The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-14
THURSDAY, Ian. z.

The Speaker laid before the Hovse letter
from the Postmaster General, inclosine The.
annual report on unproductive routs, SC
Referred to the committee on Post Office and
Fost Roads.
Mr.. SoHtha'd laid before the House a re-
solution passed by the legislature OF New
Jersey, instructing its Representatives to use
their endeavors to accomplish the object N
cluded in the following resolution which Mr.
). moved, and which was agreedto:
Resolved, That a committee lie apDo;nted
to en2uireinto the propricty of establishing
by law standard whereby all weights and
measures i'll the u. States MAY be fixed with
uniformity and precision, .gtn leave TO re
port by bill or otherwise
Mr.. Dana proposed for consideration the
following resolution:
ResotUed, That the committee Of Com
nIerce ana Manufactures be instructed to en-
qlire into the propriety of allowing an ex-
tension of credit during the continuance Of
the existing embargo, for duties secured on
inportcd goods or merchandise which might
Otherwise be exported for the benefit cf
drawback according to law, in case such
goods or merchandise shall be deposi,ed
with the collectors Of the customs respective
l.; in pledge, for satisfying such dut:as with
charges of safe keeping.
MIR. ID. said 1t would be seen at once tia,
this resolution proposed to leave the regular
collection OF the ordinary revenue complete
" untouched, and only affect goods not in
tended to remain in the country. If mer.
chants deposited Their goods with the J.
lcCtars in pledge for the duties, it was certain
that they could not be sold if thew meant to
Sc ! them, they must be taken ont of posyes-
sion OF the collectors, and therefore their de
post would ne full security that thew were
IN hoo cyH he
back in one year amounted to nine or ten
millions OF dollars; and if the merchants
were compelled to pay these duties 10 the
government without the privilege of export
ing the goods on which these duties were
paid, they were in fact compelled tC advance
so much money without receiving any inter.
est
MIR. Yaa Horne said. if he understood the
tendency OF the proposition now before the
House, 1t would have the effect to lock ND i'm
the warehouses Of our collectors a Quantity
OF produce thf., would otherwise be brought
into market Tic woold ask whether at this
time, when the produce of the planters and
farmes of this country could not be sold. it
was proper to do any act which could have
the effect to raise the pride Of imported arti-
cles! Was it proper to suspend the pay
ment Of any sums of money which might be-
come due TO the United States from our mer.
chants, when the planters and farmers would
be compelled by process from our courts to
discharge the debts due by them, He did
not wish to oyerrate the pressure Of the pre-
sent crisis, but he could say and believed
that it was generally admitted, that the mea-
sures adopted called Upon the patriotism Of
our citizens for their support. lie did hope
that the merchants Of this coiatry would
cheerfully bear their due proportion Of the
difficulty Of the present crisis. lie did not
pretend to understand much of mercantile
transactions, but if the measure now Propos-
ed would haze tendency TO indGce or mer-