Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-12
Gnnnre83.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MONDAY, ApR11 4.
(Signed)

MONDAY, April 4.
MT Doyd afnember from New Jersey in
'he stead OF Mr. Ezra Darby, deceased.
appeared and took his seat.
Messrs Opham and jenkins, obtained
leave OF absence for the remainder of the
session. - '"N
Mr. Randolph, from the committee to
"non the subject had been referred, repor
TED a bill making provision for ar,nina and
( ctqu'PpinS the whole body of the militia of
.uc y. states, which was twice read and
referred TO committee of the whole.
The engrossed bill for raising an additi-
onal military force was then read : and the
pass" '''' ''i'
An extremely interesting debate arose.
winch occupied the House until they adj
Jourhe;l, at O'Clock, without taking oues-
ton Messrs. Cicpton, Howard, Smile.
lroup, Aston, Rhea, TAYLOR, Lyon, and
Quncey supported the bin, and Messrs.
Randolph and ID. K. Williams opposed it.
The honse took up the unfinished basi-
ness OF yesterday, on which debate CONT
nned TIL near FIVE O'clock, when the house
adjourned.
Mcssrs Stanford and Randolph opposed
inc niii, and Messrs. Macon, Blount and
Burwell supported it,
!
pone the subject for one week was negativ-
ed 68 to SO.
me Sheaker laid before the house let
ter from the governor Of n. Jersey, notify
ING that .HdGm Boyd had been elected a
member OF the house of representatives. of
ihs y. States, in the room of Ezra Darby,
deceased.
Messrs. Uhham g Jenkins obtained leave
OF absence TOR til; remainder OF the session,
from Monday next.
Mr.. Key, from the committee on tho dis
| trIct OF columbia, to whom was referred a
number OF petitions from inhabitants of the
said district, made a favorable report tbs re-
on. Ordered to lie Gil the table.
| Mr.. FanGoIih, FROM the select committee,
reported {" a bill making PROVISION for
AIMING THE WHOLE BODY OF
The MILITIA of the United States. -
Referred to committee of the whole ON
! Wednesday.
| The bill authorising the raising of an
additional army, was read the third time.
! The ayes and noes were called for on its
passage.
! Mr.. ClQhton spoke at some length in ia.
vor Of the bill. He said that although ne
was one o. the II members who voted A.
gainst an increase of the regular army in
| llSS, yet he considered the state of things
now, as totally different from what it was
then. Our circumstances now were truly
momentOus and awful it was not a tius
to halt between two opinions. After suf.
ierng numerous injuries with the most un.
eXampled forbearsnce, new grievances had
been lately added to them, which if sub
United to by us,would be drinking deeply
Of the cup Of degradation 1t was the &c.
| neral expectation that strong measures
| would be pursued. We should be amply
prepared to meet and sustain the contest no
matter from what quater the assailant
came.
Mr.. Randolph opposed the bill at grea,
length. He hid always been Of opinion
and this was the doctrine of '9s, that in
times Of danger cur first reliance ought Il
be on the MALTA; bur now it seemed thing,
were to be reversed In '98 we were n,
war with France We captured her ships
and yet 1t was not then thought expcdient
by those who held the opinion he nov
maintained, to encrease the regular army
II he had the speeches delivered in '9S, ne
would read that Of the present secretary Of
the treasury Oh the subject. Mr. II con.
tended that there wos not the smallest dan.
ger Of Invasion, either from england OF
France and even ii there was, these
5000 men would be Of no use The ex.
pence, too, he said, was a considerable ob.
Ject 10 the present state Of The country