Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-22
Country Gazette. $ Dollars.
CONG r E S S.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
TUESDAY, January 81.
DEBATE
On RAISING En,6Drgo, and aztilof7sa'sSs' 1et
tiers Of Marque and Pepras0l.
fcoNTINuED.]
IcoNTINUED.I

The house again in committee OF the
whole, Mr.. Macon in the chair, on Mr. NJ J,
cholas' resolution; and the question Pe1u-
mo. being on motion TO insert IN the oiank'
the first day of June.
Mr.. KEY hoped, the blank IN the re-
solution would not be filed, with the hfst
day of June next, because the circumstanc-
es of the country required the embargo to
be earlier repealed or such measures to De
taken as would enforce its due execution:
Before the first day of June arrives, lsMd
he1 on which it is proposed to remove the
embargo, four months would intervene, our
ing which time, if the same opposition 70
the east which existed now should still pre-
vail, the country would be IN very extra
ordinary situation. five continue the law,
{. ] shall be among those who would rlglaiy
enforce it, for have no idea OF being dc
tated to by any section of the union; but,
as I believe, from, the accounts which are
received, that we cannot enforce 1t without
a measure much worse III Its effects, than
the consequences which might be supposed
TO result from taking it off earlier, | should
therefore be in favor of the earliest day pos
s;ble. We ought not to resort to an exer-
ton of the authority OF this nation Tor tour
months, nor to continue the measure sc, long
as to excite that sentiment which Will GER
tainlv follow the enforcement OF the mea-
sure, except some great advantage be ex-
pected from it if continued for that time
There was another reason, why, he said, an
earlier day should be fixed. If the house
should not think proper to take off the en-
barge during this session, new represen-
,ation would have met here nine days pre-
vious to the day mentioned. The present
congress ought to leave the next congress
free to act, with more information than this
congress could possess, because they could
have it in their powerto avail themselves OF
the intermediate information. As to that
part of the proposition which related to the
repeal of the embargo, therefore the day
proposed was too distant. As to the re-
mainder of the proposition, which he pre-
sumed was to be taken in continuity with the
former, it was still worse. # was giving
notice to the belligerents OF adisposltlon
within particular period, to do what 1t IS
not in our power to perform ! because, the
functions Of this house eeasing before that
period, the right of determining the course
to be pursued depended ON the decision OF
the misrepresentation. 1t was impossible,
he said, to anticipate the line of conduct
which would then be pursued. 1t the en-
barge be not removed before the end OF the
present session, he hoped at least, that the
blank would be filled with the day anterior
to the next meeting of congress. He called
upon gentlemen toknow whether they would
keep it on without enforcing IT; and he ask
ed, whether an enforcement of 1t for four
mouths was worth the advantages which
gentlemen supposed its continuance would
afford He hoped that the blank would not
be filed as proposed.
Mr.. DURELL hoped that the blank
would notbe filed with the first day of June.
If the measure of embargo was to be chang
ed for another, he said he saw no reason.
why the change should be proerastinated.
He hoped it would take place at so early a
period as would give an equal chance to all
the ports in the country. We have heard
much (said hel on this floor In relation to
the opposition in certain section of the u
Mon to the embargo laws. | think many
observations have been made on the floor in
relation to the supposed opposition to the
embargo laws, which cannot be justified by
facts. have been utterly astonished at
declaration in newspaper (the Monitor) of
shis morning, viz. The majority of the
members of the Eastern delegation in con-
rress have openly asserted, that no laws
passed by the general government will be
deemed obligatory by their constituents, if
shey should interfere with their local pur-