The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-24

i now under consideration that having look-
ed over the names subscribed, he found men
| OF the FIRST respcct'e,ihty, the most eminent
and wealthy merchants of Philadelphia ha;,
subscribed it that he was not himself p,e-
! pared to SOY Nat he was in Favor OF q repeal
but Thought nevertheless chat citizens had =
right to pray for anv object whatever, more
especially when in the situation of these mer-
Chants.
! MIR Fisk, amongst other remarks, said
that neither he nor any gentleman in the
House had disputed the right to petition; it
was OH the ground OF disrcspect that it had
been refused a reference before, and he hop
, ed it would now be refused on the same ground
1t had been said that the House had disgrace.
ed themselves bv their former decision on
this case Mr.. T. did not wish to remove
such disgrace, and he was opposed to the
present reference, not because they prayed
for the repeal ofa law, but because theterm
& language of the petition were not decorous;
a petition could not be couched in language
more Objectionable. a gentleman from Penn
svlvania had said that the petitioners were
wealthy and eminent merchants MIR. f.
said they were not entitled to more conside-
ration on that account than the poorest citi-
zen of the u. States. The petitioners fear
ed that they might be deprived of their mar
ket: if they had no ether market than Great
Britain, and we're obliged to depend on her
Justice and her moderation, they were indeed
unfortunate. The petitioners had urged their
tpraycrs in an improper marser, and he be-
tlevcd from improper motives and he be-
licved that the petition was conched in Ian
guage and contained sentiments which would
be generally exccrated by the American pco-
lple.
Mr.. Dana, in the course of his reply said,
ts,h nI
had been charged as British partzans, there
were some as WORTHY gentlemen as any in the
House, and as superior to foreign influence.
! Those who thus dcnominated them-would
they not expect to be charged with being
/ tools of foreign power, if they did not prove
their assertions? He did not before know
that it was a violation of decorum TO say that
a government couM err in some monarch
les citizens had been denied the right of say
ing that their government aid err, but even
there they had not been restrained from say
ing that they might err. At the same time
that the petitioners had not charged the go
vernment with acting corruptly, they had not
conducted themselves as sycophants or
Eslaves.
Mr.. Kelly also replied to the observations
of the gentleman from Vermont, bore testi-
mony to the good character of the petition
ers, & strongly advocated the motion for re-
| ference.
Mr.. Chandler suggested TO the gentleman
/ from North-Carol;na the proPriety Of with
drawing his motion, and permitting a decisi-
on to take place Oh the original motion for
reference.
| Mr.. Bi5uns said he had been taken in YES
terdav by withdrawing a Taotion, and he
would not withdraw this Ifgentlemen were
so desircus wontonly to waste the public
L., .,,l
nent, they might; but he would not with
draw his motion ifthey debated till this time
tomorrow upon it.
The question of postponcment was decided,
on motion of MIR. Milnor, by Yeas and Nays
| Yeas G4--~ays 90.
The question Oh reference was then decid-
ed by Yeas and Nays. as follows:
YEAS-Messrs. BaSsett, Bib, Champion,
Chittenden, Clopton, Cobb, Culpepper, LANA,
Davenport, Elliot, Ely, Findey, Gardner,
Garnet, Goldsborough, Gray, Harris, HE'S
ter, Hoge, Jenkins, Kelly, Kirkpatrick, Ma
rion, Minor, +. Moore, Ier. Morrow, John
Morrow, Mosely, Newbold, Pitkcn, Porter,
Quincy, Randolph, Kea, (Pen.) ]. Richards,
CART, Tallmadgc, Taylor, Upham, Van Allen,
| Van Cortiandt, Van Renssciear.-46.
| NAio-Messrs. Alexander, w. Aston,
| Bacon, Bard, barker, Blackledgc, Blake,
Bicunt, Boy!e, Brown, Butler, Calhoun, Carl
ton, Chandler, NJ. Clay, Crownnshield, Cults,
Deane, Desha, DurcA Fisk, Franklin, Gar
denicr, Goodwin, Green, Hclmes, Holland,
Hslmcs, Howard, Humphreys, Ilsiey, John
son, jones', Lambert, Love, Masters, McCrce-
~, J. Montgomery, n. X. Moore, Mumford,
| Newton, Nicholas, Rhea (Tcn.) Rowan, saw
yer, Scaver, Sloan, Smiue, ]. X. Smith, S.
Smith, j. Smith, siouthard, Whitchi.l, Will
! son, Withereil.--jj.
| being now near O'Clock,
Mr.. LiVuut NOV ed that the House 60 into
committee of The whole ON the subject of for
| titcation; the House he said would be sens;-
/ bic that It was his wish at this late hour to
| so into committee of the whole, only in or
der to give thc business priority to any other
tomorrow
| On taxing the question, there were but SO
members present; not being quorum, the
! House or Course adjourned.
WEDNESDAY,, Dec. 10.
Mr.. UU5omr presented the petition Of Wal
ter Charming, praying for the reimbursement
OF duties paid on certain articles Referred
! 20 the committee OK Commerce and Manu-
I features.
/ Mr.. Uana moved that the petition of the
President OF the Derby fishing company,
presented at a former session, praying for a
modification of thGir charter, be referred TO
the committee Of Commerce and Manufac-