The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-23
| No. 81.

acting b., under his or her authority 10 solicit
take, accept, or use. license periais sion pro-
cured rem any foreign power whatsoever; or a.
ny. paper, writing or document por2orting to be
license or permission, issued under the author.
/ NY oil any foreign power whatsoever, for his or
hef vessel to pass to, or trade with. any other TO-
reign ana independent power such person shall
| De deemed guilty of high misdemearor, and on
conviction thereof in any court having competent
jurisdiction, shall be fined in q sum not less than
TWO thousand, nor more than ten thousand dol
lars, and he imprisoned for term not less than
, six months. nor more than two wears ; and such
person shall forfeit the right and privilege of own
ing or navigating afterwards, airy vessel en-
titled to the benefits ani privileges Of vessel OK
the United States and shall forever be disoluali-
ned to hold any Office of homo trust or prof, an
oef the United, States, And the register sea
letter. together with all and every other paper or
imminent belonging TO such ship or vessel shall
become utterly null and void and no register or
sea letter shall afterwards be granted un-
der authority Oft United States to such ship or
vessel
Sec. 2 Ind be itf,ythcr enacted, That all pen
aities rand torfeturcs arising under or incurred by
virtue OF this act, may be sued for, prosecuted and
recovered with OF sui, by action of debt, in
the name oithe United States of America or bv
Indictment or information, in any court having
competent jurisdiction TO try the same and shsI
oe distributed and accounted for in the m inner
prescribed by the act entitled An act TO reg,,-
Late the collection of duties imports and tom
mage passeltie second day OF March, one thou
sand seven hundred aud ninetynine
| Mr.. III KIM moved to amend the bill BY insert
ing after the words sc irdepcndent power" in tbs
l4th i't the following amendment
" OF shall, in any foreign port place where
his or her vessel may load or have been laden in
whole or IN part, or from which she NAV depart
or haze departed, for any other foreign port, or
| IN such other foreign port, solicit, accept re-
caive or use, or cause To be solicited, accepted,
received, or used any false or colorado paosrs lin
the nature of clearance maniiest) purportnec
that such vessel did depart from tile Unted
States"
MIR. Live,1po-e observed, that, for his part, he
was against the bill in toto for lie believed that
it would benefit the dishonest to the Injury of the
honest part oi the community. 1t would benefit
those who carried nothing for law for o,t'ls or for
character, and who would forego every thing Tor
the lucre of grain. The citizens Of the United
States might not continue to carry thus trade
but their vessels would, under the direction of
foreigners 1t was impossible, he said, to con-
troll vessel after she had got out sea the ves-
sci indeed rs ght be subject to forfeiture after it
returned, bN it was object with its owners
that she should come back at all There were,
| 1t was well known, i'll the u States many adopt
| e! citizens who cared more about the coun-
Try than they did about Ethiopia, and there were
native citizens who were not attached to their
country and fit ne obligation to obey its laws.
THIS bill against foreign licences would promote
| their interest; for Congress could no more pre-
| vent the practice than they could prevent tie
wind from blowing It was no penalty 10 the owna
ers OF such vessels TO say that they should not
return to the UpIted States, for single profa.
bic Height would pay the cost of the vessel Ila
stead progressing, this bill would assist tnis vea
ry traffic. Why were Congress always Attenpt-
ing to regulate that which they co;.ld not regu-
late H wished TO see al end Of this system
Mr. II Kin, said il was obvious 20 the most
unretiectinS mind, that the practice of Carving
| on trade under foreign licenses mus be attended
with injurious consequences TO the fair trade of
the Unuted States. 1t exposed our yessclsto in.
convenience, often TO capture and ultimate con-
hscatlon. THIS reason alone was So bcieut fot
putting stop to trade w',ich was besides dis
graceful to the country. lie was satisfied with
the bill as lar ss it went; Dut was another
InJdiy 81 a different description against which he
wished to guard, which was, the sailing with
forged papers or clearances purchased in 4 To-
reign port and produced ~ evidance CT the orr
gin OF the voyage III this country. Instead Of =
foreign port These frauds, lie said, were ire
quentiy discovered, and being detected. gave
birth TO general prejudice against al American
commerce
Mr.. LjVerDiore observed that there was alrea.
dy law IN existence to punish forger-s Of the
| custom house papers, if gentlemen could con-
trive mode OF getting the 0fcnlers here But
what ayailed il to m Ike laws under which it was
impossible that offenders could be brought to
trial
Mr.. NKim said he was disposed to paw great
respect to the legal knowledge of tbs gentleman
from Massachusetts but he contenIed that
there was no law IN existence to- punish the ac-
cepung, receiving or usIng clearaDces forged
IN a foreign country. And when they were used
abroad to the prejudice Of the country, the Of
tenders ought to be punished when tney return.
The gentleman had said, when up before
that this law would be evlded by some that It
would not operate on all This Mr. NJ Kin said
he readily admitted for no laws could be en-
acted sufficient 60 punsl, Ill cuDrits but it was
consonant with the essential interests of the conn
try that this practice should DC punished, and il
was no reason against it that u few offenders
might escape.
Mr.. JfKhn's amendment was agreed to, 60
to 81.
Mr.. Newton remarked that bill similar to
the present had passed the House of ReDresen
tatlves by large majority at the second session
OF the l0.h Congress, put hal been postponed in
definitely BY the senate. He said it presented
almost self evident proposition it required 40
reasoning TO eiucidate its provisions or enforce
its necessity. Was the American f. ,e presl;-
tuted or not Was it the duty of Congress
TO prevent the prostitution or not ?---Mr. NJ.
said that the response of every gentleman
would be in the affirmative This bill went
as far as It was in the power OF Congress,
to effect that object. Ii vas then their duty and
he had no doubt the Legislature would Do form