The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-07


ledge, IN which some very important es-
tates could not be settled without some fur
Their provision being made by law. He there
fore moved the following resolution, which
was adopted, and committee of three
members appointed to make the enquiry
!" Resotoc1, That committee be APP
lp intc',tn uire whether any and what
provision ought 20 be made By law, for the
relief OF creditors under the act for esta-
blishng AN uniform system Of bankruptcy
throughout the United States, and that they
WISE
| Mr.. Smile observed. that it had been Gus
toinary heretofore for tho two houses to pay
their respects to the President Of the Uni
TED states on the first day of the new
year; and the hour for dCiIig this having
arrived, he moved that the House adjourn.
The ayes and nays were called on this
motion, they were taken, and the question
was lost SO to So
The order of the day being called for, the
House took up the amendment of the COM
mittcc of the whole to the bill from the Sc
nate tor raising an additional military force.
Having come to the amendment, which
proposed that the officers fer eight regiments
only should be appointed, until three fourths
OF the men were enlisted;
Mr.. BurzveH moved to amend the am end
ment, by striking out the words, eight regi-
ments, ard inserting size.
IHr. fright hoped this amendment would
not prevail. He considered this as q war
inns way ut the commencement of the bust
|ness, he should not calculate upon our act
ing with effect. Our country was too i'm
portant, and our rights too sacred, to be
'r'tterinS down measures for their defence in
1he manner proposed. In proportion, said
&c, as the commissioned officers are ap-
pointed, will the recruiting of the men pro
5ress. These officers will inspire the pee
pie, in the several parts of the county from
winch they may be taken, with military
spirit, which will induce them to enlist into
the service. He liked the bill better before
1t had received its present limitation as to the
appointment OF the officers but as the COM
mttee had agreed thus to amend the bill,
he did not wish to stir the subject again.
lie hoped, however, the reduction would
not be carried any further.
Mr.. BurzvcN observed, that the gentle
man from Maryland had called upon the
House not to consent, from motives of econo-
my, to fritter away our measures of defence.
III, SAID Mr.. Is. the house should determine
to appoint all the officers, as at first propo-
sed, l shall be found ready to go with that
gentleman and others as far as practicable.
But iic Thought There was great difference
between expanding public money uselessiy,
and expending 1t in such AVA as t. obtain
the object i'll view at the least expence.-
but the gentleman says, that if all the off,
GERS are appointed at once, the ranks will
be much sooner filled, than in the way pro-
posed by this amendment How, said Mr.
Burwell, can thisbe shewn? 1t is well known
that these officers will do nothing towards
raising the men and the President can at
any time appoint them when they may be
wanted. he had not made this motion to
diminish the effect of the bill (for he believ
ed the men would be gotten as soon without
these officers as with them,) but in order to
make the bill more palatable to many gen
tlemeh who at present object to it on the
score OF expence If the $4,000 men could be
raised by enacting the law, there would be
|propriety in appointing the officers at once
out no man can believe that 4 or 5000 men
Will be enlisted In four Or five months; and
as the PRESIDENT will have the power to ap-
point the officers whenever they shall be
wanted, no inconvenience can arise from
lettering the appointments till that time
and 1t Is besides probable that the President
Will have 1t in his power to make better APP
polntments then than now, from having
more time III which to make the proper Sc
lection OF characters for the purpose. 1t
ought to be recolleCted, that one third of the
[expence of the support of this army, goes to
the payment Gifts officers and if they we're
to be appointed Immediately, this expence
would be incurred without producing any
benefit to the country.
On the subject of economy, Mr.. 3. said,
while we tcSS measures for raising a force
adequate to the purposes We had in view,
care ought to be taken that no money is un-
necessarily expended. The raising of funds,
would put the Country to some difficulty !;
out he had no doubt the expense would be
cheeriuliy met hy the people, when they
see that no unnecessary expense is incurred.
Alter few words from Mr. Wright, the
amendment was carried there being 81
members in favor of it..
Mr.. Nelson said, he did not wish to throw
an embarrassment i'll the way OF raising
the army proposed; but lie believed that il
would be unnecessary at the commencement
OF the business, to appoint all the officers
now contemplated. Ii was well known, that
the efficient officers in raising troops are the
captains and suEalterns Thc field officers
being If 10 use until the men are raised, it
night be vel. to defer their appointment
until tbat time He moved, therefore, to
amend the bill by adding the following pro-
vision:
" That SO many Of the officers shall be
commissioned at first, and so on from time
TO time, az the executive may Believe ncces-
Sary Tor raising the troops"
Ihe Speaker deClnr0d this motion not in
order, at present /, but that when tie amend
l. a