Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-01-05


ter. case to be provided for BY the .proviso.
and It was to him the most unexcepliona-
bic part OF the 5ili.- He didsuot approys
OF allowing mcrchan. vessels TO arm at all.
He therefore would move To strike out all
that part of the seclion which went 10 al
low a clearance upon giving bond not to
commit -depredations on the vessels or
subjects Of nations in a,nity with the Uni-
TED States, and SO on to the end of the
lection. As this included the words in-
tended by Mr.. Crowninshield to be struck
ont, he presumed his motion would there
fore supercede tha, made by that gentic-
man, md after the words were struck out, /
he meant to insert after the words, shall |
receive" al ang custom house OF the Uni
ted States any. clearance. OK he permitted |
to leave the por; where she shall be SO |
armed and provided, unless bound 20 the |
Mediterranean, or beyond the Cape OF
Good Hope.
En- passing The 6rst seslion Of the bill
in the Way it now stood, he was convin-
ced that We adopted a principic, almost,
ifnot entirely unknown to martins Iuris-
prndenoe, aud such rs woSld without
great caution involve the United States in
aforeign war. lie did not think that cir
cumstaac-s required the adoption of that
principle al this time. The following
passage in the Presidents message be
suspected gave rise to the present mea-
sure: e.s
90 While npiicing the irregularities COM
fnftie, on the ocean by others, those on
our, part should not be omitted nor LEFT
unprovided for. Complaints. have been
received that persons, residing within the
United States, have,taken on themselves
TO arm merchant vesse's,- and to force a
commerce Into certain ports and countries,
in defiance og,he laws af those countries.
That, individuals should undertake. to
wage private war, independently of the
authority of their country, cannot be adj,
mit,ed in a well ordered society. Its ten
dency to produce aggression on the laws
aud rights Of other nations, and to endan
the peace of our own, is SO obvious, that
,!ouht not You will adopt measures for
rcstraiaing it -fcetualIy in future"
These are the evils we are called upon
10 correct but let him ask whether the
remedy was Of nature to cure the dis.
ease. What! Shall il be permitted To
every man, who can execute bond, 10
wield the arms Of the nation Yet this is
the only circumstance required 10 make
4 commander Of an armed merchant YES
sci, and ths too in time of profound
peace. The evil complained Of by the
President, is that our merchants have ia
ken upon themselves To- arm and force a
commerce. The obvious remedy is tn
take away their arms, FOR then the evil
can no Iongs- exist. /. Ills muchsnore ca.
sy and more polite to prevent the injury
b.ins comm tied, than to punish The par
~ for the offence.
we are Informed that armed vessels
sailiog To the West Indies, are sold witt
their arms and ammunition, 10 class O
people, lis the interest of the Unite;
States to depress and keep down, rattle
than put arms in their hapds, to do sucl
extensive mischief as is every day prac,is
Ell in that island, to say nothing of oh,
feelings such conduct on the part of oai
citizens or people among us assuming thai
chqra.ter, might have on the government
of France,
!, SIR. lowndes wished the gentlemen
VIII, ni,le thiS report would give the COM
.miltee some information Of the ground
upon which they had bnttoued the bill.
When the Presidents message was re-
>ceived, he had supposed that the French
minister had demonstrated against this
Commerce, and that something was requi-
red 70 be done 10 restrain the trade to St.
Doming' II that is the design, il will
not be answered by the bin in its present
form. You here authorise your merchant
vessels to arm, on giving bond and sure.
tiles bond do WHAT Why, conditioned
that such vessel shall not commit depre.
dation, outrage, or violence against the
vessels or persons OF nations in arnity with
the UGited States. What is the fair in.
ference from these words, but that you
shall be compeien, 10 trade to St. Domiu
go IN vessels armed or unarmed. If "
an armed vessel, shall they refuse to b,
searched; suppose they resist the search
what thenl Do gentlemen mean to ex
tend this law to Spanish vessels claiming
right to search Cor Spain.i, likely soor
to become BeIlgerent power; if the,
do, how can we preserve a neutral positi
on lie was willing 10 do as much TO pre-.
serve the peace ofthe nation as any man,
And should think il the best and fairesl
mode of proceeding, either to declare the
Trad. 10 ~ Noun:,,.r, fr, IL, /, Ia.,f,.f .ro4,