Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-30

supplementary uCt OIL fsC1 10 actsO .tS
character without the limits OF the l.. States.
But there was no provision in either 10 forbid
Il citizen from armng aud equippng vessel
within the u. :. AID thenselling II to a foreign
er 10 be taken out u. >. and used contra
~ to law. In other words the citizen nd fo-
reigner may do that CONFORMITY which neither
of them conld separately do underline former
laws.
10 remedy that defect the first section ofths
bill now before the house WAS framed, the d.
mount of which was, that any person fitting
cut or concerned i'm furnishing, fitting out or
armiDg any private vessel OF war, or selling or
contracting to sell amy such vessel, with intent
previous knowledge that the said vessel is
To be employed TO cruizeor TO commit hostiii
ties upon the subjects, citizens or property OF a
ny state withwhoin the u. States are 1T peace,
such person shall be liable on cOnvictor, 10 a
fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars, and
imprisonment not exceeding ten wears.
The second section Of the act, to RENE.
dy another defect obvious to the committee,
and which had been suggested by the Executive
OF the United States. The present laws were
defective innot authorship" the Interference Of
the Executive TO prevent the commission ofthe
offence, nor unless there was sufficient proof
to Justify punishment for commission of the Of
fence. THIS waSthe reason of the I'd section OF
the act, calling on the owners OF armed vessels
to give security that they will not violate the
neutral obligations OF the United States. The
committee had been induced "a offer this gen
era provision, ia preference To authoTiSing col
lectors mt their discretion to call on the owner RS
of armed vessels to give bonds, for obvious
reasons Persons engaged IN a fair commerce,
where there could he no suspicion of an impro-
per intention, would be atno loss i'll obtaining
the security required and, though they would
be subjected to some little Inconvenience, il
was not such an objection as to prevent the "a
doption of an important general measure
Anu the provision was made general, further,
bee luse the committee were unwilling 70 throw
on the collectors on the one hand the response
bility of making Determinations, and on the o.
Their were not wiling 10 trust the collectors,
sc. in all cases, because they were not always
discreet, and, by the general provision, the
effect of cOanivance or indscretion on the part
of any officer of the United States would be
obvated
But inasmuch as it wasobvious that the evil
would not wholly be remedied, without some
discretionary power being vested in the col
lectors, that discretion given i'm the Sd sec
ton. TO restrain from sailing, any vessel in sach
condition as that, though not armed, they MAY
be as soon as they leave the waters OF the L.
nited States. That section authorizes the col
ector to detain such vessel, until permission he
given by the President of the T. = for its pro.
obligations required OF the owners OF armed
vessels, by the second section of this bill The
| fourth and last section Of the bill forbade an,
foreign ship or vessel 10 be armed and equip
| ped, or the force of any foreign armed ship OF
vessel, to be increased or augmented in the port,
| OF the United States, under any pretence what
! soever.
| Having thus explained the motives of the
| committee, and the provisions of the bill. Mr.
+. submitted it to the pleasure ofthe House.
Debate to be continued.