The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-11-27

what contracts had been made IL was not Cor
him to enquire, but it appeared that no, a cent
OF money had been drawn from the treaiurv
without appropriation.
|. MIR. Chandler remarked that the gentlemen
from Mshachufetts and Virginia had argued
much on the fubiett of this appropriation.
Their whole argument had gone y ihew, that
II was improper TO apply money to one pur-
pole which had been appropriated to another
or at all 70 apply money which had not been
appropriated. 1t appeared 20 him that the PIE.
tent cafe differedvery much from hat Of applying
money without previous appropriation there
had been no money applied. The exigency of
the country, in the opinion Of the Executive,
required thefe CONTRACTS to be made. They had
been made but no money had been paid. The
gentleman from MatIachufe,ts sifhed to be
| told the difference between paying for an srti-
Gle and purchaEug it: the diftneton was obvi-
ons-an article may be purckajeI to-day and
paid for tomorrow. He mutt confefs that in
tins cafe he could neither fee Misrepresentation
CT Multiplication.
Mr.. Fir faid, he had under1ond that there
were diieaies both of body and mind, which ad.
united Of no radical cure. The difpoftion to
End fault one of theie. The gentleman
from Malachufetts had complained that the
committee OF Ways and Means had not done
Their duty: he wanted to know the prices given
for the fsveral articles before he could give this
bill HI, full atient. AT prcfent he was in Egyp-
tian darkneis; obfcurity 70 great rs TO be
tangible this being his fituation, it was doubt
fnl whether any ray of light reflected by reafon,
could reach his optical nerve; there could be
| no doubt but his mind was cloudet,. for had he
| read three lines more of the letter OF the Secre
| tary of the Navy to the committee, a part of
| which he had juit read, he would have found
| the very information he wanted eve have
conitquen-ly purchafed all that has been offered
tor Tale at a reafonable price. For that ttated
| IN the Ultimate we have given different prices.
the oweit of which has been Is, and the higbca
| Is cents per 10. For powder, cannon, cannon
ball, copper, canvas and cordage, we have con.
tfacted at the ordinary market prices"
iiere they found the p'ices which we're eivc;
/ tor ia'tPetre the other articles were purchaC-d
at the market price. Did the gentleman win
the H"ue to return the letter to the Secretary.
10 ak what the market prices were. Surely
not. Mr.. +. conceived the only quefion now
was whether 1t was expedent to make the an.
preparation, lit was at their op,ion) or yithboid
IT.. The money had not been paid. The Pre-.
| hdent had told them that he made the purcbaf4
on his own responsibility yet the gentleman
| IRON, N1aiiachuietts thought the money was &C
| thal'y paid becauie purchafe implied navment
the gentleman might, as a profefiional man,
| nave found very plain diltin6ion between r,,,r'
cha'e and payment. The fame gentleman had
LAD, that the Executive in the prelent iuftance
nad exceeded the powers Delegated BY the con-
| hitut!on much more than had been dom b, bic
favorite administration in The cafe cited bv RI.
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Randoiph.) Mr..
+. Thought very differently In that cafe money
appropriated tor one object was taken from it
and applied 70 another; in the prefept cafe mn
money had been drawn from the treafnry. nv
money had been paid.
Inc gentleman from Virginia had reminded
them OF the meaiures adopted the firft FELTON,
OF the 9th Conereis, to which he attribu,ed tbs
late outrage committed by Britif, flin ON one
OF our public armed veflels MIR. F. called mn
on the Houie TO decide whether the n,eaf;,rso
then purtued provoked, OF the conduH of ,hs
then minority IN Cooereis invited this OUTRAGE
taat minority which endeavored to diffraef and
"e%Ae" que counieI OF our government, who
acclaimed aeainf all oppoftion 10 Brit;n nG'r
| patton, and declared, that the Brtifh navy wss
the only barrier between us and univerf1I def
! Potiihi' heie things circulated and were rad
win aVioty IN that country, and no doubt in.
duced that nation 10 believe that there mo
| itrong party in this country in her fsvour. and
that The might iniult us with impunitv. Rn.
thank God /! fad MIR. +. the indignation exnrsT'
ed by the country on the late outrage will cor-
| fallen. ''eS "%o
Mr.. Upbam afked the patience of tbs co,
m'ttee, while he made a few remarks. He he
i'eved that there was general concurrence of
| op'nIon' that the executive had no right to a,
proprIate money for shy object not authorilsd
by the ieelilature the legislature had nor an
thorlitd the making contracts or purchaF.s
but as the general principle of appropria,;on
was NOT conteited, 1t became que(tion whether
more good or evil woniG have refnlted from
calling Congrefs together previous TO maxine
theie preparations. Upon a whole view of TIE
iuhIett, and as it was necet1iry TO fsnd VEIL
with drpatches 10 England and allow time for
IT'S return 1t was perhaps better for the Pref.
dent to- acl as he had DONE
He believed that IL was unanimou1y agreed
ny the nation, that if the Englifh government
had directed the iearch of national min il
was cautc for war; there was no oueGion brit
an aggreiiion bad been committed bv fsarcbino
national hip By force; and it appeared from
the letter from, admiral Berkely to captain Hum.
phreys, that it was done by order. This being
an encroachment on the laws and ufaees OF ma.
tions, he old not with it to be undernood that
ne thought 1t improper TO make thefe prepara
tons to refent 1t. But if they permitted their
officers TO make contracts unauthorized. if the
iegIilature were not to examine into and fern.
tinize theie things, they might conceive they
bad right to aet in this manner, and it would
become matter of courfe for them to do 70.
AS to the general principle then, there could
be no qnehIon; but he believed with the gen.
tlemdn from Virginia, that there might be CAFE
where 1t would be neceiTary to make preDara.
tions before the Legislature could be called