Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-01-31
GoasETgs9.
YoUSE or REPRESENTATIVES.
'ruesdAY Ian. q.
pREPARArf0E FOR WAR.


nations of the world fsaid he) are in a
STAGE OF war against this country. Their
aggress.ons against us have been continu-
ed for twelve m ouths; whilst wchave used
every honorable means in our power to a"
void gar, / have repeatedly declared my
dctcrnIaa ion never TO submit to the
wrongs received; that when the embnrge
failed We mus. resort co the valor X patrio
tis;a Ok cur citizens Sir, we have too
much eason TO believe that the momenS is
a, hand when nothing else can extr'-
cate NJ from our difficulties Ny attention.
has been particularly called TO tue necessity
of measure OF the sort am about 10 pro-
pose from the nppas ton made 70 the pre-
paration for war by gentlemen who rely
wholly upon the embargo as coerc'Ve
measure, and declare that as long as i
CONTINUES. no preparation should be made
with view TO a state of war. fthe coun-
try remains in a situa>'on unprepared to
meet war until the period when every
man wnuId be satisfied that the embtrg
ought to be raised, we shall be compelled
to continue il SIX, eight, or ten months lion
ger till we can prepare tor actaai wa
But, sir, in our preparations, mere &c
fence should not 5e the sole object We
are the injured party in the confess. FMS
stats of things imposes upon US the necessi-
ty OF being prepared TO prosecute tue war
because ii we seek redress for injury, the
mere defence of the country will not an
swer the purposc---and therefore there is
the greater necessity, for extensive prepa-
ration. After these observations Mr.. n
offered tie following resolution, which he
moved to refer to committee ofthe whole !;
Resolved, As the opinion OF this house
that the u. S. ought not TO delay beyond
the day OF to repeal the en-
barge laws, and to resume, maintain and
defend the naviga ion of the high seas "a
gainsr any nation or nations having III force
edicts, orders or DEGREES, violat'ngFhe law.
full commerce and neutral rights of the u.
States.
After few observations from Mr. Da-
ma, expressive of a wish TO see whole
system, and the object of the preparation
for war precisely defined, expressing AT
the same tune a desire to give the subject
an early consideration, the resolution was
made the order of the day for Monday
next, in preference to-day, So to rs.
Wednesday, Jsn. IS.
Mr.. Quincy proposed the following re-
solutions:
Resolved, That the President OF the U.
States be requested to lay before tins
house, ali correspondence touching the of
frs 10 resign, and the resignation made oil
his ONCE by Denjamin Lincoln, late coilec-
tor of the por5 of Boston and Charlestown.
Resolved, That committee be appointed
to enauirs into the causes which proven
ted the acceptance Of the resignation oil
BENJAMIN Lincoln, esq. late Collector OF the
port OF .;ostsn and Chsrlestown, in the
years eighteen hundred and six and
eighteen hundred aud seven, and into The
reason which have occasloued postpone
ment of the appointment OF successor;
and that they report the resuil OF such en-
quiry to the mouse.
The honse agreed TO consider the reSo-
lutions--yeas e3-Nays %.
Considerable discussion ensued upon this
motion, when the question beng put-shail
the resolutions pass! IL WAS decided III
the regative-yeas mays 1l7.
The only person who voted for MIR Quia-
ey's resolutions, was Josiah Quincy himself.
Il was minated by MI. Quincy, in the
course OF has remarks on his resolutions,
that the President had urged Gen. Lincoln
to hold the Office for Gen. D.arborne till
the latter should leave the War Depart
ment IN March next.
The Speaker laid before the house the fol-
lowing letter, &c.
January Gath, 1909.
SIR,
In obedience to the resolution of the
house of representatives Of the 18Th day OF
November last, have the honor 10 trans
init the rough drafts or copies 81 584 letters,
which include all the Instructions trans
mitted by the sec rotary 20 the collectors Of
the revenue. and Other officers Of the u
States, previous TO the 18th Nov. 1903, in
relation 10 the execution Of the act laying
an embargo, and OF tic several acts supple
mentary thereto.
The zertions usedto fulfil the intentions
Of the legislature, have not, however, been
attended with complete success. The en-
barge has indeed been efficient in preser~
viss the property OF our citizensfrom cap
turc, and, for limited time, the United
States from war. But numerous evasions
and violations have taken pace of which
the official returns of the collectors here
withtransmitted, give bar partial account,
although his communication was delayed
In order to obtain the information required
bv the latter part of the resolution of the
house. For IL cauuot be- concealed that III
legal shipments and expof tationso OF po:ash,
-four, cotton, and other articles, have been
made to much larger amount than might
be inferred from a view of those returns.
have the honor TO be, sc.
ALBERT GALLAFlN.
r.