Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-26
Tuesday, Fe6ruary %.

Mr. Culfchcf', a melhOeE itCin ~ ~ III S@to-
lima, appeared and took his seat
On motion of Mr.. Yan Rensselaer,,
Resoiyed, That committee be appointed
for the purpose Of enquiiing intothe expedi-
ency OF continuing the act for extending Jurls-
Giction in certain cases to state courts; and
that the committee have leave to report by
bill or otherwise.
MIR. pazrson called up the resolution which
he submitted few days ago for the appoint
ment OF Joint committee to enquire into
what business is necessary to be done previous
o,adiournmcnt.
Mr.. Ro1an wished for some information on
this subject; without which he thought the.
resolution at present improper. The great
business for which they had been called toge-
Their, had net yet engaged their attention In
the way which was expected. lie presumed
that gentlemen expected that there wound be
some disclosures, which must occupy the at
tention Of the nation, and he doubted whether
it would be proper before these were made to
intimate design shortly to adjourn. He was
unwilling that an impression should be maze
on our enemies, or the foreigners IN this
country, that the hoase even thought OF an
adjournment before these measures were dis
.cussed. Tie gentleman who proposed the
resolution however might be possessed OF IN
formation which would remove his scrupics Z
Mr.. Liuermore understood the object Of the
resolution to be to ascertain precisely what the
gentleman from Kentucky was DESTROYS 10
'know-information on the state OF affairs
Mr.. SniHe would Only ask before the ques-
ton was taken on the appointment OF COM
mittee, what that committee could do. Isahy
man within this house, said he, possessed OF
the necessary information to enable him to say
when We should adjourn? Cur adjournment
should depend on contingent circumstances !;
for my own part wish 10 know how things
are and till do, never shall consent that
the resolution shall be adopted. five do ad,
iouln In the situation In which we now are,
we cannot account 10 our constituents, for
our conduct. If committee be appointed,
except they procure Information they can do
nothing; and think gentlemen concerned in
DIPLOMATS business will not disclose its pro-
2press till something with certainty VIII be
known.
MIR. Rowan wished It to he understood that
he was anxious to adjourn and depart hence
bur he did not wish thst this oroer should go
abroad, that they thcught ot adjournment tiil
measures assumed oae shape or other. Be-
siness belonging to our interior regulations,
they were all acquainted with and could act
upon without further Information. They bad
met here for a specirlc purpose, and til the
negotiation should terminate one way err the
other he did not wish to adjourn
Mr. Dasyson was sorry that his Object in
Offering the resolution was SO little under.
stood. Far, very far was i roma bin TO wish
Congress to adjourn till they had done that
business whicl, tie public interest demanded
and their duty required. This was not his
intention. Ii was in orderto bring these n,at-
tiers before the house that he aew offerea the
resolution. It was painful Tor him to repea.
that Congress had been N session between
and months, during which time they had
been discussing mere projects, TernoVal OF tie
seat of government, and in matters OF loctl
and personal nature. 1t was how time that
they shouId proceed to the adoption or those
measures which the protection Of the country
required. He begged the house to castlaeir
eyes for a moment 10 the occurrences on the
other side of the water Look at Copenha-
Soen examine the DEGREES of the British go
yernment, and the more recent ore OF the
French government and look at the hostile
measures in the territories adjoining, Il IS
time that the public attention sllenld lie called
to public measures, There were several bills
Cor that purpose before the house. It was his,
wish to bring these matter. forward and did
{ a. waste the time Of the house rdsys, weeks
/ and months on local and personal matters. II
was in order to attend TO the state OF the natis
on and to enquire what was necessary to be
done that this resolution was proposed, and
not from wish to adjourn before tie house
had accomplished the purpose Tor which t..ey.
had met.
After some farther discussion, motion