The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1799-01-14
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.


WEDNESDAY, DISC. as.
THE Secretary "a the navyrommunicated
report On the Naval force, &C. az the Uaitea
States.
UNOFFICIAL AGENTS.
Mr. Gfliwold laid on the table, the follow.
ing relolution
" bat csmmiIes Be a3b3iafed I, enquire into The
fHtsdteay 9t amending tbs AZ, emitted " An at III
addition To the at, entitled III at for The Dnn-
.Ihment Of certain crimes againG the United
States" far rs 70 extend t5s 5saaitie5 iCnesd5e,
y all Psy/9af, eiti1eat Of tie Urtsd States, q0bs
67H gnrb he e~ecg+iUs authority off5iy q5Uernmsat,
6y ea4nen1[ag or czrryizg On coyrslboElsacs cvI5
ths g9VsrHma Of any Jo ega Prime or STATE, rslat.
fag r t5e eoHtyo0erGss ~ ADmaI zy5irb d9 W baB
fJi 6st7r1eH 1b Prime or STATE and tBs III Stqte,."
B-gNKRyPT ACT.
The HoUle, in committee, vert through. the
bill; alter which Mr.. Otis pr0pofed lome a.
maEdments, which were ,dicn Ged.
FRENtH INTERCOUReE w.
Mr. VAIN p-elent-d p-tition from the mer-
chants and traders of Philadelphia, pravi-g
that thc at ProAibi ing intercour,e with France
may be 70 modified, as not to prevent their
taking means to recover debts due in France
and her colonies. Referred.
DEBTOR STATES-ENUZEPA 7T1W
The Bills On ,aele lubie3s, paGed to be en-.
groled.
THURSDAY, DEC. ~.
The Stamp Id amendment bill vas, on mo.
ton Of Mr.. Otis, re committed.
The Enumeration, and De5f2r STATE bills, PAT
fed to he enacted
UNoFFICLfL AGENTS.
Ar- Gr1Wold's R-lolution, on this lubia3
was taken up
Mr.. Nicholas fail it was quite a novel flbieG
OF L9giAation he was not aPpr.fed Of The pro-
Prlety Of making fuch enquiry. If there was
any ground for the motion at all, it certainly
mutt appear that it was premature, for iurely
II there was any improper conduct tranfa9ed by
any Perion I mu& ~ proper thlt th9 H,ufe b=
informed what that conduit was, before they
could legflate on it. We were told three weeks
ago, that communication would be made to US
IN relation to tie French government. Tie
HouiG had already been engaged III reference
p that government; thay had already given
their option relPettinr III ; III this r1aafure was
adopted, Il might prevent thar communication
coming N It was iayiag, We had 70 need Of
any Communication On the fuhiea We ouqht
TO know what if IS that has given rife 70 70 n.w
a iPecies Of Leglation. He fid he was fur
PTildd that caule tor f1Ch 4 motion Clouli have
been unprecedented by a1v gentleman ne did
hope that there was nothing new In the hlte of
this country thar could dirc6f tie genrIeman's
attention to any particular par1cn, and this opn-
ION appeared t. be maintained by The fDeeeh of
the Pretident, but if there was, X would be the
iubjedt Of futurc communication, and in luch
4 ltate ut things, it would b= wrong w fix al
improper hold on the minds NE the people, BE-
tore the lubett thould fally BE- ONE an obie9
OF Legiild.ion. As he had obfervsd, he did
think from the tore of the Preidenc, that the
tate Of affairs was mend-d he was frength-
ensd IL that principle from the tone Of many
gentlemen lait fetIIon they then repeatedly ex-
PreHed their opinions that we were brought to
the Taft tage Of the bulinels, and that decla-
ration ofw2r was not only proper but necefary !;
but it appeared that fince that the Gate of th ngs
was improved, and that there was really POI.
hbity, ariling our of the facts which had come
to view, and what were il the Preiidentss
knowledge, that an accommodation with France
could take place. This being the general ap-
Peararcc Of affairs, he conterded that the
Eoule ought to wait communication before
they proceeded TO a nealure like this.
Mr. Grifw0ld faid that the gentleman was
mitaken, as to the obje6 q the retaliation il
did not relPeG any circumstance. which might
have been traniaaed. Il appeared to him an
Object demanding general Leg.1aJon, whch
The example Of Europe PyeGed the receRity Of.
i any thing which the relolution aimed at, had
been dore, it could not be thought to aim st
that, IS it could not effect il, il only locked for
ward 70 what may be. If the agent of fact.
ion thould hereafter crofs lie Atlantic, by he
deire, and for the benefit Of the views Of that
action, and Zach agent hould ttlat with fiat
foreign nation, urauihorifei by Ire Executive /;
tulh man ought to b@ DE l.bied of law, &