The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-03-08

to keep atthcir own disposal. 'rha. !, b.d
oeen truly said by the advocates OF the rcso-
intion that 1t would be selling in fact to them
| Selves nevertheless If too MANY were soil
laho none ought now tobe sold) the states to
whom tney We're sold might prohibit them
I'm oeihg carried out OF their respective
states, or might fix them at any one spot in
those states; in which case, they would he
iost TO the United States for general service
| nat the political horizon blaCkened every
uas ana clouds lowered around them: this
was not the time then in which the Un;,ed
states should divest themselves of thar de-
fence which they had
me advocates OF the resolution replied
'n'l although resolution for arming the
"noic hiiiitia OF the United States had been
passed., lt was to be supposed from no rr
port having been made on the sub;ect hat
ei'hei 'ne present time was deemed impro-
per Tor It's introduction, or the comu;tte.
could not construct bin for the purpose or
III any event that the project appeared TO be
rehiqusshed Tor the present That it was
true they had but few DAYS apo aoreod -
purchase arms yet those arms were nnrch,-
SEQ Tor the benefit of the whole Union. and 70
tenoci 'hem benehciai they must be distrbu
ted; II any state then wished to nnrchav.
the safe would be distribution to a part of
the Union without loss to the whole Th.+
ene states OF South Carolina and Georgia
VINO now particularly wished to purchase.
| were peculiarly situated, having at the same.
.'ihe internal and external enemies. and
| weic not aole 10 procure arms farther, that
ehose states had made appropriations for this
purpose, the Iormerto the amount of 60 ono
collars, when they knew that a proposition
was actually pending in this House for era
ltuitouSly armlng the wheie militia. bnt tbev
had wlshed to pay for their arms. and nor
receive them as a donation from The General
government: That if The supernunerarv
arms OF the United States were not of a rood
quau'y, the states were not bound to mr.
chase; TINS then could be no objection That
Ii the present number OF arms in the arse
hais was not too great, the resolution EXPRESS
Ivy SAID that they should not be disposed of:
SO that the question whether the United
olateS naa TOO many too few came not into
CONSIDERATION ON the passage of this resoluti-
on. l hat it would be an act not onlv ofbu-
mainly and duty, but of interest to MAGE
arms In the frontier states in some wav or.
otAer' Tor II the country sin ould be occupied
o. an enemy while they were hesitatine ON
the subject, it would cost them more tronhIe
ana treasure to reposscss themselves of IL to
40 winch would be eirundoubted duty, than
20 prevent themselves from being disposses-
SEQ CT IL lfthen these states were disposed
90 purchase arms, there could be no obiecti-
on to permit them so to DO, for they could
not be had otherwise than from the United
States
| Nir. NJ. Clay in the course of the discus
sion, observed that gentlemen seemed in the
course OF Their observations, to consider the
nlil Tor the classification of the militia as re
Jected. On vote taken to-day there had
oeen present 100 members. This being
'oieraoly full House, he rose for the purpose
| OF giving notice that he should call for the
consideration of the report of the committees
OF the whole on the bill, at 10 o'clock to
morrow.