Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-04-08

f such were the factIMr. K.lwas OF opinion
that an agency ofthis kind was more aecest
sary 4. Hamburg ,or some other port IN the
In. Of Europe. than one at Paris.or IN any o.
Their part of the world, except England, and
fif there were to be butltwo.S be should say
they ought tobe at London and Hamburg.
There was 40 agency forme rly at Amster-
dam, but Hamburg was more convenient
and eligible position. as well in relation to
the trade to Amsterdam, as 10, the north Of
Europe. He was not in favor OF removing
| the agency from Paris. as it was necessary
there for various reasons !; but if there were
| to be but two, he repeated, be should say,
| let them be at London and Hamburger.
Mr.. Macondid not conceive that there
was at present much necessity for the agen-
! cy at Paris. There was now such a differ
ence in the ports of France, between the
vessels ofAmer RIGA and England, in favor of
the latter, that we had almost abandoned
/ the trade TO that country and consequently
! there could remain but little necessity for
the agency at Paris for destitute seamen.
| Whether these duties would be met by cor
! responding regulations on our part, it was
not for the Senate 10 determine-that must
originate elsewhere !; but he was willing tc
remove the agency from Paris TO Hamburg.
! Mr.. King of Alabama, was still OF the OPT
$ ~:,., H.. ~ Snnoto ,o.,ld rot .cf updo r.
standingly or correctly on this subject,
without more information than it now pos
sessed in relation TO it. This he was conf
dent Of, however. that our consuls abroad
were bound to look alter seamen. and were
allowed compensation for services Of that
kind whether the allowance was sufficient
or not, he could not say. If called on to
decide between establishing an agency at
Paris or Hamburg, he would moi. hesitate to
give it to the latter place, but he was not
prepared to create an additional agency with
out more information than was before him.
; There were many other places where it
might be equally necessary Trieste, for
instance, where our trade was considerable
and growing, Our consuls, be adm itted,
were often poorly paid but it rose gene
rally from their not being known, and not
being able to obtain consignments from
home.
Mr.. Dana suggested, that it would be
better to alter the amendment, SO as 10
provide for an agency at Hamburg, instead
OF Paris and Mr.. Roberts, concurring in
the suggestion, modified bis motion accor-
dinghy.
Mr.. Otis opposed this shape of the a.
mendment, as itwould produce much con-
fusion and uncertainty. He was in favor
ofan additional agency /; not OF abolishing
that at Paris.
Mr.. Roberts, upon consideration. thought
it better, perhaps, to leave the appropra
ton applicable to the three places, at the
discretion of the Executive as the agency
was still necessary al Paris, for claims, it
not for seamen and modified bis motion
accordingly.
Mr.. King, of N. Y. was opposed to a
course which would diminish the compensa-
ten of the agent Iat Paris, where there still
remained large amount of claims to be set
tied on account of spoIIatIons. That agent
was also consul general for France, and it
would be misera bic Office, deprived of the
salary OF agent, as there was no mercantile
business to afford it any emoument. That
officer also had to attend othe business car
ried up to Paris, from the various ports Of
France. Mr.. K, was equally opposed to
reducing The compensation al London. lie
knew the Consul there, Colonel Aspinwall
he was officer in the late war-a brave and
gallant soldier-and had lost limb in fight
ing the battles ofhis country. That gentle
man, Mr. K. had understood from good au-
thority, determining to live within his
means, had subslsted his family, in London,
on 5eOl. sterling, being all that he could
possibly derive from his emoluments as con-
sui. and his salary as agent tor seamen. An
agency had formerly been considered neces-
sary at Amsterdam, andMr. Bourne was ap-
pointed, with salary of 2ooo dollars; that
agency had been discontinued, as the trade
thither decreased but Mr.. K was conf.
dent that an agency was more necessary at
Hamburg now, than it bad been at Amster-