The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-12-13
[ ' oLUME ).
The bills az follows 4:

preirhV1tivrs or the C"ite0 states or America IN
Congreis a1e,n hltd. Tba: tie operation sf the
act, pa1ed on the sth day of April LAT, ebti-
tuled, An net to prohibit the importation OF
Certain goods, wares and merchandise" be,
and the fame hereby is fufpepded until the
day of next,
i And be it further enaced, That all penalties,
4 lines and forfcitures, which may have been in
Cured by virtue of the proviiions of the afore-
! iad att be, and the fame hereby are REFLECTIVE
~ rcmttei. This act iliali take eltea from
and after the pafing thereof.
The .frvlq lftaioa of the bill bsvrg beer read
Mr.. J. Randolph faid there were two peri,
DDS mentioned in the ielcct committee, who
reported the bill, rs proper to Eli the blank in
The firit fre.ion; the 6rf was the frR day OF
;u2e; TIE other. fome TING within the ncxt
FELTON, of Congrefs, FAY the SlR OF December
Il would be recoiIeeted :bat in the Meiiagc of
the Preiident the fnfpeniopSof the AT, eG,iu,ed,
= an az to prohibit the importation of Certain
goods, wares and mere hancize,'' is recon
ncnded en- two motives; the irit a motive OK
conc!liation towards Great Britain the fecond,
from regard to our own convenience. twas
iuppoi-d III the .elc9 committee that if the act
lhouid be fufpepdst for 4 very Mort period, il
would aniwer neither of ,hefe purpofcs that
the news of the expiration of the fufpending
law reaching G. b. about the time the paiiagc.
OF the law was known. il would as TO all the
purpofes of Cancellation be unsatisfactory /; and
at the fame time that the merchants would not>
be able TO icnd their orders abroad in time to
receive returns before the a6t ihoud again be
ufpended in its operation ard effect. Under
this view of the fuhicGt, the major part OF the
committee, at the mitigation Of two gentlemen
rcPreicntng commercial towns, were of opinion
tta; the inipenhon fhould extend into the next
eilioD. They were lisewifc of this opinion on
other grounds. IF the aet flloud be tu!pended
TO period between this and the entuing feflion,
I might 20 happen as TO take effect after our
differences with G. Is. fnould he accommodated.
They were of this opinion from another conn.,
deration. UNFORTUNATELY, and contrary To the
prcicnt prolpe6t, the negotiation fhouid tai',
and an open rupture cniue between the two
nations, the committee were not of opinion that
the tafperGon ofthe Prohibitory ael for few
months would be of material importance on the
intereita of either party but that r'eaiurcs of
a ftronger character would be required. Mr..
X. laid, he had thus given the views which in
nnencsd the committee. The committee would
I'll! the blank with either day as it ihould fsit
their picafure. He would move to ill it with
the III day of December, il order to try their
,emic AZ the fame time he did not feel II i'm
por:ant that the blank ihould be filed with that
day, OF any other.
MIR. Smile obierved that there were two
points which appeared to him TO contain the
marrow of the bill: the Grf was whether the
o.-(i tHC
iecond to what time the fuipeTEcn iaOu!d be
made. The laH point, twas more di!ticultto
agree about than the other. He would iug-
gefs. whether it would not be heG to leave the
blank unified until the third reading of the
bill. b. purifying this courie, time would be
allowed members to reject on the fa5ieet. He
was hmielf not altogether prepared to FAY
what would he The proper Feriod. He was
friendly to the fulpenfon: but he had not made
up his mind as to the time.
Mr.. J. Clay faid it was ufral to hli up the
blanks in committee of the whole. IF his
colleague not difpnfed to agree to filing
the bill with the III of December, it would be-
rafy, when the bill fhould be coafdered in ;he
Houie, to vote againit concurring in the report.
OF the committee.
Mr.. Findey f4d both modes cf filling blanks
were utuaI, and either was purified, according
10 the convenience of the lIoule. As filing the
blank in ills ntance was OF great importance,
and as the Houie had as Jet had little time to-
reiieet upon it. he hoped the nation to fill the
blank woud bc ponponrd until the bill was
carried into the Hou!r. He was friendly to the
prncip!c Of the bill, but had not made up his
mind with regard to the period for which it
would be beR to fufpend the prohibitory act.
The queNon bsing put, the motion to ill the
blank with the SIN OF Dec. was difagreed to
Ayes 4s-Noes 90.
The chairman having read the fcond )e3ion--
Mr. K. Mellon declared himGelf unprepared
To give his vote upon it. If he recolleeted the
proyilions Of the exiting laws, they gave to
the informer, part Of the penalty accruing
from their lnfr'6iou. The u. s. however they
might give up the penalties which had acc'ued
to- them, had no right TO remit that part Of
them which had become the property of the
informer. He fubmtted therefore the proprie-
ty ofio amending this fiction as to fave the
rights Of the latter.
The fsyera provifons of the laws on this
inhieGt having been read, debate Of confidera-
Die length aroie on the necelIty of the propofed
amendment.
It's necefitv was commended for by MefIrs.
K. Mellon, C.. w. Campbell, DAYTON and
Findley aud oppofed 10y MefIrs. J. Clay, Bid
well, ]. Randolph and CrowninihieId.
By the former gentlemen it was commended
that a vened right became attached to the in-
former, or officer Of cuftoms, which the US.
could not morally divea and that, although
The Secretary Of the Treafnry was authorized
by law 10 emit all forfetures yet that Congrefs
could not themfeives remit them.
On the other hand il was maintained that
Congress, having given the entire power of re.
milton Of forfeituros to TIE Secretary Of the
Treafury, were a. competent theGicIv:s to re-
NIT as he was and that the power, which
they had beloved on an inferior executive Of
~. ri