Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-12-19
co NC r Z SIS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRIDAY, Navember7.

FRIDAY, Navem6er7.
DEBATE
on ttde refsrencescf a Memorial from sin
drg merchants end traders Of PNha,L
thia, praying for refe0l ct the non
ifnb0rfdtion hzU.
CONTINUED.
Mr.. Efbes sald, ,has 10 voting ag.ia,,
the reference of this petition he should uo
consider himself as rasiisg eersures
the presenting or as v;olas'cg TIE r;gh;
Of pe,i.Ionirg which every man pesst..,
ed. One reason Only you'd influence him
ia his vote. He did pot consider con,
gres. possessed Of ,hatiDfarmstiop which
would enable them TO act On any seb
isrs relative 70 our relations with Gre,,
Britain. he though, the hopss should
no, dcpar. from a rule which they
had laid down, though they had been four
weeks in session, sod every g@n,lemsR
felt sepae Of tie injury received, thew
were determined 20, 10 take any sep an
they hsd full information 90 whila 10
gYoand their de,ermina.ion. Ard roSb
canae body of merchants came forward
and peii,ioned for il, should they depsn
from thai role? i,h.d been said tha, cot,
referring it would be disrespec,fo those
who offered II; and ,he gentleman flea
South Carolina had said il gould be a yio.
la,ion of the ccnsitutrer.. With resps,
TO The petitioners, POSITION introduces by
them would meet with the sane resrecs
from him as if i. lad been introduced by
tbs most conspicuous Hember 10 IL.
house: if motion had 6een nsds t7at
mss.ber 10 enquire into the propriety Of
repeating ,hi. law, ne wr-lld in.hs sen.
IA anner have voted ags.nst r,fsfrIvg IT,
Asto the constitutional ri2hs ct pcti:lor.
ing, when pe,ision w.s received y read
the constitution vss fulfilled. Whelheril
sheul9 be referred or how otherwise dis.
posed Of. remained for members to deter
mice, for which decision they were anaws.
able 70 their consciences. This objection
was fully answered by the p'ecedsn, 10 Ii;
case of the Yazoo claim. the mem otlaIof
which wss rejected wi,he5s rsfs7ercr
Under these views he shonl5lvc,e aeaiua
tie reference, aud in doing SO, did COZ
wound the fcelin rs Of any menbsr, or
consider himself as violating The coGsiiIu
ton.
Mr.. +. Clay conceived thar he constim.
ton, in securing 10 every citizen Of theC.
S. the right OF pesisionirg, meant that the
nature ct his petition shonld be enqui!ed
into !; hus he was neither advocating the
petition nor sioGioslirg the intentions Of
every man whose nsS,e MSS subacri5edf'
the petition; be only'wished thai proper
respect shou!t be paid TO is. There was
90 receasisy for catering in.o exsce;i'ss:.
cre,s, or 70 &c nto the office OF the secTs'
tary Ct state; he merely wished an erqul'
~ inss The pe.isioc.
Dir, Coax was sorry that so much time
had been speat to SO little purpose; he
conceived the committee OF commerce
manufactures had DO farther Information
on our political relations han shy o'he'
part Of the house.
Mr. Rhea Cd said he should s!wsy,
consider sacred the constitutional right OF
peti,ioniug the legislature 90 asy point
but it wac in the power OF the Legislature
to cay whether they woSId give that ps'''
ton hearing or net sf,er they had rees'7'
cd It.
Mr.. Lyon said j. was immaserisl as to toe
of the petitioners. lie un'
ders,ood wha. the nature Of the peu'lo0
was, and thought il right that 'hey m'ga'
MAKE an enquiry he wished them to have
. direct answer, aud as quick as possible
by refusal 10 refer their petition.
The question was agreed 10 be taken BY
yeas aud nays.
Mr.. Randolph very much regretted mt
the gentleman from Massachusetts, shouN