Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-12-06
GoslarssS.
goUSE OF REPREsEwT1TTYEs.
TUESDAY, November 90.


reported bill providing for the payment of
pensions at the City of Washington. Read
first and second time, made the order OF
the day for Tomorrow, and ordered to be
printed.
The reading ofthe petition for the repeal
of the embargoiaws (presented by Mr.. Gar.
denier) the completion of which was yes
terday postponed by an adjournment of the
house, was finished; and the said petition
was referred 10 the committee of the whole
house to whom was referred Mr.. Chitten-
den's resolution for repeating the embargo
On motion of Mr.. Sloan, the house went
into committee of the whole OH the report
In part oil the committee u whom was re-
ferred that part of the Presidents message,
of the 9Th Move nhcr, 1908, which respects
orr foreign relations; Mr.. Storer ia the
chair.
Mr. Willis ANston, jr. said the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Quincy had yes
terday taken SD wide a range that ne should
not pretend To follow, nor did he believe
that any one could foilow him through all
the mazes of his eccentric course. 1t would
be Impossible for that gentleman, or for NY
other person TO reconcile the inconsis,enc.e IS
ne had uttered: nor was il necessary to at
tempt formal e1:ansure of them for the
strange contradictions which his speech in
volved. E>cre quite sufficient TO destroy the
weight Of his arguments. He would take
tie gentleman up at the point at which ne
had lett OF The gentleman had said it was
not for him to describe the path which at
this period was proper to be pursued, but
1t was clear and luminous. It is certainly
singular Is I'D Mr.. Al!stcn) that If the course
be so extremely plain, such variety of o.
pinions should exist concerning it. Has a.
nv indi viiuat. anv cet of man
certained it ?-Yc', indeed. a few land he
hoped they were but few) persons in the
state of Massachusetts had found out a way |:
they had found out way, which was sub
mission to Great Britain and war with
France. The gentleman had, to be sure,
said he would resist bnt how would lac re-
sist Resist Great Britain on the ocean
Resist her on an element where she was
omnipotent! This was exactly similar to
the doctrine of certain individuals in Mas
sachusetts, and sufficiently developed the
views of those who advocated it. IL was
Idle to suppose we could contend with e..
Britain on the seas, and the true interpre-
tation was to- resist France and coalesce
with the British such is the only inference
to be drawn from the geDtleman's argu-
ments.
The gentleman had told us of his dispo-
sition to resist, and spoke of the payment
OF tribute as a thing not likely 10 happen
Merchants will not so to France, because
they win SO To confscation, and therefore
will not p y the duties imposed by the Bril-
fish. Merchants (said Mr. A. will be con
troied by their interests; and whilst thew
can find their way TO the continent Of Eu-
rope, which. in defiance of the DEGREES of
France, ;hey had been enabled to do, they
will pursue he trade If it be lucrative, let
il be subjected to what tribute it nav. Raise
the embargo, and il there is no other chan
mel for trade than through British ports,
merchants would pursue that.
Mr.. Allston had hoped, as the gentleman
TO whom he adverted was the Representa-
tive of commercial state, he would have
given commercial view of the subject !;
that he would have pointed out some ports,
TO which, IN case of raising the embargo,
we might trade but This he had not done
preferrng TO dwell upon vague and indef
mite views of the subject, telling us of some
superior, controlling power, of voice lou
der than that Of congress Had it, indeed.
come 10 that After having opposed the
embargo in its origin, and endeavored to
arrest It at every tarn, members now rise
and say that 1t cannot be enforced that
the people will seek their customary trade
notwithstanding the prohibitions ofthe law
Wnht picture was tniS 10 ROlu out to to-
reign nations
The gentleman (said Mr. A. } has called
upon colleague ofmine, and cautioned him
against invoking the spirit Of 70, and had
read passages from the declaration of inde-
pendence explanatory Of the reasons for our
resisting g.. Britain at that period. What
were we 70 infer from the introduction of
such illusions at this timer 1t appeared like
an intimation that as we had resis,ed Brit
isll aggTessions then, that we would now
succumb. Itcould hardly be viewed in any
other light.
We had been told that the voice of the
country was against the embargo. This
was a singular assertion. The rusult OF the
meeting AZ Salemof place IN the gentle
mans vicinity and the speech Of Mr.. Gray,
merchant ofintelligence, aud Of great en-
ihence, bad expressed d fferent sentiment !;
and Nj. 4. was 4stOnished that the gentle
man should say that the whole country was
In favor Of a repcal
Nc AIiston called the attention Of gentle.
men to the printed memorials which had
been just laid on their desks, and which had
been presented at former session. They
were from the leading merchants Of the
ccRDtry; and what doctrine did they advo-
cate They complained Of the interruption
Of our carrying trade and the violations
practised uguD oHf neutral commerce. In
conformity iothcIr solicitations, government
had pui sued the me sures suggested and