The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-16
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

JduudiN ~.
Mr.. Lezvis, from the committee on the
subject, reported bill to incorporate the
trustees Of Washington College which was
twice read and committed.
Mr.. Hfacktedge, froiE the committee to
whom was referred the resolution respect
ing ti,e district court OF ". Carolina, report
ed a,5ill to alter the tim. OF holding the
district courts CT n. Carolina (which pre-
yides that these courts shall be held IT e.
denton, on the Sd Monday Of April and &C.
to6er at NcwbeIn, OF the first Monday af-
tee. the Sd Monday in those months and
AT Washington on the tiyird Monday after.1
This bill vas twice read and ordered 20 be
/ engrossed for q third reading.
Mr.. Randolph rose, and said, that having
I been cn5age;t IN raising q large military
force, he, Tor oao, is the Unttet. S3uares were
to incur this expence, was disposed to give
them employment, not probably though the
identical employment of which the House
lad heard SO much. 1t was the boast OF the.
Roman legion and its commanders, that the
Roman soldiery was as well yersed in the
|use of the picSaxe and the spade as thef
fire.ock; and so essential was it deemed by
that wise and military people that the SOL
diei.y should not only be able 70 perform their
military duty, but be useful as laborers, that
their military ievies we're always made from,
the country, from men engaged in the en-
lployinent OF liusbandry, in preference to the
dissoiete and prohigate ioungers of the
town. He, fo, one, had been, for a long
time surprised that the government should
be paying immense sums in all parts OF the
United States Tor labor, whilst the soldiery.
which annually draw millions from our trea-
sury, are kept in a state of perfect idleness,
leading to depravity and dissoluteness Of
manners. He believed that regular and
wholesome labor would not only have good
effect in preserving the heath of our sol
diers. bat it would render the load of life
which they are at present compelled to bear,
less burdensoIne, and prevent them from
having recourse to ;ntoxication. If they
were to be employed in digging the Presi-
dents house or the war ONCE from under
ground, it would not only give them an APP
lpetite Tor their regular meals, but some APP
petite for their existence
! At this moment it is contemplated by the
government to perform some works of crest
utility, We have already decided that if
these men shall be raised and the public
lscrVice does not require them to be employ
led, the President sh.ll not have the power
Iof disbandiug them but before the bill can
be carried into operation, considerable
time must elapse and if there be no war,
our large peace establishment will be entire
ly out of employ, except that they may
iSi1OulUcr tHCD' NUuSkctS OH the south SIDE OF
some range of buildings,
Believing, therefore, that the employment
OF these men, would not only be useful in
forwarding works of public utility, but tend
to their own comfort andhappiness-if there
can be such a thing as happy mercenary
slavc--and in some measure, supply that
loss of labor which is taken out of the mar
ket BY their enlistment; he wished some
measure to be adopted for this purpose He
also believed thatif the officers had some
thing ike employment, by overlooking their
men, aud seeing that they performed their
work properly, they would be thereby materi-
ally benefited; for he could conceive of no
thing SO injurious 70 the comfort of man as
leading the life Of drone without business.
The greatest geniuses of the age, spending
their time in THIS way, would become drones
and dead weights on society. He, therefore
moved the following resolution:
| Rcs0lUei, That the President of the u.
States I've authorised to employ the regular
army Of the United States, when not en-
gagged IN actual service, and whenin his juag-
| nent the public interests will not thereby b,
| 'jared, in the construction Of roads, canals
,r other works of public utility"
mr.. r. wished this resolution to lie on til
able but this was objected t., and a d
. sge arose. IL The course Of which, the
.oilsion was ansnl d, by adding the WI
]" Publications" before the words, " roads