Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-17
alexandria, December ~.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT AT WASH
INGT0N.
Tuesday, December 16, 1917.

A memorial vas yesterday presented
to the House Of Representatives, from
certain persons in New-York, praying
Congress to lay duty Of 10 per cent. on
all goods sold by auction, which memorial
was referred to the Committee Of Com
merce and Manufactures.
The committee to which was referred
that part Ct the Presidents Message that
relates to the constitutional right OF
making reads, made long and argu-
mentative report 10 Congress, declaring
its opinion to be, that Congress has con-
stitutional right to authorize the making
of roads and canals in any part of the
union, with the consent of the states
The report was read and concluded with
the following resolutions, and both were
referred 20 Committee Of the whole
for Friday next and ordered to be print
ed TO the amount Of 500 copies:
Rcsolred, That in order to promote
and give security to internal commerce,
TO facilitate the transportation OF the
mails by the Improvement of the post.
roads, to render more easy the means oil
common defence by the construction OF
military roads, aud for such other inter
nal lmprOy eineHt as may be within the
constitutional powers of the executive, il
is expedient that the SUN TO be paid by
the United States by the Goth section oil
the act to incorporate the United States
Bark, and TIE dividend from them shall
be constituted fund for internal im-
pro, ement."
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Ro-
bertson, and adopted by the House, that
select committee should be appointed to
enquire into the expedicncy Of providing
By law for the exercise Of the right OF
ExpATR1ATIoN. MIR. Robertson stated,
that some years ago he offered a similar
resolution to that Tor which he now desi.
red The concurrence OF the House but
for some cause or other, which it was out
Of his power to account for, it WAS not a.
greed 10. The principle, for which he
wished to obtain by this motion the ex-
press acquiescence CT Congress, ought
not to have been suffered TO remain so
long unsettled. During the war, several
events occurred which demanded deci-
sion on the question. British subjects,
who had become citizens Of the United
States, and entered into their military
service. were taken prisoners by the ene-
my's troops..,.uhose government, setting
up a claim to them on the grounds Of
principle tisallowed by other nations, and
that ought never to be recognized by any
that Of perpetual allegiance'-threaten-
ed to punish them as des0rters and trail
tors, and held them in prison for thatpu
pose on which occasion, the American
government thought themselves bound to
threaten the enemy with retaliation. But
how, he asked, could We reasonably adopt
that ground, while not only We had our
selves no law to authsrise the expatria-
ton Of Americans, but when we had the
decision Of a high court Of judicature OF
our own against it?-chiei justice Els
worth, of Connecticut, having decided
that Isaac Williams, an American, who
had entered the Flench service, could
not throw off his allegiance. It was
time, Mr.. Robertson said, that some de-
eisiun should be had upon the point, when
cilizeas going into the service Of the 5.
American Patriots were regarded, for do
ing SO, as pirates-thoush, entering into
the Spanish service, they were held to
pe none. A declaration Of The true alb
st act principle was now become neees-
sary.
A committee was accordingly appoint
ed, consisting Of FIVE members.
Oa motion Of Dir. Pindali, q commit