The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-14
CONGRESS.
LOUISE OF REPRESENTATIVE S,
"WEDNESDAY, Jan. s.

enclosing a report unfavorable to the petition
OF Joseph Ward; which was ordered to lie
on the table.
MIR. Poindertcr presented the petition Of
number of inhabitants of the mississippi
territory, stating that before the line of de-
marcation was run, they had considered
| themselves within the Spanish territory but
the surveyor general having completed a
| part of the line, they were found to be within
the jurisdiction of the u. S. Under the inn
preston that they were Spanish subjects, they
had not filed their grants as required by law,
| and therefore their claims were barred by
the treaty of 1875. They pray that they may
be permitted to file their claims IN the regis
ter's Office notwithstanding. Referred to the
committee on public lands
Mr.. Poindcrter presented also the petition
OF Alex. Baily, late collector of customs for
! the port of Natchez, confined as debtor to
the U. ). /; and praying that he NAV he dis
charged from confinement, to give an oDpor-
tnnity of paving the debt, as he possessed I'd
property. Referred to aselect committee.
MIR. G. W. Camh6W moved that the unSn-
ished business of Yesterday (the resolution re-
| lative to gen: W. be postponed, in order TO
take up the bill relative to the Meditcrrane-
an neutrality-suspicious. 5e-Navsls.
Mr. j. Richards, from the committee to
whom the subject had been referred, report
ed a bill granting to A. J. Willard certain
SUM of money for his Improvement in mount
ing cannon on batteries. Read twice and re-
| ferred to a committee Of the whole.
| The House ,hcn went into committee Of
the whole, Mr.. ]. RICHARDS in the Chair.
on the bill for continuing in force fnr further
time the first section of the act for the pro-
lection of our commerce and seamen against
the Barbary powers.
Mr.. G. W Camh5eR moved to insert the
! j. -, "a,
son for this was, that the act which this bill
went to Continue, had expired, since the pre-
sent bill was reported; it was therefore ne
Cessary that it should read &c is hereby re-
Uivcd and continued in force
/ Mr.. Dana said the u. S. were not now in 4
state of hostility with anv Barbqry no, .e~
and the naval force employed BY the u. s in
the Mediterranean had hecn-,ecelycd Thu
duties proposed by this bill were not intended
to reotect the commerce Of the u. s. against
the Barbary powers. He therefore subDitte5
1t to the sense of the committee, whether
the law on the face oft shonld not speak five
purpose it had in view; whether it was pro-
iper to revive a law which had expired lJv the
same title, when different purpose was con-
temp! ated by it, Instead OF Mediterranean
Fund, it might be called the defensive or
protective fund; for it did not really meet his
idea CT consistency, that it should be called
the Mediterranean Func, when there was No
occasion for such fund. He wished C,e hin
to be so amended as to express the purpose
for which it was intended it might read fcT.
the purpose of providing means of defence.
1t might seem If the bill passed in this yav.
that there was wish to conceal its real oh
liect not that he believed himself that this
was the case.
| Mr.. G.. W. Camf5eN was not particularly
attached to the words in reviving and con-
tnuing these duties. The question now pro-
posed to the House had twice at former scssi
ons been before 1T. This section was contin-
ued in 1906, by aw in nearly the same
words as that .ow before the House At thar
time it had been objectt that the objects Of
the original law being answered, it was unne-
cessary to continue it in the same form. The
House then did and perhaps now would think
proper to continue the same phraseoioy.y in
the law. Having been twice before COM. nl1-
ed in this manner, he saw no reason why il
should not now be continued in the, same
| form.
Alter some desultory debate on this motion
III which Messrs. Dana, Quincy, Upham anu
| Lyon supported the motion, and Mcssrs
| w. Aston, Crownlnshieid aud G. w. Camp
| bell opposed it.
| Mr.. Smile observed that this was n lone.
debate on very imnateriai point it re-
minded him of passage in Tristram Shan
ldy. When the child was born, a long deb.,a
was held whether it should be called IRIS
tram or TllSmegistus.
| The amendment offered by Mr. Dana was
ncgatived.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Campbell
was agreed 90.
| Mr.. Ct0rke moved to amend the bill by in
serting after the words, " Continued in force
the words ''from and after the hrt dny ri
Feb. neX,." The reason why he made tbjs
motion was, that the news Of the passage of
this bill could not arrivesat New-Orleans be-
| fore that day. Cargoes might have been re-
cciyed and sold and bonds given for the a.
mount OF duties, and after having sold the
cargoes, the importers would be called upon
for two and halfper cent. duty. IL would be
unjust that the law should Affect one portion
: of the people more than another; he there
iore hoped day would be fixed OH which the
aw should so into operation in every part of
the us.
| Mr.. Quincy thought as the law at present
stood it had an ex post faCto operation in those
ports at distance from the seat of govern
ment. For from the expiration Of the duty.
a consequent reduction in prince would be
made by the importing merchant; and if he
were afterwards called upon to pay the two
and half per cent. it would be great loss
to him.
Mr. g.. W. Camh6eUsaid the.gentlemon. ap