Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-01-11
THunspAY. Dec. 80.

tuOIlLC CSltdtu AuSohS RSASoho " - I.
on the pension Est and for guardians .
receive pensions; which was twice reas
aud committed.
The engrossed bill making addluona
appropriations for the support oil the navy
for the year 1919; the eugrossed bill ma
king partial appropriations for the militia
ry service for 1920; and the bill author
izing the continuance Of certain clerks II
The offices of the Third Auditor aud Se
cond Comptroller, were severaily read
third time, passed, aud sent to the Senate
tor concurrence.
TUESDAY, Jan. A.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.
Mr.. Bloomfield, from the committee or
revolutionary pensions, to whom was re-
Iferred resolution of the 18th uh. respect
ing the execution and propriety Of repeal
ing the pension Law of March ID, 1918
Con which subject they made report IL
part some days ago) made report finally
declaring that it is not expedient, neither
would it comport with the dignity OF the
American nation 10 repeal the act; which
report was read, committed to committee
Of the whole house, and ordered 10 be
printed.
PRIvATEERiNG.
Mr.. Lowndes, from the committee on
foreign relations, to whom had been re-
ferred two memorials from certain citi-
zens of Ohio, praying the suppression Of
privateering, as means OF national war.
fare, submitted the following report:
The committee Of foreign relations, to
whom have been referred two memorials
from citizens of the state Of Ohio, relating
10 the practice of privateeriug, beg leave
respectfully to Report -
That the language Of the memorialists
is such as to leave the extent in which
they deem it reasonable to expect miti-
CATION in the laws of maritime warfare, in
some doubt. They are considered by
the committee as recommending such a
change in these laws as shall exempt the
property of individuals from capture, Ell
Their by public or private ships of war,
at least when il does not consist of contra-
baud articles and is not destined TO a
bIockaded port. The general benevolence
which is expressed, as well as the opinion
OF Dir. franklin, which is referred to by
the memorialists. seem to prove that it is
their wish, that the property which sub
serves no purpose Of war should be as
safe upon the sea as upon the land-not
that it should be secured from private
cruizers, and be left exposed to public
ships, which in the service of some Eu-
ropean powers, are much more numerous
han the others, aud whose pursuit of
plumber is often quite as active and I'M
sparing. 1t cannot, indeed, be presumed,
that the memorialists should wish change
in maritime law which would produce
very little diminution in the dangers OF
our commerce in conflict with any con-
siderable naval power, while it would
wrest from our hands what we have hith-
erto considered as one of our principal
means of annoyance. 1t is the security
Of fair and harmless commerce from all
attack, which the memorialists most de.
sire. 1t is the introduction of a system
which shall confiue the immediate iniu-
ries OF war TO those whose sex, aud age
and occupation do not unfit them for the.
struggle. If these are the wishes Of the
memorialists, the committee express their
in them, without hesitation.
The committee think that it will be
right 10 the government of the United
States TO renew its attempt to obtain the
OF barbarous code, whenever
there shall seem probability of its sue
cess. They do not doubt that it will be
SO. Its first efforts at negotiation were
by an anxiety to limit the
evils Of war; and if it seem to have de-
sisted from the prosecution of this design,
the committee believe that this circum-
stance must be attributed, not to a change
in the policy of the United States, but to
the perseverance in their former policy Of
other nations.
The committee are not unaware that the
/" United States are better situated than
any other nation to profit by privateer.
ing;" but they are far from opposing this
calculation to regulation which, il the
powers Of the world would adopt it, they
too should consider as happy improve
ment in the laws of nations"
II is an Improvement, however, which
Cannot be made without the consent Of
otter states. The committee win not fiat
ter the memorialists by expressing the
|opinion that such consent will probably
De given but, as it can be obtained only,
il at all, through the Executive govern.
ment, to whose discretion the conduct Of
negotiations has been properly confided by
the consultation, they recommend to the
House The following resolution
RESOLVED, That the committee of For
e'gn Relations be discharged from the
iurther consideration of the memorials
relating 10 the practice of privateering,
Inn hnt tba~~ -