Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-12-17
NINTH CONG kESS,
OF The
UNITED STATES or ANERIGA.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FR1nAY, Decemder IS.

Mr.. Crowuinshield from the .com~itsee
ofcommerce and manufactures, 10 whom
was yesterday referred the petition re-
lativr TO vessel a, Norfolk reported a
bill for the ciief Of Thcodorick Aimstead,
which was referred 70 committee Of the
whole TO-DAY.
The bill anthorises the collector at Nor.
folk, TO admit 10 entry twelve hundred de.
mijohns of brandy imported by T. Arm
stead in the brig George from the island OF
Tenerife.
The house immediately went into COM
aaitee Of the whole-Mr. Varnum ia the
chair.
Mr.. Newton, fully explained the pecu
liar circumstances of this case, an1 called
for the reading ofIshe documents relative 90
IL: from whichit appeared that some tlne
since the owner of the brig George hired
herto go TO Tenerife, where he took a car
60 fer the Havana; hearing subseqn AZ
of the late British orders, he thought
prudent to return to Norfolk, where he
now lies; but owing to the revenue laws
ofthe United States, he is prohibf ed from
entering brandy in quantities as small! as
thcse contained in demi johns. He there
fore asks permission to land taese articles,
on paying the usual duties.
Mr.. Macoa, the Speaker, expressed his
opiniou of the incorrectnsss of the course
pursued on this occasions, on which the
committee Of commerce and manufacture
contrary to the usual practice Of the
house, had reported bill without assigning
their reasons in an ace lepanying report
He wished that such report might be
made, and thar il might stand asa prece-
dent, in case ether applications should be
made to shew the peculiar grounds on which
the house acted. Il WAS further his wish
that there had beena bill embracing the
general principle involved in this case, In
preference 70 one making special provisi-
on. That detailed eport might be made,
he moved that rhe committee should rise,
in order TO make way for a new motion to
re.commit the bill to the committee of coma
merce and manufactures.
Mr.. Newton opposed this motion. He
y
that the facts were all before the house and
were indisputable, that The vessel had been
detained since October-that nothing was
asked but what was perfectly fair that the
necessity Of making the request arose from
orders recently issued by 4 king, who tho
he could do no wrong TO his own subjects,
practised great injuries on American cisl-
gems. With regard TO the general princi.
pie, diversity OF opinion, he said existed
IN the commit,ee of commerce and manu-.
factures, and to wait until this should BE
decided might involve great and injurious
delay. AS TO one suggestion of the hons
orable speaker, il would be easily obyiated
by the documents then in the possession of
the house, remaining on file, which would
clearly discriminate this case from all
others which nigh. hereafter come before
them.
Mr.. +. Clay allowed that this was hard
case, but doubted much whether it was
sound policy in The government to recog-
Mise high insurance, which was demand
ed 10 this instance on the expectation OF
the brandies, as sufficient ground for all
lowing them TO be landed, In contravention
Of principle of the revenue system. He
remarked that this case did not arise from
any fault Of the American government, bur