Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-12-03
CONGRESS-
Housx OF RKPREsENTATIyEs.
Soty,Jou Nopember 81.

~ HoUsE OF kKPRESENTAiA'Gs'
Saturday, November 81.
DEBATE
On the Bill concerning the nay 81 non
commissioned officers, &c. ind TOR O.
ether hurtoSes-
(esN1INUED.)
Mr.. Randolph rose to speak at
the same moment with Mr.. Macon,
WHO however, being first seen by the
Speaker. obtained the foer.
Mr.. RANDOLPH said that he
was extremely happy, AS he did not
notice bis friend from North Carroll
ma at the time ofhis risin5-in which
ease he should certainly have given
way to him according to custom
that he had caught the Speakers
eve first. Twas about to rise. said
MIR. r. for the purpose OF making
a similar motion; and there are con-
siderations on which it is unnecessa-
ry for me to dwell, and towards
which l will not even hint. that rem
der it at least as agreeable to me That
the nation for rscOmmitment shonid
come from that respectable and
weishty quarter. rather than from
myseIr. shall vote for it upon tie
same grounds which would have i'll
,lueed mo ultimately to vote against
the bill because it contains provi-
sion,, l might say principles. insus-
csptihls of modification. AMI IN my
judgement hostile to AL those prin-
ci,les which | have hitherto enter
tanned, 4 to which it is Impossible for
me to give the sanction OF my SUP
port. / shall not vote against the
bill for some of the reasons urgsdhy
the gentleman from Massachusetts
on my right. (Mr. Quiacey) with
more cfeloquenee than temperance.
and answered III a style not dissImiiar
by my worthy friend on my left (Mir.
WilIiams). They both reminded me
OF STROKE sfPerhaps the only comic
poet this country has produced.
,sTho more they injured their side
8 The more argument they applied.
The gentleman from Massachu-
sytts touched chord, which he
ought to have known xas that "kich
wauld ensure the passage of this Dill;
which would excite a temper that
would in.l;sou.e tho House to hstss
to the still small voice ct conseisnce
aud Of reason. [, sir. shall! vote tor
the reccmmitment OF inis bill, AMI
fer reasons Nhirh am almost a.
shamcd to urge. w'iiea l hope to be
excused for adducing. They have
nothing to do with ;i.e question OF
Improvement, of maritime war. ot
tho invasion Of C;.nada. OF lndian
warfare bnt, sir. they are priaoi-
pies which from length oftime l am
sorry to say have grown SO obsolete.
like some of the older statutes OF
those countries Of more ancient date
tnar ourselves, that though l am not
ashamed OF them lam almost asham-
ed 20 rnsntion thsm-they are those
professed by the republican party in
the year 17ss. which 1 had the no.
nor of attempting Cat least to support
in these days-the principles. as re-
luce,i TO record, ofths present Chief
Magistrate Of our country in those
DAYS. In TRUTH ii has been inSinuat-
Cd, if not asserted, with much more
a. eaador than OF logical address,
tiiat the princi. lies Of the dill are
those Of the forme" friea,s of the
gentleman from Massachusetts On
NV left. from which, | suppose. that
seatleman has in sv'ne way or ether
deserted. This goes to prove, as Tar
as tue authority q the gentleman
from Vermont and OF my worthy
friend from South CaroIisa has in
liuenes. that lonS course OF eppo-
si;ion has instilied into ths gentle
men something of The principles
which did not belong TO his friends
while in power; that he is desert
ca. from his party, and consequently
that have remained faithful cen
tinsl at my pest. did not expect
TO hear it said, sir, that this bill
Was not to be opposed because a ST.
u:iIar bill had Seen passed in what
used to be called the reign OF terror.
In other words did not expect TO
hear il stated that the principles of
,i.e administration OF the preGeces-
sor OF Jefferson, which suppose he
would now he as reat, to recant as
any man in the nation, justified tie
bill: that il ought to be passed be-
cause Il was fashioned IN conformity
20 such doctrines. Ii is, new, sir, |
think, some thirteen or fourteen