The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-08
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,,
WEDNESDAY,, Nov. so.

WEDNESDAY,, Nov. SO.
Proceeding: and discussions of This dan.
uhon he consideration Of q resolution, re-
forfed by the comniitfee of nine zyho
Tsade q rcf'ort in tart on the. |3reigs re-
<ations Of The United StateS-conciuded
from 1HRr&dGy's Glonifor
Mr. Randoith. We have progressed. sir,
far in the fourth week of the session, at a
time when every man in and cut of the
house seems to vie i'll the expression that the
crisis is raomentOus. There are few Of rs.
believe, sir, who have influence enough al
home to avoid Che censure of our constitu-
ents for a failure OF punctuality in attendance
upon our duties, and yet one fourth part oil
the time assigned by the constitution fer our
deliberations has passed away, and in what
! situation does the house find itself? Debat-
| ing upon IN abstract proposition. And with
what views The sagacity of my worthy
| friend (Mr Macon) who sits before me, saw
at once its entire futility. Let me not be
mistaken, sir do not mean TO deny the
! truth of the proposition contained in the re-
solution, much less to vote against it. But,
SIR It is not to be made the basis OF any mea-
Sure no bill can grow out of it. And are
we to employ ourselves in this manner; for
the Amusement of the galleries, eff the pub
lie o. Washington, Georgetown and its vici
nitys When the report was first introduced,
/ regretted 1T. L asked myself on whom it
was 10 operate! On us !? Have we so Con-
Quoted ourselves heretofore, or now, that
we must make it n question whether we will
support our rigats or submit ? Is it for MS,
or Tor the American people that the dose is
intended Has ground been taken which
Cannot be supported, and is the report cal
Culated to rouse their courage to the sticking
place Or is it intended to operate upon
the two beiligerents OF Europe Are Messrs.
Armstrong and Pinkney in some new note
to serve Up this prescription to excite Great
Britain and France to a sense of our
wrorsss | fear this practice has been tried
too eften not TO fai OF success. / regret the
introduction of the report, not only for these
reasons; bat because it is an additional
proof that words i'll some form or ether, are
all the measures We have employed. If we
make an impression ON Europe, it must be
by something more substantial. You have
tried the old Diet drink long enough The
house viii pardoa me if forbear going into
minute recapItul ation OF the insults and in
juries We have experienced. not only from
the great belligerents, but the little belli-
gerents too. j have not the stomach to 90
through the detail. i cannot, sir, like Shy
lock, say, "On such 2 day YOU calPd me
dog, and spit upon my gabardine The
tale has been often enough repeated.
have seen 1T dressed up in ministerial cor
respcndeEce, and in reports. l take no
pleasure in such repor's. / wish our enc
mics arguments werea little better, and
our wrongs something less. could wish that
we dad fewer of the arguments and they
more OF the injuries. Whilst you have The
whole injury and insult, they will cheerfuly
yield YOU the best of the arguments Yes,
Mr. Chairman, confess ] feel a deep sense
of modification & of humiliation, at hearing
this theme continually rung in my ears: no
thing but words, words, words Cores
I,ondence OF ministers, communications of a
secretary OF state, and reports Of Commit
tees! We have been four weeks in session,
and, hope other gentlemen have been of
more service to the nation-for my own part
had better have bee at home, enjoying
fine weather on my own farm We hear pro-
position without Substance, which leads to
no action. The committee on our exterior
relations have made long report, and so
help me Heaven il does not contain d sin
gle atom OF substance the whole of it is con
tanned in the resolutions of my honorable
friend from N Carolina. (Mr Macon) All
the rest is preface, prologue and epilogue.
| have no disposition to attack the report !;
it is the old story and after the fashion Of
the times--the aggression &C france aud
the in eilts of Grc-t BritaiB--not quite 80
much in point as it had been sometimes pre-.
scented to our palates. 1t may, perhaps, be
said, the declarations which occupy that re-
port are to he taken in conjunc On wish the
resolutions /; and that We are u regard the
who c in one point Of view as IL rs / I'M
dcrstand it, nothing more is meant than
meets the eye. il is resolution not to sub
NIT. Is this to be considered declaration
Of war against the two heliigarent powers
Or arc we to resolve in one breath that we
cannot submit, and in the next so'cmnly re-
solve that VIC will | know it has been
said '1st q suspension is rot reiinquishmcn;
| Of commerce. But where will YOU find il
! desig"atcd as temporary! In what pat o.
! Your statute book will you End the periot
stated at which It shall revive IL relin
| quishment O. commerce is not admission,
know rot in waat subnissisa ooRsiSts.