Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-03-10

vss laid upon our tables yesterday. In
half An hour after, we were called Into
committee of the Wiio.e upon Il; through
whIchit passed Instantly without am enc
men:. The report ofthe scomminse was
Immediately considered, and mottonso
pos.pooe for a single day only, was VIC.
iently opposed by the gentlemen from Vir-
GINA (Eppes) and from Massachusetts
1Bidwell.) Lis true. as has been said,
this subject has been long before ne senate,
bat il is the frs. time that | ever heard that
the me mbers of this house were In duty
bound to be prepared to act immediately
upon an important question, because IT had
been long under the consideration OF the
other branch Of the Legislature. A similar
degree of haste and determination 10 press
this bill to its final passagehas been equal
" apparent in this days debate. Consl:
dering the magnitude of its principles aud
consequences, the course adopted is I'M
precedented. Under other circumstance,
& had time been allowed for sheiuvestlga;l.
on, should have held il my duty to have
shown, as ] think might be done, that our
restrictions Of this commerce ought to ex.
tend onlyto military apparatus, and not TO
the denial Of the ordinary necessities and
conveuisncies of life that the laws CT IA"
tons require that we should exercise a
strict neutrality between France aud Hay
ii, and that declaration of non-intercouse
was, and probably would be considered, by
the Inhabitants OF tina, island as deslara.
ton of war. But opportunity has notbsen
allowed for the examination requisite 20
the establishment of these points, and there
is obviously no disposition TO attend to 1t
were it made. I shall therefore mereiyre-
cord my negative TO the bill.
Mr.. Elmer. know of no foundation
for the declaration'that this bill is the effect
I'll an order from the minister of France. |
believe no such order would effect a single
member on this floor. Policy requires the
passing of This bill. The subject has been
fully discussed, this aud the last session
there is no haste If gentlemen wish to a
mend, let their amendments be brought
forward if they wish further to discuss,
the house ia ready to listen the Principls
of this bill is already settled, and has long
been. look not at consequences Il look
to what policy aud duy require. We must
offend France or ST Domingo bat see
not why ST. Domingo should be up IN
arms at the passage of this bill. / fear the
offence OF no nation fear only doing
wrong as a man, and as legislator | fear
more the consequences ofnot passing, than
do of passiog chs bill.
MIR. Early. | had hoped this bill wapld
pass without such observations, as the
house has been compelled to hear; | had
hoped that the gentleman from Connect
cut, Mr.. Smith usually SO distinguished
bv the banity and correctness Of his dc.
pertinent in debate, would have foreborn
such expressions OF bitterness and wrath.
Bot the gentleman could not omit this
opportunity ofopposing the present admi
abstraction. The gentlemen who now OPP
pose the bill were he cause OF us nor being
adopted the last session. When We wished
70 pass this bill the last session, gentlemen
who are now opposed 20 il, pr vented its
passage by saying that 'here was no cause
for it, and we wese told to wait Till France
should demonstrate against rhe intercourse
well, France has demonstrated, and now
the same gentlemen tell US nor to pass the
bill, because she has demonstrated. ---
Sraags! There may be other grounds OF
objecuon to this bill which gentlemen
chuse, no. to avow. There is disposition
not DULY in this honse. but-elsewhere, in
the pubic prlpts, which fills my mlnd with
awe. After all we cen do, the object
seems to be 10 draw down on Us The wrath
Of other governments. Look at q cele-
brated publication in the Philadelphia Ga
zettes, what is the object of that? and
what's the objTc, nov; Why TO tell the re-
VOTERS Of ST. Domingo, thar they have just
cause of offrnce or Of war.