Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-12-17
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HOUSE, Of REPRESENT 4 ATIvE;s 8
FRIDAY, Noyembes
DEB ATE

DEB A. Il
On he reference Of a Memorial froa' san
] drp merchants and traders ct failgafl
| bhia, praying 1or a REPEAL Of TIE non sI9s
importation la7c. .s
CONTINUED.
Mr.. Nelson could not tell how the gen
/ ,|eman from Vermont had got into the ar
l oument about 4 British parry 10 the couu.
ny. xcept il was because Mr.. N. himself
| had called Tor the reading ofthe names sub
scribed to the memorial. lie had nofdes
/ ia doing this Of erquifing whether there
were British party in the coDn;Iy or MOI
| He merely wished to know whether the
!, memorial was signed by the community a
large OF by merchants only because ne
knew that the in,eress of the grea: body,
and the mercantile Interests were very
different, and If the latter were TO have is
way the country would be- plunged into .
war for It's commerce, atthe expence q
the resources Of The whole community.
Blu, the gentleman had said that if the
creates, monarch on earth were presented
with petition from his meaDess ssbjec,,
he wonlL at Ieas, smile on the petitioner.
Mr.. N hoped this would never be ,he case
b ere thar this house would rot, courtier
like, smile, bus boldly and like repebli~
can frown 10 the face CT man whose pen
tiou they did not like aud not pat i: in
their pockets, when they did not mean to
attend TO it. f,he petitioners asked for
what ough, not 10 be dope, the respectable
lily Of their characters should have 90
weight with the house in favor oft. Cir
cImstsnce: had much charged siuce the a.
doption Of The law. Did they 20, recollect
tha, previous 10 its adcpsion il was pro
claimed through the country, that il was
more than the u S. dare TO do 70 pass such
law? The law had been passed they
were new on the eve of war and the Bri
fish nation bad said to them, if you per.
sistin this Law we will consider it as a
declaration Of war. Ough, they. Under
these cisrumsispeesrefer applications made
for the repeal Of this law! Was it BOT
tjsat misperi to consider whe, they
wosld refer the memorial or no.? He
confessed he did not much like the law
" hs- ~ passed r.. re ScIeo lot N.Decause
he ,hoegh, something ought to be done.
30, should they DOW retreat He hoped
not He hoped the petition would neither
be referred to any committee, or lie on the
table he wished it 10 receive no eo.s;de-
ration whatever.
Mr. Basset Withdrew his mo.ion for re.
ferrirg the memorial to CON mit.ee of the
whole on the state Of the union, NOT that
he was perfectly convinced tina, his propo'
sition was incorrect as il was made With
a view to the snljec. not the petition 4:
-6u. he was not one Of those who wished
sques,ion taken on motion merely b.
cause he made it himself. Another rea
son was. that he understood it was consem'
plated to take up report Of the committee
IF aggressions 10 day, when the house.
would go into general discussion.
Mr.. W Aston withdrew his motion for
arefrrence to committee of the whole,as
he did no,wish TO shew any particular com.
plaisance to the petition.
The Speaker said the question now re-,
CURED on the reference to the com
,miitee of Commerce aud Ma,ufac-
lures.
Mr. Fhea (T) should not have risen a..
gain but for The observations OF the mover
OF the reference. Mr. J. Clay who under.
stood him to say thar the law would no. m
barrass,he merchsn,s. TIE gentleman had
misunderstood him he did 90. think il
would embarrass any merchants who con
sid=red the honor & dignity Of the. Uaitcd
States.
MIR r. admitted that be knew o.hing
Of commerce, for he was no commercial
man; bu, this he knew, that the act pro.
hibi,ed The importation of certain articles,
aod was passed 70. support,he honor of the
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