The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-02-08


West Florida at the time possession of that
country was obtained by the u. States. Read
and referred to Messrs. Brown, Fromentin,
Anderson, King and Morrow.
The bill in addition to the act respecting
patents for inventions, &c. which proposes
TO give the exclusive right to the importers
or introducers of useful discoveries, was ne
gatived on the passage to third reading.
The bill from the House of Representa-
tives for raising five regiments of Rihemen.
was amended (reducipg the number to three
regiments) and passed to a third reading.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
"wednesday, Feb. 2.
Mr.. Goldsborough presented the memo
| rial of the House Of Delegates of Md. to the
Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States on the subject of the war,
| He moved that it lie on the table and be
lprinted-it was ordered to lie on the table.
The motion for Printing was opposed by
Mr.. Wright and others, and advocated by
Mr.. Goldsborough, and others on the ground
tofits being the usual course given to pa
tpers OF the nature of the one now present
led. The debate which assumed an inter
esting aspect, was protracted till near o.
clock, when the question was taken by ayes
and noes, and decided in the negative
Yeas 6s-Navs go.
J MIR. Burwell presepted the petition of
the heirs of Beaumarchais. Referred to the
fcommittee on pensions and revolutionary
lclaims..
Mr.. Fisk of VI. from the committee of z :
lections. made report on the petition of
tBufwcil Bassett, contrasting the election OF
Thomas M. Bayly. The report is favora.
tble to the sitting member and in opposition
fta the petitioner.
On motion of Mr.. Eppes of Va. Il was
tordered that Mr.. Bassett have leave to occu.
tpy a seat on the Aoor of the House, du.
lring the consideration of the preceding re-
fport.
+ The House proceeded to consider the re-
port of the committee of Elections. when af
ter some discussion the report was ordered
to lie on the table.
+ FAILURE OF OUR ARMS.
Il message was received from the Presi
dent OF the United States. communicating a
treport Of the Secretary of war made ia
pursuance of the resolution of the House of
Representatives of the 31st of December
calling upon the President for information
relative to the failure of the american
harms on the northern frontier.
This report comprises simply an immense
mass Of documents of about 500 pages, EN-
bracing the correspondence of the Secreta
ry OF War with Generals Dearborn. Will
kinson, Hampton. Lewis, Harrison, Mcclure
and other military commanders, and various
correspondence between those and other
lofficers Of the U. States array The mes
sage and documents were ordered to lie on
the table and be printed.
:, =. Thursday, FEB. 8.
iMr. Newton OF Va. presented petition
of David Brodie, collector of the customs
for the port of Hampton in the state of Vir
Sinia, praying to be allowed his commits
s,ons on the duties paid on the cargo of the
snip Active, which arrived within his dis
i trict in the year 1s12-Referred to the com
mittee of Claims.
Mr.. Troup of Geo. from the committee
to whom was referred the memorial of the
rtttesct brovIdihg tor the widows. ~ and
orphans OF militia slain. and for militia disa-
foled IN the service of the u. S.
Mr. Gruney of Ten. from the COMMITTEES.
on erelgn Relations. reported a bill TO pro
vide Tor the return to their own districts of
VESSELS detained by the EMBARGO in districts
fother than those where they are respective.
lily owned or belong.
hese oills were severally twice read and
PREFERRED &c Committee of the whole.
l. Inc Dill from the Senate TO prohibit the.
Eimportation of certain articles, and for OFFER
tpurposes prohibiting the importation of Bri
tsn manufactures of any description, &c of the
article OF rum. altogether) was twice read
| a"u iSie'feu 10 the COMMITTEE of FOREIGN
Relations.
| ARMY CONTRACTORS, &c.
| Mr.. Fisk of n. Y. adverting to Report
from the Secretary of War on the ia bic res
Decting the unsettled accounts in the War
| Department, said that the Report called ,be
attention OF the House to the expe6ierrev ne
making some provisions in order to secure
the punctnal performance of the public Su
/ siness and the more perfect account ability
Eol public agents. Costing his eve over
these statements, ne perceived one case not
noticed which had fallen under his own oh.
seryation. He alluded to the manner in
which the public MONIES were employed in
purchasing supplies. He stated a particu.
| ar case that had occurred at Black Rock
although the contractor was prepared to fur
nlsh the necessary supplies, the command
ing general had ordered his issuing commits.
saries to purchase supplies to the amount of
thirty Thousand dollars. which were trans.
ported to Black Rock, where they remained
from Dec. 1919, until they were DESTROYED
IN the late coni1agraiion. To institute a
general enquiry into this subject, Mr.. F.. ri.
tered the follow resolution
.,ResotUed, Tba' committee be appointed
toenqairc IN what manner the contracts for
supplying the army of the United States
nave oeen made and executed, and 70 what
extent the general officers have interfered
m such Contracts prefudieially to the pub-
nc interest and the rights Of individuals.
ne resolution, was so amended as to au
thorlse the committee to report BY bill or
o'hsrwlse' and thus amended was agreed 10
nil HIM a.