Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-09-10

order for sonc arms and equipments, tis
greater portion If which has been delivered
out TO that part of the detachment now in
actual service.
1t affords me satisfaction to state, thai
our quota of 5000 men was organized with
expedition, and is composed principally ot
volunteers. In many cases the draft was re-
sorted to only to decide who should have
the privilege of being accepted as part ii
the quota: in some instances, officers, who
could not obtain commands, have volunteer
ed as privates. The military ardor of our CT
| tizens mas every where evnced itself by {,
readiness to serve the country nor has their
, patriotism been shaken by the sufferings aud
privatlons OF the camp, the hardshps and
| tat.gues of which (norc trying than the dan
gers of battle) are borne by them with
| out murmur. Since June last, they have
| been exposed, with very insufficient accom-
| mediation, to the most Indictment season that
has been known for years past. To detail
| their suffering here, would be unnecessary
representation from the officers stationed
at Naddril's Point, is herewith transmitted
Your wisdom will best dictate in what form
| relief shall be afforded to our patriotic de-
| tenders.
! To these considerations, urging call of
| the Legislature, was added another. which,
| alone, rendered your meeting at this time
indispcnsably necessary. The act prescrib-
ing, on the part of this state, the manner of
holding elections for Representatives in the
Congress of the u. States, was repealed at
your last session; aud yet joint resolution,
ordering the managers of the state election
districts to hold elections for members to
Congress, was passed, under which tile ma
nagers are bound to act early in October
next. Since your adjournment too, have
receivedan official copy of an act of Con-
| gress Tor the apportionment of Representa-
tivcs among the several states, agreeably to
a ratio of one Representative for every thir-
| ty-hve thousand persons in each state, COM
puted according to the rule prescribed by
| the Constitution-and consistently ihcrwith,
alloting nine members to the state of South
Carolina, according TO the third enumerati-
on. In considering this subject, it appeared
to me, that it had not been in the contemp-
lation or the Legislature, to have any cleo
ton for members of Congress held previou
to next November, when the times, place.
and manner OF holding these elections, woult
probably be prescribed by the Legislature
under the 18th section of the LIST article @
the Con ,titution of the u. States.-rhe re.
solution was nevertheless obligatory OH the
|
the construction which should be put upor
il by them, diversity of opinion would proba
oily have led to- considerable irregularity II
the elections, which might, and probably
would, ultimately annul them; In which
case, as Congress alone is competent to de
eide all questions relative to the election ant
return of its own members. the people o
this state must have been deprived of then
representation on that floor for one session
at east. Ouc of these circumstances arises
a difficulty, which the legislative power O
the state is now competent to surmount, ha
wing been assembled previous to the elect
ons. Ona question invoking so impurtan
an interest, as that of the state influence il
the councils of the nation at this crisis,
could not hesitate on the necessity Of con
vening the Legislative body.
/ q 1t may be proper that you should be in
formed at this time, that the Legislature q
n. Carolina, at their last session, refused
to accede to our last propositions on the sub
ject of the boundary line-A copy of tn,
correspondence on that point, is now fur
nished."