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


BIN TO the end of the WARP Let gentlemen
iiface themselves in the situation of tle volon-
tccr. Why not serve the nation here
from motives OF pure and unadulterated pa
.nousm 1t we have SO much OF it Oh the
tongue, why not little III practice The
mcnlbsrs of this House, he presumed, were
in general more wealthy than the volunteers.
Let them begin with themselves, and then
preach disinterested patriotism TO others -.
their doctrines would then be much more at
tended to than now that they talked OF patri-
otisu, and pocketed the fer diem. Patriotism
will not feed man 1t is most of it air and,
however anxious to serve his country by fight
lug, man mu eat, and all the patriotism
of the world will not enable him to dispense
with it. The bill contained no temptations to
the service, he said, save the section which
is proposed to be stricken out. When man.
after two years service, came home scanned
with honrable scars, was he Liable the next
day to be again called into the field This,
he said would be the monstrous effect of stri-
king out the section. But this species of
troops, it appeared, was not fit for the tug Of
war. This Mr.. y. denied. They had given
evidence of their ability to bear every hard
ship. In the campaign the Wabash IN
the depth OF winter, they had marched bare
foot without complaining. From the severe
battle OF Massssinway, how many had re-
turned who were not srostbi,renf The men
who will volunteer have no idea of enisting--
you come at a species of force TO be had in no,
other way, and as effective as any In any
scene of action, but in tine open field which
must be contested by military drfaione He
did not believe more than ten thousand at the
utmost could be got by this bill--but If we
had hundred thousand such men, olEcereu
by such officers as Brown, Scott and Gaines,
divided into three armies, they would end the
war IN single season, by conquerirg the
whole of the enemy's adjacent provinces, the
post of Quebec perhaps alone excepted, sc.
He hoped therefore this section, the main in
ducement to volunteers, would not be stricken
out.
MIR. Gholson Of "a. was clearly of opinion
that, in consequence of their service, the Vo-
lunteers ought to be entitled by law to some
exemption from militia service, but not so far
as this bill proposed to go. The section
which had been substituted, in committee Of
the whole, for that now under consideration,
(going to exempt them until all the other nli-
litia in their district shall have served an e.
quail tevm) he thought went far enough. But,
if the war continued 10, u or 90 years, would
gentlemen require the main body of the mill
tia TO do duty two, three or four years, and
Continue the exemption in favor Of those vc-
luntecrs who shall have served only two
Yeas AV1Is NIs odiQ llC COulQ liOl agree 10 10
sc.
The question on striking out the section
before rected, was then decided as follows:
For striking out los
Against it 43
This question having been carried {
The section reported in lieu of it going to
exempt all volunteers who shall serve TWO
years under this act from being in future call
ed into military service until all other militia
men in their states or districts shall have
served for two years, was read.
Mr.. Jackson Of Pa. moved an amendment
to this section, to strike out fgyo 1carS in each
instance, and insert in lieu thereof one year,
or any longer term, which the volunteers may
engage to serve.
Mr.. GhoL8on Of Va. embodied Mr.. Jackson's
amendment in the following form, which Mr..
J. accepted as his motion:
"That any volunteer whose service shall
be accepted Under this act shall be exempt
from military service until all the militia in
any state or territory i'll which he resides
shall have served tour of duty equal TO
that which the said volunteer shall have serv-
ED
After short debate, this motion to amend
was .eSatived, 81 to NJ.
On motion of Mr.. Fisk ofYt. the section re-
ported by the committee was amended by
striking out those words which have the eff
feet to exempt such volunteers from subse-
quent service, whenever the militia are called
out en- masse.
Mr.. Grosuenor Of NJ: Y. denying The consti-
stutional power of Congress, to preclude the
states from making use of the militia for state
purposes, moved an amendment to the sec
ton, going to make the volunteers therein
mentioned, liable still 90 state calls for mill
tia.
Mr.. Jackson Of "a. called the attention of
Mr.. GroSvenor to one of the earliest acts of
the general government, to exempt certain
persons (public officerS) from militia duty,
which fact overturned the whole of the gen
tleman's argument on this head.
This remark of Mr.. Jackson's was applied
TO others, who took side with Mr.. Grosvenor,
& some debate took place on it.
On the question, MIR. GroSvenors amend
ment was agreed to by a majority of two or
three votes
The question being stated on the adoption
Of the new section reported by the committee
as amended, the yeas and nays thereon were
required by Mr.. Webster.
At length motion for adjournment pre-
vailed, and the house thus ended long days
sitting.
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