The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-06-22

\ SOtt the tate OF winch he felt little ankle
Iy. The gentleman had ia the outset en-
ieavored t. shew, without using the Svord
federal, tina, two federal states Of Mussa.
chusetts and Connecticut had been unrea-
lsorably neglected: and. MIR. T. sadhs had
merely risen to show how groundlsss waS
the imputation OF partially in this respect,
in which design lac had succeeded. according
Co the gentleman's own acknow ledgmeDt.
3 Mr.. Pitkh said he really had supposed
the gentlemen meant to oppose his motion.
1t was far from his Intention to have intro
duced political distinctions OF states into the
House.
lI1,. Fisk of n. Y. said although he had
himself no particular desire for the enquiry
sough, for, he WAS not disposed 10 refuse it
,o those who wished it. He thought, how
ever, the subject had better be referred TO
the committee on military affairs & moved
an amendment directing that committee to
enquire, &c.
Mr.. Pitkin objected to this amendment.
The proposed enquiry regarded the son
struction Of law, and not any thing relating
TO the present war. 1t had therefore no
connection with military affairs. and would
be improperly referred to that committee.
Mr. FISK replied that the ameudm ent
WHICH he had proposed still appeared 10
him perfectly proper. The subject of en-
I
arms had no relation to military affairs. he
did not know the use ofthem.
1hs amendment proposed by Ms. F. was
adopted, AyesS2-
: mr.. Fisk [nf Ver.] said that the resolu
ton, he was sorry to say, presented itself
At time and under circumstances, which,
however disposed. would prevent him from
voting for it, as it would 10 his view, imply
censure On the Executive. part of the
at,r Il haa i -,
he lived but not to Massachusetts aud
Connecticut--apd why +? Because, they were
not exposed to danger, and needed not de
fence az that moment, az ocher states did.
IT we may believe the official comIrunica-
tons OF their Executives, those states were
III the lst place, IN no danger whatever of
invasion; * in the next place, if they were
IN danger, they were in snch a high state of
discipline & 40 well supplied with arms as 20
De perfectly competent at any moment to re
pulse an invading foe. The state of n. Kamp-
shire however. took different ground. Per
haps her militia we're not so we'll armed I
know it was the case in Vert, where the mi
htia were very lily armed. Now think,
sir, that the Executive of the u States pro-
ceeded on perfectly just grounds in that mo-
meDt or peril. The Government thought
proper to distribute arms to those states
which were IN danger, & not to those whose
governors had nfficiall, informed il that they
thought their respective states perfectly
secure. Mr. F. then quoted the Letter re
Gently publ shed from the Secretary at War
To the Governor of Massachus etts; stating
tina, Massachusetts would receive her dve
proportion OF arms whenever the state of
things would justify it. There was no fear
therefor of her being deprived other right.
He thought it proper to say what little he
had, because it appeared to him that the
Letters OF the Governors of Massachusetts
AID Copnectlcst furnished complete and
ample reply to the complaint that they had
not been furnished with arms.
Mr.. Pftkin said in reply to Mr., Fisk,
= s- tbs distribution of arms had been in ade
previously and not subsequently to the de.
Ciaration of way. Since that time the state
OF things had materially changed. Ard,
with respect to Massachusetts, and Connec
ticpt. If they choose to defend themselves,
ossht they not, ii on that account only, TO
have the arms To which they were entitled
because they bad done something which it
seemed the gentleman did not like, they
were not to have their arms. If, however,
they were to defend themselves a. their own
expense, the least that could be done was
to give them the arms necessary for that
purpose.
Mr.. Fisk said that the gentleman was
hiStahCh III tHe IdCt Oh the distribution OF
the arms before the war. Some might have
been distributed before it was actually de-
ciared, but with view to that event.-Ha
had no where said, nor had any body else,
that Massachusetts and Connecticut were
St ultimately to have heir proportion of
arms, but that the executive had acted wise
ly IN giving them first to those who wanted
them more, when those states had declared
themselves fully prepared.
Mr. Bib SAID that for himself he could
see no possible objection to the resolution.
he object OF 1t was not to enquire whether
the President had or had not done his duty
but whether an act required amendment
or not.
Mr.. Wright rose to ask the gentleman
from Conaeetcut, whether If he had been
Secretary OF War, and certain parts Of the
union had been exposed, aud the arms had
been placed at his disposition, whether be
would not first have supplied the exposed
points How could the Secretary of War
have been true to- his trust, and acted diff
terentyf Mr.. w. was not friendly To the
resolution, because he thought it went to
hDpiicate the Executive. Could it be that
the state which the gentleman Represented,
or any other state, wIshfd the arms 80 dis.
tributed as not to Contribute to the general
good. Mr.. w. said he thought the arms
bad been distributed as patriot ought to
have disposed # them, and So "a g cossgE
butte tetlse best interests OF the country.
Mr.. Web8ter said chat the difficulty on
this question appeared to him to arise
81 L.