Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-11-28
CONGRESS.
ffousE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
nEpA ATE

IN m. Bill concerning she pay % Nom
comnfis: ioned o6scers, Se. ana Jo'
ether furtoses-
(coN7INUED
SATURDAY, November Il.
Mr.. PITKIN remarked, that the
mower given to a recruiting officer to
enlist minors. was ne1c principle.
II had not been acted upon before. or
since the revolution-this is new
mede orraising an army-wers gen
tlemen prepared to adopt this new
principle. Although. by the resolves
of the congress oft776. minors could
be enlisted, yet apprentices were eX-
empted-antl if any were enlisted
vet on proper application they were
discharged; unless it could be shewn
the enlistment was with the consent
Of their masters or guardians. BY
the law of '9s. the president Ger
tainlv could direct relative to the
size and age of reerui'-yet TO
whom did he apply7 not tc appren-
,i-es-not to war;ls-and then II an
officer enlisted IN apprentice without
the .onsent sf his master. he could
be taken from him by the writ OF ma
heas corpus. and the officer held Ia
bic for damages. The nth seci'oa
Of the law for raising an additional
military force. contained similar
proyision-and it was also necessary,
the consent of the master OF guardian
should be in WRITING.
Mr.. Pitkin did not intend 10 med
die at all with the policy of the war
he shouid confine himself to the
consideration oil the Important prin-
chile contained, in the Sd section of
the bill.-The effect Of this bill gees
to infringe all the state laws. They
all provi.Ie for the relations which
exist between master and his ap-
prentice--a guardian and his ward;
if the apprentice runs away. he can
be procured and brought back. and
some ofthe states provide. that when
the apprentice comes again into the
possession Of his master, that he shall
serve not only the tine lost. but IN
extra time, 70 rcmunerate his mas
ter by these services, for the losses
he has sustained. Ifyou take away
his apprentice. you deprive him OF
his praperty-ti,is is loss TO the
master. or he must recover where
The services are ,lle that is, Of the
parent or guardian. who are one OF
the contracting parties to the linden
tures-and where is their remedy :
Will net the officer be also liable 10
the state iaws?-D0es not the con-
stituticn say, no laws shall be passed
| abrogatius contracts? This bill will
in its operation. sanction the viola
ton Of contracts !; or it means no.
thiny-it sanctions tie right TO take
! away the property Of guardians. pa
rents or masters, without providing
any compensation for the same. I
| repeat, you are Introducing a new
Drinciple in the mode Of administer
inc ent.-Hhs prsssureis al
SO beyond all comparison unequal on
the northern states. DO gentlemen,
plead the necessity CT the case does
a necessity exist superior to the laws!
are we to understand that the SulgS
popui shall rule without controu! ?
if not, then what is meant by this
grant TO take the property of your
constituents, and leave them no re-
| NEEDY for the injurya The hon.
gentleman from South Carolina has
| referred to the practice Of other ma
tons. Great Britain herself never
Incorporated apprentices into her ar
mics.
Mir. WILLIAMS rose to explain
Il admit that apprentices are ex-
empt-but minors arc net.
Mr. PITKlN-agreeG. but even
when minors are enlisted without
the consent of their guardians or
masters. they can be released by the
writ of hd6e0s eorpus. believe that
in 1856, Great Britain passed an act
which was designed 10 extend to only
the colonies. IL allowed indented ser
wants to be enlisted into the army
but this act made provision for the
master, il tho compensation was
claimed within so many months af-
ter enlistment, and tie necessary
facts were proved before any two
justices of the peace. Whether this
sct was ever carried into effect do
not know-but / do kno7c that CON-
pcnsation was provided for the pro-
perry taken from the master in the
;:crson of his servant.
i,admit that the word apprentice
L., al