Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-01-31
NINTH CONGRESS,
or THE
UNITED STATES. OF AMERICA. !
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
DEFENCE OF OUR PORTS AND HAsBouRs.

OFFENCE OF OUR PORTS AND HARBoURs.
DEBATE on the report Of a3selsct commit
ice, on that part 81 The Presidents mes
sag that relates to aggressisns committed
on our coasts By foreign armed oesseis; 10
the offence at our p0rss and 6arbors; to
the building Of seoeatyjoar gan SHIPS,
and to the presenting 1aeexp0rtatso1' q
arms and anin1sflos.
In committee OF the whole (; Mr.. GREGG
lin the chair. The .6rst resolution was read
as follows:
ReSslued, That sum of.money, not ex-
.c.eding one hundred and Rf.y Thousand
aol,ars. be appropriated to enable the Pre-
s;asnt of the United States, TO cause our
mons aud harbours tobe' better fortified and
snrotec,ed against Any insult or injury.
Mr.. Dawson AT the commencement
EFF the present session, the President IN
.,,b.d;snce 10 his duty, made known to Us
) ,ha sta,e of the nation; he then informed
-. ,bst Our coasts have been infested,
snd our harbours watched, by private arm
sd.yessels. some Of them without commits
s.onS ,cme OF them with illegal comm,s.
e;ons' others with chose OF legalforn, bur
~commitiog pirattcal acts beyond the author
itv of their commissions. they have cap,
,nrr3 in the very entl nee. Of out~ha ,bonss,
as well as on the hlgh,sesis,. not only she
vessels of our sfriends coming to trade
with us, bur our owa also. They have
carried them eff under preteuce ct legal al.
iudication, but not daring 20 approach
court of Justice. they have plundered and
sunk them by the way, rim obscure places,
where no evidence could arise sgalnst
them, naltreased the crews, and abandon.
>eo them in boats in the open sea, or on
desert shores, without food or covering.
These euormities appearing 70 be unreach.
cd bv any contract of their soyereigns,
found il necessary TO equip a force, to
cruizs within our ewn seas, 10 arrest all
vessels Of these descriptions found hover
ing on our coasts, within the limits Of the
Gulf Stream, and to bring the offenders IN
for trial as pirates"
{" The same system of towering on our
coasts and harbors, under color OF seeking
enemies, has been also carried on BY Publc
armed ships, TO the great annoyance and
oppression of cur commences. *
with Spain our negotiations tor asset,
clement of differences have not had sa.ls-
factory issue. Spoliations during the for
o.r war, for which she had formally ae-
knowledged herself responsible. have been
refused 20 be compensated but on conditions
affecting other claims IN no wise connected,
with them. Yet the same pracuses are re-
newed IN the present war. and are already
of. great amount. On the Mobile, our
commeree passing ,hrosgh that river, con.
.,;nues to be obstructed by arbitrary duties
and yexatious searches. Propositions for
aslusting amicably the boundaries OF Lou
isianna have not been acceded to-"
{" Inroads have ,been,recenily made into
territories of Orleans and the Mississippi.
.Onr citizens have been seized and their
property plundeted in the very ports OF the l',
dormer which had been actually delivered,
upby Spain, andahis BY the regular otslcers,
and soldiers of that,govsrnment.
6 In reviewing these iajuriesstro some
of the belligerens powers, the moderation,
the. 6rmness, and the wisdom of ,helegis..
lature will all be called into action"
This communication excited the honest
indignation Of all who heard II; and asm-
liar impression seems to have been made IN
ever, part Of the continent; Already have
orr constituents expressed their sentiments;
do our fellow citizens convey to US
A.ciarations of their indignation, already
have they offered their lives their fortunes
ana their sacred heuor in support OF our
.cla;o1s. and our violated rights; nnrihave
occurrences since lesseasd that Impression.
II now becomes enr duty and Almost I'M
=. tant one il is, to adopt those measures,
and 90 provide those means best calculated
70 meet the state Of things; TO secure