The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-12-10 00:00:00, page 6

arms or ordnance Owned by the U. S.
and which may be parted with without
injury to the publick ; and that they re
port by bill or otherwise.
Mr. Nelson had no objection to the
principle embraced by the resolution,
but thought it was iinpropcrlv referred.
He moved that the resolution should be
amended so as to refer it to the com
mittee on so much of the president’s
message as relates to military establish
ments, See.
Mr. Dawson had no objection.
The resolution thus amended was a
grecd to.
November IT.
IMr. Blount Irom the committee to
whom v.*as reierred so much of tlu
message ol' the president as relat ed to
aggressionsj eke. made a report. The
report commences with an expression
ol sensibility at the outrage committed
on die Chesapeake, states the receipt
ol iniormation relative thereto lroni the
state and navy departments, presents a
general view ol the circumstances, ob
trves that it might he 1 aid to have been
in-ontesti dv proved that Wm. Ware,
John Strnchan and Daniel Martin, are
citizens of the United States, bufthi
committee add. that they conceive it un
necessary foi them cor the house to go
into any inquiry on that part of the sub
ject, as in tlu ir opinion whether the men
taken from the Chesapeake were or
we re not citizens of the U. S. and whe
ther the Chesapeake was or was not
v.thin the ac knowledged limits ol the
U. S. at the time they were taken, the
character oi taking them remained the
same.
}■ rom the 1 rcgolng facts it appears to
your committee, that tli outrage com
mitted on the frigate v it sap, ake lias
been stamped w ith circ urn uanci s of in
dignity and insult, of which there is
, ’ ■ 1} to be 1 >und a pat tlh 1 in th •
history ol civilized nations, ;,nd requires
only the sanction oi the govern .iient un
der colour ol who e nuthoritv it was
p rpetrated. to make* it just cause ol, i!
n it an irn s.stible ca l t r, instant and
severe retali ;i n. Whether it will re
ceive that sanction* or lit* di i vow id Sc
• • r ■ 11 ,, ; , i _
ordinate otfn.er, remains i > i> deter
mined by the* answer wl ■ h hull 1 e
given to i'k demand lor i’ u iti.>n :
•tint answer, now tlailv e ,j ft' <1 • id i
thcr sink tin del .stable a t into piraev,
or expand it to the m: , ,i \d i,f *)r, .
meditated hn^w.u y «>0 the sove*
reigntv and independence of this nation;
and until it* true character shall be fixed
and know n, your committee deem it ex
pedient to decline expressing any opi
nion as to the measures proper to be
adopted in relation to it. But as other
act; of aggression have been committed
w ithin our ports and waters bv British
ships of war, as well anterior as poste
rior to this, some of them manifesting
the same disregard of our national rights
and seeming to flow from the same con
tempt for the authority of our laws ; and
especially as the British squadron, of
w hich the Leopard was one, after being
notified of the President’s proclamation
ordi ring them to di part from the w aters
of the l1. S. which tin y knew had been
public he d in conformity to an actof Con
gress, anchored within the capes ol Che
sapeake bay, and in that situation re
mained, capturing American vessels e
ven w ithin our acknowledged territorial
limits, and sending them to Halifax for
adjudication, impressing seamen on
.0.1.1 American vessels, firing on boats
and vessels of all descriptions having
occasion to pass near them in the pur
suit ol their lav*ful trade, and occasion
ally denouncing threats calculated to a
larm and irritate the good peopled the |
i U. S. particularly the inhabitants oi
Norfolk and Hampton, which facts an
substantiated by the accompanying do
< uments no. 1 to 6 ; the committ e nr
of opinion that it is expedient to j ro
vide more eff dually for the protection
oi our ports and hai hours ; but p t be
ing prepared to report specifically on
that subject, they ask further indulgence i
of the house, and beg leave to submit
ter their con ,id ration the follow mg re
solution :
Ri >!ved, That the attack of the lou
tish ship ol war Leopard on the ( nit d
States frigatt Ch sapeake,was a flagrant
violation of the jmisdiction of th • (r. S.
and that the contii nance of the British 1
squadron (of which the Leopard was!
on ) in th ir wat- rs, aid » being no ic cl
oi tli proclamation of tlie Pr sident of
the L. S. orcl 'ring them to cl< part the
*ani‘, was a iardi u viola 1 in tl*c*r< o'.
f he report was r. fernal to a com
mittee ol tlie whole on INIoudnv.
On the 2Tl X v. a letter from the
President was read, transmitting die
proceedings in the case of Purr, wlii*h
was referred to the committee on tint
part of the presid. nt\ message r< laiive
to eaierprLcs against the public peace.
IV HEEL I H Gy
Thursday, 10th December, 180r.
The passage ot Gen. Moreau through
the western country, and round to N.
Orleans, occasions some speculation.—
It is understood that he has made his
peace with the Emperor of France. It
is also said that Madame Moreau has
gone home to France. Whether the
General's tour is merely to satisfy his
curiosity, or for some ] olitical purpose,
is a matter of doubt with some.
Committees in both houses of Con
gross 1 i\ e reported in favour of resort
ing to \ igorous measures for maintain
ing the authority oi the nation in the se
veral ports and harbours. The plan
mentioned l;y the President, as the most
consonant to our principles and circum
stances, vi. . excluding all foreign armed
vessels by law, seems to receive little
countenance. The congressional com
nbt‘f ■ s appear to believe that those who
would behave improperly within our
waters, Mould not he prevented from
entiling them by a law to the contrary;
and that it would be unwise to leave
diem at liberty to act as they might
cho -o, when the) had ente red, without
a i rcc to awe them. I lie knowledge
oi means being at hand to punish inso
1< n f, lias often induced turbulent men
to demean themselves peaceably. The
;n-)t m i. s of proclamations being disre
garded by the f nglisli, have been suifi
t.enily numerous to {joint out the neces
sity oi more p >wt rful measures to pre
s rve the puhli. - f ty and authority.——
In our next v. will notice several re*
p iisol committee s on this subject. One
f.l tlie measures n rort -<1 is, the capture
oi rh struction oi \ scl.s not conforming
to t!i*• retpi, i i >i\- of the government.
It i also propos" ! t i * rect a number of
Ibrtifu-ations, and to build lb8 adJiuoi*
1 gun-boats,