Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-01-03

SEN n T. OF the Uni Eli . n Eo'
Debate on the n,otion Of Dr.. LoG.ANJor
leave to bring IN oil, TO snshend the
commercial intercourse 6efgpecn the u.
States and ST. Domingo.
,Y (Continued.)
Friday, Dec. 90.
Doctor Logan having assigned his rea'
SONS TOR asking PERMISSION TO INTRODUCES
the bill,
Mr.. ADAMS said
Mr.. PREsrDENr-Had the gentleman
who asks leave to introduce this bill, as
sigoed any new reasons as the foundation
OF his motion, whatever my opinion might
have been upon their merits, should not
! think it proper to combat them at this
| time bn; the object of the bill is so sim
| pie, that It's details are immaierial. Its
purpose IS totallyto prohibit a branch OF
our coEmerce, which at the last session
OF the legislature was proved to be ct
great importance to the country--Unless
therefore, a majority of the Senate should
be of opinion that the bill ought 10 pass,
1t appears 10 me, that the present Is the
stage at which ii ought 10 be arrested {:
since the mere discussion1o of the question,
andpendency Of the measure before Con
| gress, may have an unfavorabie effect up
ON the commercial interest, or a, least in
| jurious!y affect individual merchants, in
the course ofiheir affairs. .-
i II is we'll known 10 every member up
on this floor, and o the public in general
that the same gentleman who now wish
es TO introduce this bill, did at the last
session of Coz greSs make motion for
leave to bring it in at that time, which
was rejected; and I expected that OH its
/ renewal at this time he would have alledg-
ed SOME new grounds for the measure /;
but inthis expectation I have been disap-
point cd--He tells as indeed that unless
we do prohibit this commerce it will inc.
vilably isad US into war with the French
republic / have certainly no mote
Disposition than am gentleman here
| to be at war with the French repub-.
/ tic (; blu, excepting sha, gentleman $
asser,ion, TO which l am wiIling.to give
( all the credit sh ca ii can be untitled toy
what particle &c evidence have we that
| the St. Domingo radc will expose us to
any such danger! What evidence has the
gentleman himself alledged in support of
his assertion? Why, sir, he has res d'to
| us par, oil the Presidents message, al
the opening OF the los. session of Con.
gressi and- correspondence between the
! British ard French ministers. add the Sc
cre'ary of Staie, SIX or nine months pre-.
vious 10 that time, ard complaining ,ha,
| some of our merchant vessels were armed
Fit is surely needless soa me to mention
in this house, that in consequence Of tina,
very passage IN the Presidents message
Of las' year. and Of those very complaints
! Of those foreign ministers, bill dis! setu
| ally pass bo'h hosues of Congress, after a
long and ample discussion ofthe subjeei;
which bill was intended to remove hess
Causes of complaint, and is now in force.
This bill have understood was sasisfac.
| tory on all hands, and il has Been within
a very few days declared by a member of
this body, in his place, to have given 81.
| tisiaefion 10 the French government in.
particular, nor has that information been
| contradicted, This conclusion indeed
| may be inferred from the tenor of the
| Presidents COMMUNICATION to Congress at
! the commenc ment of tae flresenf session.
1t any animation OF complaints from for
SH pp"S'S fciot'C I'D t1it SuDlSCt is con
famed IN This message, il has escaped nv
attention, and can indeed frly affi m
1 there is nonc-and is rot this silence j,
self, a strong, and irresistible proof ,hai
no such complaints have been made bu,
that the measures adopted by Congress al
the las, session have been satisfaet nv -
Believing it as do, and that no needless
/ interference OF the government with the
regular course Of commercial transa6 tions
ought ever 10 be countenanced, hope
the gentleman from Pennsylvania CDR.
Logan) viii nor have leave to bring inthis
bill
GIN JAfKsos seconded DR.. LocAw's
motion, and il reply TO MIR. Adams said,
that he wished The DR.. 20 make it an an
nuai motion, as Mr.. Sawbrdge had IN the
Psrl'anent.o OF England TO reduce septen.
NAL Parl'amen,., but With more effe Ct un
1.-THE trad highly dishonorable to natl
| onal character was annihiaied. As 10
Mr.. Adans's observations that the bill
was not allowed to be brought in last ses
sion, and that ne had heard 10 new argu.
meDts. he would answer the gentleman
by asking what new arguments had been
advanced on the bill 10 prohibit the i'm
uOrtafinn fcfa f.o.,.. .... -. 80