Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-13

: arranged somewhere else, previous to tnsl
being brought into debate on this floor. iI y
deed, how is it possible for any man to pei
! Iieve otherwise, when he considers, anfl
/ not only the previous information recelved'
! which could hardly have been SO minutelll
fulfilled, unless such previous agreement
subsisted. and also, when he considers tns
!, rapid and unexampled manner, in which !
was prest through all its stages, notwlth
standing all the violence of the opposition
and the solid arguments urged against its
principles. While / am on this topic,
| cannot refrain from observing on a remark
/ made by the gentleman from South Caroll-
Ina. (Mr. D. Il. Williams). He said, the
minority had no right to complain OF the
manner in which the enforcing embargo
law was passed, inasmuch as that they had
suffered it to go through the commll tee OF
the whole, without single observation
In reply, must declare, that ! do com,
plain, that our privileges were abused ana
Violated. do maintain that it is right,
which belongs to every single member OF
this House to have fair and suitable op-
portunity of debating every question OF
great national Importance; that unless ne
has previous notice that it is the intention OF
the majority to deviate from the usual course
of business, he has right to choose that
stage of the bill, in which he concelves his
objections to it can be most forcibly urged.
Upon the question Of en9rossment, orupon
that of the fiEal passage,he has right to
have fair opportunity tobe heard. For
at these stages the great principles OF the
bill can be the most advantage discus
sed. Now we had not such an opportunity
upon either the engrossment or final passage
CT the enforcing embargo law. In this IN
stance, / do not hesitate to say, that the
rights of the members Of this house and
through them the rights OF this people were
grossly violated. Who could have possibly
imagined that a bill of the length and I'M
portance of the enforcing embargo, law, con,
sidering also the state OF feeling, manifest
ed in some parts OF the country III relation to
that subject, could have been permitted to
20 from committee CT the whole, through
its final passage at one sitting Upon that
law I was extremely anxious to have ex-
pressed my sentiments. had taken occa /.
sion when the resolution Tor the raising OF
fifty thousand volunteers was under debate,
to state a constitutional objection to the pre-
v;ous supplementary embargo la"s,to which
I could find, in my mind no answer. lad
hoped some gentlemen would have conde-
s,,sl..sa &c, .s-el, + Las 80
notice had been taken, except by the Gen
teman from Virginia Mr.. sppes) who
only asserted that similar powers TO these,
70 which | had objec,sd, had been exercised
under preceding administrations. Viz
Eppcs Inquired whether Mr.. Quincy was
in order to discuss bill which was already
passed, under question like that now be-
fore the house. The Speaker decided that
he was. Mr.. Eppes appealed from the de
cision. Mr.. D. L. Williams wished that
the gentleman from Massachusetts might
be permitted to go on" (and SAID he) II
there is not talent enough IN tie house 70 re-
flute his arguments, IN the name OF God, let
us stand convicted" Nr. Eppes withdrew
his appeal. Mr.. GARDENER asked whether
it was consistent with the rules Of the house
that when the Speaker had decided cues
ZION of order and an appeal had been made
from his decision, Oh the application OF any
gentleman, the member appealing had
right to Withdraw his appeal The opeak-
er said that according to usual pariia'nehea-
ry proceedings it was correct
[Spcech TO be eontl'lued'l