Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-01-07
,,.s .na unexceptionable as that Oh

III ,hen, 20 hi. arbitration. 90"
~ :, :. ns,;,ioners wnen the report was
=, .,.,.d 70 min. His exclamation
.s.s. No, !" Am | to be subjected to ,hese
n,u,itir, ?''-but, +" Am | to supPh.-.u
p.u in ,;y;tual in the community tor my
;,., r;,n,s !" These feelings d'd hi'"
honor. SIT they are such as the c'''a w.
should feel; but they are all PROSTATE g.
all forga.,en in the proposition 'e'0''
BUT it IS said, there are variety "
cases, and i. is impossible the 'es.s.a.
mre should decids on them correct! >
and they must therefore be referred 70
this gentleman, the Secretary OF INC
Treasury, who has the means . ,na, ~
paci,y to decide on them. l oehy '''a. 'f
he has II is subject on which an ac' u
grace oueh, to be passed by the Leg
i,,nr. No human tribunal could 40 u.s.
ice bv minute g. particular d'scrln''h"'
ti.n to all concerned no" Is tne 49,
tary of the Treasury more capao'e ,''', !.
,h,s House There are hundreds o.
cases. Is he to make sepera'e aec'-
s;on on each? to determine on the
fraudulent and other cases, ana tne''
relative merits? Is he, in making such
decisions to receive evidence ex part,
o. as court Of justice? lncumherea
&c he is bv the otner functions OF DIS Of
fee. he must at last do what yon mus
do. if he attempt TO discriminate, adopt
general principles ct DISCRIMINATION
and will you declare yourselves less ca
n,b,e than him thu, to decide A as
elimination, such as is contemplated ny
,he report, cannot be Carried into eneCt
,bu, by the most Illuminating comPro-
mise of Justice on the part OK inc 90
vernment, of right OH the part 81 me cl-
,izen. 1t must be matter OF c''Jec.
,ure. 1t cannot be decision founded
on investigation and the dictates OF rca-
son. You gain nothing, therefore, oy
the proposed reference But 1t IS Seii
said. as the cases Of these petitioners
presept several classes, it is Impossible
for the Legislature 20 discriminate
say 1t is quite possible, sir, discriminate
as far as it is important te 90 so. II IS
possible to leave all the eases to inc de-
cslon of judicial tribunal OF the conn-
try, and for the Legislature to DO what
the Legislature of free people ought
to do-to grant our suffering citizens
an act of grace. 1t is in your power 70
take such course as shall distinguish
between cases Of your osn cinzehs and
your enemies, and this will be done by
the resolution ! shal! propose ii have
an opportunity of submitting 1t, when
is as follows:
:. Resolv.d On viewing all the facts
which have been presented, ard cons'-
derine them IN connection with the pro-
per policy of just, free, enlightened.
and consequently lenicnt government
Under the circumstances ct this
country at this crisis, that, IN al!
fair cases Of bona fde American proper
", the penalties ard forfeitnres incurred
by The late importers of British manu-
tacrures be Internationally RENTED"
Do you wish, sir, that those citizens
who fairly hold this property should be
mulcted for accId cntl violations OF your
'aw? No NAN desires it. In the reso'
luton, wnich / propose TO offer, bona
fle American property will be exempt
ed, and en-. mics property, shipped as
such. will be liable to forfeiture accord
iup to the law OF the land and the policy
of the government and this Is surely
the course which ought to be pursued.
The difficulties, then. which have heen
made to cover this question disappear
the advantages With which the course
recommended by the committee has
been clothed appear not t" exist; and
the real question before Us IS, whether
we will sacrifice SO much OF The proper
" of our fellow citizens as is involved
in this decision, or whether we will. ey
an act of grace and lIberaiity, discharge
them from their bonds.
In the examination Of this question
gentlemen have a.salcd the testimony
connected with this report. They have
said it is tie testimony Of interested
PERSONS that all interested persons arc
casusts in their own cases; and that
he witnesses have been so in the PIE.
s:nt case Tie moral honor or irtegrl-
- 4 the Witnesses has not been lmpes' ~
q. The gentleman from Kentucky.
w,,h his characteristic hbcraiity, has
spared them such impnta'iuns, and tho
j. was DOT more than justice to them, l
hank him itr j.. But is not this tcsti.
inony such as is always received by .
legislative body? The gentleman with
III air Of '::umph alluded to the tes.i-
nony teken before the House Of Con-
mons in relation to the Orders in Cnun-
Ill. Was that testimony taken en- oath
believe no. sir; it was, too, the testi-
;noEy OF persons, IS the gentleman
'imseif says, who saw ruin s,ar:.s the N