The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-04-15
STRAIT Of GSunsrr.neitt.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Friday, March I.
DEBATE
Or Mr.. CREGG's rs!oiNion.
CONTINUED.

Mr.. FINDLEY Eaid he had been long in the
habit of ohierving that when a fnbiect was DIFF
cuiied which occaGoned numerous arguments,
the quehion was often lott fight of. In the heat
of debate, inftead of the fiibieG before them,
the preceding argument became the text to him
that replied, and his 10 the next that took the
Hoor and fa on in iucceffiop until fame Der
inccee ded ia calling the attention OF tbs members
70 the original fubject; though the pr,fent oue(ti
on had but a few days engaged the attention of
the committee of the whole, yet, in his opini
on ievera! of the fpeakcrs on the floor had loft
light OF it, furh her than he had formerly oh
ierved III 10 ihort time, that he would attempt
70 draw the attention of the committee from
rhete defultory executions, which fettled no
point indebate, and often ha;! no vifihe con-
uection with if, to the important uueGion thew
we're called upon TO decide. That in doing 70.
ne would take no notice of any thing that had
been offered as argument, which was not necef-
fariIy connected with the quetion. He would
neither he the advocate or apologif for any one
nation OF Europe, nor treat any other nation
with irritating contempt. Such language of
that kind, as has been ued within two DAYS
pait in this Eiouie, ought not to be admitted.
un'eiS we were employed in Importing a mani
tetto to fupport declaration of war, and even
for thai purpole it is inconlifent with nationa,
dignity.
He iaid the fabieSa before the Houfe is re-
foution referred to the committee of the whole
Houie on the tate Of the union, to prohibit all
importation Of goods the produce or the mann.
factuTe OF Britain, or any of the Britiih doui-
Mons not to prevent Britain or her depepden.
cies from receiving iuppiies of provfons, raw
materials, &c. from lis. il does not go 70 pro-
hibt expectation, but ever this Gloud not be
done without very fufficient caufe.
Two Cau{es are affipned in ths r>ro,r,t>Ia a..
the refolution. Firf, the impeachment of our fea-
men-Second, commercial aggrelIions
Mr.. r. aiked, was it ever known before in
the hlftory OF independent nations that aHy one
nation lnprened the citizens or fubie6ls of ano-
ther nation into their fleets to fight spainf ma
tion friendly to that from which they had been
lmpreiied, and TO receive no wages or en,olu-
ment unleis they would enli1, which few of
them ever do, except under the laff, of the boat.
twain which is done if they appear reluctant
to do the Ineaneit drudgery, and who rruft of
neceihty hate the nation for which they fought
No, FIR, this cannot be fhewn. The Briti0,
government has long been in the habit of i'm
preiiug their own citizens for {, 1men. In
France, we have been lately told, liz this Houfe.
that cnntciipts are forced to the army. Per-
haps the conicriPts of France, are the fame that
we have been accultomed TO call the claGes of
militia IN this country; but il is of their own
citizens impreHincnts to the navy are 2 very
different thing. il is fUch an exercife oftvran
ny that it is hoped will nsver be exercifed in
this country yet nil except in the cafe of our
eamen IT IS their own citizens, they do not i'm.
preis S~edes, Danes, or Pruiiians.
a man impreifed is condemned to a naverv
ofthe WORT kind. Slavery for limited time is
a futable punlhment for crimes, bat the fen.
tence with u', and in all nations CIVILIZED or "a
vage,is decided by known aud tefpoufible iudg-
es, for the breach of fone known law. BEt. bv
whom IS the fentence of condemnatior. - Fave.
ry paiied on our citizens, failing under the pro.
lection of our own flag. cbargeabe with no
crime. Not by a couit Of iuRice IN any form :
not by even an officer Of high Responsibility, bur
by iome young fCbaltern of mdn Of var, which
is numerically admitted tofubjet1 to the moi ar
btrary ipecies of government exiting. No
other crime IS alledged, TO juRify the condenr-
nation, but that he fpealSs the Engliih lsugusge.
or has become an American citizen, and no
other judge but lieutenant or midfliipnau r..
|eeted for this exertion Of tyranny.
we nave not long fince expreGcd iuG alb
horrence OF ilaVery by avery unanimous vote OF