The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-12

nance ss@ =. ct these semen during the whole
conun'snce II the en'hargo, ,osc vessels, which
thougi loaded mad not cleared CIT, were not sub
ject to the same inconvenienees, because they
we've not burthcncd with the great expcnce ot
supporting their seanhn. Mr.. M. was not now
prepared to say that he should be in favor Of an
exemption in favor of those vessels which had
thus cleared out, but thought it a subject which
onght to be enquired into. The gentleman from
Virginia had told the House if thew passed a ls>v
it should be carried into effect. True il was that
they should enforce it as far as il was equitable ;
put H. as was stated, this peculiar case and
tne Peutioners endured much more than their Dor.
ton OF inconvenience, was worthy of enquiry
whether no method could be taken to avoid in
hicting on them that distress which must over
! axe .hem II the law was rigdy enforced. He
hoped the petition Bwould be considered in the u
suai way, by reference. AS to the impression
gong abroad that they were celebrating ON the
fclsl of that law, there could be no weight in
that idea The committee to whom this should
De referred might give solid and sufficient reason
Tor continuing that provision of the law, or for
granting the particular PRAYER of the petition.
Dir. Cook always was and ALWAYS Should be IN
favor OF referring petitions from respectable per.
sons clothed in decent language. The embargo
law, OF provision in which these merchants com
PLAN, was well known to have been passed with
great dispatch, if not in hurry and that part
winch provides that vessels already cleared out
caPea ms particular attention on its passage it
appeared to him i'll this particular to be CT the ma
ture OF an es post fdctc law. He hoped the ne
titoners might have hearing, and that the facts
would be submitted to committee for investiga
ton.
on: Newton to exclude debate, withdrew his
opposition to the reference.
Mr.. BwweN moved to refc. this petition to
select committee, that it might be enqureel into,
and that the merchants of the United States might
De gwen to understand that the House would p,,r
sue that course which would enforce the continu
ahce OF the embargo He thought that by a re.
ference To select committee sucn arcport might
be obtained wou,d evince to the nation the bro.
Priety OF adopting the measure and the reasons
in its favor.
Mr.. Taylor said he had not on any occasion al.
lowed himself the liberty of treating with siisrrs
pect petitions from any portion ofthe people and
IN TINS case he should adhere TO The line which he
mad marked out for his conduct. And lest it might
be conceived from his voting in favor of a refer
ence OF this petition, that he participated in thc
sentiments OF the petitioners, The deemed il pro-
per 10 say That 1T was from principle alone that he
should vote Tor considering il and lie rnuSt he
permitted to declare that the petitioners them
selves might De Charged with as base motives ;s
NOSE IRON the same city who had been refused
reference OF petition on former occasion dur
ing TINS session He thought they might be charp-
ed with being induced by foreign influence, to en-
deavor to paraiizc every measure for the GOOD of
.heif country, or might be supposed to be among
,ne acquahtances OF Cobtctt in Amcrica--so Ia
Ken up with their idol Maminon, with their zeal
after profit, that they cared not what became of
tac country II their Golfers were filed He would
compare tic conduct of the merchants of the CT
V OF Charleston whose petition was secuted the.
ntiIer day, with that of these men, who might eli
theroe called the votaries OF Mammon or by
worse name
mr.. Smile saw no objection to the reference Of
TINS petition. He supposed that the haresi,ips I'M
ger which those persons labored, whose vessels
were already loaded * the passage of the law
were very great. Under these considerations he
thougbtt would be proper to commit the petition,
because 1t would require a Particular report to
NC hiade upon It. When he said this, he was well
convinced that general policy would not warrant
the granting the prayer OF the petitioners he
thought however, that the memorial should be re-
ferred
oar., Dana thought. ifgent!enen so much res
Pectcd the right opetition, they ought not to de-
PEecate the insertion ct all principles which did
not exactly concur with their own opinion If
they made 1t rule to reject all petitions not con-
formabie to their own decisions, they rendered
nun and destroyed one of the great ends of petit.
oning, for 1t was when they were aggrieyed only,
that the people wished to petition; such conduct
would IN effect be saying " We will not regard
any petition what ever" He thought therefore
elpie' Could gentlemen fear the answer which
preference OF the petition might produce from the
eonm'ttee' Conld they dread comparison be-
tween the reasoning contained in the petition, and
mat which report unfavcrable to it might con
tam The general rule of reference ought to be
regarded, more especially of petitions on great
public questions. independently of this general
prihclplc ne thought tlielc were special reasons
Tor reference Of this petition, the case of vessels
winch were cleared out, and had on board al
ihelr cargo az well Is papers, when the law pas
sed, and which had been detained in BAYS or ri
vcrs by adverse winds, was peculiarly rigorous.
vessels had been cleared out OF Philadepha, bu-
wing on board foreign merchandise about to be
exported these vessels had proceeded ON their
voyage but had been arrested in their progress,
ana brought back, by the operation of the csnbar
90 law. What was their situation Il,ey would
nave TO roland their goods at loss of 8 and an
hali per cent. of drawback and if they wished
TO export them six months hence they must iiav
another ) l-2 per cent. upon them, because they
mao gone down the bay OF Delaware previous 10
.ne passage ofthe law, and had been brought back
neither the Secretary ofthe Treasury possessed
the power TO remedy this defect, he did not know
but he believed he did He wished the petition,
however to dc referred to a select committee, to
examine whether or not in particular cases the law
laying IN embargo operated more vigorously than
was required by the general policy OF tho measure
4Hr. PORTER merely rose to say that he held in
his hand certificate OF the collector of Phladel.
pima, verifying the facts stated in the petition
which was read.
The Yeas and Nays beino reui,;red or ~ =. ,,,,1.