—indyou will, loo soon tor
yoni v * dare, discover that our coutl.fence is nn(
diminished. \Ve know that the in ult offered,
had no rt la lion to our secretary of slate, but ~c.it.
bottomed upon * cot.vickio)., tuat our slumbering
# '
rtfxitfr'srd touts would tamely svVr'it—you tout
l tck-mi that xrr would b** :** any t)ji.g—you i >id
him that “ we could not be Vc'c*t into a- war”—
you haw invited this insult. :.nd we *n?un to hold
you responsible—It is in \.-.?n that you have told
.ta this was only a qui.rrel between two ministers
—fiots are ssubw* n things, that wilt neither
yield to Ou t 1't » pustt-y, or .Quincy's I
—V •*: cannot l»ul<- .-.is transaction I*v»tr» -tr* r»< n»
—y.m will never cii i ** tli--' impression tin t this
proceeding has h.-o. up m us, wo shui n -vt r h- |
satisfied" with your conduct ! »nn »■ ut be such i
l"*o<3 as i > he lie v - that extr ict*; Hun ,Gr >this or
I’uttjinlo;-1- will iimih:i an s-.pol >gv‘tn an injured
nsiilled community ?—No—you will be mista
ken — wt kno •*, nor c ire liit’rj aV>o» Gm'iiis, or
'he “ treaty of It'es'fdi tii.i,” or >our $ >p!iistrv —
. up s,n .-cuea about the '* I <\v.i ofliaticnV wnen
at our own expence, cost more than th v
n l •— A • nave-1 ■ known that the “ H\\*
>t iir.i ins” is nothing marc nor l .-as ilia i n.dt
•"vd will seronuod iiy n.iii ui.d power—sn ! tom
•'nun- y which rclu-s upon any other is smt* to
ruined—xe are h. ppy to think our friend 1 in
Emigre'- from the south, who;-- w *rtn . temper.* ■
ttltv. xvlmse tr font glow of pdr.otisu, whose
. r io'iihI tesearnh and it • e'i'tilile «loqei»ee,
r. uplc l with tli«: cool del'll ra •• r-'sso ii g and
•dr: no i ss i o ,vi s-f 1 -h to-ic of t'c shiiestir.-n ol
>-ic ro t.' —hav pi c,-d the c • it. over-.• upon
such grounds t t i in- *» ho votes '.i G • s s r so.
Ittlioiii in an A uu-rir u, . <1 hi- w n votes a
gainst them, the -ip d ,r s- of Knglcid and die
enemy of our gov. ro.ii. nl—we are happv that
the hue is d. wo, tm o fiyure this >hall i>c the
c. it uii.ii to decide by, t!rs tlic touchstone of
pit.Mtism—your criticisms. voiu- verh.l ,s“rr
li-ms, and you- V . eis, i ; io us umntcHi-'ibtv
jarg ii, on :i plain u p*. t wocii we p f chi
Comprehend, and wll :iu*ni*h you v • , a rois •
fahlc excuse lor t -c built:;; in-nt of on - li.-ii s
I id a de.e-i- ion of principle, t the n-vt I • ti*
mi—you hove vapoured and :>l is. :ml f. r • m.*
•ni.nl, but your d-.ys arc numb red—wo ot-.cc
lodn'Lyon is tine-icai.it but you ,n ve cs t d
its—rtmember this desertion will not be img, .
.ten—our temper is forbearing, but our indignati
on is resistless.
THE PEOPLE.
General Wilkinson w . * at Hatches on the 6th
of J)cc mlu-r, and waited uify for the arrival of
Gen Hampton, to deliver over to h.m the com
o.Hinl nt that district
i'ltc noted f/oiinny Adair, one of Bur:’*
r oire spirits, had in titut- d a suit at common
luwngai s» the commander in chief. —The citi*
/••‘rs it all parlies have believed nobly on the oc
cas'un, and ime forward with oilers of security
t- umoi.nt. The reports about gen. Wilkin
- -’s 'Vail, appear to have originated in his hav
•r I m ill a d several months ago a court man
I, l ive -ir mg his whole military life without
'* !c ’i e • » nr ( i timing any advantage from the
l on ii- n ! years in the law regulatingt!-«e mii:
l *rj establisiimeiit.Aurora.
Cangft&d.
/. V SENA / K, JAM All Y 5.
Agreeabiy to untie *. Mr Pope presented
a bid for (!’•-■ impiowment oF the United
States !:■ pith’ r > -.ds And canals
Mr. I j ilea submitted the Following moti
on.
Resoh<rd. the House of Representatives
concurring therein, that a joint committee
be appoin t'd 10 t le Pi e - dent of tht United
S:afe > air j int n*> Union of the two Houses
resp. ding the conduct of Francis James
.! r*k on, nis I’.ri antic Majesty’s minister
!* i pntcnliarv near the United States,
a- . that the committee on uie part of the
Senate consist of members.
UO USE OF 11E P R E SENT A TI VE S.
Fkj day, J tn, 5 1810
]\Tr. Vandyke appt.n*d and took hi.,seat.
Mr. Poi dran presen e<t the petition of
the President and Directors i f the Q -lerns
Navigation Compam. praying the erection
of a lighthouse.— Referred.
rl'he comtni'tee of Public Lands, to whom
vras leterred thepftition <>f Jacob G>.rreu,
made u report jo lbs favor, and also report
ed the following resolution.
Resolved, That from and after the 1st
day of June next, any person making appli.
c ion to the register ot any of the land nHi
• ns of‘he United States tor the purchase of
i tract ot’land, shall produce to nim a me
morandum in writing stating the number of
be section, half section or quarter, as the
cose may be and of the township and range
for which lie ‘ihall make application, sub
scribing his name thereto, which shall be
filed and preserved by the register in his of
lice.”
The report was agreed to and referred to
the committee to bring in a bill.
A Ul.i S Cf (JUDKR6.
On motion of Mr. Rmilie the House resol v
ed itself into committee of the whole on the
report of the committee appointed to re
port rules and orders for the government of
ihe House.
This report contains the following amongst
other rules:
1’he previous question shall be put in
this form : “ Shall the main question be
now pm r”’ It shall only be admitted when
demanded by one fifth of the members pre
sent, and, if decided in tlie affirmative,' had
• e instantly put without amendment or fur
ther debate, but if decided in the nega be,
the l»u /mess shall progress as if the previous
question h d not been called ”
“ fin a previous question there shall be
no debate ”
Mr. Livermore moved to strike out the
first of these rules
This motion wr.s supported by Messrs.
Livermore, Gardenier, Quincy, Sheffey,
Elv. Hickman, Wheaton. Dana and Emotr,
atyl opposed by Messrs. Rhea, Basket. Ross.
Smilie, Southard, Boyd, Findley, W. A1
ston, Root and Johnson.
The arguments in favor of striking rut
the rule relating to the previous question
were, generally, that it had tor its object
the abridg meat of the freedom of debate,
and was following too closely the practice of
the British Harliament; that this House be
ing constitutionally a deliberative assembly,
it was not for the majority to say, thus far
shall debate be permbted, and no further_
for. if they could do this, they had the same
right to say that the minority should have
no voice; that it would prevent the minori
ty from shewing the enormity of the doings
of the majority, and woo’d shroud their
acts in the msri'le of darkness ; that at pro
sent much time might indeed be consumed
in useless debate, but that this evil ought to!
be regulated by a sense of propriety and not
by a rule of the House; that if this rule
were adopted, the most important measures
might be decided without a word of debate,
although on hearing arguments gentlemen
might have changed their opinion of them ,
that this rule might remind the House of the
circumstance that when tlie Abbe Sicyet
had presented a constitution to the conside
ration of Bonaparte, the conqueror war- !
charmed with the feature of a Dumb l.cgi*- i
fuiure i that legislation Without debate a h> |
always lavorjble to tyranny ; that the nno
auction or a rule pronnmg ror the p'" vinos
question was not oven necessary tor i i • pur
pose which its advocates had in vie*, for.
from lute experience, it was known that
whenever the majority were disposed hifoi ^a
a question, they had it in their power so to
do; that such a rule was unconstitutional,
because the constitution forbade Congjess t->
restrain the freedom of speech, and, if they
could not restrict the people i i theftvedom
'>1 speech, much less surely could they a
bridgc that privilege in this Honir, the
sanctuary oFhborty ; that every nu i ler of
this House had a right to deliver his senti
ments on any subject before the Iioi*e, and
could not he deprived of it; that this privi
lege, like the freedom of speech, was pro
ductive nt some evil, but the moment either
whs restrained, such restraint was an inva
sion of tiie principle* ot free government;
th>; lie niie, however colored, amounted,
to that no member of the minority slim 1
be. allowed to apeak until a vote of permissi
on for that purpose was first obtained from
iht* majority. I was asked, would there-,
novation m the p<i!»hc councils have been
elFecfed it the fu (ban ol debate liad mt
been permitted at she time when everv
thiug was going to ri ia ? It such a rule hud
been prop oa^d in lT9v, the nation would
have been told, by those who now support
this rule, that it was the vital stab to liber
ty. Taut which ha<l been wrong yesterday,
was wrong to day ; tit it which would have
been wrong m one majority could not b«j
right in another. It-w s also said by seve
ral «>t tiie supporters of Mr. Livermore’s
m t:oa, that th • rale proposed to be stricken
<>nt was at war with political liberty, incmii
p i .bn* with freedom id debate, and in .riefi
•uicc oi the spirit of the constitution; that
m. jori’ios, who entdd not be supposed to be
ric.lv exempt from *he infirmities of hu
m.an nature, might, from the iiifluenrr of
passion, rush headlong into a measure «rith
'•u .he least consideration ; that rapidity
whs not so much an object in legislation as
w*sd >m, and a multituiie • >t laws often proved
an.evil; finally, that this rule at the prese it
tir.m pi. iicularlv ougilt not to be adopted,
as the Hnyse migut shortly have to dee ds
tiie qiirsrn.ii uf p»:ir. or war, on wluchi
mocdi deliberation undoubtedly would be rc
quisite.
1'» tne other hand it was remarked in
support otThe rule, that the evil i>;tended ,<s
hr guarded against by it, was blended per.
hap* with some of tlie best sensations of the
human mind, a perseverance in what is
deemed rigid by each, and that the question
what was light, could not be decided by any
direct standard to which the human mind
can resort; that it is the principle of tnis,
as of every free government, that the ma
jority shall rule, and, without assuming th it
the majority is always right, its decision
was the best standard to which they could
resnr ; that the majority, being responsible
tor all measures adopted, ought not to ie
prevented from acting hill too lute, bv a de
termined opposition ; that if the minority in
fringes the right of the maj irity to govern,
there should be some rule to prevent tins vi
olation ot the principles of the government;
that the privilege each member possessed
of delivering his send uents. howevei pre
cious, v.as not so valuable a - h right which
each member possessed f finding, and the
restriction ofdiis privilege would not be so
al faoing, as th - destructio'i'.oi*'lie govern
ment, which upght I. the consequence. r:<t
the rules of tii . House at present stood, it
the minority were obitimdeU bent on pre
venting the II n.ie from acting; that aliho’
rhe , project ot a dumb legis’a'ure might
have charmed Iionaparte, lie never woul l
have had an upper ,mity to approve any co i
s’.duiion, had it ini been for the anarch/, *
contu.iion and unre**r<-ii»vd l'f.entiousn ess
wln.n prevailed in tin- National Conventi
on, and winch fin ,'y destroyed it- n.l
it w;>s t i ptevmt Mich anarchy and abuse ot
the freedom of deb t e, that this rule had
b- c-ntie access .rv ; that minorities t.x>, we x*
subject tu the failing* of m mki •.!, an i th it
passion might operate in>.-n them, when a.
must urgent law v/^ i be pa^cd, |>y speak
ing ior six hull I s at a lime, solely to prevent
the legislature from acting, from doing t mt
for which they were expressly chosen ; that
there was r > fear of tlie measures «.r a is
ot the niajorby being veih-d >n darkness, for
supposing (win.; was very improbable,) an
abuse of the rule, the p»ess was open to e
very man, and could not he restrained ; tint
the idea of tile uncnnstitutionHlby of such
rule was absurd fi r the same mode of nr
gument would prove, that the House had
ir> right to prevent any member from speak
ing more than twice to the same question,
although the Constitution declares, that
each House may determine the rules of its
proceedings; that experience had shown.
__I. .. \ __
*••••*■ •»***-■» u »*!**. hncLcwiuy ttj jinrvriiv
the consumption of the time of the House hy
;i member’s speaking* four, five, six or eight
hours merely for the purpose of spinning out
time, and moving to adjourn, calling the
yeas and nays on the motion, to givj: him
self time to take breath, and then making
frivolous motions for the purpose of speaking
still longer on them ; that, in order to do the
public business, if no such, rule was adopted,
it would be necessary for the people to select
■ h* ir representatives, not for the strength of
•heir intel'ect, but for the robustness of their
constitutions and their rapacity of enduring
f'i'gue ; that the abuse of the fr.cdom ot
debate had become si flagrant us to impede
ail public business, unless those desirous of
doing it would sacrifice their health and
perhaps their lives in sessions of nineteen
or twenty hours in length, and ih-se too af
ter a subject had been debated tenor twelve
days. It was also said, that this was no new
rule ; that it had existed in this body, wiilt
various modifications, since the coiomenca
ment of the government until within two
)cars, wiini tiie decision of the II >use had
done it away in practice, though it still re
mained in the rules ; that it had existed in
the British Parliament for two centuries;
that arguments against a rule or law, drawn
• com the possible abuse of it, would gsto
• lie destruction of all law and government;
that this rule had never yet been arbitrari
ly enforced, and probably never would, as
its object was more to remind members of
'he propriety of conceding a little to their
fellow-members and treating them with de
corum, than lor the purpose of actually pot
ting an end to rebate ; that no majority
would improperly use the volt , 'eraose, if
dol. they wi fe responsible ’<> the peo
ple for it. who would not fail t i r.dress the
evil. The novelty in this case v»as said to
be, no* Mint such ft rule should h o been
propo.ed, but that, after having existed un
der every ndm ■bsirntion, it should now be
moved to rejec it,
1 be oppon-n's of the ru'e replied, that
this tu!e w is wholly different 1'Oti the for*
».er rules on f ie subject, as i» « xc'uded de
late oil th p v t! as wll s on u.c*'
pici ti* n. J. tv-, j also »-,«! t" i*. 'he d icti in.*
laid do.vn hat ;.us majority ofiould govern