The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-30

time and yet he believed it would I've nece.-
sary to appoint most Of the standing commit
tees. IL was clear, from the message which,
had been just read. that it would be neces-
sary to appoint committees Of Ways and
Means and of Commerce and Manufactures
He Believed, thatthe good of the nation re-
CURED, that Congress should not make a
long session; for they were not possessed of
sufficient Information to act OH several i'm
portant questions. No one, however, would
say, that each one of these committees might
not be wanted for the dispatch ofbusiness.
- Mr.. Lyon was for going on with the bust
ness now. At this season of the year, he said,
more business could be done i'm one month,
than could be done in three months in the
winter, when the days were SO short, and gem
tlemen, instead of attending to business,
We're warming themselves at the fire.
Mr.. .Alsfon's motion. for appointing the
committees, was carried without division.
On motion OF Mr.. Stcdman, the usual rule
was adopted for furnishing members with
news. papers,
And the House adjourned.
WEDNESDAY,, May q.
sundry inhabitants of Massachusetts, pray.
down at the entrance of that harbour, and
yet remaining in that PROSTATE condition. to
the detriment of navigation, &c. Referred
to the committee of Commerce and Manu-
features. >F
;. MIR. anderson presented the petition of
several merchants of Philadelphia, who had
Inadvertently and nnocently incurred penal
ties Under the embargo laws, and PRAYING
relief. Referred.
Mr.. Bacon presented the memorial of
Charles Turner. jun. statih:, his belief, that
William Baylies has been improperly re.
turned a member of this House from Ply
mouth district. (Mass.) and that the memo.
rialist is entitled to his seat-Mr b. also
presented the petition of a number of inha-
bitants OF that district, to the same effect
Referred to the committee of Elections.
REDUCTION OF THE ARMY
AND EXPENDITURES OF
PUBLIC MONIES
Mr.. Randolph said, he rose for the pur-
! pose OF making two motions, the nature and
tendency of which he took occasion to ex-
plain. 1t would be perceived that. in his
message, the President of the United States
had, with great delicacy and propriety as i,
might be conceived, omitted giving a.iv OPT
mon OH some of our important national con.
Germs. But from the silence observed. i,
might, perhaps, be inferred, that it was no,
similar to that which he trusted was the OBI.
mon OF majority of this House and of Con
gress. He said he alluded particularly &c
that part of the Presidents message ir
winch he spoke on the subject of the late
augmentation of our standing army. I,
would be recollected by many present, thai
on former occasion motion had been made
IN the House for the purpose of armns ant
equipping the whole body of the militia o
the United States. 1t would also be recollect
ed, that the very. limited appropriation O
only two hundred thousand dollars, made fo,
that object, grew out of the very large ap
preparation made for this standing army ant
| tor gun boats-for at that time 1.-THE session
before the last) the additional appropriate
| ons On account of the navy had not be en-
made. He believed, that the people of the
United States generally-he spoke particu.
iariy In reference to those whom he had the
nonor to represent-werc not satisfied with
| the disposition at that time made of the pub.
lie resources. He believed, that thew were
not content and never would be, to see a ST.. nd.
ing army fully equipped, armed and disci
pinned, whist the militia, our natural re-
source against internal as we'll as external
| ShChies, remained unarmed and QetenCeleSS
l know, said he, that yspesk the sentiments
OF those whom l represent, and have nc
| cause to believe, that it is not the general
sentiment of the country that the most DO
pular act with which the present admins
| tration could follow up the very popular
| measure which has so materially changed the
| state OF the foreign relations of this country,
| would be to put down the standing army OF
| the United States and arm the militia.
know it, sir. And when speak of putting
down the standing army of the United States
very well know how the general opinion is,
| nor do lpresume, myself, to differ from that
opinion, that we ought tohave some regular
| force tor garrisoning the posts on our from
| tier, and preventing collisions between our
frontier settlers and the aboriginal savages
feel myself, as it were, on the brink of o
penng question which, for the present, I
will not touch. My idea is this, sir; that If
ever we are to have respectable regular
force, we must, to use phrase common in
our new settled country, begin again from,
the STUMP. The old levy will not do be
lieve that have proofs in my possession of
the fact, that the old army will not do /
speak particularly with reference to testimo.
ny taken down verbatim, of which presume
seven or eight literal copies are in possessi
on OF different gentlemen of different politi-
cal observation-disclosures before the grand