Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-01-10
lCoNGREss.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, Dec. 81.

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tjops Of De, sons in the District, praying for
various objects; which were referred to
the sommittcc on TIE District Of Colum-
bia.
On motion Of Mn baltimore of Mississip
vi. the petition Of John Denly and others was
referred to tue committee On Pu5lic Lands.
Mr.. Archer of Md. from the committees
Of Claims made report on the petition OF
Jesse !ernst; and also a report or the reti-
tion ofKnsey ard Forsyth; and also report
cd a bill TO compensate Michsel Hogan
for the oceupationsa Sd damage dose to, his
house by detachment Of tho United States
troops, which bill was committed toacom
mittee of the whole House. !.
The resolution from the Senate expressive
Of the sense OF Congress of the gal an seos
duct of Connie dore Perry, Cap. Elliot. and
their brave associates IN the battle OF Lake
Erie, was twice read aud committed.
A resolution was also received express
sive of the high sense Of the gallant conduct
of Lieut.. Vim. Burroughs. deceased, and Of
Lit. Mccall, and the crew of the u. States
brig Enterprise in the capture otthe British
brig Boxer; which was also twice read and
committed TO the same committee.
The Speaker laid before the House a let
ter from the Commissioner OF the Land Of-
flee, transmitting general exposition OF the
resources and situation of the United States
in relation TO the Public Lands; which was
referred to the committee of public Lands,
and ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Eppes, of Va. from the committee OF
Ways and Means, reported bill to amend
an act entitled An act laying duties on notes
of banks, bankers and certain companies,
and notes, bonds and obligations discounted
by banks, bankers and certain companies.
and OH bills of exchange ola certain descrip-
ton :" which was twice read and commit
ted.
CONDUCT OF THE, WAR.
Mr.. Bradley, of Vermont, said it was well
known, that late in the last session of Con
gress he had offered resolution for ems
curing into the causes of the disasters on
our frontier, which had not received the ap
probation ofthe House. The objections to
the course which he then proposed to pur
sue appeared now to have lost much of their
force, whilst the reasons which recommend
ed its adoption had daily gathered strength.
He now again proposed to oilera like re-o2
luton to the House, under the persuasion that
under any circumstances il was necessary.
If a change were even likely to take pace
in the state of Our present relations to TO
reign powers, justice TO the parties concern
ed required the adoption Of the motion. If
the war continued, the enquiry was doubly
necessary, that it might be made more eli.
Gent for the future. Mr.. b. said, he would
not anticipate any objections to, his resolution,
but would content himself with observing,
that it was founded III a sense Of justice TO
the Executive. and not inconsistent with that
confidence justly due toit. He had adopted
a phraseolosy, too, which, he believed would
remove many OF TIE objections urged to it
Al
he proposed the following resolution:
Resoiuld, That the President of the U.i-
ted States be requested to cause to be laid
before this House any information in his pos
session, not impooI.-r to be communicated,
which may tend to illustrate the causes Of
the failure of the arms of the United States
OH the Rorthern frontier.
Mr.. Miller of N. Y. expressed his hope
that the gentleman from Vermont would
permit his resolution to lie on the teble for
day ortwo--net that he was opposed to il,
for he was zealousiy favorable to its object !;
but because he wished TO move some amend
merits to the resolution, which would require
more time than would be now afforded for
reflection on the subject.
Mr.. Bradley declined asserting to posi-
ponement.
Mr.. Wright of Md. submitted to the NOV
er, whether the fact was, as stated, that
our army have failed? Such was not his i'm
preston.
Mr.. MurFree Of N. c. required the Yeas
and Nays on the passage Of the resoiuti-
on.
Mr.. Troup of Geo. said that If ain enquiry
of this sort was cxpedient at all, the shape
of the proposition was perhaps as little ex
ceptionable as could have been given to it.
But military enquiry, under any circum-
stances, was matter Of SO much delicacy,
that it ought to be well weighed and entered
into with much caution and circumspection
This arose from the nature of such enquiries.
Secrecy was the soul Of military operations.
Their de, ais ought TO be known to those con.
cerned only; for if impaired to others, per-
chance they might find their way to the en-
envy. 1t was very well known that Military
Investigations frequently took place in the
British House of Commons; but the inyari-
able object OF them was TO turn out the min
;st,y. such an enquiry, however, rarely
was instituted even there; and whenever
successfully urged, it had invariably been
when the object an ex, lection or 'carnpaian
had been abandoned. Mr.. +. said he should
have liked to have heard from the mover of
the resolution something like Argument that
ruch more of advantage would result from
the odopiiun, than OF evil that might ensue
frcm il. Suppose any possible result Of the
rquiiy-suppose, tor instance, that by the
cor, muncatioD, in answer to this resolution.
il should be shewn that Gen. Wilkinson had
been prevented by bad weather from COM
ntenoj,g his operations in lue season that,
when he resshed 81. Regis. Gem Wilkinson,