Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-27

seen attending the court, Ia see probably
that nothing was oniitted--and not even
poor Anxious Curie was there 10 speak
for the accused. Such was the state OF
the case, that The humanity of The Aiior-
ney General had inierposed, and induced
that highly meritorious officer 20 make
some suggestions favorable TO those midi
viduals. Was there man in this coun-
try, MIR. &. asked, who did not feel his
conscience reproach him for that trans
action!
The act of 1897 being given up on all
hands, and the act Of 1917 being, as he
thought he had shewn, unnecessary, he
hoped his motion would prevail. II, how
ever, contrary TO his belief, the house
should decide that the act of 1894 did not
cover the case of the existing civil war,
and the act of 1917 should be thought me-
cessary TO bring it within the provisions
Of the act of 1894, Mr.. c. said he should,
III that event, submit another proposition
10 amend the bill, predicated on the idea
that some provision was necessary III att
dllion 10 The act of 1894
The motion of Mr.. Clay TO amend the
bill. having been stated from tie chair
Mir. FORSYTH said he MAS opposed 10
the motion, and could not but suppose
iIe hon. Speaker himself WAS doubtful Of
lis success, as he had drawn before the
hoUSe Il variety of considerations which
had no bearing OH the question, Mr. f.
"ehleu, In the hrst place, that public sen :
timcut had condemned u,a act Of 1917
u was true, indeed, that certain exclusive
friends OF liberty, al the head Of P.~esseS
III the u. States, had cOHd@uncd tins act;
but, SO tar as we have any EXPRESSION OF
opinion from the great body of the people
OF the u. States, from the thinking part of
the community, tie act had been approx
ed. But, the Speaker had informed the
committee that G3 members of the house
had opposed that act, and that all the ren-
bers from u certain section of the country
were i'll favor of ii. This was another
point, MIR. z. said, on which he differed
from the hon. Speaker. The act OF 1917,
as II stands, came into this house on the
81 OF March, 1877, and was passed by d
large majority, the Yeas and Nays moi
having been required OIL it.-How tile
Speaker then had asccrlaimed the political
complexion o! those who voted for bill
Mr.. r. knew not as far as he recollecled,
a very small minority had voted agaiDstit-
That part OF the bill which had be en- OBJ
jected TO in this house, had been stricken
out in the Senate, and The bill, so amend
ed, and as II now stands, was scarcely
opposed on its final passage. There was,
therefore, no decided political sentiment
expressed or the passage Of the bill. But,
10 excite prejudice against the act of SI7,
another ground had been taken, and a
suggestion made. which, iftrue, MAS re-
necilop, not on the house, but on The gen
tleinan whose euiogy The Speaker some
days ago pronounced. The origin oitIlis
act had been imputed TO the teasing OF
certain foreign agents near the u. States.
That The message of President Madison.
recommending that act, was in conse-
quenee of The representations of foreign
ministers, Mr.. 4. said he was ready TO ad-
mlt-Hot of reiterated opportunities, but
OF performance of their duty 10 their 90
vernments by demonstrating against vio-
latlons, by citizens of the United States
of obligations which we owe not TO any
one nation, but equally TO all. A relnon-
STRANGE had been made by the Por,uguese
minister, garbled representation fwhicl
had been published a similar statement
ct facts had been made by the minister
OF Great Britain; another by the minister
OF France. AL The foreign ministers here
bad, III short, represented that citizens Of
the United States, engaged in cruizes in
patriot vessels, as they were called. fitted
from our ports, committed degradation,
on the commerce Of England, France and
Spain. What, Mr.. L. asked had beer
the duty of the President ofthe u. States
II these facts were true Were not the u
States bound TO make reparation, If, with
out an effort 10 prevent it, we suffered de
precautions 10 be made, by our citizens and
from our ports, on the commerce of ma
tons III amliy with us The government
he SAID, had heretofore recognized this
principle, and had Temuuerated foreign
citizens for property taken from them by
citizens of the United States. The Pre-.
sident then had barely performed an i'm
pef'ous duty III representing to Congress
the lnsuftIcIency of the laws, &c. But.
Mr. L. said, lie would never do the late
president The injustice 10 state his views
when he had IT in his power TO quote hi.
own language conveying them. (Mr. +
then referred TO the Presidents Message
OF last session, on Which the neutrality aci
| OF March 3, 1917, was founded.) He ap-
peaied TO every member of the House
whether, III this recommendation, there
was any thing ceBsurable any thing that
| the most fastdlOus could mark for repro
baton. The act of 1917 was precisel,
correspondent with the message and al
most in so many words, an answer TO il
1t corrected the defects of the existina
laws, and enabled the President Of the q
States, where there was strong ground tC
presume that cruizer was about 10 VIC.
late the neutral relations Of the u. States
to arrest his departure until he shoult
give bond not 10 violate the laws of mi.
country. But this, the house had beer
| told, was most extraordinary provision
and unprecedented in The annals Of ciyiliz
ell legislation. II was not necessary, Mr.
+ said, for him to tell the house that
whenever citizen of The United State.
or Of any state is accused, on probabl,
ground, 0finteHdiug 10 commit an offenc,
graiugt tia authOrits of the Laws n is IN,