Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-05-15
POLITICAL.

TN LAVE SESSION OF coNGREss.

The LATE SESSION or CONGRESS-.
lia, ing Completed the publira'ionof,h
laws PASSED 81 the hate ScSS,ao ~ Congress,
IL n,ay un, be amISs to take brief review
OF H." acts 0ia public nature, for The pur-
pose o. cn.iIglvlry, ia one vicW, their &c
meal scope and tendency.
\ Session uf Congress must he barren,
indeed, Which does moi produce some
measure, bN whicfi, ma, be distinguish
ca trum others. OF Ihe aCis al tie late
session, VI d discrimination he made "a
mung several, that concerning na,i aa-
ii"n, as II is entitled, bui which might he
more appropriatoi " calledaR AL 10 coun
, 'ervali She selfish principles II the British
colonial policy. maN be pfonouxced The
most important. II does RGi, il is true,
; Intervene Itself with the feelings Of every
portion of the community, BY lis appii"a-
! ton TO their immediate interests or con-
| Germs; but il Is decided experiment 10
raise, from lis present depression, that in
terest Of our country, which, so long as
| we remain commercial nation, il is I'M
| 'o'tani 10 cherish and support. II is in
vain 10 ionhfor universal and enduring
peace on Garth. Mot the alliance Of Eu-
| rOpean mOnarchS can secure it: for their
| mutual i-aioHsies and riyalsLips v i'll burst
! the bonds IN which they are now voiun-
iarIiy united. Not tie spread o. free
| principles, because revolutions, winch
/ they Cnscn,ier. are rarely bioodiess. Not
! lie multiplication oi pcaue socielies. he
! cause the most jusi and peaceful have ~
| true reliance for saie'S but IN Tie pTIhci-
| PC at sell defence. f'hs safest piutccii-
on for nation, /. It's ability 70 rcpel az
erosion; and, where il is most u'ncrI-
bic, II should be beat guarded. Il Is the
policy of this nation, therefore, 90 protect
MS havigalion, that, II Tic occasion uu-
fortunately reCur, il may find in the sea
men reared III Ibis nursery, HE mean. of
manning our ships Of war. In tins view.
"bsiracied from lis anticipated beneficial
effect on the commercial Intercourse he
tween lie twO countries, HE act conc ern-
Ing uayigatiOH, III connection wits The
IVA!sling acts oi the same tendency, is Of
great Importance. There are those, We
know, wio are cOnscieniiou>ly preludic-
Cd against every thing which looks ~ an
increase Oi our military, but, particular
iy, our naval force, as mol only the means,
but the provocative OF war. VI are, with
those who reason thus, unpqglyocaily the
Trends OF prACe, with lis IRAN Of comforts
and 0t blessings: we are opposed 10 war,
"itn us concumitant pageants, patronage
aud horrors. But the world WAS made
before us: and we must adapt our mca-
surcs, win u proper forecast, not 10 what
"e wiSi, or f0Hdly hope: but 10 Is ban
wc cannot help, and of wh;ch, sooner or
later occurring, there Is q MORAL certainty e.
HE acts of nature calculated 10
strengthen the deienccS ofthe nation, are
not as numerous as al the other sessions
wmci; have intervenCd since we have
gained wisdom by the experience of The
tate war. So iibcrai provision had been
previously made, for a gradual increase
tot lie navy, for bai!ding Notifications,
diH 0tllrr means OF pCrHld:ent defence,
NAV ii''.t Of ina; sort remaInedtO DC done.
Inc genera! appropriation bills, how
ic''r, for the support 81 the military and
rave establishments, tor The present seer,
contain many provisions for building ar
stnals, tor Improving The raly-yards, for
the 'epairS Of our ugiiOnal vessels, d e.
which shrw, that Congress lave, by no
means, lost sight Of tie poliUy which Ii;i..
dictated former iibera' appropriations on
That subject. The resolution directing
lie complellGn 81 the surrey of the VA
iers ot The chesapeake, DC. Is one OF those
measures which propose The establish
IEent OF permanent deieNCeS, wherever
practicable. Respecting The Militia ofibe
nation, though, unfortunately, nc effort
has set succeeded TO improve lis urgani-
znlion, two ac;s were passed at ,hc Iaie
session lie one Tor increasing their paw,
whilst IN service, from FIVE to eight dol
idrS per month Tie other to deiTay tieiT
cXpenccs whilst marching 10 and from
the places OF Tendc2v0us-bolh as lust
A. they would have been polite, If ONLY
liberal. The acts rc>yc, iiug the organi.
za'lnn OF tie army, 10 egulate brew ct paw,
and 10 regulate the STAT, were lie only
acts passed on the subject of our Aiiiar,
force; the effects Of which are 10 reduce
| the expenses at breEci pay, aud 10 Cldnge
tie mode oil supplying the army, from tic
system Ci contractors TO thai Of COM
miss2rat. How far the latter system will
answer IN iiiis country, as II IS az expert
mrnt, IS also a matter Of doubt. Those
| vino affirm and deny lis cxpedipncv. are
about equally positive; and time, ,he lest
OF all predictions, can alone satisfy our
GilnIs on this head. All the acts respect
ing Use army, had for their object ecouo-
my ~ the expenditures OF that branch ol
oar service.
Besides tie act concerning navigation,
Tie laws directly hearing or our rslatl-
onS "ith foreign nations, passed al Tire
lale session, were Ipw and moi important.
OF this description vas the act TO amend
thC several acts for ei.I rcing the neutral
relations of the Uniicd States, with tie
provisions Of which our rpatcrs are airaa-
dy acquainted and of which, il is dllii.
cult To SAY, wbethcr, in general, those
who voteG for, or against It, were moss
Indifferent as so It's tate. Ii had but les
fri nds, though it passed, and does moi
materially change the pre- existing lega
+ prov iSj0ns.
Among The acts respecting ill., revenue
were several wIncn were ini DdCd for 10,
benefit Of The manufacturers Of The Unite,