Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-12

Eig 'tiacnghtsIt truly Gesifabie soi;jeCt
.shat lie S. s. snousd possess more arms than
sbe. rs 81 present. Cue handled and thirty
demand were not Eflf the number that the
S. ought 10 possess. He shouldsbe Wiling
70 seept the resSiutionif the gentleman from
Virginia or any other would shew the means
TO carry that object into effect, that arms could
be procurcdi but until it could be sheWn that
there were arms in the y. 5. which coulo DC
purchased, ii was unnecessary to trouble tue
house With discussion on the'subJect, as II
would have 8 tendency to prevent the states
from arming. Now If the gentleman who
proposed the resolution could snew where.
SO 900 stand Of arms were to be had, he.
would adopt any measure for procuring them
He did not think LOO, 600 stand would be one
nlusket more than the u S. ought to have in
addition to the present supply but he would
not be wiling to adopt the resolution except
1t were shewn where they could be purchased.
The politi, ii world was now In such state
that arms could not be procured trem foreign
nations: he should be glad that some way
coullsbc demonstrated He wished to know
before they committed the subject, that the,
resolution embraced an object within their
reach.
MIR. Bacon withdrew his motion for COM
mitrnent, and moved that it lie on the ia
bic.
Mr.. BurvurN assured the gentleman just SCI.
down, that he had'' not introduced the resou-
ton to promote useless discussion. Mr., Ely
explained that he hadnot meant to express an
idea that he had 1t was no part OF his OBJ
iect. 1t appears to me. said Mr.. b. that no
thing can be more evident than that every
country which anticipates attack shouldspos-
sess more arms than necessary to arm any
particular number of men that are likely to
be called out at one time. Let us suppose
that by whatever event part OF our arms
should be destroyed. Is it not necessary that
there Should be certain deposit whence they
can be Immediately supplied? presume
that there should be AS to any particular
place where AIRY quantity of arms can now be
procured, i cannot designate any. The re-
solution contemplates vesting powerain the
government to purchase them if they can be
had. There arc, no doubt, some few lii the
seaports. Government may purchase item.
Although we cannot import them at tl.is day,
We may in few weeks or months, in which
time the state cfthings may be SO Ear chang
ed asto put it in the power Of the president
to procure them. With respect to the nun
Der of arms already belonging to the q. S.,
it VIII be considered that we have an exposed
frontier, liable to the attack of nations on our
borders, and it is indispensably necessary that
the Inhabitants on our frontier should be arm
ed. The petition this day presented by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr.. Smith,
sufficiently evinees that the u S. are not
AMPLY provided with arms.
Mr. S. Smith deemed it his duty to state
that the fears Of the petitioners Just alluded
to we're not chimerical he personally knew
their situation, and was anxious that some
thing should be done for their relief.
Mr.. BnrSueH having expresseda consent
thatsit might lie or the table,
The resolution wassso disposed of, 40 TO
S4.
Mr G.. w. Csmhbelfrom the committee Of
ways and means, reported bill for carrying
into effect certain Iad an treaties Read
twice and referred to a committee oftIe
whole.
MIR. w. Alston moved that the unfinished
business OF the last setting Mr.. Blouut's rs
newaI Of MIR Sloans motion Tor the removal Of
the seated goycrnmentlbe postponed int'es
nitely. He presumed every gentleman mast
be, convinced that Sufficient time had been oc-
CAPPED by it.
Messrs. Sawyer and Tall1nadge opposed
tbs motion and aayocateda removal OF tie
seat Of government at great length.
Mr. ~ .d,sson withdrew his motion as he
had not intended tie. cause discussion by it );
he had moved ittor the purpose oegettinSgrid
of the subject altogether
Mr. QUINCY rising to speak under belief
that the question on the passage of the rcso-
luton had recsrreel-
The Steake. declared that the hotse had