Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-02-18
CON G R E S S.
DEEATE

Mr.. Nicholas moved to iii the blank IN
the substitute with the first day OF June;
Mr.. Minor named the 4th day OF March );
and Mr.. D. Il. Williams named the 18th
day of February.
Mr.. Randolph moved to strike out the
words G the day of Tor the
purpose of inserting g forthspith." Motion
to strike out lost, by considerable MAORI
ty.
The question recurring on filing the.
blank with the first day of June,
Mr.. Randolph, as the gentleman mover
of the resolution (Mr. Nicholas) was not
present when he had given the reasons why
he thought, if the embargo was to be
repealed, it should be removed immediate
", repeated them. He wished our own
citizens to reap some advantage from an
early repeal. Or were we, he asked, by
]. singular fatality in all our measures only TO
ourselves, and benefit bur adversarles
and the most dishonest part OF our own
!. community?
Mr.. Daea was opposed to continuance.
of the embargo till the first of June. Since
it had been generally understood thro' the
country that the embargo was to be further
coptinued, many capitalists had forestalled
the. markets so as to secure to themselves a
monopoly of the foreign articles OF the
greatest necessity, thereby to command an
excessive profit at the expence OF the dis
tressed part Of the community. AsresPect-
ed them Mr., Dana said that he had not a
wish that the duration of the embargo should
~, ak
GAINS and make poo.. .iaeir ,sst
- xv...s-ss,Ssy description OF our cltl,.
,uhqrs, he could wish to be injured by
a removal OF the embargo, these would Ger.
tainly be the. persons, There was another
reason why he didnot wish the embargo to
continue so long. However important it
was that the general authority of the 60
vernnent should be maintained as respected
these states, was it not known that the reIns
OF government, from their extreme tension,
were falling in the hands Of the administra
ton Were not their acts placed at def
auce, especially since the passage of the
z last act for enforcing the embargo! Look
at the whole northern frontier, said he; re-
collect the facility of transportation on the
ice and snow. Recollect with-what facility
in this season the produce and lumber, &c.
Will pass from Vermont into the British pro-
vinces. As respected the whole Of that
frontier, MIR. Dana said, itwould be in vain
TO attempt to enforce the embargo laws
The mound was already broken down which
retained our produce and it was to be fear
ed that the whole would soon be swept a.
way. The question which now offered it
self to the consideration of the house was
this, and it was requisite that it should be
decided promptly-whether, if the acts of
government were set at defiance, the au-
thority of The government should be sus-
tanned or not. If the acts of the govern
ment were placed at defiance, he said, con
gress had but to decide instantly to enforce
them by arms, or to abolish them. Did
they mean to hesitate between advancing
and retiring If you mean to retire (said
hel do it whilst you can-whilst it twill seem
to be an attention to the wishes and suffer-
ings of the community, instead of giving
to those who set your laws at defiance, the /
signal of your defeat and the evidence of
their triumph. Mr.. Dana asked, if gentle
men had estimated what would take place
between this day and the first day of June?
Did they conceive the force that it would be
necessary to employ to enforce the laws? Be-
fore they decided the point it woald be well
to pause. Did gentlemen recollect how much
danger menaced the sentiment of attachment
to their country when foreign indulgencies
(as the Liberty of trading derived from the
contiguity of the British PROVINCES are given
to the citizens of any portion of country
which refuses to allow them those privileg-
es. Need | remind gentlemen, asked Mr..
ID. Of circumstance illustrative of my i
deaf When the navigation Of the Missis-