The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-11-10

themselves, he said it would have much more
weight if the u. States were able, convent
emily to furnish them--which. however, was
not the fact, &c.
II7r. Calhoun of S. c. and mr.. Ve6ster of
". II favoured the recomuitment on ac-
count of the section which cSempts two years
volunteers from all further militia duty, to
which they both had decided objections.
Mr.. 7rout admitted in some degree the
force of these objections 20 provision, the
insertion of which he had himself opposed.
And Sal.
On the question being taken, the bill was
recominittca to committee of the whole
a short time afterwards
The House resolved Itself into committee
Of the whole on said bill, MIR. MACON in the
chair.
Mr.. Ka6oxrn of Ohio moved to amend the
bill BY striking out the clause authorizing the
volunteers to be commissioned by he states
as we'll as by the government of the United
States His object was to obtain uniformity
in the service, and in the grades OF commits
kIon.
Mr.. Johnson Of Ky. opposed the motion
from various reasons, the principal OF which
were, that the governors of states disposed
TO cooperate with the general government,
having better opportunities or information OF
personal character in their states, would bet
ter know how to dispose of commissions pro-
psrly that thepe were persons whose stua-
ZION might be incompatible with holding COM
missions under the United States, who would
not be precluded from accepting commissions
from the states, &c. On the other hand vo-
lunteers might be obtained in some states hos
tile to the general government, and indispo-
sed to commission the officers, for which case
i, was proposed commissions should be given
by the y. States.
Mr.. Kil6our1r, yielding to the force of one or
60 IA Il.
his motion.
Mr.. Wooster NJ II. renewed it. He did
10 on the ground that there was no law or
clause of the constitution to authorize the
commissioning of these volunteers by the
states The volunteers to be raised by this
bill were not and could not be considered as
militia, but, so long as they were in service, as
part of the army of the y. S. under peculi-
ar organization
This motion was debated at some length.
The affirmative side of the question was main
tanned by Messrs. Webster, GroSUen0r Of W.
r and IngersoH Of Pa. and the negative by
Messrs Jackson of Vrg. and Shart ofhy.
This discussion turned principally on the
distinction between militia and state CORPS,
and soldiers, whether enlisted or voluntarily
engaged, whether regulars or volunteers.
On one hand it was commended that the &C.
vernors had consttutionally no right to COM
and on the other, that Congress. could by
law give them the power to commission them
as militia volunteers, and then receive them
into the service of the U. States.
The motion to strike out the words &c or By
the SEafes" from that clause which directs the
manner in which the officers shall be commits
stoned, was finally agreed to, Ayes eighty
nine.
Mr.. Logvrdes e5S. c. followed up this
amendment, by motion TO strike out so much
of the bill as authorizes the volunteers to
chuse their own officers. Such an amend
ment, he said. would be merely formal, be-
cause the indication of the wishes of the ve-
lunteers in this respect would still doubtless
regulate the appointments-but it appeared to
him necessarily to follow the amendment al
ready made.
Mr. johnson expressed his fears of the eff
feet of these amendments, particularly of the
latter, in entirely defeating the intention Of the
bill. Besides spreading host of officers over
the country, without men to command, the
effect of the amendment will be to tie up the
will and energies of the people, which had
never yet been fairly appealed to, and again
to resort to inefficient measures. The amend
nent now proposed, he argued, would take
the soul out of this bill and destroy its utili-
ty.
Mr.. Lorvndes in reply TO the objection to
this amendment that it would create an ar
my of officers, said there was no fear, Ger
tainly, that the president would commission
officers before men were enrolled for their
command.
This motion again gave rise to consider
able debate, in the course of which it was
opposed with much warmth and force by
Nessrs. J. c.. Jackson, Troup and Robertson,
and advocated by Messrs. Lowndes and Pick
ering.
In addition to what is already stated, the
principal argument in favor of the motion,
was, the alledged inability of Congress to
place the power of appointing officers to com
mand troops of the United States, in any o.
Their hands than those of the Executive. To
this arguaIent it was said in reply, that might
be allowed to have some weight, if the Presi-
dent had no election to accept or refuse the
proffered services Of volunteers thus orEaniz-
cd; but after the selection by the volunteers the
power Of confirmation still remained with the
Executive, and he was at liberty to accept or
reject the corps so organized Gentlemen OPP
posed to the force contemplated to be raised
by the bill were intreated not to propose a.
Tnendrnents to it which would entirely df3troy
any efficiency it might have according to the
Orit inal plan.
Mr.. Lozyndes' motion havirg been reject
Cd
Me-. Iroi7g ofN Y. moved to strike out
SO is cents, the daily compensation propos-