Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-03

you'll bs a wars!ay II the merchants un
Ter VIVA. peril ,hey would 81 out, which
they would not otherwise conceive. re DO.
sing in false security on this bill. He
would not 81 pr-cipi;ately into war for
he had the best reason To- believe that G..
Britai, would be disposed to listen to the
dictates of justice towards US; but if she
did not, he was for immediate war. The
amendment now proposed by Mr. Jackson,
is as follows
SIC. 1ss -Hrd be IL further enacted, That
after demand made and refusal on the
part of his Britanic majesty to vvirhdraw
his DEGREES and ordsrs Infringing the Lauj;il
commerce Of the United States, the Presi.
deut Of the United States shall be author
ised and required to employ such Dor.
ton of the volunteer militia of the Uni
ted States not exceeding thousand,
anc OF the regular troops, as may be ne.
cessary to take possession of the terrific.
ries OF his Britanic majesty, bordering on
the United States, and 10 hold the same,
and to instruct the commanders of the
public armed vessels which are or shall
be employed in the service of the United
States to subdue, seize and take any ARM
ed or unarmed British vessel on the high
seas or elsewhere; and such captured
vessel, with her apparel, guns, and appur.
tenancesi and the goods or effects which
shall be found on board the same, beng
British property, shall be ,brough. withiH
some port OF The U,ited Safes, and shall
be duly proceeded agains, and conde ,nned,
as forfeited, and shall accrue and be dis.
-ironieI IS BY law Is or shall be provided
respecting the captures which shall be
made by the public armed vessels Iof the
United States.
SEC. 90. Ali be it further enacted. That
the President OF the United States shall
be and he is hereby authorised and reuui.
red, alter demand and refusal as aforesaid,
TO grant to the owners OF private armed
vessels of the United Sta,es who shall
make application therefor, special com.
missions in the form which he shall di-
rect, and under the seal of the Unitel
States, and such private armed vessels
when duly commissioned as aforesa.sl, shall
have the same license and authority 70
the suodung, seizing aud captureing any
armed and unarned British vessel and
Tor the recapture of the vessels goods and
effects OF the United States, as the pub.
tic armed vessels of the Unite d States
may by law have; and shall be, in like
manner subject u such instructions as
shall be ordered by the President of he
United States for the regulation of their
conduct. And the commissions WHICH
shall be granted, shall be revocabIe at the
pleasure OF the President of thu u s.
SIC. II. ind be itfurther enacted, That
after demand made and refusal on tbs
part OF the emperor of France TO Withdraw
his DEGREES aad orders infringing the law.
ful Commerce of the u. S. the President
OF the y. 5. shall be authorised and reoui.
red to instruct the commanders of the pub
lie armed vessels, which are or shall be en-
ployed u the Sc vice of the us 10 ,,ibdue.
seiz e take any armed orunarmed French
vessel on the highseas, or elsewhere &
such captured vessel with her apparel.
guns, and appurtenancesI and the goods
or effects which shall be found on board
the same, being French property, shall be
brought within some port of the u. s. s.
shall be duly proceeded against and CON.
demned as directed, and shall accrue and
be distributed as by law is or shall be pro.
vlded respecting the capture which shall,
be made by the public armed vessels of
the u. )
"Sge.'22. Ind be hfisrther cna. red, That
the President OF the Il. S. shall be ann
ne is hereby authorised and required. af-
ter demand made and refusal aforesaid
to gran to the powers of private armed
ships and vessels Of the y. S. who shall
make applications therefor, special com.
missions III the form which h ,nall direct
AID under the seal OF the u. States and
sueh private armed vessels when dulv
commissioned as aforesaid shall Lave the
same licence and authority for the subdu.
lng' seiSng and capturing any armed or
unarEsd French vessel, and for the recap.
'nre OF the vessels, goods ane effects of the
people OF the u y as the public arm
ed vessels of the u. States NAV by law
l'ave and SHALL be in like manner sub
Ject TO such instructions as shall be order
ed by the president of the u. S. for the
regulation oftheir conduct, and the com
missions which shall be graatcd as afore-
said shall De revDcable a, he pleasure O
me Preslden, of the u. s."
Mr.. Eppes said that this was a propo.i-
ton which he hoped might unite all par
ties ia the House. IL authorised the Pc;