Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-02-13 00:00:00, page 1

'. - VIRGINIA ARGUS.
XVI 1th year.1 , ~ ' , sggga.". <.<• < . ———
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RICHMOND, February 7th, 1810.
SIR,
IN the course of a few days, the
present Re »sion of the General Assembly
'will expire, -and th^representative? o
the people, retiring from the seat of gof
vernment, into the country, will have to
t render ai» account of their conduct to
r their respective constituents.
We beg leave to submit to your in
epection, a concise sketch of the pro
ceedings of the session. For this pur
pose, permit us to avail ourselves of
the accompanying view of the most im
portant acts, both local and general,
which the present Assembly have added
to our code of laws. T his view, toge
ther with the full copies of the acts
themselves, which, sis usual, will be
sent jo the county, as soon as they shall
hr.yii' been printed, will cn ble you to
judge of the services of the present le
gislature, considered as a body. The
journals which we have caused to he
■"•deposited in four different places in the
county, for the perusal and examination
of our constituents, Sc which have also
appeared correctly copied in the public
prints, that have been dispersed through
the country, will give you faithful ac
counts of the manner in which we, your
immediate representatives, have ton
ducted ourselves, throughout the pro
ceedtngs of the session.
We will take the'!iberty, however, of
drawing your attention particularly to
. f-.uch of the laws as relate immediately
to the interests of the County cf Nelson.
Thes^ aVe'—the act establishing an in
snoctfBfCbf flour at the town of New
^atfoct* to be under the fame inspec
that al reach* established at the
veenway. The act appoint
ing additional commissioners to super
intend tbeturnpike road over the South
mountain, at Kockfish Gap—The act
appointing commissioners to ascertain
the quantity ol tobacco burnt at Ni
cholas's warehouse—The act reviving
the inspection of tobacco at the Swan
creek warehouse—The act concerning
the sheriff of Nelson county—And the
act altering the days of holding courts
in certain counties. The bills out of
which these acts grew, were, in some
instances, introduced by ourselves;
and in others, by members from neigh
boring counties, with whom we did not
fail to co-opcrate.
Besides those local set®, whiph, in
their operation, are' limited almost ex
clusively to the county of Nelson, there
are some law? of a general nature, in
which our constituents feel a deep inter
j eat, to which we would now beg leave
to invite your attention.
The act concerning the ®uspc*rsion of
executions, is the most important which
h is passed during the present session.
By this law, all the executions which
w ere suspended by the laws of the last
and iho preceding session, will be made
to issue on the dlstofMay. On this
subject, we wi re aware of the wishes of
a majority of our constituents. We
conceived if to be our duty, anti we
made it a point, to attempt to carry
th-m into effect. We informed the as
sembly of the probable sacrifice of pro
perty to a great amount, which would be
the inevitable result of sending out at
one time, such a mass of executions as
is now suspended in the courts, vsnd
We brought forward a bill, which provi
ded that in each case, an execution
should issue for only one half the amount
o^f the debt at one period, and for the
other half, at a future period. This
bill was rejected by a large majority.
Hie only further indulgence which tnc
Assembly could l>e prevailed onto grant,
was to stay the issningof the executions
already susptuded, till the Mat of May.
¥ 7
!A.n amendatory act on the subject oi
our t iliacco laws, has also passed, nnH
will excite some interest among a porti
on of our constituents.
It was discovered that in defiance ol
I the penalties of the existing laws, against
the exportation ol refused tobacco, a
considerable qunnti y of that article
found its way out of the state, through
the medium of a corrupt portion of our
society, and to the great in jury of our
prill dp d staple in foreign markets. A
bill was introduced, containing addition
al penalties. In its original shape, this
1 toj| prewired the delivery of refused
tobacco Irons the place of inspection,
to any but a licenced stemmer or mnnu
lacturer. This we conceived would o
perate very injuriously to the owners of
refused tobacco, at tiie upland inspec
tions; as it would expose the planters
loluing tobacco of an inferior quality,
to the necessity, either of bringing it
lor inspection to this, or some other
distant place, where there is a licenced
stemmery or m mulactory of tobacco, or
ol runmng the risk ofloosing the fruits
ol Ins labor entirely, in the* event of his
crop being inspected and refused at one
jot the upper inspections ; where those
establishments are not to be found.
! U e therefore procured an amendment
[to the bill, by which the planter .is al
| ou e^ to transport his refused tobacco
to any puce, where there may be a li
cenced stemmery or manufactory, on
his giving bond at the inspection where
the tobacco may be refused, that it shall
not be earned beyond the limits of the
state.
rile only other measure of a general
nature, which the limits of a letter will
permit us to mention, is that of the res
olutions approbatory of the conduct cf
the general government, in the late ne
S^ciations with the belligerent powers
oi Europe.
Tluse resolutions will appear in the
gaze.te3 ol the day, and no doubt will
attract your at'ention. They were
brought forward by us from a deep con
' !ction that the disavowal ofdie arrange
ment concluded in April last with his
Britannic majesty's minister, Davitl M.
Erskine, and the haughty and insolent
rrmriiii-t _ ’ ■
'■ i’niiicia j.
I Jackson, together with the artful and
i abominable appeal made by the latter
| minister to the people ; in a word, that
ibe continued and encreasing attacks
upon the lights, honor and indepen
dence of the United States, bv both Bri
tain and France, take their origin in an
opinion, entertained on the other side
of the Atlantic, that the Americans are
no longer what they were in the year
1776; that they are now a divided peo
pie ; that it is only necessary to amuse
tnem fora while and to play offparties
against each other ; and that ultimately
they will do the work of their own des
truction. We are profoundly mortified
to say, that the spirit of opposition in
the eastern states, and the sudden and
extraordinary change in the measures
of congress, (the unfortunate effect of
that spirit of opposition' which were ex
hibited in the course of the last winter,
and the late most astonishing attempt,
made by a certain party in congress to
pa liate, to excuse, nay, even to justify
the unwarrantable conduct of the late
British minister, arc acts hut too well
calculated to give countenance to such
an opinion.
U tier such circumstances, wc con
sidered it highly imoortant to shew to
the world, that amid the great event*
whii h have marked our career in the
course of the last year, and in the pre
sent,extraordinary dt.ite of our affairs,
| the Old Dominion remains faithful to her
ancient principles ; that she will support
th^ present virtuous (t enlightened ad
ministration of the U. S. in the patriotic
(Stand which they have made against
| the open and insidious assaults upon our
(rights, our peace and our honor, by fo
reign governments, their agents and
■emissaries, and that whatever may !»*•
(the excentric tendencies discovered in
the course of other states, Virginia will
cling to the union as to the rock of her
salvation.
ith this object in contemplation the
resolutions of the present session were
brought to the view of the general as*
seaibir. We are happy to inform you,
that they have passed' b »th branches
of the legislature by an almost unani
mous vote.
\> e must here draw our remarks to a
close. Permit us to conclude ifMunxi
% $v
ing voU, that in return for the honoura
ble confidence reposed in us by our
, constituents, we have throughout the
session, devoted ourselves to their s**r
vipe, with an unweariod zeal and to the
utniost of our ability, and that we shall
be extremely gratify! to find that v.v
have given satisfaction to the people,
and deserve a continuation of their
confidence.
SENATE Of THE U. STATES.
Substance of the observations made by
Ar. GILE S' on the question of pas
sing the bill for fitting out, &?c. all
the frigates belonging to the U. S.
Tuesday, Jan. 23d. 1810.
Mr. Giles commenced his remarks
by observing, that fropi the papers
presented by the committee to the Sen
ate, and the explanations already giv
en of them, he had hoped that the ex
jpediency of the measure proposed hy
t!ie bill, would have been so obvious
to every gentleman of the Senate, as
to have relieved him from the necessi
ty of making any further expositions
in its favor. He said he felt himself
perfectly exempt from the fashionable
rage for debate, which he feared was
extended no far as to tend at least to
impede the necessary operations" of
the government, if not to paralize all
its energies ; and he regretted now to
be placed under an obligation of ex
temiing or participating in its influence,
but as gentlemen had called on him
for further expositions of the induce
ments of the committee for reporting
this bill; he would attempt to ?tate
them as briefly as possible ; he beg
ged to be excused for con^ryng him
self to general observations without de
scending to very minute details.
Mr. Cr« said the bill under conside
rationgrew out of the President’s mcs.
saga of the 3d. inst. In that rnrastge,
‘.lie President recommends z syateaz-oi
preparatory measures to meet anv ex
igencies that may await thie countn ;
o. v*h;ch system, the measure propos
ed by the bill forms one essential part.
The President commences bvreraind
p__■» v ’ . . .
wiigiwoaiueu me ia\. aumonsing
a detachment of 100,000 men from the
j militia, will expire on the 30thof March
j next, and recommends its continuance
for a longer period. A bill to that ef-l
i feet, would long since have been re
| ported by the committee, but a com
mittee oi the House of Hepr<. sentatives
! had anticipated them in the report, and
! it was thought unnecessary to Lirin ' the
same subject before the Senate at the
same time. I'he President then re
commends a military force of 20,000
men, to be raised and placed in a state
of readiness to be called into service
at the shortest warning. Some differ
1 cnee ofopinion existed as totheparticu
lar description of force intended by the
■ message ; but a majority of the coin*
mittee thought that the call of the Pre
sident would best be answered by the
.bill reported by the honorable gentle
jman from Vermont, (Mr. Bradley)
and which was jesterdav under con
sideration. The' President then pro
ceeds in the following words :
“ It will rest.vv.th them, Congres',
to determine how far lunher provis
ion may be expected, for putting into
actual service, if necessary, any part
of the naval armament not now em
ployed.
“ At n period presenting features in
the conduct of foreign powers towards
the U* S. which impose on them the
necessity of precautionary measures
involving expense, i. is ahapp; consid
eration that such is the solid state of
die public credit, that reliance can be
justly placed, on any legal provision
vhat may be made for resorting to it,
in a convenient fora), and to an ade
iquate amount.” jL
From this recor^kmlation, as well
as from the ptpers and other informa
tion obtained from the nnvv depart
ment in relation to this fubject, the
measure was addressed to the commit
t-e by two olrvious and powerful con
•idera.ions.
1 he one, to preserve the frigates
propos.-d to be repaired from entire
destruction.
I he other to employ them as instru
ments of protection and defence in the
event of war, &c.
With respect to the first object, it is
to be remarked, the secictary o! the
navy informs you, and this informa
t on, he believed, founded upon actu
1 ex mi oat on of the ve^ets ; tha:
they require material repairs, that they
vould probably be damaged th r.y
>er cent, by delaying the repairs for
•>ie year, and shortly thereafter be to
tally unworthy of repair. That the
present cost of repairs would be about
equal to one hall ol the original cost
ol new vessels ; and that when rep tired
they would be better vessels than
could be built of green timber. That
the repairs of the whole of them, could
be completed by next f:ti!, if the work
was all to bedone at this place. Where
as to fell timber t >r new frigates, and
to complete^them out of timber now to
be procured, would require two or
three years, &c. &c.
Under these circumstances, the
committee were left to the alternatives
either of giving up these frigrates to
entire waste and destruction, or to sub
stitute new ones in their stead under
all the disadvantages of encreased ex
pence, delay* in time, and the inconve
nience of building then* of unseisoned
timber, &c. See. or to provide for repair
ing the frigates now in being, as con
templated in the bill. They preferred
the last alternative ; and surelv, it is
recommended by every* consideration
of economy in expence, economy in
time, and the superior quality of the
vessels when completed, &c. Ccc.
Mr. G. said he knew .here were gen'.le.
men who thought that it would be beutei
oolicy to let these frigues go 10 destructi
on altogether --and that the money expend
ed upon iheir repair was money thrown
away or worse, as involving conscquen.ial,
expence s, Ecu. See. and (hut imputations
tud been thrown nui ag>in9t those who
now favored iuv d establishments even to
a very litni’ed extent, a »d who F rmerly
opposed them. He b .d reason to believe
also, that theue imputations however un.
merited. h?d not been altogether wi.hout
their efTec*.
Ke would, ihertfore, endeavor to put this
■•abject in its true point of view by bestow,
a f.w observations cn it*
In the first piece i:e would cad to the
recollection of gentlemen, for they appear
to hare for»»'ten or overlooked the cir
cumstance, that the p*e?ent naval esta
blishment was fixed in the years 1 SCO, IttOl,
under the administration <>t Mr. .I.ir
with the app oba ion and consent of him*
seii, and he believed, of every o her repub
lican then in congress. That at that ifme,
the establishment. was thought a proper
and reasonable* onj.j and thai af ercom
plefi^g the f igh<es“how proposed to be re
paired, the establishment will then he lesa
by three frigates, than was thought proper
and reasonable by the republ cans at that
time- He asked, what circumstances had
taken place since 1800, 1801, to justify a
further excision of the naval establish*
ment, or with what propriety can those
who then consented to that establishment
be accused of inconsistency ofconduct^ or
change of political pr inciples, for consent,
mg to an establishment now., less by three
frigates, than they than thought bo.li rea.
'■onable and pmper i
Since that lime the U» S» have been
blessed with a vast increase of population,
a vast increase of wealth, particularly mcr
Icantiie weal h, and increase of revenue.
See. At llie same time with an unexamp cd
diminution ol public debt, and withal,
they have in the mean time h.d their
rights, commercial rights particular If, as
sailed by both lh= g eat belligerents of &u
iope without any prospects of relaxa ion
from either, lxc. llu asked whether they
could find in any of these ciicumstances,
causes to justify at the present moment
dismantling their navy or cutting off or
unnerving the naval aim of their govern*
ment i lie was persuaded the whole of them
would nafura.ly produce a contrary ten.
denty. He said these impu-ations had
oeen thrown out by some g-.ntfemen, for
I whom he had the highest lespect, and he
believed with the most card.cl, though
mistaken convictions on their m nds; but
iheir er:ois would be easily corrected by
fin attentive review of the events, which
preceded tMe causes which pioduced and
the events which followed the cnange 01
admintsirailrn in 1HOO. During ih« tede
ral administration, the federal patty cod.
ceived the erione. us opinion, and acted
under the mmtaken impression, that the
constitution of the U. b. wan.ed rnergy ;
and to supply this want they undertook io
trgislaie energy into it. f or tins purpose
they tLvtsed expedients to justify it, and
resorted to physical force, a nncai u n>
r es, to supply this iniicoficcsved fatal dc.
icct in the constitution^ and to lorm .he
essential subsum e tor energy ; wbicn was.]
»n their View, the grea. ucsidcia um of
the goveroms" •
These measures required enormous ex
peoces, Uxti were imposed on tne people •'
»o deit.jr tnem ; umi w neu tu« ) were u»"j
Is
formed, that those expenses Were Intend-d
so procure energy, they did not belitx*e
'hey were in want of anv a«*h t-H-rgy. -
I'hey found thvir tulers w»re acvng und*e
a mistaken vision; that'they had departed
from the necessary practical objects of tie
government, and gone inquest of visionary
theories, which existed only in their owi
dtduded.yuagmations, which enu'd be of n*
practical use to the people, 8t which co;c
them vast sums or money, fee. Icc —They
theretore took the government out of fede*
ral hands, and putu into the hands oft licit
opponent—the republican party. —The vi
stonary theory of energy was therefore tin
fatal error of the federal party; and that „
error deprived it ot the power oi’ the nati*
on. The government being thus placed in
the hands of the republ ca is, whilst heat*
ied with the zeal of opposition to the fede
ral doctrines, and flushed with their recent
triumph, it was naturai for them, wah the
best int nt ons^ to run mioiha ni»p.<sit- r r,
«reine; to go too far* in the relaxation* of
the powers of th‘* govern n -nt, und toin
du ge themselves in the d-Ugiuul visions
r-r extending the range ot individual liber*
iy. They were therefore in danger ot IL»*
laxing the powers of the government so
Fir, as to deprive it of th m .-itis of i:»
own preservation and ex ci|#.ion for d »
mestic objects—and to impair or dest /
, i is efficacy in resisting forego aggression*.
The th-ory tnerelnre of the republic ins, as
opposed to that of the federalists, sat the
relaxation of govern men al restraints or
the extension ot indiv dun' liberty. It w.if
natural that in he vibration of the pclai^
cal pendulum, it should go trnm one *x.
treme to ano.her—and tuat this has ueen
too much the case with t te republic in ad*
m.nistraiion lie regretted to say he feared,
would be demonstrated by a very supvrfi.
cial review of the events of tne last two
*r three years. He saul it had been ins
fortune to oppose both of these ix*
tremes—i nat he thought the true policy
of the U. S. would be found in the medi*
urn between these two extremes -that he
had steadfastly placed his footing npou that
sr und—and that ue shoo'd not bo driven
from it, until he was convinced no had as*
sumed an unwise position. Ho s..d he
| was equally a»ers« fr.nn incurring expence,
I or devising expedients, merely to procure
ideal energy for the government—und front
an uilue relaxation uf its powers, stimu
lated by a visionary philantaropy, in a
vatu pursuit cd tne extension of individual,
liberty beyor.d the susceptibility of hum -n
nutuse, or in oiher words, irreconcilable
with the imperfections of the human c.j.»
i racier. He always h id been, and s ill w.*a
willing, to call into action the whole con*
smutional powers of the government, for
I the purpose of effecting all its practicable,
• legitimate and expedient objects, whether
of a foreign or domestic character. Ami
; he believed the government had powers
sufficient tor all its objects, if wisny and
efficiently applied. He sa:d, ifaiyexam,
pie were wanted to illustrate the trutu «n<l «
' ninpr'fnpft'i r»f rh.ro _
. —--IV r> ./'j
tie found in .he case under consider ur n.
in the objections to a uava! esiabfi*h-neut
at this tune, less by three frigate , la in
was deemed reasonable in lfct'Q—luoi —
and in the intimated inconsistency m the
conduct ot those, who then approved that
establishment, and wno now approve of
one ot less extent. Perhaps the truth is,
tnat gentlemen have gone so t.»r in the
i plcxsiiig nnd laudable effort, to improve ttio
, happiness of man, by extending tue scope
ot individual liberty, that they suppose loose
j who stand still are receding trom them >u
:an opposite direction, while, iney aie not A
sensible of their own motions —Hr azK£ •
j under the view of this part of the sub cct,
I he would vote for the bid—and it cirtu n
stances should in his judgment nerca.tr
render it expedient, he Would vote lor a
still further extension af naval equ pramts.
He said ihere was no danger in* ms judg
ment, of having a navy in tnis conn rj be
yond a very limited extent—orcadse tnG
ugricutrural and mechanical interest* were
gieatly superior to the cbmnoerciai *=und
.nry would always afford a complete se
curity against a too great extension oi a
vy
Mr G. said, the second consideration
which induced the committee to report
the bill, v/as to employ the frigates «s in
struments of protection and defence, >uul
even oi annoyance in the event \y„r.
Gentlemen h^ve asked whether the w.,oltt
of the frigates are competent to remst tu«
British flees, or even a small squadron of
it i To which it »s answered,no, ihiy aro
not. But it by no means 101 Iowa, tii it be
cause they are fiic.'«m«»cteat. to aitn eve that
splendid exploit, that therefore the c«rv.
nut be of any use at all. lie conceived
they might oc materially nvift I in defcml
•ng a town In case of a naval aft'c is.
JLhey would form an essential p-m ot a
combined force for that ot-Ject. Fort#5c««
lions on land have been erected at an i n
irense expenc.;—gun boats have been pro
vided lor me deleuce of rr.e seaport town i,
kc. and frigates arc in many respects esi
sentiai totneir combined upeiation. Tht /
(aie beside*important m turn si'ifg office »
land mm for inc gunboats. Uc ! c r«nl
lit has alw.«y» oecri unders.oo >, th^t tio.r
ope-atiun» must be incomplete wiint o' me
opera1 ions ot vessels of fin.;,* cioi©
| considerttl it incorrect to static * rt tr.i.
particular pari of the. naval fore ; >•. t •
• sk what It can ntchieve single and . re?
It w< u u be more just aiui proper - j*.s ••
tier it a*part ota combined ->*,o n of .*ir.»',
in t.iat point of view, n«: orl-rvid Um y
inigltt ai».» be occa^ioiiatly rw-pic^. i .11
barissyng me c -mmi-rct* ot an erivr* y >v.• i\
conmiitra.ne effect, p. rticuUviy if ( . t .t
Ur.tain mould be that ene&y.
**♦»*••' V 4 *jT *•* •* «•**'