The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-16

,relative to exemption from militia duty, ant
which require annual returns of the enrolled
militia, i'm the respective states, TO be made
to the President of the United States, and
that the committee have leave to report b,
bill or otherwise.
Mr.. johnson reported bill for the relic
of Elizabeth Hamilton. Twice read ant
committed.
MILITIA, VOLUNTEERS. &c.
The House took up the report of the com
Sittee of the whole on the bill authorizing
detachment of the militia of the United
States, and agreed to the several amend
ments made by the committee.
motion was made by MIR. Yan Horn to
amend that part Of the bill which provides
that each volunteer" may also be called into
the service of the United States, to any
place, not beyond sea, out of the jurisdiction
OF the United Stales," by striking out the
words in I;aHc, viz {: "beyond sea"
This motion was supported by Messrs. Da-
ma, Lircrmore and Van Horn, and opposed
by Messrs. Poindexter, Holland and Ross.
The question was decided by Yeas and
Nays-42 to 70.
so the motion was lost.
Mr.. Pearson said, that as the bill was OF
a novel character, containing provisions hi
thcrto unknown in the laws OF the United
States, he wished it to be distinctly under
stood by those to be affected by it. He
therefore moved TO amend that part of the
bill requiring the volunteers TO sign an en-
gagement, by adding the following: (which
engagement shall expressly state the liabi-
llty to be taken on service without the Ii
mlts and jurisdiction of the u. States"
ms amendment was modified on the
suggestion OF Mr.. Clay, so as to read
" which engagement shall expressly state
the liability to be taken on service, not be-
yond sea, without the jurisdiction of the U.
This motion was opposed by Messrs. Root,
omliie, Fisk, Holland and w. Alston, and
supported by Messrs. Pit!1in, Dana. Sheffey,
Pearson, Ely, Taylor, Macon, Wilson and
Bacon.
The reasons urged in favor Of it were,
generally, that every citizen in making an
engagement ought distinctly to understand
1t; that under the laws authorising detach
ments of militia. volunteers had heretofore
been received to serve within the u. S. only,
and, unless expressly stated otherwise, in
the engagement, persons volunteering under
this law would think that they were merely
Offering their services as heretofore that
the provisions of the bill having this opera
ton. would entrap the volunteers into an
engagement Of which they had no idea, and
which was hitherto unknown to the laws of
the U. S.
Against this amendment, it was urged that
1T was unnecessary, as the volunteers were
to sign an engagement to serve the United
States according to the provisions of this
act 8 that expressing one condition of the
engagement on the face of it would imply
an absence OF the other conditions that if
this amendment was agreed to, the House
might as well insert the whole of the law
and the articles of war in the engagement
and, generally, that it was burthening the
Dill with provision totally unnecessary &
useless.
The amendment was agreed to. SIS to 40.
And the house adjourned.
The bill Cannot be taken up to morrow,
Friday being by rule of tn c house appropri-
ated TO the consideration of bills and reports
originating from petitions.