Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-01-10


partial preparations, and wished to see a
whole system at once. tss +,
The question on ordering Mr.. Story's
proposition to lie on the table was carried,
AZ to SO. 49,. =
EMBARGO.
Mr.. Van Cortlandt observed that it was
impossible for the house to get along with
business till the question of repeal or con-
tinuance of the embargo was decided. He
therefore called for the order Of the day on
Mr.. Chittenden's resolution for the imme-
date repeal of the embargo.
AR. Macon made motion which SUPER
seeded this motion, viz. to discharge the
COMMITTEE OF the whole from the further
|cons;deration OF it, and to refer it to the
COMMITTEES of the whole to whom was re-
ferred the bill on the subject of non-inter-
course.
After a debate Of near three hours this
motion was egatived-Yeas 23-Nays 81.
The debate was desultory in the extreme,
Including questions of order, &c. and the
decision ofthe question appeared to involve
no principle. Messrs. Gardner, Dana,
Chittenden, Quincy, Upham, Lyon, Sloan,
and Masters appeared to be in favor of the
adoption of Mr.. Chittenden's resolution /;
and Messrs. ]. G.. Jackson, ID. r. Williams,
Bacon. G. w. Campbell, Smile, Aiexan-
der, Story, 3 BID, Holland and Eppes oppo-
sed to il.
The house then resolved itself into a COM
nittee of the whole on motion OF MIR. Van
Cortland-Yeas 62-Navs 49-Mr. Basset
in the chair, on the resolution OF Mr. Chit
tenden in the following words:
aResolved, that the act passed at the
last session of Congress, entitled can act
LAYING an embargo on all ships and vessels
in the parts and har5ors of the U. States,
and the several acts supplementary and
additional thereto" ought TO be Immediate
ly repealed.
Mr.. Van Cortlandt moved to strike out
the word Immediately" and insert "from
and after the 4th day of March next"
Mr.. Eppes called for division of the
question, SO as to take it first on striking
out the word Immediately" And the
question having been so taken, was mega
tived-Ayes S.
The motion to insert, of course fell with
the motion to strike out.
And the question on the resolution having
been stated, (abput 4 o'clock
Mr.. Livermnre said he was agreeably
disappointed in seeing this subject taken
up; and was not therefore as ready to meet
Il as he might be. He then commenced an
argument on the constitutionalitv of the
embargo The origin Of the federal com
pact was chiefly the want of some general
power TO regulate commerce. There had
however, he commended, been no delegation
by the constitution of a power to lay an en-
barge; consequently the exercise of it was
an assumption of power not warranted by
the constitution. The convention he said
could have had no idea that they were raj
sing a power TO destroy the very object for
the preservation of which they were asso-
ciated. After Mr.. Eivermore had been
speaking about ten minutes
Mr. Ghoison asked if the. gentleman
would not prefer being heard tomorrow.
Mr.. Liverioore answered that he
should.
A motion was made that the committee
rise and report progress; which however
was soon changed to a motion 10 report the
fact that there was not a quorum present
The motion for rising was supported by
Mcssrs Cook, Dana, Qiincey, Elliot and
Lyon, on the ground that time was not al
lowed for discussion ; that it was late in
the day, and no gentleman could be heard
TO advantage at this hour. 1t was opposed
| by Messrs. Macon, Blacklegde, Alston and
| ID. r Williams, for the reason that as
they had consented TO go into committee on
the subject, they wished an Immediate de-
cision that the subject had already been
lamply discussed, and a protraction of de-
baSe now would but keep the people IN sus-
pcnse
| The committee rose, but could not re.
port; quorum not being present.
A motion WAS then made to adjourn and
carried--Yeas 4O--Nays 38--a quorum be
incr ,resenf fhs. vofe several mem ,er
having, whist the Yeas and Nays were
calling, come into the house from the lob
by and elsewhere.
THURSDAY, Jan. s..
SEAMEN.
A bill was reported by Mr.. Newton,