Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-02-09 00:00:00, page 1

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' VIRGINIA ARG
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‘ [/W DMtr'p'* Mvmc'. r R I D AY. FEBRUARY ■«. 4*10. [la 1-2 Cent» Jj.,r<r.j
Virginia Legislature,. 4
^ House of Delegates•
FRIDAY; FEBRUARY 2d, 1810.
Fr^; fr0,7I the .cr?™m’,ttce to w‘lom w:« referred the preamble and resolutions relating to the conduct of
Tramis J. Jackson, Into minister from the British government to the government of the United States, presented the
said pream ne and resolutions, with an amendment proposed thereto by the committee, which he. handed in at the
.clerk’s table, where the same was read; >
WAi ,u;iJe to Jl:ncaJ llle amendment by striking out the whole of it, and inserting in lieu thereof the
Whereas the correspondence between the Secretary of State ami the British minister, Francis James Jac^tan, and
c.yents whten succeeded have excited much public attention, and the House of Delegates of the commonwealth of
vhrgima, being called upon to express their opinion thereon, feel it their duty to declare, and hereby do declare, that
-toev consider the conduct of the Executive ot the American government to have been wise, correct and proper, Xtid\
;uhy warranted by the i »cts which have been disclosed: ” - 1
Resolved therefore, 1 hat this House entertains full confidence in the wisdom, patriotism and prudence of the ex
ecutive department of the American Government, and hereby pledge themselves to afford prompt, ardent and active
-support in . prosecution of all measures, whether offensive or defensive, which may be calculated to protect the
rights, liberties and honor of our country. y \
An 1 the question being put on agreeing to the said amendment to the amendment proposed by the committee, it
passed in the negative. *
A further motion was then made to amend the amendment proposed by the committee, when on motion, ordered
tnat the sank report, together with the said amendments, be laid upon the table.
■I r-i m
1
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3;/,T8lO.
» he House proceeded to consider the amendment proposed by the committee to whom were referred the preamble*
and resolutions on the conduct of Francis J. Jackson, lato minister from Grcat-Britain, which preamble and resolutions,
•together with toe amendment proposed by the committee, as also an amendment proposed to the amendment of the
committee (lay on the table.)
i he a nrudment proposed by the committee, by way of substitute, is in the following words:
Whereas the general assembly of Virginia did, at the last, and several preceding sessions, so fully express their,
■strong and decided approbation of the course pursued by the general government, in relation to the contending pow
ers o. Europe, that they would deem it unnecessary, at this time, to renew the expression of their sentiments, if
the arrangement concluded in April last, with Daid M. ■Erskine, the accredited minister of his Britknnic majesty,
had not been perfidiously disavowed by his government, and if his sucsessor, .Francis J. Jackson, after having gross
•ly insulted the government of this country, had not made an unwarrantable and insidious appeal to the nation • and
witereas, in the present perilous state of our affairs, it is the sacred duty of every part of the nation to stand forward,
firm and united, in support of the general government, in their laudable efforts to defend the rights of this country
against the continued and growing aggressions of the great and haughty nations of Europe: therefore,
Resolved, ! hat the dourse which has been pursued, as well in regard to the arrangement concluded in April last,
with David Tl. Erskine, minister plenipotentiary of his Britannic majesty, as with respect to the subsequent corres
pondence with, and dismissal iff, his successor Francis J. Jackson, and in relation to our foreign affairs fia general*
has confirmed the General Assembly of Virginia,.™ the exalted opinion which they entertained of the justice and wis
dom, the firmness, decision and patriotism of the present Executive of the United States. jP /
Resolved, I hat the General Assembly of Virginia, being deeply impressed with the necessity of union among thw
people, and devotion to the government, in the present awful and eventful crisis, do hereby solemnly pledge them
selves ,tr> support the general government in all such measures as may be deemed necesaary for the defence of the
rights, the interests and-the honor of the nation.
The amendment proposed to the amendment of the committee, by way of subtitute, is in the following words:
Resolved, That.the people, having by the constitution of the United States, exclusively delegated to the general
•government the power of providing for the common defence, of making peace, declaring war, and the regulation of
lntercouse with foreign nations, that government alone can, and of right ought, without controul (other than constitu
tional) to exercise, those powers so wisely confiled to it ; that the practice of expressing public opinion by resolutions
so often exercised as well by the citizens as the legislatures of the several states, is generally fallacious ; but always a
dangerous innovation upon the principles of our government; and if at all resorted to, ought to be reserved for cases
*of the last necessity.
That the powers of approving and recommending imply also, those of reprobating and controuling the measures of
any government.
Tbit a faithful, impartial and constitutional administration of the government of the United States is the best gua
rantee of the affections, the attachment aad support of the people of the several states* and of amity, justice and good
offices from foreign nations. ®
That we, the members of the'General Assembly, wholly occupied in discharging the duties imposed by the consti
tution and people of Virginia, disclaim all right of dictating to, or otherwise influencing the measures of the general
government than by our constitutional representation in the Congress of the United States ; and, as representing one
of those states, claim for it no privileges or immunities which might eadanger the rights or encroach on the constitu
tional power* ol the general government ; or higher honor than to occupy that station which shall be allotted to her by:
^government of our choiee, on any emergency which may involve the future destinies of our country ; and to which,
*r^^j#r wca’*h» population apd devotion to the best interests of that government, she shall be entitled.
SHnion was then made to postpone the further consideration of the said preamble and resolutions, together with
/ the mPcndments thereto,to the thirty-first day-of march next;
And the question being put on the said motion for postponement, it passed in the negative ;_Ayes34_Noes 123.
The question being then put on the amendment proposed by way of substitute to the amendment proposed by the
committee, it passed in the negative.—Ayes 1G—IMoes 138. 7
Aturther motion was then made to amend the amendment proposed by the committee, by striking out-the whole of
said amendment, and inserting in place of it the following :
The General Assembly of Virginia, under the influence of all those sentiments that bind it to the high interests of
•jthis unmn, is reluctantly compelled to express its feeling and its opinion upon the solemn crisis to which those interests
‘Ihave arrived.
Protesting, as this Assembly does, against those principles which would withdraw the legislative bodies of the dif
ferent states from the discharge of the functions to which they are specially deputed, and employ them in the business
*of sitting in judgment upon the conduct of other bodies, to which the people have confided other interests, this assem
bly finds itself imperiously required to continue a practice, which, although vicious, has now attained too much strength
, ' to or eradicated. °
This Assemble has seen with pain, the course and termination of a negotiation from which it had fondly anticipated
an honorable and satisfactory adjustment of the differences between the U. States and Great Britain ; while it forbears
any remade upon the conduct of the miniver charged with that negotiation on the part of his Britannic majesty, this
-assembly is bound to declare, and it makes the declaration with the deepest regret, that neither in the spirit or the
manner of that negotiation on the part cf the executive of the U* States, nor in the step which It has taken to repel the
-outrage which it is alledged was offered to it, can this assembly find anv thing to approve.
It appears from the statements contained in the official letters of the minister of this government at the court of St.
James, and particularly from that of the‘23<l of June 1809, that the British Government was prepared to revoke its
ordt-s in council, so far as they respected this nation, upon receiving a pledge from this Government that it would
prohiirt all commercial intercourse between its citizens and France and the powers which adopt or act under her tie
cre-/s, so long us those powers should continue in operation decrees violating the neutral rights of the United States.
That die British government would have no hesitation to refer the subject of the colonial rtrade of her enemies to
4i future discussion and arrangement nor anv hesitation in abandoning the proposition, that the British navy might,
by stipulation, aid in preventing commercial intercourse between this country and France, and the power* which adopt
or act. under her decrees.
This knowledge of the views of the British government must have been in the possession of the executive of the’
^k United States be fir - the arrival of the minister of his Britannic majesty at Washington; and recollecting, as this as
ksembiv d ien, bow frequently the executive and the congress of the United States have declared the determination oi
this government t > rr«trrr it* commercial intercourse with ih.it one of the belligerent nations of Kurope which should
|®*eyoke its verers viohiing the rights of neutral commerce, and to continue the system of non-intercourse with the
^^par'v adhering to its edi t*, this assembly is lost in astonishment—is aUruvxl into the most fearful anticipations or
discovering that s mb b«s not been the result of the late negociation at Washington.-With this knowledge of the
ttvews ah,: intention* j>f t’r-i British government, so coincident, apparently, with those of this government, this ass am-'
i Li /
bly knows not why it is, that, in all the
, communications of the secretary of
state with the British minister, and in
the letter to Mr. Pinkney relative
thereto, the government of Great Bri
tain is represented as adhering to a re
cognition on the part of the United
States of the three conditions that it
appears, the late minister, Mr. £rs
kine, was instructed to offer to its ac
ceptance.
Nor can this assembly reconcile .to
those rules of decorum which should
especially be regarded in all diplomatic
intercourse ; the pertinacity with which
the Secretary of State adheres, in his
correspondence with the British minis,
ittr. to the supposition that Great Bri
tain still requires 'the recognition of
i those propositions, as a condition of
revocation of the orders in coun
cil, in defiance of that minister's re
peated declarations, •“ that in no wav
had he given room for such a -supposi
tion, * and that he was not instructed
to make any propositions to this go
vernment, mueh less, to renew those
that had been already declared unac
ceptable.
This assembly will forbear much re
mark upon the unusual and unnecessa
ry measure by which the executive of
the United States has considered it
proper and politic to vindicate the im
puted outrage upon its dignity. The
insolence ascribed to the British minis
ter is unhappily not*without precedent
in the intercourse of this government
with die ministers of France and of
Spain. Cases of .the most aggravated
nature have heretofore occurred, in
none of which has the then president
of the United States conceived that his
dignity required the suspension of the
minister’s functions in addition to an
application to his sovereign to recall
him. A government strong in the con
sciousness of its integrity, is underno
necessity of resorting for its vindicati
on, in cases such as this, to a measure
so violent in itself, so iriritating to a
frendhy^jower, as^the abruntj&staiasAL
of-***agent.—Weighty this con:
sideration at all times, it is peculiarly
so in its application to the case now un
der the animadversion of this assem
bly. Motives of delicacy and of poli
cy, springing from the conduct of thU
government in relation to a minister of
another power -and from the critical
state of the friendly relations between
the United States and Great Britain,
should have dictated to the president
of the United States, in the opinion of
this assembly, the propriety of resor
ting solely to an application for the re
call of the offender.
Resolved therefore, That this as
sembly is unable to discover in the late
correspondence of the executive erf the
United States with the minister of his
Britannic majesty the evidence of that
sincerity with which this governui'eiQr
has professed to seek an adjustment* of
the differences that exist between the
United States and Great Britain. •
Resolved also, That the refusal of
I the executive of the‘United States to
permit the minister of his Britannic
majesty to continue in the execution
of his functions, as the accredited a
gent of his government, is, in the opi
nion of this assembly, a measure unne
rcessay, impolitic and forbidden by the
re?ar(I which is due from this govern
ment to itSiWf.
Resolved/arther, That this assem
bly is devfttdtl to the maintenance of
the government ofits choice, and to the
preservation of its perfect indepen
dence Of ev#ry other power ; and that
although this nssembly believes that
war might have been averted, yet if
this unhappily should he the result of
the present state of things, the General
Assembly of Virginia, impelled by alf
those motives and feelings that hind it
to the government of the United States,
will exert all its energies in maintain
ing that government.
And the question being put on the
proposed amendment, it passed in the
negative.
The question being then put on tW
amendment j , ed 1»v the commit
tee, it vris a \*d to’by the House.
►'T* '('hr ai/rs and nor* mere not ta
ken on this amendment. K'e believe on
ly three members vo*ed in favor of it.
For *o/# nt •'his office,
A FF.W COPIKA OF
RJSIIOI* MADISON’S
MAP OF VIRGINIA.
•. e..-„
A View of the Most Important Proeeed
°f the Legislature of Vtrginiu,
at the Session of l 8C9—10.
/
PREPARED FOR THE ARGUS.
— i
PENITENTIARY 'SYSTEM
Comparative view of the intend! ooerrtU
on# of thePenitentiary. under tbe for
i mer and present system, -embracing m.
period ofner.rly six yeais.
FORMER SYSTEM.
1 No. 1.
Frotn 1st Dec. 1803. to 1st Bare. * tfNU:
| To expenses arising from
purchases of raw materials,
ton!*, diet and clothing of pri
soners, stationary, and keeper's
commissions ft 78,"393 lift
By manufa&ured articles,
end stock on hand 16,578 'CY
" " 1 *
Loss ft i»Ul£ 6x
Nc 2.
From 1st Decj 1804, to 1st Dec. lioy
To expenses See. (as in No.
0 £ 2 Ij758 ft
By manufa&ured articles,
and stock on hand 19,066 7ft
Lon ft 3,6? I 3ft
No a.
From 1st Dec. 180*, to 1st Dec. 280*.
To expenses, kc. (as in No.
M £ 24,93 2 1ft
By manufactured articles, tc
iteck on hand 31.871 eft
Loss ft 3,-060 2 ft
PRESENT SYSTEM.
Nn. 1.
* ‘From 1st of April 1807, to IstDec, laOT1*
To expenses arising
from purchase of raw ma
terials, tools, diet and cio*
thing of prisoners, sta«
tionary and agents’ coma
missions ft '41,395 C4
By manufa&ured arti
cles end slock on hand
Cam .ft
No. 3.
From 1st Dec. 1807, to 1st Dec. 280«.
To expenses Sec. (as in
No.l) 0 61,938 73 1 3
ny manufactured arti
cles, and stock oa hand 75,910 34 1.2
'Cain g 17971 .*1
No. 3.
From 1st Dee. 1108, foist Dec. 1B0S.
To expenses kc. (as in
No* 0 8 83,569 33 1.2
By rnanufa61 ured arti
cles and stock on hat.d 92,103 47 Ijy
/ Gain 8,534 14
'HT’Note, the diminution of the gain
during he last year arose from the intro.
dufflioo of a spinning-machine { -which
being incomple’e., requited the expend*- -
lure of a considerable sum of money, be
sides the loss of labor to put it in opera,
tion ; also from the con»'6\s"being neces
sarily engaged in manufa&ures which
were less profitable than those in which
they were employed the year b-fore.
Note»a1sc, If it be. prr per to charge
the institution with the officers* salatie^.
the expenses of hat portion of the publie
guard employed at the Penitent try, *or
the physician’s salary, and -of the trans
portation of the prwonera to fht -Peniten
tiary, than these items -roust he added
[the loss sustained in the years »fi03> 4, k
In hke manner similar items must he de
Hufled fro*s» the gain of 1807, ft, arid 3,
with the addition of an extia commission
allowed to the keeper, assistant^ and
turnkey, on the clear profits ol the insti.
lotion. The above comparative view
proves, that, settling the accc.urts,, upou
the ssme principle*, the op*ra»ions of ifm
[present system ate vastly more tuvnrabl*.*
'ban those of the former. The nwt'o-r
of prisoners during the above perird* w**
•'emly the. ssme, varying from ICO toll50,
as new ennvifils were adtnittcd-or old v!.-*»
discharged
>11 LIT I A.
According to the retu>ns r-fjqou.
Infantry 76.292
Cavalry 2.338
Artillery .'1,233
60,842
The returns are incomplete, a*rtw
tterly one half the cavalry arm arn)t-r>.
•nd one regiment of infantry C'.P-aii.'rt*
-U.ut loco men*
/kf** .... t •’