The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-02-28
MONDAY cb. 90.
The Hoase met this day, according to or
der, ut ten O'clock.
INVALID

INVALID PENSIONERS.
On motion of MIR. IIcimes, the House re-
solved itselfinto n committee a tie whole,
Mr.. Curtis in the chair. OH The bill! con-
Corning Invalid Pensioners /; which being
gone through, was reported to the House,
aad ordered 70 a third reading to morrow.
NON-lNTERCOURSE.
The IIousc took up the report Of the COM
mittce of the whole, on the bill for inter-
dieting commercial intercourse, SC.
Mr.. b3ds;crs proposed 4 new section to
the bill, declaring, that the bill shall be in
force till the end of the next session of Con
gress and no longer; and that the embargo
shalt be repealed at that time. On the sus-
gestion of Mr.. Randolph, Mr.. NJ. withdrew
his motion for a time and
Mr.. RandoLhh moved to strike oUc so much
OF the 18th section IF the bill as makes eX-
~ceptions to the general removal of the en-
barge.
MIR. Bi65. made a motion, which sur err
coded Mr.. R~andolph's, viz TO strike out the
whole section, SO as to keep on the cmbar-
go, in its present situation.
Mir RGndoUh opposed this motion, and
advocated the repeal of the embargo in Il
speech of about an hour and a halt III length,
embracing the subject OF our fnreign reiati-
onS generally. He treated the idea oFahar-
ttNt ittbCdl VI All CluDdi KY No dbcui0 iC
might as well say, he would partially pail
the House over his head, as that he would
partially repeal an embargo. Alter vessels
were permitted to go oat, they would Chuse
their course. He conceived, that the em5ar-
go must be wholly repealed, and indeed The
proposition partially to repeal it. evinced the
existence of a conviction in the House, that
it must be gotten oveI in some way OF other.
Mr.. r. spoke at large of the disasterous
Ill - -. >
been produced by the embargo, and which
should operate as reasons for its repeal. He
considered the embargo system to be one
which. like a barrel, derived all its value
from It's being water tight; it they began to
drill i. les in its bottom, no mater OF what
diameter, ii would lose any value it might
have had. He SPOKE Of the operation of the
measure on our revenue, and deprecated it.
effects. if continued on the treasury which.
when exhausted, must be rep!cnished by
excise or land taxes-ncither of which would
comport with the principles upon which the
present administrator had Come into Office.
Mr.. r. also examined, at some length, the
policy of the additional duty bill, which pas
sed the House a few days ago, and which
he disapproved.
MIR. Macon rcplicd to some of the areu-
meuts of MFR. Randolph and of other gentle
men on the subject Of the embargo. Hewas
decidedly Of opinion, that it ought still farther
to be continued. Now was the time for its ope-
ration, and he was in favor Of continuing it IN
til September, unless it sooner produced an
effect. If we went into a war we must in a
short time be thrown ON the side of one of
the beiligerents; and he wanted no entang-
ling alliances with either. He said that this
nation was now contending for its very eX-
istence. He had not, it was true, been in ia
vor of the increasing duties OH imports so
per cent. but put that bill in competition
with the tax which Britain had laid OH our
exports, (Which we ourselves had not a right
to tax and all comparison ceased. The
tax laid by Great Britain alone on our ex
ports, announced to more annually (supposing
the usual eXports) than all the taxes levied
in the United States by corporations, parish
es, counties, states and the general govern
ment all put together. And this he would
resist TO the utmost and because he would
resist it, he was opposed TO the present bill,
as It would AT once destroy the effect of the
embargo. Mr.. Macon spoke about an hour.
Mr.. Holland followed on the same side of
tleqneStion. chad originally voted against
the embargo, because lie believed t prema-
ture but he was decidedly of opinion, that
when it was imposed, some time would be
necessary totry It's effects as = coel Ct ,e mea.
SIRE. lie believed that the United States
generally sacrificed at least encagn IF ;heir-
happiness To the commercial interest; but
having taken this ground. he wished 10 nam
tain it. And although he was not inclined to
favor, exclusively. external commerce, We
IL favor Of our in~dispuJabie rights on the o.
cean, he would 20 to war when efforts for
peace failed. He was in favor, therefore
of a further continuance Of the embargo, and
replied to many arguments against it. He
lamented the propensity that existed a
mongst gentlemen, because they could not
obtain a favorite object iii life, TO set their
. faces against every thing else Thus, one
gentleman in the other branch OF the leris-
lature, because he had been removed from
Office some years ago, thought ever thing
had since gone wrong. One in this House
might think the same. because he had NOT
been able TO obtain an cfice another. be-
cause he could not move the seat Of govern
ment, &c. &c. Mr.. II. said, he firmly be-
lieved, nevertheless, that it was happv for
the United States, that the one was iemoved.
another disappointed in an Office, and that
the seat OF government was in It's Old place
The reasons operating with those gentle.
menhad no effect on him. He was for pnr-
suing a direct Course, and adhering to the
embargo, til It's effect was fully tested. MIR.
Holland spoke about an hour.
Mr.. WiHn moved to postpone the further
consideration Of the suhject-Negatived
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