Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-27
N G. r E S S.
HOUSE OF REPRESEN TAIIgES.
DEBATE ON EXTRA SESSION.
THuRspAy, 1a1luary 19.

out OF the rClu = 10 dIlcl thS eiifiS =. -
next meeting Of Congress- the words " the
fourth Monday of May next" with view
of inserting later day
Mr.. MINOR hoped the motion would
not. be agreed to. IF the new Congress
could commence its session on the 4th day
Of March next, he said he should think It
extremely proper thatit should do SO. And
if he could think that the majority would !
FIX an earlier dav than the 4sh Monday IN
May for the meeting, he should vote Tor
the present motion. He agreed with gen
flslnen that this was momentous CRISIS !;
that the country was IN situation OF eN-s
IRENE difficulty and danger. Itappeared TO
him therefore that Congress, who were the
guardians of the public welfare, 70 whom
were confded the destinies Of the nation,
so far as the nation could control them,
should be constantly in session TIL 9 more
favorable state of affairs took place. TWAS
possible, but was it probable that any event
would occur to alter our SITUATION Tor the
better! There was no hope that the belil-
perents would recede from their injurious
Z restrictions on our commerce. 1t WIS not
probable that any thing would occur which.
would do away the necessity OF an extra
session. The present Congress having de-
termined to persevere IN the embargo and
the present system of measures while
LONGER. the peace and welfare OF the coun-
~. required that a different system should
be adopted. The present had been sutbci-
emily tested, and would never produce those
effects anticipated from it. TWAS proper
that an early opportunity should be gwen to
the next Congress to approve the present
system CIR gis.c it up and adopt some other
in It's stead.
Mr.. ID. r. WILLIAMS said ne was s. ales
posed to CONGRESS- eemiia2a they hs'e- come here
aGiFfsasff tie wished some one TO answer and
let him understand why they were coming.
In his opinion there was every possible OBJ.
lection to such procedure. On the 4th
day of March (said he) a new president
comes into power. Is it not presumablc
that the president would chase to have some
communication with our ministers abroad
before the meeting of Congress Could any
mansay that it was not properthat he should
have it? Mr.. w. said that he hoped that
the president would send special messen-
gers, questionable as that policy was. If
\ You are willing to wait for a, declaration OF
war till the 4th Monday in MAY, said he,
will there.,be any necessity OF declaring 1t
before the first Monday in June or July?
You have suffered the public mind to as
suage in its resentment; and livery much
doubt that before full experiment be made
of the embargo, it will be wholly allayed.
1T has been said through the nation, and
indeed avowed on this floor, thatthe admit
nistration does not wish for peace. Having
failed to take hold of the affair of the Che
sapeake for declaration of war, you have
nothing now to give the people that interest
which / hope they always will have in a
declaration of war. Suppose you were to
send special ministers, and they were to be
treated as our ministers to France were I'M
der former administration, would not this
treatment make every man IN the nation
rally around you? Would it not prove be-
yond doubt that the administration was sim
-cere in its wishes for peace Undoubtedly
it would. Why are your ministers now
lettering in foreign courts? With hope of
accommodation, sir. I would send other
ministers there, and if they failed of imme-
date accommodation, would order them all
& home. If they are compelled to return,
YOU will have the whole nation with you.
which you must have when you go to war.
Mr.. T.sG. jackson replied to Mr.. Will
Hams. The gentleman had asked empha-
,;cally why Congress should convene here
in NAV. Occurrences of every day, said
Mr.. Jackson, are presenting themselves in
such way as to render it highly important
& necessary that some other ground should
6x+al sr Ave We tn adhere 'fo the eynbar =