Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-12-07


DECISION # the House the other dav by AN o.
overwhelming majority that the agricultural
or farming interest would not be again at
tackled in this way. The adoption of such
a resolution, said he, VIII excite alarm, 1t
will excite speculation. The merchan, will
go to the farmer and buy up his produce a,
a reduced price, telling HIM yhat Congress
were now 'egislating on the subject Mr.
basset said he had himself heard these ar
guments used heretofore, aud that they did
induce many farmers to sell their produce II
twenty hive per cent less than they would
nave done IA for this argument. The a
doptlno ct TIE resolution would have very
material efiecr~on the price Of produce. He
did not fear the ultimate adoption of any pro
vision On this subject, because, he was per
iectly satisfied that when gentlemen came
to reduce their views To paper they would
Ind their object impracticabie But he did
not wish the subject stirred at all. Spccu-
lation vas one OF the great banes Of our go
vernment, and he at least would always do
every thing in his powerto put i, tlown-he
was therefore opposed TO this motion.
Mr.. Minor entirely agreed in opinion with
MIR. bassett, as to the impropriety of doing
any thing which should have a tendency to
excite speculation. Already there was a
bill on the table, which, itpasset,, would gy
to cut up by the roots great part of the
present export trade by prohibiting the use
of the licences which made it safe. The
present proposition. originating with the
Chairman of the committee Of Coma cree
and Manufactures in its original form would
have excited great alarm. He was there
tore pleased at the modification but he
thought IL did not go far enough, and there.
fore proposed to amend it by adding, after
he words F" United States" the words
"conditioned that such vessel and eareoe
shaN noI proceed to an enemy's ho,,t."
MIR. Rhea moved to amend the amend
ment by adding thereto the words " or TO a.
ny hort or forfs IN Possession ofthe encmy."
Agreed TO, 81 t. "A.
The question was then taken on Mr.. Mil
uor's motion, as amended, and negalived,
s. to so.
The question was then taken on the rcso-
luton, in the form proposed by Mr.. Basset,
and negatived, Sc, to 10.
short time afterwards
Mr.. Newton said it appeared to him that
the House had rejected the resolution above
mentioned more On account of its phraseolo-
gy than its import. He was therefore in
duced to propose it again in rather differ.
eDt shape, as follows:
ReSolUed, That the committee of Conn
merce and Manufactures be instructed to
enquire whether any. and if any, what res
strIctions on the expectation of provisions
ana all articles necessary for military and
navai equipments in vessels of foreign ma
tions at amity with the United States, NAV
at this time be expedent and that the com
mittee have leave to report by bill or other
WISE"
On the question of agreeing to consider
TINS resolution, he called the Yeas & NAYS,
which stood as follows:
For considering il SIS
Against ST
So the House refused further to consider
the subject.
December2
MERCHANTS BONDS.
On motion of Mr.. Cheves, tbs House re-
solved itselt into committee of the whole,
on the report of the committee of Way,
and Means on the subject of the bonds gi-
ven by snndry merchants on account of re
cent importstions of British goods. rThe
report, it will be recollected, recommends a
reference OF all the petitions on the subject
to the Sec'ry ofthe Treasury
Numerous documents were read by the
clerk, in addition to those published, general
ly tending to shew that but little profit was
mads by the merchants ON their recent i'm
portations, and they were innocent Of inten-
tional Violations of the prohibitory law.
After the reading of these documents was
concluded
Mr.. Cheves rose and stated that it had
not been i'll his good fortune to agree with
the Committee ofWays and Means in the
report which he had been by them directed
to make to the House. He rose merely to
state tins tact and It would now devolve on
oil, & 4.
hibit the reasons on which the report was
predicated.
Mr.. Johnson said the House would readily
perceive the disagrc~able situation in which
the majority of the committee of WAYS and
Means we're placed in being deprived Of the
aid OF the abilities of the gentleman who was
chairman OF the committee. Mr.. J. said he
had intended himself to offer some observa-
tons to the House on the subject; but the
day was so far spent in reading the docu.
ments, that he was not DESTROYS to day to
offer himself to the House on this question:
He therefore moved that the committee
rise.
The committee accordingly rose, reported
progress and obtained leave TO sit again.
EXPORTOF PROVISIONS.
Mr.. Harper said, that the House had YES
terday refused to CONSIDER resolution, of
iered by a gentleman from Virginia MIR.
Newton) on the subject of enquriag into the
propriety II restricting the exploration of
bread seuffs, &c. when the House was thin
ner than at present, some members having
been absent. With view to try the ques-
ton in full house, he moved that the house
do now proceed to a consideration of the re-
solution
The question was decided by Yeas and
Nays, as follows:
Yeas Messrs. Anderson, Bacon, Bard,
no n.t,k