The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-09

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cure the general embargo from infraction;
andthisthey would doInore clfectually after
further consideration
The committee then.rose and obtained
leave TO sit again.
MIR. Bassett presented the following reso-
lutions, which he considered of Importance,
and wished to put in a way of being >consi-
dered.
Whereas the Constitution of the United
States provides, that no officer of the govern
ment shallbe eligible to seat in either House
of Congress, thereby establishing the genuine
republican principle, that the members of
The representative body should be exempt
from every improper bias. And as it is the
bounden duty of the representatives of the
people to give the fullest effect to constitu-
tionai principles
ResotUed, That provision ought to be made
by law to prohibit the officers of government
from making any contract, on behalf of the
( United States, with anyspcrsonbeing mem
Der of either House of Congress, or with any
other person Tor his or their use.
ResofUed, That every contract hereafter
to be made OF the part of the government of
the United States, shall contain clause or
condition to render the contract absolutely
void, if the contractor should be elected a
member of either House of Congress.
ReSoiped,, That any officer, infringing the
.'Ot SSoiiiS pIoNisIoiS, OuSnl W DC pulllSNSu O(
removal from Office, and incapacity Of ever
after holding any Office.
These resolutions were referred toa COM
mittee of the whole ois Monday next.
WEpNE sDAY, Dec. so.
On motion of Mr. Newton, the House re-
solved itself into comnpittee of the whole, on
the bill supplementary to the act laying an
embargo
Mr.. Quincey's motion for amendment, be-
ing yet under consideration,
Mr.. .Ne7oton said, that as consid cradle diff
faculty. had yesterday arisen on the consider
alton OF the bill, from the clause respecting
fishermen not being sufficiently explicit, il
the gentleman from Massachusetts would
withdraw his motion, he would propose new
section as n substitute to the first.
Mr. Quincy said he had no particular pre-
ference for any form, if he obtained his OBJ
ject, and withdrew his motion for adding
proviso, when
Mr. .Nezpton moved to strike out the first
section of the bill; which being agreed to-
Mr. Newton moved the insertion of a new.
section, to the same effect as the other, but
In somewhat different terms
Mr. Wacoa, to settle the principle at once,
moved to strike out that part making an ex-
eeption in favor of of fishing vessels.
L mis- motion was negatved-Ayes 25,
The new section moved by Mr.. Newton
was then agreed to without division.
The bill then progressed by paragraphs
& In the course of its consideration, manv YER
balamendments were made, not materially
affecting the principle of the bill, on which "a
desultory conversation took place. The two
most material amendments proposed are
hereafter noticed.
The fourth section, imposing penalty &
forfeiture on all foreign vessels which shall
curing the embargo "take ON board any
shecie or goods other than provisions, &c
being under consideration,
Mr.. Macon did not wish to cucumber this
law for explaining the former law with pro-
visions in themselves impracticable he
therefore moved toamend the section by strk-
ing out the words in italic, relative to specie.
las he believed it would be utterly imprac-
ticabie to enforce that prohibition.
This motion was supported by Messrs. Ma
rion, Pitkin, Dana, Macon, and Quincy, &
opposed by Messrs. Crowninshield, Newton,
and Taylor.
The advocates the motion generally con
tended for it on the ground of expediency
that ifthe expectation were not permitted,
citizens indebted in foreign countries could
not pay their debts when they became due,
as they were already prohibited from send
ing produce that the denial of the right TO
expert specie would operate very severely on
these merchants, as they must either lose
their credit, or pay an enormous premium
bills of exchange, which would be above
par, which less some merchants, suppositg
that the present state of things would not
continue for any length Of time, would suffer
rather than risk the destruction oftheir Gre
dit abroad, and of course of their business
that money was useful only when in circula-
ton, and accumulated millions in the country
woud be a loss to the community /; that such
a prohibition would afford an opportunity for
speculation, so much money being locked up
In the country, dollars would become much
below par in value, whereas premium of
8 and per cent had been heretofore given
for silver to send to the East-Indies or Chi
ma that the general restriction on specie
supposed to be implied in the former law
would affect only the master, commander, or
owner, while every other person concerned
as sailors, &c. could not be prevented from
carrying it on board {; that an idea had been
thrown out that this permission to export
lwould indulge the merchant and affect the
planter injurionsly, which was not correct,
for it would be impossible toprevent this mo-
ney going out Of tie country in some way
if it was possible to prevent its expectation
from the ports of the United States, il would
exude through the channel of the neighboring
provinces. 1t was alsocontended, that twas
totally impracticable to prevent the expor-