The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-12

taepeople should he forever ciiansiig - ,f,e
,seatcnsil has TUNED 80 n.Iard IL .u,r rat
have turned TO any country. (sid Afr. ii ! yrCh-
co'iid operate more Fortunately Tor sigsy @; 10y
cause. would turn to chat countsy. rot Because
would employ as Institutions example iol rue
60 initiate but rs many bescuiss e poihl dun
ger. Has not the gentleman found .;,'rie cscs
in former times, wien ne saw the Ensi.s beach
rotten and corrupted and dStribu..,,;c injustice
with prodigaihandl But what IS tic situation
Oh England now, when the tenure OF q. julty, IS
So much more eiigibiel Look az tllc last 10 wears
OF her Jutilciai administration Have we NOT SEGA
her courts tramping upon patTiousia si,d genius,
and grinding the feelings of the pc oE:e q ds.
DOCS TIE gentleman wish TO reduce our own ,u-
dietary to THIS situation 1.-The genIculan from
Wythe Mr. So has said, that sevei.i d,ngor0ls
principles may be recognised by th- bench, and
mas taken as an instance the adoption of the boo
dy code OF the Common Law. He ask, shall
there be no redress There is a redress. Let
congress declare that it is not in force m tjAs
country and the remedy at once existJ
The question was then taken on t.c postpone
ment tlli the Slst of March and lose AYES %.
Noes Ill
II was then referred to a committee OF the
whole house on Monday the 2lst in..,
Mr.. SnyM (of Wythe) begged leave to call
the attention OF the House to a subject o, im-
portance. 1t appeared to him that the iufor-
mai war which already existed between this
country and @. Is. must very soon.tecogne n
war in form. NE have been informed ov the
public prints that the British court have de-
{ Cared that If the non-importation act goes in
TO operation, it will be considered by that
court as declaration of war on CIR part.
HIS Information appears to be credited by
the members OF Congress. A gentleman has
said on the floor OF the house of Represen-
tatlves that the British nation has said to us,
II you persist in this law, we consider it a de-
" claration of war" May we rot therefore
said Mrs. presume that the British cruis-
ers ON our coast have provisional instructions
to seize our vessels, if the law in question is
not repealed or suspended Congress viii
not and ought not to do either. We may
therefore expect open war to commence i'm
mediately after Monday next. Under these
circumstances ought we to remain inactive,
ana rely TOR the protection of this state en-
tlrely on the government of the u. s. or ought
we to add to the means Congress may pro-
VIDE, others III our power, ogive to this state
still greater security? 1t appeared to him
that the state legislatures were at liberty, af-
ter the general government have made such
provision for the defence of a state as MIGHT
seem reasonable, to make farther provision
tor the same object. The constitution of the
y. b says, &c no state shall without the con-
| 'Ni4' va O"iSiSSS, nSep troops, or SHIPS Oi
war in time Of heace." The practice OF
this state agrees with the principles contend
cd for. Severa! companies were formerly
raised, and kept in the pay ofthis state, for
the protection of the western frontier The
general government bore such part of the ex-
pence as seemed reasonable, and this state
betrayed the balance. 1t appears (Mr S.
sandy that the general government conten-
plate to provide go gun-boats for the protec-
ton of the harbour of Norfolk, and this NAV
be reasonable proportion of the means Of
defence they are about to provide. But if this
house think itinsufhcient, let us add to it Sc
as to make it ample. He moved that the
house come to the following resolution.
! ReSotped, That a committee he appointed
to enquire whether any, and what provisio,
is necessary to be made for the defence of the
eastern frontier of this commonwealth in ad.
dition to the provision, for that purpose, made
/ by the government of the United States e: s
that they be authorized to report by bill OF
| otherwise.
This resolution was agreed to, and was re.
tered to select committee, composed OF
Messrs. Smith (Wythe), Murdaugh, Holt
Baytop, Foushee, Riddick, B. Harrison Up
George), Mercer and Semple.
The Legislature will proceed this dav bv
JOINT ballot of both houses, to the election Of
a privy counsellor of state, in the room of Lew.
is Harvie Esq, decd. and of a brgadier-gen
eral, in the room of Gen. White, whose re.
signation was announced on Thursday.