The National Register.
London, England, 1808-01-03 00:00:00

.T.l N. 3.

MOOSE OF REPRESENT.ifTWES.
--.01■1■P••••
THE AFFAIR or THE CHESAPEAKE.

WAsnisurrori, Nov. 17.--Mr. Blount, from a Commit-
tee of the House of Representatives on a part of the Presi-
dent's Message, reported this day on the subject of the at-
tack on the Chesapeake. The report commences with an
expression of sensibility at this outrage ; states the receipt
of informaticni relative thereto from the State and Navy
Departments; presents a general view of the circumstances,
observing that it might be said to have been incontestibly
proved, -that William Ware, John Strachan, and Dan Mar-
tin (three of the four persons taken out of the Chesapeake)
are Citizens of the United States; but the Committee add,
that they conceive it unnecessary for them or the House to
go into any enquiry on that part of the subject, as, in their
opinion, whether the men taken from the Chesapeake were,
or were not Citizens of the United States, and whether the
Chesapeake was, or was not within the acknowledged limits
of the United States at the time they were taken, the cha-
racter of the act of taking them remains the same.
From the foregoing facts, it appears to your Commit-
tee, that the outrage committed on the frigate Chesapeake-
has been stamped with circumstances of indignity and in-
sult, of which there is scarcely to be found a parallel in the
history of civilized nations, and requires only the sanction
of the government under colour of whose authority it was
perpetrated, to make it just cause of, if not an irresistible
call for, instant and severe retaliation. Whether it will
receive that sanction, or be disavowed and declared an un-
uthorized act of a subordinate officer, remains to be de-
ermined by the answer which shall be given to the demand
f explanation; that answer, now daily expected, will
ither sink the detestible act into piracy, or expand it to
Ise magnitude of premeditated hostility against the sove-
eignty and independence of this Nation ; and until its true
haracter shall be fixed and known, your Committee deem
t expedient to decline expressing any opinion as to the mea-
ures proper to be adopted in retaliation to it. But the
'ommittee add, as other acts of aggression have been
minked within our ports and waters, such as those men-
oned in the President's Message, the Committee are of
pinion, that it is expedient to pros ide more effectually for
tc protection of our ports and harbours; but not being
repared to report specifically upon that subject, they ask
!diler indulgence of the House, and submit the following
esolution :
" Resolved, That the attack of the British ship of war Leo-
. anl on the United States frigate ('hesapeake, was a flagrant
iolation of the jurisdiction of the United States ; and that the
ontinuance of the British squadron (ot' w hick the Leopard was
ne) in their waters, after being notified of the Proclamation of
e President of the United States, ordering them to depart the
one, was a farther violation thereof."
Nov. 18.—Yesterday the Hon. Mr. Lyon stated in the
oust of Representatives, that he wished the galleries
!cared, and the doors closed, bolted, and barred, as he
ad some highly important matters to communicate. The
once having gratified his wishes, he observed that Mr.
',rsk hie, the British Min ister, had recently transferred
tuck, possessed by his father, to a large amount in the
merican Funds, and in consequence proposed the follow-
ng Resolution
" That provision ought to be made by law, forbidding all
raniferi of right of action, and all monies, and other property,
ither real or personal, to or by any subject of the Crown of
,neat Britain; and also forbidding. any Citizen or Resident of
he United States pa„ in an) debt or dennuld upon any such
uhject,"

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