The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-02
no USE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Y Alter some petitions CT private nature
were presented and referred, and resoluti-
on had been offered by Mr.. Nelson, provid-
ing for the amelioration of the condition of
invalid revolutionary soldiers as we'll as those
Of the existing army, which was committed
TO a select committee to report thereon,
The house went into a committee of the
whole, Mr. Storer in the chair on the report
In part of the committee of nine, to whom
was referred that part of the president S
message Of the Sth of November, 1903, which
respects the foreign relations of the United
States. The said report having been read by
the clerk, andthe chairman having put the
hrst resolution of the same in the following
words, to wit:
Resolved, That the United States cannot,
without sacrifice of their rights, honor and
independence, submit to the late edicts of
G. Britain and France.
Mr.. @. ". Campbell, 1.-THE chairman of
the committee who made the report) observ-
cd that his health had been such as had not
permitted him to attend particularly to the
subject before the committee, and it might
interrupt his future attention He did not
however, intend at this time TO enter into
the merits of this question. The first reso-
Luton, which WAS under consideration, was
too self evident to require any argument to
support it; it might indeed rather require
American had long since determined for
himself He had Tor his ow,, part, when it
was first proposed, thought It superiluous !;
and Ike announcing to the world that we
were still independent. But some OF the gen
tleinen Of the committee had thought it es-
sential to introduce it, in order that there
should be seine one point on which all should
unite and short of which no one would stop.
After a perusal of the documents which had
been laid before the house, he presumed no
one would hesitate to declare his intentions
to resist the manifest aggressions upon our
rights. Some variance of opinion might ex-
ist as to the mode Of resistance; but he conf
IDENTITY believed that none existed as to the
general determination to resist. After they
had determined on resistance--that they
would repei the aggressions, there was grea-
ter probability of arriving at a favorable re-
suit The first resolution had been fixed up
on as an axiom in which all would unite,
from its being so self-evidcnt-Mr. Camp
bell made variety of remarks tending to
shcw that tame acquiescenCe in the ediCts
of the belligcrents was REIMBURSEMENT
of our unalienabie rights and a sham eful sur
render of ourindependencc. The real ques-
ton he said was, shall we govern ourselves
or be subject to the will Of others?
Mr.. Mumford, though approving Of the
general spirit of the report, had not assent
ed to all it's particular notifications. He
hoped we should all unite to promote union
in the country. He conceived that the reso-
luton which he had heretofore had the ho-
nor to propose was consonant to the instruc-
tons which had been given to our ministers
in France and Great Britain. He was will
ling to continue the embargo as it respected
both those powers, and would consent to in
flict upon those who should trade with either
the most severe penalties.-For his own part
he took American ground. He wished the
country to be put in state Of defence, but
really he could not see why we should re-
strict ourselves from trading with powers,
who had not violated our rights and who did
not act agreeablv to the French and En-
plish orders and DEGREES, or declare ourselves
Mt ennity with all the world, and so have
no friends at ALL He admitted that Great
Britain might be supplied with our produce
indirectly, If the embargo were even parti-
ally repealed but he did not regard so much
the effect upon foreign nations, as he
was DESTROYS Of relieving his own country.
We were to nave no loaf at all, it seemed,
because other powers took a slice Mr.. Num-
ford adverted to the magnanimity of the Spa
nish patriots, who he said, merited return
of good Offices from America. They had an
nulled Bonaparte's decree, and liberated our
vessels: and Notwithstanding there was
reason from the existence of our embargo to
expect prohibition of the payment OF debts
due to Americans at the Havana, yet the
vessels which had been permitted to go to
HAVANA for that purpose under execu-
tive licences, to the amount OF about fifty,
had met with success, the Spaniards having
been compelled by their government to make
payment.
He then spoke of the evils from which the
recent revolution in MEXICO had saved us,
declaring his belief in the probability that
had it not occurred, New Orleans by this
time would have been inthe hands of Napo-
leon. He mentioned the arrival Of French
officer from Italy Git being fact comn.uni-
Gated to him in confidence, but his love of
country induced him to mention it, without
referring TO names) who had travelled
through the union with great privacy, and
who after conference with Gov. Grand
Pre-, at Baton Rouge, had repaired to the
borders Of Mexico, and having reached the
Spanish lines, put on his suit OF regimentals
with intention of taking command in that
country. but was Immediately arrested BY
the Spanish authorities. These particulars
were stated by Mr.. Mnmford with the view
to shew the dangers which the United States
we're subjected to from French Vaccinations,
and the advantages which had flowed to us
from the Spanish revolution, and that we
ought to profit OF the markets which that e
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