The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-06

MT Lyon expressed MS pleasure at see ne
this proposition introduced. He said it WAS
important that the people of the u. 5. should
be represented according to their numbers.
The district which he Trad the honor to repre-
sent contained more than 100, 600 souls. The
state of Ohio badly this time a population OF
zoo. 900 souls and had but one representative;
the state OF i ennessee had perhaps doubled
its population. 1t beloved Congress to set
about the business as soon as they could.
MIR. w. .ftsfOn conceived that it was ne
cessary that the census should be taken in e.
| very part ofthe Union as nearly at the same,
time as possible. Were the law now tobe
passed, it might be taken in some parts of the
us. between now aud January next. and
in other parts in not less than 8 years. He ho-
ped, he said. that the house would not be thus
troubled with unnecessary business If the
| passage of the law were deferred to session
or two, the different parts would be more
equally represented; though an immediate
census might be favorable to his part OF the
1 country, because he, was convinced that it
was losing ground in the general scale po-
I pulation of the u. 5. 81 a
| On the suggestion of Mr.. Quincy, with
the consent of Mr. Randolph. the motion was
1ordered to lie ON the table-Ayes 101.
| Messrs. Gholson and Fisk were appointed
A committee of esrolled bills on the part of
\ this house. = .A..
t. Mr.. Morrosy reported bill supplemental
ry to,an act entitled an act III king an APP
preparation for CARRYING into effect a treaty
between the U. States and the Chickasaw
nation of Indians ard for establishing land
Office in the Mississippi territory. Read
twice and referred. 49,.
i ~ FOKI;Iow: RELATIONS. So
i .Mr..5. G. Jackson from the committee on
/ our foreign relations, reported a bill to re-
peal the act laying an embargo on all ships
and vessels i'm the ports and harbors of the
i ". States and the several acts supplementary
:! thereto. and to revive and amend the:act en-
i titled an act interdcting commercial in
Itercourse with G. Britain and France and
heir OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES read and made
Ithe order of the day for Friday next.
/ H., AMERICAN SEAME.N. ',
! Mr.: Dana said, that he rose for the pur-
jpose OF calling the attention of the House to
! a subject which coald not but be Interesting
Ito the councils OF the nation, 1t related TO
| American seamen. r, He wished to propose O.
|resolution, the object OF which was to desig-
mate American seamen,. and to ensure to
them the benefits properly appertaining to
Ithatcharacter. 1t was a, proposition which
lcould not impede any. object which the add
ADMINISTRATION could have in view, Or embar-
rass any negotiation with foreign powers.
He was the more DESTROYS to bring up this
IsubJect, becauseit was extremely diticultto
| ascertain the number OF foreign seamen in
the service of the United States. In answer
Ito an enquiry made at the last session, with
view to ascertain the number of foreign sea
men who had been paturalized, an answer
had been received, which, although he knew
much deception had been practised, asto-
nished him. He said, it might be presumed
that there were on board American ship.
tping between ten and twenty Thousand sea
men, who were not natives of America. In
the course of twelve years, the whole num-
Iber OF persons naturalised, according to the
flaws of the United States, and registered as
seamen, did not amount to four iunti1ed and
liiJfy. 1t might be set down for fact, Mr..
Dana said, thar under our existing laws not
}less than 10000 certificates ofprotection are
ANNUALLY afloat, which are obtained by false
Swearing To this fraud he wished to put
an end. present vessels might claim the
privilege of carrying the American flag,
without single American mariner on board,
a permission contrary to the usage Of all CT
vilized nations. For the security and enceu-
ragement ofour seameD, therefore, he pro-
posed the following resolution:
RESOLVED, That for the benefit Of the sea-
men of the United States, it is proper to make
lprovision, that registered ships or vessels
shall not be entitled to the privilege of ships
or vessels Of the United States, unless a GER
tain proportion of mariners on board the
same shall be mariners of the United States.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Burwell, with
the consent of Mr.. Dana. the resolution was
lordered to lie on the table.
ARMED TRADE.
Mr.. Dana said, he wished TO propose an
Iother resolution, the object of which con-
ttemplated provision for arming the com
merce of the United States, not as against
any particular power; but it was an attempt
to draw a line of discrimination between ar
maments for defence and ornaments for at
tack. between the principle of resistance to
aggression of foreign nations and the pfinci-
pie of reprisai; in fact, an attempt at ex
pertinent, whether we could not transfer
to the water that system which exists on the
land, for practical demonstration of which,
he would refer to gentlemen from the Yves
tern Country, where he understood that the
Citizens Individually or combined, armed
Tor their defence against predatory incursi-
ons or attack. This was species of armiDp
distinct from arming for attack or plumber.
The resolution which he held in his hand
was similar to one proposed at late day
last session; it was, however, directed "a
gainst one principle, and that was the prin-
ciple OF blockade by proclamation. 1t COM
pletely contravened the principle Of the
French DEGREES as to British ports, and the
principle OF the British Orders in Council.
| The resolution was as follows:
ReSolOed, That it is expedient to make
provision, by law, to allow merchant vessels
of the United States to he armed fo,. dsfence