Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-01-08

Ciples contained Ia Ine'u, 80 4''' o 80 !,
lsas. there Was SOME lnaccuracy IN ian-
glage. ~.
Mr.. Eppes did not suppose that resoiu.
lions hastily drawn possessed all the profess.
slonal accuracy which migns be gwen TO
them andyery possibly ;ney do not pos
sess all the precision which would nave
characterised them If dTawa by the pen OF
the gentleman from Connecticut. butshs
objection OF lae gentle man otherwise was
kaot we'll founded. II the resolutions ne
mad suggested were TO be subnntted iinaie-
dlalcly 20 the decision OF the house, there
miehs be aome solid objection; Dut when
it was known that the objecs was TO sfsfer
them for discussion, they amounted 80 no
more than an expression OF the sentiments
of the mover on the subject. Mr.. Eppes
said he religiousiy believed that the COM
mon law Of Englaad was nevsr Paft OF
the law of the land, and that when man
was prosecuted, he had right 10 give the
truth IN evidence. IF the gentleman per-
sisted in refusing to.modisy his resolution,
he wou!dmoy pos'penement tor the pur.
pose of Introducing his own.
Mr.. Speaker said motion to postpone
had no preference over molloa TO cotn''
nit.
Mr., Alexander said tina, the resolution
under consideration, # noS the most lech-
nic,:ily accurate, appeared 10 HIM the most
proper for the adoption Of he house. =
contained two propositions, first, whether
il is expedien' TO enquire, wnssher toe pro-
scouting officers Of the y. S. have right
to Institute prosecutions for defamasofy
language sud secondly, If so, whether 10
snea prosecutions truth can be- gIVen ~ cyl
denee. Ii had been objected 70, because
it submitted il 70 the commlstee OF the
whole 10 decide, whether 1t were c1psul-
eat 70 sppsins q select committee 10 en-
qulfe HE gentleman from tennessee
WAS of opinion hat Il would nos be cornpa.
tent 10 a committee of the whole TO DIS.
cuss the pies OF the resolution bat
tina, they would be exclusively conhn-I TO
considerations of the eZpadiepcy OF ap-
pointing seiect committee 10 make the
enquiry. Mr.. A)cSander sad this was rot
his opinion. 3 4iore the committee OF the
whole, 'he whals su,jec, would present il.
self. He added that he would Substitute a
pilrassology that would Nc; con;ain The eb-
npxicus terra select committee, TO wit, TO
make the resoiu1iph read IS Got
expsdient to enquire, &c. oaa.ulng sl'oge-
sher the term stlccs committee. Would
not ,Iis, however, be presenting the sub.
iect in The same point Of view !! And ii the
committee Of the whale decided that il was
proper &c make the enquiry, the nex, step
would bs 10 appoint select committee.
Mr.. Alexander said he thought the
question of high Importance. and The
course proposed very proper. Il was bes,
TO present the subJec: under general
view, aud Rot 10 the specific form Suggest
ed by shs gentleman from Virgioia. He
should therefore vote for the reference -
He declared himself of opinion tina. he &C.
cussd had RICH, TO give the truth in evil,
deuce: bat said he had not yet made up.
his mind, whether SUCH prosecutions could
be carried on by officers Of the u. $.
The reference to a conmute Of the
whole was then agreed so-Ayes ~.
Ncss 4l-and the resolution ;nade the or.
der for Thursday next.
Mr.. J. Clay from the committee ap.
pointed On tbs petition Of sundry pa,entees
and Oliver Evans, presented bill for The
enc u agemens of learning, and she pro-
mo,ion of the useful arts, which was re-
ferred to committee Of the whole.
Cna 90 n Of Mr.. Alexander, resolv.
ed, that commit1ee be appointed to en-.
quire if any, aud If any, what oiAer provi.
sions ought TO be made by law, prescribing
the manner in which the public acts, re-.
cords and judicisl proceedings Of one state
shall be proved and given in evidence in a.
mother state, and the effect thereof, aud