Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-11-27


1.-THE conduct of the minority who were thea
, and now are in an undcrhand way impeach-
ing the conduct of The Executive He
, would ask, and submit the question To the
IpcopIe of the United States, whether the
language which had been just quoted by the
gentleman from Vermont, had not conouc-
led to this result? Such words as these
THAT the battle of Trafalgar prevented the
fleets of France and Spain from levylng
contributions on our commerce in our own
iseas, that if we offended the minister OF the
British naticn, he would put forth his
strength, and make US feel il, that he would
cover the ocean with vessels ct war, that
the British would burn our seaport towns,
l and drive US from the sea-coast over the
mountains Let the good people of the u.
/ say whether il was observations Of this ma
ture which he had noted down and had in
ibis possession, coming from n member on
the floor of Congress, or whether the pru-
dent measures of the President had ten
dencv 20 bring about the present troubles
| Mr.. S. wished the people to pronounce who
were the true friends of the liberty and
prosperity of the United States.
Mr. d. r. WILLIAMS. | have remain
ed silent to this late period of the debate,
expecting the information which am anX-
ious TO obtain, would have been extracted
! by the inquiry of others nor should have
now risen, had not the question be, n re-
lpeatedly called for from several parts Of
the House. l am fearful 1t will be taker
before | can be sratifed with that which Il
solicit. To the courtesy of the gentleman
| from Maryland (Mr Montgomery l make
! my application--he is member of the
committee of WAYS and Means, appears
best informed on the details of the bill, and
/ indisputably has tod rs more this day,
than we were favored with yesterday. 8
nope, sir, I am not TO be marked and no.
ted as an opponent Of the administration,
! nor as in the remotest decree attempting
to asSail the purity of executive motives,
in making this request, yet, ii appears from
expressions which have escaped the gen
tleman from II. G. (hir Alston) and some
others, this may be tive fact, and that the
cry Of mad dog, opponent to the admins
sration, Is to be directed against every one
| who shall he SO hardy as 20 ask more in
| formation relative to this mOmentous sub
| iect, than precisely so much as the COM
| Y,ittee has thought proper to give. IL The
! most ord,nary cases this Hous- has 10.
Been accustomed 30 act i'm the dark, and
| hope it never will hpt ON g subject Of the
last Importance, involving 2 sacred, con-
stitutional question, il is infinitely more
important that ve'shoud proceed under
standingly The gentleman from II. Z.
will allow me 70 say, it is particularly his
duty. with the Gther members oF his com.
m ttce, To furnish all the information re-
quired, as he Is now one of the prime pal
lchursctcrs on wlIom tie House is made to-
rely for fiscal knowledge. There is ore
item in this bill which has escaped notice
and which to me. appears very CHtraotdi-
nary. We are ab u 80 MIKE the apprO-
rria.ion for deficiency nf 1880 dollars
incurred by the purchase OF timber for he
.Navp, saws the Bill, and yet there IS more
sponsbie person making the demand, no
document on he taDc relative to it'Ihere
is sum similar 70 this in the estimate from
Ire secretary is is true, but that is aliedged
10 have been paid for timber for PUH- 6c0ts,
appropriations heretofore have been per-
iccty distinct. for these two objects, and
50 they should be now. WAS much sur
priced yesterday, that the usual accuracy
nf the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr
Dana) had totally failed him, while pc. K
ing ofthis timber for gun-hoa,s. The gen
'leman improved il as an occasion OF tri-
unph, and he viii permit me TO say he
rumI he'd excessively, that this measuge
Il which he had proposed at the last session
IF Congress, but which was then rejected,
Nas now like to pass, through the same
jiouse, with an overwhelming majority {;
because AS he observed, it's row prcs"ut-
. ed to us under the auspices Of lhc highest
s authority ~ the government. / he gentle
man is completely mistaken, there IS no
Fl such recommendation in the message, no
such responsibility Is therein assumed
The subject Of gun-boats is mentioned but
T, Itwice in the message. In the first place
they are thus spoken Of 6 The gun-Joats
too, already provided, have, ou a ike
iprircipic, been chiefly assigned TO New
, York, New-Or cans, and the Chesepea k".
Whether our movable force ON the water,
80 materially in aid Of tie defensive works
OH the land, should be augmented ~ this
or any other form, is LET to the wisdom Of
the legislature" Again" EXpcnces all
so unprovided fer, arose out OF the neces-
sity Of calling all our gun-boats into actual
servicc," &c. Thus, il appears, this cb-
lieot of expenditure, is no where alluded to
I'm thc message, for it will not be contcnued,
Ithey are considered supplements 20 our
existing stock" Of military stores. The
Chairman OF the committee OF Ways aud
= Means has asked Of ihe Secretary Of the
Inavy, and asked loosely too, for such inlor-
lma'ion as he may deem materially and the
? answer of the Secretary which mast be
: iprtsumcd to contain all tiie information re-
5 lluired, is as silent about these 81 900 dol
= llars worth of timber as the message itself.
: Upon what authority then Is ia item IN
2 ltroduCed, this article which, no body &C
. .