The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-03-06

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tom. houses, 40 merchant ,,g,oe.i vessel Dol:,L
( as aforesaid 20 places not ac, ua,.y iuves.ed.
With which intercourse ihail be inSertictel
| by the decress OF orders q; tae governments
| of G. Britain or France. shalt eceiye q clear
| anc., unless the owner OF 0wners. ANA tne
masters and commanders of such vessel .cr
the intended voyage shall give bond To ,he
Y. ,. M q sum equal TO the value oi such
vessel and cargo, with condition. that sach
vessel shall no. make OF ooinnil ttprefati-
on. outrage, unlawful asssul, or uapiUgoked
violence ON the Nigh seas, and that the guns.
arms and ammunition of such vessel saaIl
/ DC returned within the L. ). or othcrviss.
accounted for, AID that such owner or own
ers and the commander aud crew OF such
merchant vessel will in AL thugs conform
| 10 the provisions ct this act and TO such in
| struc,ions as the fr.sidene os the u. S. in
| Pursuance thereof, shall from time 30 time
es'abiish---aud it shall be the duty Of ,ic
! collectors 10 see that no armed vessel clear,
ing out aforesaid shall have Gu beard arms
| or other wariSe stores, except sa,.l as
may constitute part ot the equipment Of
the said Y, ssel and TO attach a certificate to
mat effect to the clearance gra;..eG 10 such
&, vessel.
Skc. S. .f,,a te il further enacted, That
the Prcsidea, Of the United States Shall be,
and he hereby is authorised to establish in
'nformity with the Provisions of this act
suitable instructions to and icr the merchant
vessels authorised TO arn-ror the better res.
! training the commanders Gnl crews who
! shall be employed therein--for preventing,
any outrage or injury which they may be
disposed to Commit, the taking on board
articles coutrabaId Of war--a copy of which
instructions shall be delivered to the com.
nianier OF such vessel when he Shall give
| bond as aforesaid.
| SEC. Is. y1rfi he ;f f;,ryGer T,k,s
the President of the Y S. be and he is here
oy authorised TO employ the public armed
vessels OF the u. ). in COW Dying aud pro-
teetng merchant vessels of the u. S owned
wholly by citizen or citizens thereof not
carrying contrabaud of war, and bound to a.
ny port or place not actually invested, with
winch intercourse shall be prohibited by the
DEGREES and orders of the government of &.
britain or trance--and TO instrucr the com
man''ers Of the armed vessels of the United
States to oppose and defend against search,
restraint or seizure which shall be attempt
cd upon vessels under convoy, by the COM
inandcr or crew or any armed vessel sailing
under British or French coiors, and To re-
pei by force any assault or hostility which
may be committed on the par, of sach Bril-
tish or French vessel pursuing such attempt.
and to subdue and capture the same.
SEC. z. ind De it further enacted, That
any british or French vessel SO captured
! Shall be considered lawful prize and NAV
be condemned III any court of the u. 5. hav-
ing competent jursdiCtioA. and the pro-
| cecds OF such prize shall be distributed in
| conformity TO the provisions Of the act for
| the better government Of the navy of the u.
Statcs''
| Mr.. LiUermore observed that this day
completed the third month of the session.
"hich mad been so TAR exhausted in doing
nearly nothing; and when there was pos
sibiiity OF Coming to some conclusion On this
bi.i. attempts were made to defeat the pas
sage of it Mr.. l.. took review of the
| proceedings OF The government tlo5, lie non
! i'npartatoa act To the present tiae, and
particularly censured the rejection CT Mr..
| N1unioe S treaty. He was wholly opposedto
! the amendment now moved. It could not
De IN the contemplation OF any gentleman to
get such AN amendments through The House.
1t was nothing short Of declaration of war
! against g. Britain and France Our ncr-
| chant vessels were to he seat cut armed
cap a-pee, like Quixotte or his wind. mill
expedition, to fight the bclligerents II it
were possible tor Congress 70 do such an act.
their constituents would provide Strait waist
coats Tor them. If gentlemen had any thing
serious IN view, he called upon them Il,
bring 1t forward and make il the subj sct OF a
separate bill. 1t had been repeatedly ac-
hho"ieu5Su Oh all SiueS or the house that the
non intercourse was Intellectual. or operated
wholly upon ourselves. And, Mr L. said.
1t was not in force as to G. Britain. This he
knew to be the true construction Of the Law.
although, by instructions from the Treasury
department. Clearances were refused TO HI.i-
tIsh ports. But, al hough vessels were refu-
sed clearance to these ports, there never
had been single seizure of goods impor
tea from that country that he could learn
and this was 4 wise course of conduct, BE-
cauze the government must know that the
law was not in force, and therefore avoided
the expence and inconvenience which must
result from erroneous seizures.
Mr. l.. made a number of remarks going
to shew that the sections struck out by the
Senate could have no effect. The exclusion
OF 5000 tons OF British shipping annually from
our ports could have no effect as q coercive
measure. 1t was the most trifling thing that
could be devised to operate on the minds Of
The British ministry to induce them to pr0Di-
tiate us i; and was equally weak as a mea-
sure TO beneht the commerce OF the United
States.
The real question involved in the amend
ment now proposed, MIR. l.. said was this
Are the United States prepared 70 30 To
war; What has been done during the whole
OF the present session towards a preparation
for war; Where is the bill for fitting out
and increasing the Davyl Where is the arr
my! How are we going to war, and what
Will be its object! Was it, he asked, 80 take
Il,AnadaS He ha1 I,eo nd rs, G