The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-16

necessary 10 cnabic us to defend the country
am one who believes that # this country is pos-
S1ssed ct srtf,r:en, number of arm ". -.
perfectly safe against the world. for one feel
no sort OF alarm /; feel Indifferent to any comb-
hiuon however extensive or Formidable 1. is
impossible to conquer this country; it would re-
ounce corporal and guard for every man. iet
Us h.'ve arms and fear not ;ny mischief from
combination OF any kind against the country
hVie Tie resolution will be agreed to and referred
to tie committee have mentioned
Mr. bacon thought this n resolution of cnns-
oeiiiDie ilnfol tnce, which need not he adopted
a, inomenrs warming He wished further tune
to consider the subject, and moved that it be re-
fefrcu to committee of the whole
ID. DDspson said that the committee on our mi
ht4ry AID naval establishments had made the en-
curry contemplated by the resolution. They
found hat the United States wercnow in posses
sion OF $4,000 stand of arT,s, and annually ma
mI'ctured thousand in ado, zion.
Upon this enquiry they had thought it unnecessa-
ry to enquire into the means of procuring IA adj
tItional supply ~:
| Mr. Marion said it was Indifferent TO him what
course this resolution should take though he was
ANXIOUS that the House should come to some de-
termination on the sub jcct. Early in the scss on
committee had reported resolution for loani ~
o: selling arms to the several states which re D
luton had lain on the table Several legislatures
| mad SINCE been in session and appropriated mo-
ncy Tor procuring arms. But AS long AS these M
IONS were pelN,ng in this House, and Congress
had the subject under considers; ton, they knew
not how to act. If Congress will purchase arms,
sad Mr.. M. it is unnecessary for the states to do
1t; II Congress will sell them, tile states Will
purchase them. myself have been applied to
| oy ast,te authority 70 know what success they
wound meet IN an attempt to procure ans in the
| United States. tits impossible 10 purchase them
IN the United States the armories and manuiac-
| tories are IN contract with the United States or
| Ill
a"d II Is impossible III procure them except ilom
foreign nations. II this resolution were adopted,
the details from the committee might flrrs!i
somt mode or procuring them Ii is desirable
that something OH this subject NAV be DONE and
TINS course my Produce the most speedy lccisi-
On.
NJ Ely thought II ulv desirable object
that the United States shor!,l possess mere arms
than they Ito atpreaent. One hundred and thirty
thousand were not hslf the number that the Uni
ted States ought to possess. lie should be will
ling to adopt the resolution Il the gentlemanitom
|VIEinla or any other would sbaW che mcans 10
carry that Object into effect that arms could be
lprocurcd; but until ii could be shewn that there
were arms in the u. s. which could he purcll;fs-
ed, it was unnecessary to trouble the House with
4 discussion on the subject, as it would have. i
tendency to prevent the states from grmng.
Now ifthe gentleman WHO proposed the rcsoluti-
on could shew where $1,000 stand Of arms were
to be had, he would adopt aTy measure for prlc,l-
ring them. He did not think 100000 stand
would be one musket more than the y. St..tes
ought to have in addition to their present supply !;
bat he would not be willing to adopt the rcsolu-
ton eXcept IT Were shewn where they could lie
purchased. The political world was now in such
a state that arms could Dot be procured from 70
| reign nations he Should be glad that some way
! could be demonstrated. He wished TO know
before they committed the subject, that the reso-
| luton embraced an object within their reach
/ 1fr. Bacon Withdrew mis- motion for commit
pent, AID moved that title on tine table,
| MIR. B4r5seR assured the gentleman lust set
down, that lie had not introduced the resolution
t. promote useless discussion. Mr. En- ex-
plaiued that he had not mean, TO express an idea
that ne had. 1t was no part of his object II APP
pears 70 me SAID MIR. b. that nothing can be more
evident than that every country which anticipates
attacE should possess more arms than necessary
to arm any particular number OF men that are like
ly to be called out at one time Let us s.pDose
that by what ever event part Of our arms should
| be destroyed Is it not necessary that there
/ should be certain deposit whence thew can be.
Immediately suppiicd' I presume that there
should As to any particular place where any
quantity OF arms can now be procured, cannCt
designate any The rcolsrtion contemplatcs vest =
ing power in the government to purchase them
J ii they can be had. There are no doubt, Some
few IN the sea ports. Government may purchase
item Although we cannotimport t!.ens at this
DAY, we may IN few weeks or months, in which
time the state of things may be so far changed as
to put it III the power ftle President to procure
them. With respect to the number of arms al
ready belonging to the United States, it will be
considered that VIC have aniexposed frontier, liza
bic to the attack ofnations OH our borders, and il
is ndispensably necessary that the inhabitants on
| our frontier should be armed. The petition this
day presented by the gentleman from Pcnnsvlvaria
| MIR. Smitl) sufficiently evinces that the United
States arc not amply provided with arms
Mr.. s Smith, deemed this iuty to state that the
fears of the petitioners just alluded to were ne
chimericai he personally knew their situst on,
and was anxious that some thing should be done
| for their relief .,. I.-
| mr. Bm7eeH having expressed a consent that
| IT might lie on the table -
The resolution was so disposed of, a. to "a
Mr.. G., W. Campbell, from the committee of
ways and Means, reported a bill for carving
INTO effect certain Indian treaties Read twice
and referred to committc ofthe whole.
Mr.. ". Alstoa moved that the unfinished bu-
slness oi the last sitting. Mr.. BIount's renewal
OF Mr.. Sloans motion for the removal of the seat
OF goveinment] be postponed indefinitely He
PRESUMED every gentleman must be convinced
that sufficient time had been occupied byr
After some discussion, the House adjourned