The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-04-03


S'es, he coul6 iad tepor;s oi,thu former -
cfctary OF nc Navy decidedly IN fayo: vS
gun beats. Re that a. x might, however, ic
did not affect tire principle OF enquiry. In1
TACT was, however, thai the gentleman from
Delaware was against the gun boats in toto.
Mr.. Nj. said he agreed with him there, bit
he would go further. He was opposed also
to The navy, aud was wiling TO enquire into
the whole--and there was certainly nothing
unfair in this. If tue legislature really
meant to maintain navy, it was tine thar
they should pursue some regular system, and
rot one year build frigatcs and another year
gun boats. &c. and the timber for the YES
sells should be seasoned SO that they should
not rot as soen as built. The whole Of the
vessels forming the present navy OF the Uni.
ted States,if few frigates deserved that
name: mad been built OF green timber.
Notwithstanding the noise that had been
made about frigates, MIR. M. said that when
we had sort Ola war With France. the frs.
gun hred was from q met chairman (com-
mandcG by the cider DeCatur) which had
been turned into . frigate.
MIR. Goi6 observed that it was true, that
the gentleman might find opinions of t.e Se-
cretaiy of the Navy and OF other persons in
favor ofgrn boats the time was "hen the
current OF public opinion had run IN their ia
vor but the tire had passed, and the gen
temsn could scarcely Fad man now who
was IN favor OF them. There could be- no
doubt that as TO the gun boats some measure
-of considerable extent was necessary TO be
taken /; bnt this observation did not apply to
all public vessels He was therefore against
the amendment.
MIR. Smile said it was not an uncommon
thing N this House for members to assume
as matter OF fact what Others expressly de-
MED. The opinion expressed by the gentle.
man trom n. York might be that which he
entertained as to gun boats ;but he was going
too far when he said it was general opini-
on. The House had had opai0ns in their fa-
vor Of men better qualified 10 Judge cf them
than either himself or the gentlemen fro,
New York. There had been no cpportuni-
ty to test their utility. They were never
counted upon as maritime force, but as a de-
fence for our ports and harbors. If any of
the vessels were unfit for service and in such
situation that they could not be repaired
without nniusti!iable eXperce. he was for dis.
posing Of them, and therefore was in fa-
vor. Of the amendment and of the original mo-
ton.
AS to the navy, he never had been of OPT
Mon that the u States should n: yer think
ofbecoming naval power The navy had
bean for many years . sinking fund to the
government without dong the least good.
except In the affair in the Mediterranean
some years ago. He was not however fol,
Immediately abolishing the navy ; but as
soon as they could with proprie,y be cot
rid of, he said ii would be fer the benefit of
the nation that we should not have a SIN
gle ship OF war.
Mr.. Goid called upon the gentleman from
PENNSYLVANIA 10 shefy single opinion of any
naval man at che present day on the sub
jece OF gun beats but what was in opposition
to the whoie system
Mr.. Pickma'' conceived there could be no
objection 10 the amendment, as the object
was merely an enquiry.
MIR. Taylor said he was for committing
the whole subject. and he believed sound
arguments could De produced which would
go TO convince the House and the nation
that the frigates and vessels of war were
quite as useless in the present state of the
world as the much derided gun boats. AS
to the utility Of gun boats. wien the law
passed for procuring them. the gentleman
from Connecticut (Mr. Ddna) who was i'm.
the habit of making admissions which somc-s
times drew upon him the censure of vio-
lent party papers for his candor had adj
United that in shallow water the approach
of enemy might be rendered extremely
announcement by gun boats, and that they
might be troublesome opponents and more
perhaps could not be said of the frigates -
Mr.. I. appeared to be of opinion that the
gun boats and frlgatcs should share the
same fate
Mr.. Lyon also spoke in favor of the mo.
tion, Mr.. Coax against it.
Mr.. lMacon's amendment was agreed to.
and the resolution as amended was agreed
to without opposition.
On motion Of Mr.. JENNINGS, the commit
tee OF Public Lands was instructed to en-
qure into the expediency of nstituting or
establishing one or more districts for the
disposal of the lands ceded to the u. S. by
the treaties entered into with certain tribes
of Indians in September, October and De-.
cember last.
INVALID CORPS.
The bill making provision for the relief
Of the nfirm, disabled and supera nuated
officers and soldiers of the late revolutions
~ army and Of the present army of the U.
S was read third time and, on motion
of Mr.. NELSON, recomn,itted for the pur.
pose of amendin;; the details of the bill
COMMERCIAL BILL.
The House resumed the consideration of
the unfinished business, being the bill con
corning commercial intercourse, sc.
Mr.. Nelson moved to postpone the fur
Their consideration of the subject till Sa.
turday next.-Motion lost, Yeas 81, NAYS
IS.
The question recurring on the motion to
adhere
Messrs. Fisk, Holland, Love and Mum
ford supported the motion, and Mr. Garland
opposed it.