The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-03-30 00:00:00, page 2

implements for using the same with effect,
whoa required tor actual service, and for
procuring gun--powder, salt pet re, knap
sacks, tents, camp kettles, and all other
necessary implements and munitions of war,
and also for providing proper and conveni
ent arsenals, and other needful buildings
for the reception and preservation of the
same, there snail be, and hereby is -appro
priated a sum of money not exceeding
, dollars, to be paid.out of any
manies in the Treasury not otherwise appto
priated. - »:•
-That the aforesaid sum of money or so
much thereof, as in the judgment of the
President of the U. States shall be deem-d
recessarv for tne-objects aforesaid, shall be
applied by the Secretary at war, under the
direction of the President of the U. States,
to the purchasing and procuring the articles
aforesaid in such proportions and at such
times, and the same when purchased or pro
em fd, shall be deposited in such places .is
the President of the United Stales shall di- j
rect, having regard in making such depo j
sits to places of secnrity,.convenient to such
parts ot the United States, as he shall deem
n>osi liable to predatory attacks from an e
ntirv.
That for supplying clothing for the ar
my of ihe U States Tor the year one thou
sand eight hundred and eleven, there shall
be and hereby is appropriated a sum of
money not exceeding
dollars to be. paid out of any monies in the
Tieasury not otherwise appropriated, and
the same or so much thereof as may be ne
eessary for the object, as well as all other
monies hereafter appropriated, shall be ap
plied to procuring the necessary clothing
for the>ariny of the United States under the
direction of the Secretary at War, by pub
lishing proposals and making contracts for
supplying the afovesaid clothing or any part
thereof, in the same manner as proposals
are now published and contracts are now
•mode for supplying provisions for the army
of the U. R. giving the preference., in all ca
ses of sruch proposals, to fabrics of the do -
snestic manufactures of the U. States, where
the same can be done without material de
triment to the service thereof.]
.. Mr Pofic moved to amend the bill by
adding the following as a new section :
Sec. 4. dnd be it further enacted. That
for supplying cloathipg for the marine corps
and for furnishing and equipping the navy
of the U. States, for the year 1811, there
shall be, and is hereby appropriated, asutn
of money, not exceeding
uouars. to oe p*iu out ot any monies
in the treasury not otherwise appropriated,
and the same or so much thereof as may be
necessary for the object as well as all other
monies hereafter appropriated, shall be ap
plied to procuring the necessary c loathing
for the marine corps, anti furnishing and
equipping the navy of the United States un •
<jler the direction of the Secretary of the
Navy, by publishing pioposals, -and making
contracts for supplying the aforesaid clo uh
ing or any part thereof, in the sairte manner
as proposals are now published, and con
tracts are now made for supplring provi
sions for the army of the United States,
giving preference in all cases of such pro
posals to fabrics and articles of die manufac.
ture and growth of the U. S. where the same
can be done, without material detriment to
the service thereof
Mr. Lloyd also having offered an amend
ment, the further consideration of the bill
was, on motion of Mr. Gilev, postponed ’till
to morrow.
Mr. Giles, from the committee to whom
was commuted the bill for the establishment
of a quarter-master’s department reported
the same with amendments.
HOUSE OF REFKESEMTjITIP'ES.
... Thursday, March 25.
NATIONAL BANK.
Mr. L*w moved to discharge the committee
of the whole from the further consideration of
thr resolution relative to the eitabbshment of a
national hank/ lie obaurved, that the resolution,
as ofiti-.d by himself, contemplated a reference
of it to a select committee, but after it was pre
sented, it was so m >diti d by different gentlemen
as at Iasi to become >carccly intelligible, and
was with his assent referred 10 a committee of:
the whol;. That at that lime a speedy investi-1
Ration of the subject was expected, and he felt ;
no objection t*> discuss the general principles of!
the nit-’fve buts-j mucl* time had elapsed with- i
out a biAUi prospect ol that general discussion, !
that l.e was induced to fear the subject unlesa :
soon acted on mi^lu not undergo the examination ‘
its very great importance merited.
;shiu n was a suDject whicn eoulu be
much better presented, and rendered mucli more
intelligible by the details of a bill, than the most
laborious arguments, and he conceived it was
one, the relations of which, to the interests of the
community, had never been sufficiently explored.
He presumed, he said, to think, that it would he
no difficult muter to organize a bank in such
v >v as to rend- r to the public a great share of the
Advantages, which institutions of the kind under
national patron «ge had never failed and never
Could tail, to gite to the first purchasers of stork,
»nd yet leave to capitalists sufficient inducement,
and perhaps to real capitalists a greater induce
ment, to become stockholders, than would in the !
ordinary mode be given them ; while the only o
ther efiect of the plan he bad conceived as it re
spected individuals, would he to prevent the enor
mpus speculations, which would otherwise take j
place, as had been experienced hi the establish
ment of the U 3.bank. *
He could prove that by the mode ot establish- I
ment adopted for tint bank, at least 3.000.000 .»f!
dollars had gon«. into me pnckela o| speculators, 1
yery many ot whom never became stockholders, •
vloch ought to have gone into ttie pockets of,
the people—attlie same time that real capitalists,
and permanent stock-holders paid fifty per cent.
»d\ aircc for their shares
lie flattered luniselt that very important im
p-ovements might he suggested in ;he draft of a
plan foi a national bank, and which would *er.,irr
the most important benefits to the public- lie
ha«l no doubt that the inosi eligible plan wlih li
•ntlld be suggested, would be entirely exeunt
from constitutional objections, and would only
add, that sufficient inducement* might fie • fh-red
to the state* to make it tbnr wish, to become
interested in the inst'lution, on primal snfg.n
•tal weifaic, and common safety, and -Iso from
prospects of the most substunu.d pecuniary ad
vantages. He added also, that he thought it
perfectly practicable, to present a plan, which
in it* efhei on society wou d Ime tin; stron^st
tendency to prevent the further encrease of the
numerous private associations, which he feared
if they continued to enrrease -s they had for *«
veral years pasi, would produce the destruction
?' everything useful mi banking institutions, and
Igavt- us to ff-cl the effort* of that which w as most
ihjtino-w m them. It had become the duty (he
Mibj-.cV !‘e to act on the
M - L hoped the House would discharge tha
comm.tue of the whole. refer the pfw.
row m a se art commute* with leave to , e;>oi t
*> nil or olht i w ue. • 1
M. Low’s mowon w« agreed to, VT v>
REDUCTION OT THE ARMY AND NAYY »
Mr. ARudolph. said lie wished to submit a mo
tion, to the House which wm of a nature that
would require perhaps, st least justify, some
general Observations. During his unavoidable
absence from-hia duty in the House the present
session, Mr R said it had been some consolation
lo him to reflect that if he had been unable to
participate in any of the measures, which the wis
dom of the government might have devised to
mevt the necessity of the .state, at least those
measures were not in any wise retarded or im
peded by any ofqmsitionrbf l»«. True it is (said
he) that at tiie distance which I was placed from
the seat of government, and through the medium
through which 1 viewed its meaMires, it was
impossible for me to discern any thing like a sys
tem pursuing or about to be pursued by the go
vetnment ol this nation. But this,sir, I attribu
ted to my own want of -information, not to the
want of decision or wisdom in the government.
I flattered myself that when 1 should h*ve
reached the seat of government, when I should
be on the rpot,ltiat 1 should then at least be en
abled to discern a degree of something like a re
gular system of policy pervading the great coun
cils of the nation But, air, using all the means
accessible to me, during the time that I have been
in Washington, I have been unable to detect
anything i.ke design, any thing like concert,
any thing l.ke a plan about to be pursued by this
House in relation to our national concerns_1
ought perhaps to s iy, until this moment. But 1
understand, sir, at length t e budget has been
opened—that a system has been brought f »rw .rd
for raising supplies by loans and by additional
taxes. It is in' relation to this system that the
motion which I am about to make will stand.—
I had indeed supposed, sir, that when the govern
ment of the United States should get into opera
tion at this session, the first act would be (ir
indeed wc could not build up) to pull down
that which every one seemed to acknowledge
was inefficient, ridiculous and hurtful—I allude
to the celebrated non-intercourse law—and I
certainly should have felt it ir.y duty to submit
a motion on that subject, as soon aS I took mv
seat, if I had not been informed that s bill was
in transitu between the two House9 to effect
that object. Why indeed the nation should
have tolerated this acknowledged evil, 1 have
never been enabled to discover. I had supposed
that tiie first step would have been to do away
the conlesscd evil, by way of preparation for
some substantial good. In this, however, I have
been unfortunately mistaktn Whether the peo
pie of the U. S. were ever to retrieve that flour
ishing commerce which had been ao chilil
istdy spoiled, Mr U said it was not for him to
undertake to determine. Commerce was a de
licate, a ticklish thing—and when it had formed
foi ilsei. new channels, like the nughty water
cmrse, i^was difficult indeed to turn it hack
into the old. But if the commerce of the Lr, S.
-7 . iic wouiu venture V*
fay that it was not to be brought back by tile
means of additional duties. The embargo and
non intercourse—lie bad almost forgotten to
mention the non. importation act—had chunged
tire habits of feeling and principles of the mer
cantile class in this country. As foreseen and
predioted, a syt. cm of smuggling, df" illegal trade
the most ruinous to the fair trader, the most in
jurious to the agricultural interest and destructive
to the revenue tliat could be conceived, had been
organised. A man has nothing to do (said Mr.
Randolph) but to go into the market, and give
a premium to have his cotton or tobaeco placed in
Liverpool or London, or to have an assorted car
go ot prohibited goods placed in any street of Bal
timore or Philadelphia. Whether these habit*
will ever be checked, it belong* not to me to
predict—hut they certainly will never be check
ed by high duties operating a* a premium on
smuggling
But it may be said that the nation is in that
situation in which it is necessary to act, to do
something I agree, sir, that, it is—although I
hold it not lo be llie least of the qualifications of
a statesman to be apprised when it is necessary
not to act A proposition is now in substance_
and I wish to brinq it in form—submitted to this
nation whether they will encounter a system of
additional taxation and loans, or whether they
.will m-ike a reduction in their unprofitable es
tablishments I think, if 1 have not forgitten,
that the Sertet.iry of the Treasury, in liis annual
report, has slated, that by an adequate reduction
in the army and navy the necessitous stau
our finances may be relieved. But perhaps, sir*
it may be said, shall we, in the present undeci
ded state as respects the belligerents of Europe,
make any movement which shall indicate a dis
position on nur part to submit to those bell:ge
rent* ’ Certainly not But, Mr R asked, w-s
there any one who heard him who seriously
thought of war, or believed it a relation in which
we could be placed ? He for one did not. War
with whom? War with France ’—Carried on
where ? By us here, and by France in ckl
France ?—For she had no possessions in our
neighborhood. War with England I—Carried
on where ? Ih the liocpit.ds at New Orleans ?—
Granting that our situation with either of the
belligerents was a hostile one, Mr R. said he for
one would in that case still be ready to accede to j
his proposition—for he saw no use in keeping up J
an establishment, a costly act of tools, wiiich we j
could not, if we knew how to use
It IS possible, however, said Mr R. that all this
time I maybe under a mistake—that there is a
system, that there is a plan, that there is a con
cert—and indeed if the old maxim be true, art
ett ctlare firtrtn, ours must he one of die most
refined systems—it eludes not only sight but
touch, and would elude even a chemical analy
sis. I would wi-di to ask tnis House, after all
lust has been said or that can be said on the sub
ject, whether wc must not—we may make as
many wry faces as we please—go back to that
ground (if it be possible to regain it) which we
have so childishly and wantonly abandoned *
We must—wc may Degin upon the system of
loans and taxation, but the people of the U S
will tell us to stop, »nd we must obey. Will
the people of the United States consent to
keep up expensive military and nsvd estab
lishments, of the very existence of which they
sre ignorant until they are made acijuaint
cd with them by biuihensorae ta*» and n
debt entailed on their posterity—and fur what >
I'o what earthly and ! It you cannot keep your
hi my alive in time of peace, I ask in the name of
common sense what will you do with them in
lime ot war ! Is there a man who hears me who
Ieel3 one atom ot additional security to his p r
sou or property from the army of the U. S. ? H is
it ever been employed to protect the rights ofi
person and property ? Has it ever been employ
ed but in violation ot personal rights and proper- j
iy—in the violation of the writ of habeas corpus
and as a new modern instrument of ejectment ? i
-Sir, go through the country, and put to every’
’ree holder in the land this question—Are you ]
willing to pay one third more of (inly, and an
hundred per cent, on that third, upon sugar, cof- ]
lee, kc. for the sake of the establishment at
New Orleans ? Wc may say wtiat we please,
sir, but that• xpedition which, until ours, surpas
sed in folly every other expedition ever underta*
ken—the ianiuu* expedition of a British army a
painst I'lushing, where they had an army as well
as climate to contend fcgains!—'hat expedition,
which even theirown ministry dare nut defend,
hut quarrel amongst ench other who shall have
the blame of it, waa stirpai.sasl in disaster by the
mortality of the American army. And yet, sir, for
tins shadow, ibis skeleton—it i* indeed a skele
ton of an army, the people of the U S. are to sub
mit to loses »nd taxation With respect to the
n > y,I say nothing of that. Its exploits arc at
eady registered iu our journal*. An*! the fact
«f the frigate Philadelphia having run ashore on
• e tail of the H >rte »< r>e, is the only one mi our
annals for scvw-1 Jfslisysst.
With iw-peet to war—we hare, thank God !
ih the Atlantic, a fosse wide and deep enough to
keep a>ITany immediate danger to our territory
The belligerents of Europe know'; us well as we
feel, that war is out of the question. No, sir—if
our preparation was for battle, the state physic i
ans have mistaken the state of the patient—we
have been embargoed and non intercoursed ai
most into a consumption, and this is not the time
for battle. If indeed the state was about to un
dergo innoculation for the small pox, this reduc
tion would have been according to the best medi
cal authorities
Mr. It said be would therefore submit to the
House under these views, the best bo had been
able to take, two distinct propositions in a single
resolution, in order lint the House and the peo
pie ol the 17. States might determine whether
they would submit to encounter the European
system of loans and tuxes, or whether they would
reduce establishments, which (to say the best of
them that could be said) were mere incumbrati- i
ces. It was he thought, about nine years ago
since he had the honor of making a similar mo
tiou in this House, which was me precursor of
the abolition of the internal tuxes. He hoped the
motion Ira was now about to make would be the
harbinger of protection against the system intro
duced into the House yesterday—that, at least,
it it was not made the means of taking off’ taxati
on, it might prove an antidote against it. Mr.
K. then moved “ that the military and naval es
tablishment ought to be reduced**—not that be
was at all opposed to a reduction ic;ny other ar
ticle of cxpence. He believed tin,, many other
and important reductions might be made in the
expenccs of the government. The spirit of re
form, he said, had long slept in this House He
would go far as any man in retrenching expen
ces, but be confessed his object now was to take
the bull by the horns. He considered these two
objects to be the great drains and sinks ofthe
public treasure.- 1 do not (said he) profess a bet
ter acquaintance with the public sentiment than
others, but l believe, if you were to propound the
question to every man in the U. States capable of
judging, that not merely nineteen twentieths,
but nine hundred and ninety-nine hnndredths of
tbein— always excepting those who draw cm lu
mans from these establishments and their imme
diate connections, whether in this House or out
of it—the good honest yeomanry oflhe 17. States,
who never saw these things, whose only proof of
their existence is in the money they call for,
would say, in God's name let us have none of
them If we are to have war, we know that we,
the j>e«>ple ofthe U. S. mid not the invalids from
the hospitals on the Mississippi, must light the
battles . . •
The House agreed to consider the motion of
Mr llandolph i and the question being slated on
its passage in the following words—
“ KotolveJ, That the military and naval estab
lishments ought to bo ri duced.”
Mr Lrr is presumed that me gentleman from
Virginia would not ask ot the House to decide
this question at a moment’s warning 1 have,
said lie, no objection to refer the resolution to a
committee of the whole House and to discuss it
If gentlemen on this floor who voted in. 180/ for
an increase of the army and n >val establishments,
can find in the present posture of the affairs ot
this country a sufficient ground to reduce these
establishments, and at the present moment, when
perhaps the first gala may bring news which will
i enable us to reduce them with honor—if it is the
intention of gentlemen thus to stamp themselves
with the charge of folly for originally increasing
them, I cannot coincide with them ; but it'it was
originally proper to raise this force, there are no
circumstances which ought at present to induce
Congress to reduce it. But at the same time,
sir, I am far from saying that I do not believe
that both the army and navy may be reduced be
fore the end of the present session. It is true
that die deficit in the revenue may be saved by a
reduction of the army and navy. * but that is no
reason wliy it should he done when every other
circumstance forbids it. There is a bill brfore
the House for the increase of duties ; it is report
ed in blank, and the ratio of addition will be fix
ed at the pleasure of th-2 House. It is reported
on the principle which is fair, that those who in
cur a vJobt should pay it. The d-ficitof revenue
should be supplied by those who incurred the sx
pence which causes it. i voted for tiie army, and
shall not be deterred from voting money tor an
object which I believed necessary and which I
still believe was necessary at the trine it was a
dopted. As to the present situation of the army
of the United States, 1 am not acqoainted with
it, except from private letters. No man more
than my self deplores the situation of that army j
and from whatever cause it has proceeded, who
ever is responsible for keeping the troops in a
swamp, 1 hope will be exposed to the public It
may be proper to observe that a lull pissed this
House yesterday for organising a torce more con
genial to the feelings of Ireem* n, which will per
haps much reduce the necessity of keeping a
military force embodied.
air, i ao noiior my part Know wnat course wul
be pursued by Congrcsr at the present session.
The gentleman from Virginia seems disposed
to repeal me nonintercmif.se—and I consider it
perlcctly consistent in Inn* to vote against it be
cause lie did so when it was passed—it is per
fectly consistent in him to say that it is inefficient
because iie has said so before—and that it is per
fectly consistent in him to reprobate every mea
sure taken (or four or five years past, because lie
did at the time reprobate them. Our situation as
to commerce, sir, does not proceed from our
acts, but from the injustice of the belligerents,
who by their decrees and orders at a single blow
reduced our exports from one hundred and
eight millions to less than seven. During the
year 1809 our revenue was about ten millions—
during the year 18i0 it will probably not be
more than eight. I have as 1 bel'cre said, .ioob
jection to meet the question, but the induction
of the army will nut do away the necessity 01
additional revenue, because our exports are
so much reduced that we cannot avoid this year
increasing the duties, or perhaps for some years
to come.
One reason of the reduct ion of revenue is, that
our manufactures have increased so much as to
exclude many foreign articles—nay, so far have
those manufactures progressed, tnat samples of
the manufactures have lieen sent to Ei.gimd to
be imitated and sent to this country to rival our
domestic manufactures. With tins view of the
decrease of our imports, and additional duty of
5 per (cent, on goods paying duly advalorcin,
would produce a million i ami raising the speci- j
fic duties 33 1 3 per cent, would produce two
inillious, making three millions, the supposed
amount of the deiicit.
Mr. Randoljih said he had no idea of
provoking the dicussion which hud com- j
mei.ced. lie was willing to submit his pro 1
position to the same committee as had un- |
tier consideration the gentleman's proposi
tiou for laying additional duties, and let I
gentlemen take their choice. The great !
difficulty which he felt in speaking in the !
Hall, n.td caused Mr. R. to omit one re
mark, and that was—that if Congress did '
mean to lay additional duties, it woo d be J
necessary to keep them on not only tins.
year, but many years. Mr. R. said he
had not expected from the gentleman, who
is at the head of the committee of fin ince
in this House, such an opinion on the subject
of indirect taxation as was to be gathered
from his observations. What would oe the
eff *ct of laying additional duties for one or I
two years > The effect would be, that the
articles on which the duty was laid, would
not be imported, because they would have
tocompete in the market with those artich
already imported free of additional dm),
and moreover would h?.vc to comtnd against
the well grounded expectation that ir a short
time, the duty would be taken off. So that 1
instead of getting revenue, you diminish
it by laying additional duties, bed uise the
very articles whicii are to produce revenue
will cease to oe imported. There is po clear,
er question iu finance, or evcn'ar».hineiic,
than this.
Mi* colleague had said, Mr. R. observed,
that the rejrenne having diminished, heavi
er duties must he imposed an certain arti
clrs—why? Because, forsooth, the urtic'rs
are imported under a disadvantage, owing
to the increase of our domestic manufactures.
If so, if, in order to get revenue, higher du
ties were to be laid on imported articles
not able to contend in cur markets, under
only the present duties, this was altogether
a new plan to him—it must he cf the new
school of finance—it was altogether incnin
■prehensiblc. With respect to the principle
that those who incur debts should pay
them, Mr. U. said he agreed with his col.
league—and, although he was not one of
those who incurred the debt, he was one of
those who were willing to pay it. They
would, unquestionably, by this system of
additional duties destroy what revenue was
left from duties on imports and tonnage_
He said he rather suspected hi* colleague
had fallen into a small mistake, and that
when he spoke of ad valvre.n duties on goods
imported, he ought to have said on articles
dutied—for under the present regime, they
did not amount to precisely the same thing
—and Mr. II. said, if we got back, which
he did not know to be practicable, to the
old system, we should find at: increase of
revenue, notwithstanding the rivalry of our
own manufactures.
One word more, said Mr. R. and I have
done, at least for to day ; Among the ob
ject* which induced me to submit the moti
on now before the House, or at least, one
which in my mind ought to weigh in its fa
vor, is this: That this planting our soldiers
like so much rice in a swamp, which my
colleague wishes tn see brought to light and
in which wish l concur, Ivas had one effect
—it has given die coufi de ferace to the re
cruiting service, which never was a very
flourishing branch of our home manufac
i ture of a standing army. If ii be true, as
I aliedged, that dead men tell no tales, it must
| be also true, that they can draw no rations
| But I can demonstrate, however true in com
j mon sense, that it is not true in the treasury
— - for there never has been an instance of
one dollar refunded, in the army or navv,
for persons not in place, although the esti
mate is always madd upon the supposition,
that the complement of men is complete
and full.. .
iTiy loiicdgus is misiaxen, sir ; i nave not
reprobated every measure for five years,
past. I had the honor of proposing some
measures——that of arming the tnili.ia,
tor instance, which was adopted with
what grace J will not say. Iliad the honor
of proposing otivers. which were subsequent
ly adopted when taken up by oilier gentle
meu. I might mention the contract bill,
the alteration of the rules and articles of
war—1 might go further, hut I am not dis
posed further to trouble the House or ex
haust myself.
Mr. Smi/ic said he was surprised that the
gentleman from Virginia had expected an
immediate decision of ins motion He could
not expect that it slioulu be immediately de
cided He did not regret, that it had been
brought torvvaid, and he did not :*iy what
his opinion would be wh«n they came to de
cide on ic; but to do it at prtsent.be said,
would be certainly premature. The obser
vations made with respect to the finances,
the siate of the army, and all that, lie con
sidered out of the question at present, t he
subject of the state of the army, besides,
was committed to a coijimittee. All these
subjects, he said, lie was willing to meet at
a proper time, but he was no going to de
cideon a motion of so much importance as
that before the liouac, without due consi
deration.
Mr. .l/dcon said, that both the gentle nen
from Virginia stem to have given him a
left handed touch. In reply to one, (Mr
Itandolph.) Iu» would observe, that he would
never allow that the embargo was not a wise
measure, and lie was willing to discuss it
over and ovet again, at any time. The o
ther gentleman, (Mr. Eppes.) had spoken
ot the army. Mr. M. said, he did vote
lor the increase of the army, and in a si
milar situation, would do the same again.
He had believed, that the attack on the
Chesapeake was as much war, as the at
tack on Copenhagen. This had been his
impression, and this he had stated at the
time lie had voted for an army. He had be
lieved. at that time, that G. Britain meant
to follow up her blows, and lie was prepared
to nu.ee her. But, since that, an embargo
had been laid, and then substituted by non
intercourse. It the sin of embargo was on
his head, he said lie should die writ it. He
was willing that this resolution* should be
Committed News might come trom Eu
rope, which would make it necessary to
I raise men. Ifso, said lie, let us doit when
.v wrucj, ici 115 uu wuai is r’g:u under ex.
isting circumstances. As to the ai my, I ne
ver had a doubt of the right of this House to
enquire into the state of it. ft belongs to the
nation and not to the executive.
Mr Handol/th wished to state, that he
had given his friend, from N. Carolina, too
many honest right handed touches, ever
to gi ve him a left handed one.
Mr. said, he had mo intention to give
the gentleman a wipe ; for it would have been
at the same time to cast a reflection on him
sell. It will be recollected, said he, that
when I voted for the army, I took the ground,
that the embargo must at some time he rais
ed, and when it was, there must be war —
and I declare, that if I had foreseen that the
establishment would be kept up year after
year, and that those who raised the troops
had not energy to use them, I should not!
have voted for them ; I never have been for
raising standing troops in time of peace, and
I fear not, that it will be believed, that i am
in favor of either a standing army or navv,1
in time of peace. Our defence depends on
the people ; but a portion of troops were ne
cessary for garrison duty, in which the mili
tia cannot be employed—and when the addi
tional troops were raised, they were consi
dered sufficient for that object, t.ad it was
so stated at the time. I voted for them for
war and i,pt for peace; and whenever it is
decided, by the representatives of the nati
on, that they will submit to the decrees of
(iieat Britain and France, whenever they
lepeal the non intercourse, which, whethei
feeble or strong, is the only measure be
tween us nod submission ; I, for one, will go
Huh in band with tlw -e who will reduce the
•u my and navy, and give to «he pe pie al
die ad van ages wlur.h will result from whai
1 shall deem a suitcikKt of then-rights.
I he qtrcaficn esaa llun taken an ,\ir. Run,
u’oljJt'a motion to refer /tit revolution (<f ;/tc
»cme rsnrvt'fpe e/“>V -**’• v ,..7f
committed ttu& Ufor laying add.tonal 11ti
tle*, and carried.
March C"!.
Mr. Sawyer reported a bMI to aitrr ;! 3
times of huldhig the District e*-ni*t% ,,f tj,.s
U. .watt for the district of .’.•maile m
North Cmolina ; which was twice rend an 1
caiti'nittnl.
j Mr. (J.'iincy fr^m the CTTnit'e? to whtva
was referred the Co-opt roUc-rS sta'Cment < f
Ualanc- s remvmiog unsettled at 'he Tre-i
sury, repnrud a bill providing fnr the worts
perfect accountably of persons rctni .P.-f
with pub.ic monies. [ibis bill piuvidtg
that every publ.c agent or otfher person ao*
con liable for public monies shi'.l render hia
accounts ;u least once a quarter to the lYea
sury if he reside within me LbS. arid at least
annually if he reside in foreign countries.]
Twice read and committed.
Mr. Jl'ewfuti reported a hill to allow the
be »efit of drawback on mt^ch-.iiKli-ce rvatis*
ported by land conveyance from Newport
to Boston and from Boston to Newport in
like manner as if the same were transpor
ted coast wise. Twice read and commit
ted.
Tilt engrossed bill authorising the dis
charge of John l\crr from Ids imprisonment,
was read a third time and passed.
B ATTUNE.
”1 ho . lou’C then resumed t!ic cobsi'ler«t
tion of the bill providing the means to :ts
cerrHin the title to the Butturc in front of
thr subur*. of St. Mary’s in New Orleans.
Mr. BiltVs motion tostrikeout yet under
Consideration—
Mr. 6Virffey read an amendment, which,
if the motion for striking out was agreed
to, .he should propose. Thu amendment
proposes the appointment of three commit,
sinners, whose decision on the title is to ba
repo 1 ted t:i Congress on or before the fust
day of January next, and to be valid £c final,
unless reversed by Congress before die 4th,
day of March succeeding.
Mr. Shejfry supported his amendment by
so-nc rental ks.
Mr IV. siUtor and Mr. Ilhca spoke gene
rally against theoill.
A motion was then made by Mr. Dawc.on
to postpone the further consideration of the
bill to Monday next, and canied.
l'lie House resolved itself in o a commit
tee of the whole. Air. Desha in the -'.hair,
oil the bill authorising th;- dischat g • of l*hi
neas Varney from his imprisonment.
1 „ [ I'liis is a case of imprisonment for vio
j latiou of the embargo laws. The petitioner
I was employed by Swanton and Davis, of
Bath, during the cm >ugo, toga on a.i un
lawful voyage, which he concluded and paid
the proceeds into their hands, lie was Mib
> sequent!}- prosecuti d tor a violation o' ifie
embargo laws, lined 3000 dnilaisund impri
soned lucan-e un.ible to pay u or precuieit
to be paid.]
Alter considerable contest, Messrs Cook
1 and Root chiefly supporting tne bill, the
cointniv.ee reported 1 to the II use, and it
| was ordered to be cngr issed for a mird.
i reading.
Sa r dr day, March 24.
Mr. Johnson repot ted a bill lor the relief
:of John Minor, administrator < f Reuben
; Minor. Iwnt vend and coin oi; eu.
| Til.* e igrosidd R , making oppi o*»ria.
tions for c:air>ing into effect cercun i .Ji
! an treaties wai read the third time and
i PASSED.
| The engrossed bill authorising the dis
charge ot Hnineas Varney from imprison..
n»eot was read a thi d time, and, alter an
hour’s debate, passed, by Yeas and Nays
00 to JO.
TORPEDO EXPERIMENT.
The House resolved itself into a committee
i (d the whole on the bill appropriating a sum
| faf ™»kiug an experiment on the practical
; utility ot .lie Torpedo or submarine exulo
! sion, Mr Jies/iu in the chair.
! Mr, Lyon expressed a hope that the bill
i would puss. He wished that a trial might
be made of this invention that promised so
\ much. He hoped the House would not be
influenced against it by laughter ; they -had
got over the worst of it now tiie bill had been
received from the Senate, and he Imped af
ter going so tar that they would go through
with it.
Mr. Livermore srid that as the non in.
tercourse law was yet in existence*, and as
gentlemen declared they would not repeal
it without asunstilute, as that substitute nad
not been proposed in this IImse, this bill
trom t e senate perhaps was the substitute,
h so, he should be very ready to give J000
dollars lor so desirable an nbj ct ; and al
lbough he hart heretofore opposed the bill,
be Itlt disposed under this belief to wiun
dsaw bis' opposi ion.
mr. \Jtuiicy haul tiuut if it was intended
to make an experiment, he wished it might
be made in such a way as .o give satis:ac
tion. No one doubted that a vessel could
be blown up wun gun powder ; out in all
experiments made, and to be made, the
vessel wnich was the subject ol the expe
riment, was placed under the control ol the
inventor, and just where he wished it.——,
The vessel employed lor the purpose might
uni be seaworthy, and it so, the blowing her
up >vou.d not be proof that the same "f rce
applied to a ship ol the line would have th<2
same effect, any more than one could prove
that he could blow up a ship of the line by
blowing up an egg shell. Mr. Q. said bis
wish was, if Congress were 10 go to the ex
pence proposed, that they should do it like
men who understood the object proposed,
and were desirous of a satisfactory experi
ment. He therelure moved to amend the
bill by adding a section to tins effect—that
the Secretary of the Navy ihali be autho
rised and required to superintend the ex
periment, &c and to cau.e all such ob
structions to be interposed as would or could
be interposed by a vessel against which an
attempt witij the torpid » whs about to be
made, provided the die of no citizen be en
dangered by it—ihe purchase and prepa
ration of the vessel on winch the <xp«;ri«
moot is tube maife not to be under the con
trol of the torpedo inventor, who shall be
prohibited from all communication with the.
said vessel except such as he could hava 1.1
case of actual ho* 1 litiers
This amendment was opposed by Messrs.
M Ivun, byufl and Holland, ori/tne ground
that the obstacles to the experiment would
be interposed without giving the inventor an
opportunity of repelling Mien ; that if such
extensive means were made use cl to inter
p >se obstacles, the same would be requi
site to repel them, and a gr».at«M exnenco
vould he involved than this up. top nation
could cover.
Mr, jf/ootry replied hat no force in'7:1 bo
pplivtl or expence incurred but, tbs.t o£
j xi'ys.or mpflu thrown #ver the side to heep
Vorpedi*** fro.w *Jba