The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-04-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..

Friday, .dfrii 10.
Mr.. Minor presented a protest, signed by
thomas Heartt, late master of the Amcri-
can ship Asia, of Philadelphia, protesting a.
gainst the plundering and Durnin, of, that
vessel, which was done by order of the COM
mander OF squadron of French ships of
war, on the 18th January last. Read and
ordered to Icon the table. -
Mr.. Bf6b called up his motion to appo;ne
a committee to join with such as should be
unnnlshed business, and report whether and
when an adjournment could take place
he said he did not propose to repeat the OBJ {,
servations he had made on this subject YES
terday. The resolution barely proposed an
enquiry, and was of that nature that rare->
~ met with opposition in the House. Ifupon
investigation it should be found, that the
pubic interest would suffer from such mea-,
sure, he presumed the committee would re-.
port against it. If on the Contrary il could
be done without injury, they would report in
FAVOR OF It. The report of the arrival of the,
hornet was no argument against a motion
to enquire.
Mr.. Rhea said, as he viewed this resoluti..
on as part of the system to which the bill 4.
ioT susPending the non importation belonged.
he wished them to go hand in hand; and
therefore moved to postpone the further
consideration of this motion to Monday week.
the day to which that bill was postponed, &c
ii possible ne would refer it to the same
committee of the whole.
N4r. robinson suggested to the gentleman
the proprie'y Of following the same course
now as he lad done in the case of the bill
just alluded to. He had better move an in
deflnite posponcment, and thus resolve that
the house should never adjourn. Mr. J. said
he was for taking the subject up at once
and de- iding whether an enquiry should be-
made. No time was proposed by the reso-
luton, but merely an enquiry into the busi-
ness which was most urgent, and whether
the house could with proprieiy adjourn. II
appeared to him that it would be more agree
able to some people that the house should
never adjourn at ALL
bzr Smile spoke in favor of the motion.
and against postponement.
Mr.. BasscH spoke warmly against the
original motion. He said it would be consi-
dered by the people as giving the go-bye to
the question of war. There was nothing so
much to be guarded against in this po.eIn-
ment as vac alton. 1t was natural for men
to differ, and it was therefore not to be won
dered at that he did not take the same view
OF this. subject as the gentleman from Gccr-.
gia; but nc really did believe an adjourn
ment OF congress at this time would paradise
the spirit of the people ard the action of the
government. There was more now at stake
than the mere question Of war or peace :
Tor II this and similar measures were adort-
rd, the people never would believe that con-
srcSs or the government possessed energy
enough to support their rights.
Mr.. Iprght said if the bill which had been
20 Monday week should pass. he
vas prepared to adjourn. If such an anti.
var measure was adopted, the sooner thew
adjourned the better. lie should therefore
'ote for the postponenent of this mction till
lie should sec What was to be the fate of that
ILL.,
Mr.. BT7oeH said that the proposition
ow before the Hosuc embraced two OBJ
Gets; an enquiry what business was nercs-
airy to &c d'nc, ard whether an adic ~
aeni cold, cake place eoi,sjs entiy =