The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-19
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MONDAY December 9.

MONDAY December 9.
(Rehor.ed FIR the alexandria Reraldl.
MIR. Porter called for the unfinished bu-
siness OF yesterday, the consde ration of the
I'd resolution reported by the committee of
foreign affairs.
Mr.. Wright moved to insert the words
twenty thousand SO as to autnorise the
raising of that number OF men.
The speaker SAID this amendment was
not in order.
Mr.. Smife hoped the house would decide
on the general principle. Contained i'll this
resolution, and leave the details to be settled
hereafter. y concurrence with this prin-
ciple would decide the great question before
the house, which an agreement to the first
resolution did not.
Mr.. Randolph said he was an old-fash-
ioned politician in the DAYS of terror we
shrunk at standing armies; and what wa.
| the object now-Dcfence Who? freemen
who would not defend themselves. He would
ask If 100000 of Americans were TO be
protected in their lives and liberties by ten
thousand vagabonds who were lit food for
| gun-powder. 1t would be necessary to know
the Interior views of the committee on this
point /; 1T would be proper, before vote
was taken on this resolution, to know for
what purpose these additional troops we're
r"ntod. The house ought not to commit
|
without detailed information. He was AS
much opposed TO raising standing armies
now aS he had been during the reign of
| terrer:' He had seen too much of the cor
, ruptions attendant on these establishments,
| IN the course OF the investigation in which
he was engaged, not to disclaim ali share in
the creation of them. The people of the
United States could defend themselves, if
| necessary, and had no idea OF resting their
dfst mo- Cfsr,a ,.ir ,,rI-.I
brothels. and tipping houses,--pick-pock-
cts who had escaped from Newgate, &c,
and sought refuge in this asylum on oppres-
ed humanity. He commended that this res.
olution contained an unconstitutional prop
osition, and that the standing army now in
the service OF the U. States was maintained
! in the very teeth of that part of the consti-
tuition which declares that no money for
tae support OF a standing army should be
appropriated for more than two years.-He
again called for information as to the OBJ
ject OF the army now proposed to be rails
ed declaring, that if the president should
say they were necessary for the protection
Of New-Orleans, to be employed against the
| Indians, OF to repel inCursions from Canada
(altho' this seemed not to be much thought
ot) he should not refuse to grant them
lie declared the report to be a negative po-
sition which could not be combatted exceDt
constitutional resources OF the committee,
and expressed hope that the remarks he
had made would draw cut the talents of that
body.
Nh. Grundy, in reply to Mr. Randolph,
Mr.. Sfeaker,
did not expect that the gentleman from
Virginia would have made any enquiries
INTO the motives or objects of that commit
tee OF which he himself was a member.
q, ~ Icd fn;s 4, ELL Il
witnessed every step the committee took.
lie also saw the report before it was made
to this house, and must have heard the ex-
position If our Interior measures, as eX-
planned by our chairman. why then, SIR
shall he now affect not to understand us
Our object, by those who will listen shall
not DC misunderstood. And, Mr.. Spea-
ker, as / have no political secrets, feel
no hesitation In declaring to YOU, to this
house, and to the nation, the view 1 have
taken of the subject. But before I do
this it is due to the committee that an
explanation of their conduct should take
place.
SO soon az the committee on our foreign
relations was appointed, we were forcibly
impressed with the serious and highly res
ponSiblc station you had assigned us to that
committee, consisting of nine members only,
were not only the eyes OF this house but of
ZIG hdlion Vuineu, ana irOn us, III tnlS inc
most troubled season our world has ever
kHowr, was it expected, that a Course of
measures would be recommended calcula-
ted to protect the interests of seven mil
lions OF people. Under this impression, Mr..
Speaker, sc deemed il duty To take time
for dci,i,cration We tho't it better to en-
counter the charge Of having acted in
tar1y and dilatory way than to take a rash
step, by which this nation might plum
SD INTO Difficulties, from which 1t could not
be easily cstricatcd. We therefore took
ihe necessary time to weigh the arguments
both for and agains, the measures we have
and, as far as we are abe,