The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-18

ar. Raadol,sh never dreamt Of the grca'
Scnsi5iity winch he apneared TO have eXci
red in the House by tins motion. he hau
exchanged conversation with some OF lh>
pest ana wisest' men in the community o.
this subject, who had agreed witn him l.
the opinion as tt the propr.ety of taas em.s
glowing the army nni nolhiiig bI1 the pre-
sarc Of other D isincss an1 the resDotcncss =.
car SITUATION from any theatre OF puolc
WORKS, had prevented him from bringing,
Ioi'ward the p@opo,tlon long ago.
Inongl hS was a native ii Il country, the
chief pare of the labor OF watch is perform
Ell ny slaves, yet ne had learnt to-day, tJl'
tue nrss time, that honest labor WAS dis
graceful tint the honor or a soldier cannaC
s,rwive it. lie was sorry. il such were the
cnse, - si;,, tnerc is indeed mach wi;.er
distinction between honor and honesty, thle
lie had ina giiied. Men PIT al livery --,ht
livery of the king-,re engaged inperfp:,n.
ing menial Offices for their oificers, VINO cx
pose their naked bucks tothe ne:cI:e,s OK
ccationcr, are deprived OF free agencyA-o a.
they are above honest labor He wished "
could avail ourselves, fifty We're only now an
then, to Look on the practices Of other matt
oas that we would not believe that we are
tue most enlightened people in the world
Who were the constructors of the great mi-
htary highways which pcrvajed every cnun-
try when reduced 60 the form of a Roman
prov ncef That wise people never deemed
any country suod1cd, until great mill a,y
high roads were made therein. Anl BY
whom we're they constructed? They Were
constructed by the Roman legion. II, Sir,
you go down even t. this Navy Yard, YOU
will be astonishc,lto hear, that the Palace
there erected cost only somewhere about d
Thousand dollars, the work of it being Chief
ly done by the marines.
Bat il seems, that in Maryland, it is a cri-
ninal punishment, and therefcfe disgrdse-
fsil, TO work on the roads, and on that &c
count the army of the u. Statas mus.
not be PIT to any such employment. In Viz
GINA, the criminals III orr Penitentiary arc
csnDloYe., in making shoes, nails, cioaths
so that if the gentleman s'argumcnt be good
We ought to have no shoemiker, nalor O,
taior eniistecd into our army, lest, forsootii,
he should contaminatc the honor of the
corps.
Stall ask, in what manner the delay OF
public business is produced by laying YOUR
Table a resolution authorizing the Presidens,
not to take the army from their miiitslSt
duty, but when they are not ernpioye defr
the public service, and when III his esti.ia.
Zion, the public interest will not thereby De
fajared to employ them in public works NJ
utility? There was no relation between
this resolution and the business which w.s
before the House yesterday For three
years this subject had been floating in MS
mind, and nothing was further from his ex
pectation than that he was about to excite
the feelings OF any gentleman, much less
thlt he was to incur a charge OF delaying
the public business.
The gentleman from South Carolina
CIR. CaIhoun) had stated, that it was
moi to be wondered at that gentleme'. OPP
posed To the preparations now making for
war, should attempt to DELAY in Che nea-
sdres Which the House had determined rp-
on. III extreme cases, he might De induced
20 steps Of this kind but in a case like thls,
he silpuld not do it.
lie aid aot require to be informed by the
geneaeman from Maryland (Mr. Wright) If
t.letpolite attention with which the House
had FavouGed him while he was discussing
q subject OF monentous CONCERN to- the ma
tion. But On whom is the delay of the pub
1,c business fairly chargeable He appeal
'ed TO his worthy friend from Georgia, if it
were not charged lie on his friends for that
gentleman had said some days ago" thae
he would wait with pleasure to hear auv
ching which could be urged in opposition
but he wearied ont without debate frnn,
the professed, and he had no doui3t the rel
friends 81 the neasures under discussion
With the aid OF the Drevous question, aat
ma oritv of 90 in favor OF war me lsures ;lf
thcre be any ability for public business, let
us not near OF delay from laying 4 simple
resolution on the table, and debate pc
Sceding, not from the party Offering it, oue
from those who are not willing it should lie
On the table; from which if it were taken
st would not be by his hand, except It
were asked with more Courtesy and urban
ny than had been shewn by the gentem an
who suggested this course.
Mr.. Fisk did not know in what manner
the gentleman gished to be applied to for 4
withdrawal Of his proposition; but he thought
it wonld be disgraceful toCcngress that such
"a resolution should lie Oh their table. At a
Erne when we are about TO raise an army to
defend oar injured country, an attempt is
made TO turn the whole into ri;iicule, by a
proposition to employ them in N liking roads
aad digging Canals Things which may
be proper and reputable in one situation
may be unproper aud disreputa5le in ano-
thcr Whetheri it was proper cecorol,
"a call the army of the United States MIR
seaary SiaUes, he should leave the world
to Judge !: but he could never give his vote
one day for raising IN army for the defenct
of the country, and the next, give counte-
nance TO a resolution which went to derrt ia
tilat army.
Mr.. Stafford was not prepared to sa,
whether it would be proper to agree to chi,
proposition or not but it was certainly u,
new thing. lie asked gentle men TO recoi
lect who cut the roads from the frontier
of Tennessee to Natchez-they were Gu
a. IS 81, l.