Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-02-13 00:00:00, page 2

;,yy lygyjw ■ jr yi uuu.. i. ■uJj. ir,iii j
tfT.iiG. raid, lie should avail himself of
*tl r.t occasion to be explicit in stating his
views of the question of peace or war.**
Re was induced to do this, because Ws
views upon that question had been misun.
der stood, or at least misrepresented to the
public, -ud pretended to be derived from
conversations and ether saurces of infor
mation easily to be misconceived, and more
easy to be misrepresented; and for which
lie did not feel Imn&elf at alt responsible. ,
lie had alw: ys been-in the habit of frankly
exposing his views without reserve in his
place < ii that floor upon all subjects, when
required by the duties of his station—he
should now do so, and for their correct- [
ness in that place he acknowledged himself
to tc responsible to the public.
lie skid, with respect to peace or war,
it should be observed that in a dispute be
fwoto nations, war was at the option of
either;parfy=pekce was r.ot-^pcace re
Siuiicdtht cttiisenlofboth. Whilst, there,
ore, war may be in our power, peace may
be beyond our controul. Great Britain
(Hay make war'upon us-wand it is our most
impjru us duty tote prepared to meet it.
He ‘ml, as to ihe probability of that event
he h. d no c rtaiu data to guide his judge
ment, but if it be even uncertain prepara*
tiens ruglit le be made to meet it with ef
iect and advantage. He was, (heretore,
Ir. lave-r of every preparation both by land'
end by sea to meet war, but he consider-.
td the question of making preparations Vo
mere v;ar, a very dfifereui thing, from a
question to declair, or to make war—so
much so, that resorting to the one has al
ways been considered as the best txped._
cut to avoid the other alternative—whilst
•therefore, he was against declar ngorjm.k-.
mg v.ai under the pies. n. circumstnnce:.
at this time, he was iu favor of preparati.
ons to meet it, which m ght hertaUer ren
der a resoil to it cmiecessuty. But he
vaild at tbe*s ime time, say explicitly,
'that it (xteat Britain should continue her
* <cur£e ot hostili its Hgamst us he would at
ac nvtment ana proper tmie,b« decided,
‘ly In tavor of war, rather than submit to
her lawless pretensions 6t aggi visions. He
believed, that ratner than suomit, tne U.
States ought, must and will go to war. {pr
il e preset vaiion and maintenance of their
rights, Etc. He drew this couclus on with
err. tin elite and certa nty, ;rom tne charac
ler of th< dispute bilwe^n the two c. un
li its. Wbat is the real character of that
d.rputr, partxularly as it respects com
mercial rights } lndt pendemiy ot aggres.
si* ns vit. iiy afiecting the cnarac.er and
Interests ot the United States, cout nued
without atonement or relaxation, and
which arc too well known to require repe
tition here, the real character ot the dis.
putt i< sp etiug commenc al rights wnen
stripped oi all Us disguises and etnbehisn.
is consists m this—whether the U S»
t.r <»., Krita.n, shall regulate the commerce
the United Si <te» shall regulate their own
©! ihe Urdu d State a ? Or rather, whether
comme ce consistent^ wut, the law of o i.
tions f Or snail G fir tain regulate it, in
-cantravei i-on ot the law el nations i The
right to rtgulute commerce Is perhap- tne
riK Si important right confided toGougiess
under iIn constituiiou—and that Congress
might possess dial power was certainly the
primary induct merit to the fuiuiaiiou u
UliSUkUUUli*
it it known that inefficiency of tke commercial
regulations c-f the several sta:c> & the extremely
ir.c-nvemen influenceef the conflicting systems of
thecrlTeifn rates nprn each ott-er, fir it aogges*
ttd the nrcessity of a gene«al governmen., for
the purpose f reguti ing commeice by one uni.
form aid efficient ty» em ; of course the p -wer
to tepu’a'eccmme^cf may be considered as ;hc
founda'ion of the const iftri'-n itse'f Ttte peo.
pie ofthe'V. *Statcs have delegated a Congies*
charg'd with the tarred m-st of protecting and
•ex-rcising thitg-ext con.’i uu-snal powcv, H w
then can tbai C-inr.ress abandon it to the excr.
ciseofa f reign power, without «n almost tre--.
settable infdeliiy to the people by wh- m tltey
»<e deiegatrd t Gira Britain not only claim.,
but ae ua ly exercises the power of tegitl'ting, b
res raining and prohibiting y ur commetce at
pUasuie; and »i. far has -h ca ried the cxt.rcire
of this power, a* to sobs i'nte her ov- n iliici'
crmrmi'ein the pla e f your lawful bu pr",
bibbed commerce ! Yes, in m*er c ntempt of
• y'cr right, and autho-iry, am! m utter disugaid
-ol her own eli#?ac*er she is now in he dai'y
h b:< cf granting licencesto her own r.ubjec s.to
com mit treason again r the romm >n |aw ef ihc
l >nd hv authorising rhem to carry on an illicit
rommfarr- wiih her enemy, in tubtiituMon of
yem li» ful c mmerce 'He beli-ved it imprsr.i.
I.'e fa;- theU S>a»es io submit 'or.g to ihit une*.
anp ed sta e of diiogs > and therefore that thev
Ot'ght, r*r a d wt l ere long go to war to a<sert
tn-‘ rraint in their vio ated tights, their injured
irsteiejte, Xrc £ic if n-i other expedient wit; an
Iwe; the object.
Mg G. said hat this rrv of the subject was
n’rlrtricd wiihii ecu’iar force to ;,h« con.mercia
puts rf the Unit'd Stc’c*—and hi- state of
th tigsif p r evtr d in by G. H'ita'n, must and
w • »v skm i* cm in spite f all their pr'-jud c»»
toerenw ofthrirown danger land'in eres s ; and
whenever that shaiii be die; case they must and
W’lll unite in mta-.ii.es of protection and edress
M; G.taidl* rata thrush ng < him how gen*
♦kwe n rnrt seminfr the commercial paru fif ty,e
U 8 rot d ever far a moment suppose, thavh m -etf
ot the peop*e in the scene of country f-nm whic h
he crtre roa d de ire to enter Into an u-meretsa’ y
war wi h G B. I nar pa-toi-th- euntry, above al!
»tH-rs, found an interest fa an tntercour«e wi h
G.J» psrticu.ady at the present moment j t|«e
articles it furnished were at this time partiro.
Urly suited to the British market. They
vere principally tobacco, flour h wheat. The
wfto e of which were now-in bnt,k depamd. f<»
the British marko, par'icul nly tbi best Janies
rvvr tobacco, winch «ji so pvndiarly suited
to that market, as now to command from 7 to
Q tlcllrr* r-er cwt ...wherras Maryland obac
Co, which was consumed in lie uroh b-ted
IPaikefa of the comment, was in let fa demand
end rotr para ivelv low in price Indeed f.om
tiiese. causes, there has been n peculiar ac »vi„
ty ia the eemmerrinl scene >n h «i part of the
Country for some months pas-sssand gentlemen,
wlio sttpposcddiitn diaposi d to piling- into an
sin necessary w*' with G eat Britain, could
m>' gwe him c <dit for even the mosi superfi
cial conskit-ratiott ot hi* own intc-ca or he
intrust ol that part df the country.a*riiu» not.
Wiilcaiuling tin »r fottsidera huts, lie was
no willing h'ti If. no were die people <d
that pm t f the country willing w» submit to
the atriulot.nient ot » ■ > gle a tribute ol na'i
w al S'-sere.gn'v—•-ill less wet* they di.spos
ad to abandon ihc great constitutional right in
6 "
Mr. G. said he thought war ju~.tifi »b.!c
only Ih case of self defence. Th*t as he j
had often done before on that floor, he now
solemnly protested against war, merely for
the acquisition of territory, or ahy other
object of aggrandizement or ambition—bu'
what is a war of self defence ? When any
attribute of national sovereignty whatever,
is attacked by a foreign power, it then be.
comes a case of self defence to the p irty
attacked. In the case between the U. S.
and G. Britain, not only ia a national at.
tribute assailed but the highav. national at*
tribute sanctioned by the constitution of the
U. S. the corner stone of the constitution
itself. This then is scarcely a case of self
•defence, aggravated with all the circuin.
stances of a continued claim and contemp
tuous insult. But although he deemed a
war purely defensive alone justifiable, yet
he thought it perfectly correct to carry on
such a war, when undertaken offensively.
And that it was perfectly justifiable to seize
on territory, and appropriate it as a just
retribntionfor the evils of war unjustly in
flicted by the culpable assailant, or to report
to any other means of offens ve annoyanc •
whatever, 8cc &c. Under every view ot
this subject, therefpre, he thought the mca*
sure contemplated by the bill recommended
as one part ot a system of prepar&< ions for
war.
Mr. G ssid, he would now bestow some
observations on the objection of expense.
This point afforded an argument always
powerful, and for some years past irresis
tible. It is said 600,000 dollars.- the con.
tcmplated expense for equipping all the
frigates, is enormous- He said it nas m;
and no gentleman regretted the necessity
of incurring this and other similar expen
ses nvure than himself. But the correct
and proper question is not—is this sum not
enormous? It is, how can it be avoided,
and save the rights and interests of the ns.
tion ? The re d objection of this expense,
is to save the United States against tne ra.
paci*y and mad ambition ot the rulers of o_
ther nations and heuce arises its indespen
sible necesiiiy. It no dcubt will appear
wonderful to a speculative philosophic mind,
to contemplate the enormous-expenses in.
curred by nations, for the purpose of self
protection against the rapacity .iud ambi_
tion of the ru era of othei* nations. In this
respect, however, the United States have
been at all times particularly fortunate,
compared with any other nation-, with
which they have any intimate relations.
T ike Great Britain, i'or instance, and cal
culate the enormous expenses she incurs,
to procect herself from the ambition ot her
own, and -the rulers of other nations—and
compare them with those incurred by the
United States for the same object; and the
latter wou.d be to the former as a drop m
the ocean. This would be the result, in
some degree in a companion with any o
tber nutiou. But the question .3, whether
it is not Uetler to incur this expense, than
to yield to Um fatal influence of this un.
bounded rapacity and a-nomon ? Indepen
dently of exch .n.,ing the attributes of free
dom and independence for the degradation
of slavery—would uot this submission cost
y u more in moaey upon the most econo.*
mical calculation i Gould you puicnase off
its gi iping influence tor 60^000 dollars i
Would uor your proud conqueror take *U|
you hbd ami think he had left you too mud™
as long as you had a comfort remaining i
| The same speculative reflections may ne
applied to the enormous sums expended m
the m<,sr net-feet •noliticai association-* for
1 the pru'trcuon ot society against tho violence
and depravity of individuals To count up
all the costs expended, to .protect the vir.
tuouw uiid the good against the v.oience and
depravity of inefvicious find ths bad, would
doubtless l>e a suoject of wonder to a phi.
lns'.ptiic mind. Take the United States
for ex >tuple—and imagine the costs of all
the courts of criminal jurisdiction, the
giand and petit juries witnesses, kc. kc.
end udd tn them, the costs of the dungeons,
the jails, the Dalis, tne bars, the chains, kc.
kc. and the amount would be enormousaa
and it you should choose to indulge yours. If
in the speculation still further, Count the
: costs of all the locks ana k ys in the U. S,
kc. which would be useless, it there were
' no such thing us human vice and depravi
ty—and the tnmd woulo be left m a state of
, astonishment at the enormous result, at the
| immense sums Tiecessai ily expended for
! live protection of society against the bane_
ful and destructive influence ot human v>.
I ce» llut did ever any man doubt of the
> propriety ot this exptndt.are i Did he e.
ver pause and ask himself, whetner these
I turns were not enormous f No He knew
I they were great in turmsclvesabui notn.
I ing compared with the object to otr obtain
ed by them. Noihmg compared with the
presi rvatioii ot society from the destruci.
ive influence of humnti vio ence and (lepra,
vity. And is the result lobe wondered ai
when you rcfl.ct for a moment at the hur.
tible effect* of giving them the inu-nph,
and j ielding submission to their influence i
The same observations will nppiy with
greater force to the society oi nations; the
j same injurious consequences would result
j from submission by one nation tn the de.
| mantis ot Uie rapacious and amnitiou* ru •
i lers of another nritioiiushe was tnerefore
willing to resist and repel them wnen di.
j vecteUby any nation against the rights amt
interests of the United states aud tor that
i purpose was willing to incur'the proposed
j expense, or any oilier within the ability ot
I the government, rather (ban to yield suj.
mission to ti e destructive influence ot these
ambitious and rapac.oos demand*.
Mr.G said, he could not help remind*
ing gen leinen here, of the unfortunate coo*
Mqu nces ott >e successiul influence of th s
aigumeuioi economy, at no d.stmt period.
I tie Icaicd that from die want of a timely
{ expenditure ot money to enforce a great
j and wise measure ol the government, we
were now rtnuced to our present embar.
j rassed situation—and to be relieved trow
it might probably cost us much more mo.
ney than wastocn necessary lor tne object.
„vir. U>. men negged to present anotusr
aspect ol the proposed measure to the view
of die Sruate. tic said ihst tne aggressi*
otrs of tne b*Uigeie.,ts upon our rignts and
interests, weie so umveis.ily known and
felt throughout the U. S. that the people
were almost universally looking up to Con.
grtss for some measures of preparation for
u eetingat.y crisis which may beta! us. Tne
.present measure g<«c* to put into a state of
readiness for service.all tT.e naval Forcfr'of
th« U. S. It is therefore believed, that in
this respect the me isure would satisfy the
just expectations of the people^ and when
corhbined with other preparatory measures
conteinnlated for the land service, would
afford such protection and security, as
would justify the confidence of the pc pie
in congress. He said that the measure of
the first importance in his judgment, For
this object was a provision for procuring
every species of munitions of war, to be de
posited in convenient places of security
near the various ports of the U. S. most
i liable to sudden attacks from an enemy.
Tins measure would probably shortly ae
brought forward by the committee on the
president’s message. And if in addition
to this 20,000 men, either volunteers or re
gulars could be placed at the disposal of
the president^ with a power to call out
100 000 men tro n the mditi i, he thought
the system would answer all existing exi
gencies, would place the nation in a respec
table attitude, would do justice to the cha
racter of Congress, aud ensure the general
confidence of the people.
CO.MGR&SS.
IN SENATE.
January 31.
Ag-etably to notice, Mr Bayard intro,
duced a bill reladve to the dis-rifil ceur:
oftheUnired Sta es, established in the !
territory of Orleans. Passed to a second
reading.
The bill concerning commercial in.
tercourse with G ea. Britain and France
and their dependenc es, \va : coTnm’t’eil to
a seletd cnvuUtee composed of Messr».
Smith of Md. Crawf):d, Giles, Franklin,
Hdlhouse.
The several bills yesterday reid a first
time, were referred to committees.
Mr German submitted the following re
solutions for consideration :
Resolved, That provision be made by
law for protecting and defending by con.
voy, the ship* and vessels belonging to
citizens of the United States, loaded with
articles of the grow h, produce or manu.
j-failure of the United Sta es, or territories
! thereof, not contraband of war, bound to
j any foreign port or place to which the
1 sh'ps and vessels of the United S ates are
not excluded by municipal regulations, Sc 1
not being actually b.o.kadsd by an armed
force.
Rttolved, That the citizens of the U.
U. who shall put their ships or vesiels :
under protection of convoy,<jf an armed j
vessel or vessels as aforesaid, shall be per
mitted to arm ir\ their defence.
VOLUN riiER COUPS.
The Senate resumed Ihe consideration
of the bill concerning a volunteer corps t
but, on motion of Mr Beyard, it was post* |
poned for the purp t: of taking into con. j
s dera ion,t he m men yesterday submitted
'by Mr Pickering.
This motion was modified to re*d as
follows i
“ R :snlvrd Thtf »V>. -f Ik.
U. States be requested to lay before the
Smate any ioFo'maiioo he possesses ren*
dering h necesnary or prudent on the
i Parl °f the U. S. to augment its rnilita y
force.’*
The question on this resolution was de
cid.-d as follow;;
YEAS.—.Messrs. Bavard, Champlin,
G .odrich. Htllhouse, Horsey, Pickering,
Reed.—7.
NAYS.—Messrs. Anderson, Bradley,
Bi'ent, Ca npbell Condit, Crawford, Frank*
lin. Gaillaid, Get naan* Giles, Gilman.
G^egg, Lambert, Leib, Matthewsort,
M. igs, Parker, Pnpe, Robinson, Smith,
(VLl ) Smuh, (N. Y.) Sumter, Turner,
Whitehill_24.
The Senate then resumed the eonside. .
ration of the bili concerning a volunteer
corps, and after discussion, adjourned
without taking a question on it*
February t.
The Sena'e again took up the Volun
teer bill, and after discussion the Sena’e
ndjourued wi.hout taking any question on
lU
February a.
Mr Anderson presented a petition of a
number of citiain . «f Washington county
in th» distri'il of Columbia, p-eying the
establishment of the penitentiary system,
and also the presentment of the judges
of the circuit court on tha same subject —
Referred *o Messrs. Anderson, Matthew
son and Crawford.
Mr Anderson also presen'ed the peti'i.
on of Thomss Q*all and others, and of
Wm. Marbury and ohers, praying tha
the 4'h sefilim of the afil to incorporate
the city of Washington, which exempts
the city from taxation by the levy court of
the coun’y. be* repealed—Re*e>-re,j to
Messrs Anderson, Condit and Gregg
The Senate resumed as a committee of
the whole, tbt bill to engage for a sh >ri
period in the service of the U. $. a corps'
of volunteer*.
Af er deba*e, on morion of Mr Giles the
further conuderatian of the bill was pos .
poned till Monday ne* ;
, To which day the Senate adjourned.
Februaiy 5*
Mr Clay, from Kentucky, appointed in
! the place nf Mr Thrnstoo, resigned, ap*
pea ed and tof>k his scat,
i The bdl an horising the removal nf
slaves from one psrt of the di*tri£l ofCo
lumbia to another, and the bill for the re.
lief of John N. Slotr. were passed to a
second reading*
VOLUNTEER CORPS.
^The Senat? reiu nrd the consideration
ot th- bill to eng -ge for a short period it.
the service of the O’nitcd States, a corp
oi vo’.un eers.
MrTlregg moved to strike out the j
words “ imme Hat* ly thereaf er’* (be enti- j
tied to bounty. fee.) for the purpose of iuJ
serri .g “ upon entering in o '-ervice.’’ i
The Yeas and Nays on striking out wereJ
as follow? s '
YEAS—Messrs, Bavard, Chomplin.
Gaillml. G-;rmn, Goodrich. Grtr *g. Hil -
house, Horsey, L'oyd, Mmhewson, ^tek- •
ering Reed, Smith, (of New York,) Sump
ter, Tail, Tinner. 16.
N AYS—Messrs. Andertnn, Bradley.
Brent. Campbell, Clay. Condi:, Crawford
F'anklin, Giles, Lambert, Leib, Parker,j
Pope, R *bir»son, Smi-h, (of Marylar.d)^
Whiteside- 16.
The Senate being divided the Vice
President determined the questijn in tiie
affirmative.
O i th-s qieV.ioi fjr insering the words
‘ on entering into servici," tire volet:
we^e as folio *s r
YEAS.—Messrs. Bayard. Chvnplin,
Clay, Gaiilard, German Giles, G hnan.
Goodrich, Grogg, H ilhou-e, Horsey
Lloyd, Matthew ion. Parker, T*ick ring,
Reed, Smi o, of Md. Smi-h of New Yjik
Sump'er, fait. Turner. 21,
NAYS.—Mess s. Anderson, B ad ey,
Bren: Campbell. Con Jit, Cawlb'd Frank*
lin, Lambert. Leib, Pope, R-btnion,
Whiteside. 12,
The consideration of the bill was om
mo'ion of Mr Smith of Md. further post. j
poned.
The several bills this day passed by the
House of ftepre.e,natives were read and
passed to a second reading.
Eebruary 6.
On motion of Mr Bayard,
Resoived, That the Attorney General
be requested to lay before the Senate a
statement of the number aol nature ol
the cases depending before the Supreme
Court upon writ of error or appeal from
the Dis'ri«Sl court of Orleans, and also
info mation as to the extent and nature
of the jurisdiction actually exetcised by
said O.strict Court.
The bill from the House of Represen.,
ta ives making appropria ions fur the sup
port of the government for he year 1810,
was. read a second time a id committed to
Messrs. Smith, (Md.) Asderson, Craw
ford, Franklin and Goodrich.
Tiie House resumed the consideration
of the bill concerning Volunteers. And
sundry amendments having been propo
sed to it by Mr Bradley, it was agreed
that the fuit’nur consideration of the bill
be postponed till to morrow.
The Senate agreed after Sa’urday next,
to mce: in the permanent chamber lately
Sited up for the us? of the Senate.
Mr Lloyd laid on the table a resolo ion
requesting -he President to lay befoie th?
Senate ihe amount of du ies on importa
tions from the enan»an smr— Tun
30, 180and also the amount of dutv
accruing from the duty of two and a hall
per cent, usually called-the Med.terra.,eJ
an fund. ,
The b II for the relief of John NT S,out,
was read a third time and passed.
HOUSE OF REPrtESF.NTTIVES.
Januaty SI.
Mr Davenport obainrd leave of absence
for the remainder of the session.
M Nel*>n from the committee to whom
was referred sundry petitions of the sur*
viving officers of the rcvolutiona y army,
made a detailed report, recom (tending
the adoption of the following resolution:
| Resolved, Thitthe prayer of the pe
titioners i3 reasonable and ought to be
granted
Referred to a committee of the whole.
APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House again went into committee
of the wh ile on the bill tnaktig appro,
priations for the support of government
during the yea" 1810. Thi bill was gone
through, and Mr Cults reported It in the
House.
Mr Reot moved to strike out the clause
making the usual appropriations of 15 per
cent, on the amount of the salaries of the
clerks in the pub’ic offices—After de.
bate, negatived by Yeas and Nays 6* to
54.
Mr Lyon moved to amend the clause
reported by the committee u for the ex
penses of foreign imercouf'e'’ by specify.
4»g G. Britain, France and the Urazils a*,
[the countries wi h whom in'crcourse"
| should be maintained, so as to exclude
: Russia.'
Messrs. Dana, Lyon, Quincy, P.;kin,
Shefley. and S an ford supported the mot
on. Mr Quincy and Mr Bheffiey were not
opposed to the mission to Rtuili, bu
were desirous of making the appmp-U'i.
ons specified as to etch nation, in peeler,
ence to appropriating the whole under a
general head.
Messrs. Eppes, Smilis. Pick nan, Rhea
tod M'Kim opposed tbe mo'ioo. Thev
aH expressed themselves decidedly in f,
wor of th: tni«sion, except Mr Pick mao,
who said be should vo*e against the mo
lion, because u was not the province
the House, but of the President and Se
ntte to decide on the propriety of »
mnsion to a f »riego nation. This argu
ment was also used by other gentlemen
and replied to by Mr Shelley and Mi
Stanford.
The debate on this «ubjsft wis destilto
ry and d fTise. Tho^e opposed to t*u
mission of Russia contended that we Ii<u
no occasion lor a minister there, more e -
.
I « *r.hl!» *hat power appeared sr» sub,
[ ervient lo France, and as a “ northern
tonfcderacy" was said to be forming there,
n which we might be expe6\ed to partis
sipate. To this it was replied, that blind
mbaervience to the views of France was
not apparent in the conduct of Russia ;
, • l»at she was almost ihe only nation which
raded with us on terms of reciprocity,
' rod appeared to be in Europe almost the
mly supporter of neutral rights—and it ,
was therefore said to be peculiarly proper
that we should have a minister there.
Before a question was taken on Mr Ly*
n*s motiont the House adjourned at hair
past four*
February f*
Mr Morrow reported a bill authorising
a digest of the land laws of the U. S. anc?
the publication of a certain number oC
copies of the same—Twice read and
commit! ed. •
APPROPRI \TlON BILL.
The Hmse re.umed the consideration
<u the repo-t of the commiuee Oi the
liol- on the bill making app-opria ions
for the support o^the government for tlie.
year 1910.
Mr Lyon’s amendment yet under co<^
sidfrat on.
Mr Eppes stated that the amendment
p oposed an entire innovation in the p ac«
tee oT C . gress in respe6fc to foreign in*
trreourse. aid quoted ihe laws of the kL
Staios for eighteen years pa;:* to site,y
that the language of ihe appropriation fo-r
had a w ys been the same as now used m
he b H.
Mr Lyon’s motion was then negatived
by Y *a-v and Nay?. ^77 to 39.
Those who voted in favor of the niotL
on, are Messrs. Blundell, Bi eckenndje,
J. C. Chamberlain W. Cnamberbn,
Champion, Cnittenden, Dana, Ely, Emott*
Gardcnier, Goldslr»rou'h, Gold, Hale Ha
ven, Hubbard, R. Jackson, Jenkins, Key
Knickerbocker, Livermore^ Lyon, Mac j
M‘Bnde, Moseley, Pearson, Pitken, QainC
cy. Potter, Sheff.y, Sami. Smith, St mford, !
Stanley, S.urges, Sw >op;, Tatlinadge, (Jp- ■
ham, Van Dyke^, Van Horn, 6c Van Reus* l
selaer.
The amendment made by the commit
tee of the whole to fill the oiantc ie for can*
tingent expenses of foreign intercourse’*
with “ fifty thousand dollars.’* being u-id--r
consideration.
Messrs. Quincy, Dana, Gardenier, atri
Gold opposed the appropriation ; and
Messrs. Eppes She (Fey, Macon, Bacon, At*
ston, Rhea, (T) Montgomery, Key and
Pitkin supported it.
Those who opposeJ.it stated as a reason' ,
for their opposition that qy tie report of !
surplusses remaining unexpended at tne
end of the present ve tr, it appeared there '
were unexpended, aider tne nead of
r‘ contingent expenses of foreign inter
course,” 70 000 dollars, which, added to
50 000 dollars now prop »sed to be appro*
priated, wouid make 120 000 dollar^, at tne
control of the government for contingent
expences ®t foreign intercourse, and, added
to me appropriation in the bill [or tne or*,
dinary expences of fore gn intercourse,
would mate near 170,000 dollars, su jject
to expenditure for foreign intcrcour^ lur*
me the present year ; tnut tneie is no re**.
son wny this addition*! appropriation
should oe made when so raucu rc.mined,
unexpended of a former appropriation •
.that even Utuere were uo balance on ftand^
inis was no reason wny th; contingent ap.
propriauon snoutd be larger now (a* it n>
man at any fur.tier period ; and t tat, if
the appropriation was made, it would be
proper to know to what object it w.i* tob*
applied. Mr Gardener expressed a hop*
; that it was hoi toe secret service money or
aid in the «»; abhsli nent ot me Northern
Contederauon so much spoken of ,• bu.saici
it was no good omen ih n under tae late •
admi.nstra.ioii a minister had b^en sent to
Russia without iufor nation given to euner
branch of the Leg slaturt, .tab t.i&t iuio
ther siiouidwow nav.; been sent^ w,tuauta~
ny reason being a>s>g ted for it.
In reply it was said that the report af»
luded to of unexpended surpluses was
; tnade some months ago, and that tne baU
I ante remaining unexpended of former up.
; prapr.atious was merely no minal—lor, ,>y
the same report there remained unexp n.
ded of the appropriation lor toe civil liat
500,690 dollars, which every one knew
would be expended beiore me end of tn«
year; that by that report* more than a mil
lion remained unexpended of the nary up.
propriation, and no one could douot but
l that would be drawn out i that gentlemen
should be consistent in their opposition,, be.
cause that for the same reason which they
opposed this appropriation, they ought to
have opposed tne appropriation for tne
civil lists-that this item, waa intended and »
always had been appropriated to covec
contingent expences ui intercourse, not ex.
pressly provided for by law, as f.w inl
stance, tne outfit of a minister, despatch
vessels, 2tc. • that the sum was larger now
than usual, because of the state ol our af
fairs, which rendered it necessary for the •
government frequently to send dispitch,
vessels to fclumpe, the ordinary m du of
intercourse being closed. Mr Montgomery
observed n reply lo the intimation about a
Nortntrn Conlrueracy^ that he comd not
conceive to what gentlemen alluded. He
had indeed heard a year ago of a plan ot a.
Northern Contedvracy on tins continent
by wmch the Union was to be divided oy
(he Hudson and annexed to the Mmi-m
provinces. Perhaps gentlemen alluded to
that. As to secret service money, ne knew
>f none expended under the late or preseuc
ndui,mstration—under a former ad nmis.
,ration, it was true, there bad been some
, singular kpeodiiurej ot that kind, si.ne
| >f winch were now under co isnler .ti m
| at the Comptroller’* office, for instance,.
|“ f°f M^cret service money iiO dollars
ind even an item of 15 dolls, paid to \
loor keeper for secret service, which ser
vice he believed, was tracing iQo Cine* to
the famous tubs that arrived at Ch4rl.'*
ion in ’W« or ’99,
I'he lioase agreed to the appropriation
»y Yeas and N iy», 102 to 16. • A „!**
,n *|,e negative were Messrs. Uina
i-'ly♦ Gar lenier, Goldsoornugn, Gold, dno
)*rd, Lewis, Livermore* L>vingstou, L/0„*
' *