The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-05-22

letter to each mcinber OF the douse, nov
absent, requesting his attendance prior IL
the LIST day of June"
or. Grumpy Said the object of the motion
no doubt was correct one Ire should
therefore vote for the motion as il now
stood, but would prefer Il modification OF it,
On what particular day it would be proper
to have every member in his place could
not be forcseen with certainty by any one
To fix ON day, however, would be as much
as TO tell the members we do not wan, them
earlier, and would put it ont of our power
tt act prior to tha. day. But, Oil the other
hand, should we not be ready to act on that
day, is 1t not plcdging ourselves We will then
act whether we are rc,,dy OF notl Itwould
be as well to request the attendance of
members immediately, and then we Shall
not stand committed either to act OH or be-
icre that day. lie hoped there would not
be an absent man OH the occasion of voting
the tnal measure; though he should con
slider such a vote AS completion of what
was already begun, and not Il determination
OF the Course to be pursued, which que stion
he considered as decided IN the anterior
measures already adopted.
Dir. ID. II. VKiiums declined modifying
ms motion, because; he considered the diff
terence between its present language and
that waich 1t was proposed to- give it mere
III WOrQS IMAM III tact. lie
passage OF the resolution in it's present form
would not commit the House in any way -
II was nothing but the expression of the OPT
mon OF the House that the state of things
required the presence OF every member of
the House here
1!r. Ltttle said that specifying the time,
IN his opinion, would appear to be an indi :
cation that on that day some decisive mca-
sure sure would be before the House. Most of
the members could not reach this place on
fhat day, and perhaps might not thereafter
Come, surprising it to be unnecessary, as the
day would have passed to which they were
summoned.
ar. hey spoke in favor Of fixing on day
certain -!
6i''. Grundy said the House ought not on
~ to not commit itself but should also have
q regard for the public feeling which would
be excited. 1Wolld not the passage of this
resolution in itSprcscnt form be an indicate
ON to cur enemy He wished not to see
pnbiic expectation among our own people
| wound up and then relaxed, as il would ne
II they should not act oil the aay fixed on.
wishing the absent members to be recalled
on the ground of the general Importance of
the crisis, he wished not to fix a specific
| DAY Tor their return, and therefore moved TO
strike out the 1st day of June and insert
as Soo@ as 1rac:icu6le" x,.
Mr.. Ne7dtCh was satisfied with the mott
on IN its present form, as il afforded no
pledge to act Oh the day named. He was
even ready to require and compel, instead
OF requesting, The attendance of membe S.
he absentees We're intelligent men, & well
knew that no final step could be taken on
that day because they were acquainted
with The usual course of proceeding in this
House, and must know that a delugc of
aoordS would be uttered on any decisive
measure proposed, before its adoption could
Ike ace. E.
The question on Mr.. Grundy's motion
was then decided in the negative.
For the amendment 10 n
3 Against it IL
| Mr.. .Ntison regretted that he was COM
PEELED to differ from his friends on this cues
ton but the view he had taken of the sub
lect lea him TO suppose that it would be
improper to adopt the resolution. What
would be its effects, he asked. Either we
do not want these gentlemen, said he. or we
want them 10 such an extent that we can
| not proceed without them. / take the first
| part ot the proposition : that, having given
| them leave OF absence, we do not want them
t--Decause no member could have left his
seat unconscious of the course which the
deliberations of Congress would take. Sun
pose the members to whom your missal is
| addressed should disregard it. Must " r
scnd the sergeant at Arms to spend weeks
OF months IN compelling the attendance Of
| thoSc who ought not to have abandoned their.
| seats WIN gentlemen4 consent to a reso-
luton which shall hold out the idea that
their eNcrtions could be paralized by the
| absence OF d few members Those who
were absent had taken upon themselves the
| responsibility OF their absence. Mr. \. said
he was content, reduced as was the number
now present, TO go on he woli not sec K the
aid or those who had turned their backs on
inc HouSc IN the present crisis. Let us 90
on, SAID he; let AS not hesitate nor wait for
a particular day, but, when it is announced
ny the Executive that he is ready to strike.
let the Legislative Council Of the nation di
rect The blow. e, The few who remain are
competent to consummatc the object and
me absence OF others ought not to stop our
progress If the burthen be thrown on our
shoulders, let us manfully bear it, without
Calling on others to assist US
I1T. d. UHHaD!S said he had nc inten
ton to hold out the idea that the House
could not act without the absentees and il
! was impossible the resolution could have
SUCH an effect What is the language of it ?
Is 1t percmptory 2. Is there an idea convey
Ell IN those words that the sergeant alarms
is to go after these men because we Cannot
act without them We are to presume
that those who are absent have obtained
leave from indispensable reasons They
nave not gone home so very conscious of the
result tf our deliberations as the gentleman
SuppoSes; tor no man can say with GER
tainty what viii! be the result. / for one
sir, said Mr.. w. do feel and trcmble for the
result. notwithstanding my anYietv that II