Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-06-06

aas ordered to lie on the tabIe.-Ayes |
Ioi.s
Messrs. Gholson and Fisk were appoint.
I'd committee IF enrolled bills on the
part cf this House.
Mr. Morrow reported bill supplement
tary 10 an ACT entitled an az, MAXIM an
Apr ,rr alton for car wing lnio.efec "a Ell
y b.tween the u States and the Ch,ck,-
saw nation of Indian. and for es,abf,shlng
a land Office ~ the Miss .sippi. terrific "
Read twice and Referred.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Mr. j. q. Jackson from The committee
on our foreiga relations. reposted bill to
repeal the act laying an embargo on ali
ships and vessels in,he potts and nsrbours
OF The Unite d STATES and the several acts
supplementary thereto and TO revive and
amend the act entitled al act inierdlct.ng
commercial int courae with Great L Avn
and France and their dependencies.
Twice read and made the order of the
day for Friday next.
AMERICAN SEAMEN.
MIR. Dana said that he rose for the pur.
pose ofcalling the attention IF The house
to a subject which cocsd not but be in,e.
resting 10 the councils Of the nation.
related 70 AmeriraH Seaman. He wished,
to propose resolution, the object Of which
was 10 designate American seamen and 10
ensure to them the benefits properly ap
pertaining to that character. L was a
proposition which could not impede any
object which he admin s,rston could have
m view, or emba;rass Any neguc,aiion with
tIeigh powers. He was the more dcsir-
Gus 10 bring up his subject, because II
vas extremely difficult 10 ascertain the
numbet It foreign sesmen in inc service
at the United States. In answer to on
enquiry made at the last session with
view to ascertain the number of foreip n
seanen VIII o had been natural zed, an an.
swer had been received, which, althouys
ne ke" much deception had been prsc-
used, aston shed him. He said il might he
umed that there were on board Anne.
ricsn shipping between ten aud twenty
thousand seameD, who were NOT natives
OF America. Inyhc course of twelve wears.
the whole number of persons na,ur allied
according to the laws of The u. States, and
segistead as seamen, did not amount to
fur bundled and fly! 1t might be set
doHn'tos fact, Nj Dana said, that under
cur existing laws not less han 900 GER
ihcates of projection are annually ailoat,
Which are Obtained by false swearing,
10 this fraud he wished to put an end.
Al present vessels might claim the pr,yi.
lege Of carrying the American flag, with.
out singie American Mariner on board,
PERMISSION contrary 10 the usage of all
civilized nations. For The security and
encouf sgemeDt OF our seamen therefore.
he proposed the following resolution
Resolved, That for the benefit of the
seamen of the Uni;ed States, i, is proner
to make provision that registered ships o,
vessels shall no,be entitled to the privilege
OF ships ov vessels OF the United States,
unless CERTAIN proportion Of Mariners on
b. AID the same shall be mariners of the
Unaed States.
On the suggestion of Mr. BurweIl, with
the consentof Mi Dana, The resolution was
ordered 10 lie on the liable.
ARMED TRADE.
Mr. Dana said he wished to propose
another resolution, he object of which
contemplated a provision for arming the
commerce OF the Uuited StatSs, moi
- e"J P"''sSu'at pOWSFy Out IL was 4
an attempt TO draw line of discrimination,
between armaments for defence and anna !
meats ior altsck, between the principle |
OF resistance 10 aggression of foreign ma.
tons AID the principle of rep. saI; IN laet,
an attempt at experiment, whether we I
could lot transfer to the water that sys-
tenn which exists on the land, for a practi-
cal demonstration of which he would re
Ter 70 gentlemen Rsom the western coun.
Try, where he understood that the citizens
individually or combined, armed for their
defence against predatory inoursions or
attack. This was species of arming
distinct from arming for tack or plum.
der The resolution which he held in his
hand was similar to one proposed a, late
day last session; it was however direcledl
against one principle, and that was the
OF blockade by proclamation. 1t
completely contrayeaed the principle Of :
the Ffench,dccrees as to British ports, and
the principle of the British orders IN coun.
cal The resolution was as follows:
Resolved, That it is expedent 10 make
provision, by law, to allow merchant YES.
sells o! the United States to be armed for
defence in voyages to ports of Europe, the
West Indies, and Atlantic coast of Amer.