The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-04

Try require that we should raise this num-
Der? believe that the circumstances of the
country require that we should not only raise
seamen but landsmen. Therefore at present
shall vote for the number asked, and as
soon as more boats are ready my vote shall
be given for manning them as fast as they can
be erected.
After a further desultory debate lin which
the Speaker repeatedly reminded gentlemen
of the question under consideration in which
Messrs. Lyon, GARDENER, Livermore, FISK,
Dana, Rhea Pen.) Smile and Tallmadge
took part, and none of whom opposed the
bill.
Mr.. Taiimadge moved that the further con-
sideration of the bill be postponed till to-mor-
row, that gentlemen might have an oppor-
tunity of filling it with a smaller or greater
number,
This motion was opposed by Messrs.
Dawson, Nelson and TAYLOR, and supported
by Messrs. Desha, Quincy, Blackledge, Cook
and Dana; in the course of which,
Mr.. Nelson wished to see who were de-
| sirous OF consuming time in this way, who
were in favor OF arming the nation, and who
against it. IF the documents before the
| House were voluminous, if the bill were
| long, or II there were any difficulty in un-
derstanding either, re should be willing to
postpone IN order to have them printed
| but the plain question was, whether would
! they or would they not employ 1912 seamen?
Every hour was oficonsequence they could
now get men for five or seven dollars per
month but it they waited till these men
| could get employ OH board merchant ships at
fifteen dollars month, it would be difficult
| to procure them for national service. Ashe
| said before, he was DESTROYS to see who were
willing to arm the nation and who were not.
and therefore he called for the yeas and
nays on the motion for postponement.
Mr.. Dana. Have we an enemy at our
doors! Are we now to be called into battle
| is there any thing new which calls upon us
particularly at this moment? Shall it be said
that those who wish to postpone this bill till
! tomorrow are not ready to provide for the
defence of the country? Mr.. d. said, one day
could make no difference Hearing this bill
read as well as he could from the peculiar
difficulty of distinguishing exactly what was
said in this splendid structure, he undo rstood
1t as providing for the employment of such
La number OF Seamen now out OF emplot-
In either caselt was not an improper exer-
else OF Legislative power, and need not be so
hastily pushed through the House, there be-
ing nothing contained in the bill Which for
babe the usual course of proceeding.
Mr.. Holland moved to adjourn-Negativ-
ed, SIS, to AS.
Mr.. Quincy supported the motion for post
ponement, contending that they were now
I legislating in the dark.
| The yeas and nays being taken on the mo-
ton for postponement, were yeas 81, nays
| o.
Mr.. Stanford moved that the House adj
journ-Negatived IS to 40.
| The question was then taken on concur
renee with the number (1272) reported bv
the committee of the whole as follows:
| IEAS-Messrs. Alexander, w. Aston
| BACON rl-a
ledge. Blount, Boyle, Brown, Butler, Cal
noun, Champion, Chandler, Chittenden
Clay, Clopton, Cobb, Cook, Cults, Dana. Da,
venport, Dawson, Deane, Desha, Dureli. Ell
lott, Ely, Eppes, Findley, Fisk, Franklin.
Gardener, Gardner, Goldsborough, Good
wyn, Green, Harris, Heister Helms. HoJ-
land, Holmes, Howard, Humphreys, Ilslev.
patrick, Knight, Lambert, Lewis. Liver
more, Love, Lyon, Marion, Masters, M'Cree-
ry, Miner, ]. Montgomery, r. Moore, Jere.
| Morrow, Jno. Morrow, Mosely, Mumford
| Nelson, Newbold Newton, Nicholas. pitl,in
Porter, Pugh, Quincy, Rea, penny Rhea'
Tenn J. Richards, NJ. Richards, Riker'
Russell, Seaver, Sloan, Smelt, Smile, ]. K
| Smith. Jno Smith. Sohthard, Stedman. Sto
rer, Sturges, S&art, Taggart, Talmadge,
lroup, Opham, Van Alien, Van Dyke, Yer
planck, Wharton, Wilbour, Williams, VIII
son, Winn, whitehall, Thomson, Van Horn
JOB.
NAYS-Messrs. Garnett, Grav. Hope
Macon, d. Montgomery, Randolph, S. Smith
Stanford, Taylor, Trigg-10.
Mr. Taylor moved to amendk the bill bv
inserting clause restricting the continu
ance OF the law for a longer time than tin
the first day of July next, and no longer.
| Mr. L. said as in the course of discussi
on the naval militia had been considered as
an object likely to be accomplished, and as
he considered the bill as it now stood as com
promitting this principle, which had been
avowed by many gentlemen in discussion
on former subject, and as he conceived il
necessary to give to the people some pledge
that the boats would be manned as expect
! ed, he had proposed this limitation. 1t might
| be said that the limitation should not be So
restricted, that it should extend until the
next meeting of Congress; but he would
not compromit his principle for wear. Till
the lst OF June would be time sufficient in
which to organise the marine militia. AL
though there appeared to be great rroiori
ty i'll favor of this bill, it would, as now
stood, compromit the principle on which
| they had lately acted; if he were but per-
mitted to read the speeches of gentlemen
on the gun-boat system, he could satisfac-
torily prove this He was DESTROYS, not for
himself, for he should vote consistently. but
that the body should hold out to the nation
the ground on which they acted.