The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-07

izing Letters Of A7arque and Rehr1sal-
Continued.
FEBRUARY 8.
(Nr. RandoLhh's Speech concluded
But, sir, why take Canada now, when
my colleague tells you and when other gen
tlemen tells you that there is a prospect oe
REIMBURSEMENT and when. at least, it is de-
measurable that the sort OF resistance which
j propose, VIZ. the arming of our merchant
men i'll their own defence, is the kind OF re-
sistance not only best calculated to meet the
evil against which we wodld guard, bur pre-
SCENTS The best possible chance OF q re ad-
Justment of our differences ! For if we say,
that, at any future day, III Cass the bel'ige-
rents do not come to cur terms, we will let
tall on their heads letters of marQue and
reprisal, as you said by your suspension of
the non-Importation act and offer to suspend
the embargo, you may be cure that such a
plan will not procure accommodates, if that
be your object. Ii you injuie 4 man and he
exercises his rights as Il man and defends
himself without overstepping the bounds of
defence soas him the aggresSiug party
II Is much more easy tor you IL come to an
accommodation than if he we're to saw to
you 81 viii on such a day do so and so if
you do not %rctrau,." He puts it out of vour
power u make him an apology when he
says that nc Will light YOU on such a day ii
you do not render him justice. That is not
the way that tends % an honorable adjust
ment or The dispute, or an honorable termi-
nation OH the beid OF bate. In fact it has
toe much the air of a:bravado; * as we have
been suspected, hope tTjustiy, OF goiug in
TO tins sort OF thing or former occasions {;
OF gong at least as far IN CORDS as in ccs8,
1T VIII be best 20 content ourselves with the
exercise OF our rights on the ocean. Their
orders and DEGREES conflict with those rights.
we VIII resist ihegn, not going beyond our
rights as acknowledged by the laws OF ma
lions and even by themselves. II they use
force against us in the exercise OF those
rights. we are At war ~ all intcat3 and Dar-
poses, and they put usGt war. This course
would hs better calculated TO produce the
result which | have no doubt nv colleague
has as much at heart IS myself. And il is
not strange that a difference Of opinion should
exist IN the unScttled state OF mind in which
we have been for some time Dast-for if
such has not been our situation, how comes
1t that we Nave done nothing3 Or, if we
nave, that We have but rescinded to-dav
VIVA re did yesterday, and to morrow viii
perhaps undo what we are dong to-day. |
need not speak of the navy bill. sir the
history OF that transaction is impressed
much more strongly ON your memory than
1t Is on mlCe. i might mention. another bin.
4 think 1t was bctween twelve and one o.
clock on Saturday ard Sunday the l7th "a.
loih o. Eccembert that, ON the plea that we
were sleeping ON our posts, on the plea o.
urgency, the House was forced into a vote
on a report OF a memorable and honorable
committee, (ot fQreign reiat.ons) winch sub
jet III the shape Of q bill has doscd yer,
quietly Oil youI table from taa, DAY to this
II speak OF the non i-ntercnisc-It was an
expression used by gentlemen that We had
been sleeping on our pusts-and therefore it
was necessary that we should sit I'd one
night tor the public good. There arc con
etltutlons in this louise which have not vet
recovered from the shock OF that nights
session. Ihc non intercourse, the navy bill,
the supplementary embargo Eill-and how
the latter passe.. is really a curiosity, a
novelty in iegisiation-The bill came from
the Senate-It came from a quarter, sir.
from whence, God be praised, we have had
all our strong doses, under al administra.
tions-the alien and Sedicion laws, the sls-
pension OF the haDeaS corpus, the new trca-
son Dill, the last supplementary EMBARGO
bill, aye, sir, and the first embargo bill too
they all came from the same mint and |
liked none OF them-aud in my CAPACITY az
a freeman and "a legislator representing a
free and enlightened people / shall here and
elsewhere, without any sort OF reserve,
speak OF them as ] think they merit cx-
NSpuoI'ho hO'hhS anu SctlinS GOWN nOuCnt
in malice. The bill come TO us then from
the Senate on Thursday the 22nd of Decern-
Der, and was proposed to be made the order
OF the day for the next day, Friday and for
Saturday-both days were named. Some
gentlemen craved only till Monday to con-
slider the numerous and important provisions
of such a bill. and nearly tic wlo'c dav was
Consumed in debate whether the bill! should
be the order of the day for Monday or Sa-
turday Saturday was carried the delay
till Monday being somewhat sternlv refused
even the postp0nc>uent to Saturday wa.
with difficulty obtained. On Friday thi,
House having consumed the whole Of the
preceding day in debating that important
point, adjourned over to Monday, that yer,
DAY to which they had refused to postpone
the bill, 1t being like the report of the com.
mlttee to which ] have Just alluded, a mat.
ter OF such urgency that it could not be de
iayed. Monday came and a motion wa
made by one Of the friends Of thcbiIl to dis
courage the committee Of the whole Uous,
from IT'S farther consideration. It was re
Jected, and the House went into committe,
omit. Next Gay a SINH ~ motion was mad
and carried, and the bill was referred to
select committee, who reported on the fol
loving morning "wednesday The bill
win their amendments, was again referred