Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-08
From The National Intelhgence,.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE Of REPRESENTATIVES.
TueSday, January 4.


favorable reports on the petitions of iona
than Ward, and of Samuel II. Phillips
which were severally read, the former a.
greed to, and the latter ordered to lie on the
table.
Mr.. Anderson, from the committee on the
public lands, made an unfavorable report on
the petition Of Jesse Lott; which was read
and ordered to lie on the table.i
Mr.. Williams, ofN. c.. from the commit
tee of claims, made unfavorable reports on
the petitions of John Chamber, of Washing
ton city. and of John Cowen, of Tennessee ;
which were severally read-the first ordered
to lie on the table, and the second commit
ted to a committee of the whole house.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.
Mr.. Bloomfield, from the committee on re-
evolutionary pensions, 10 whom was referred
resolution of the 18th ult. Prospecting the
execution and propriety of repeating the
pension law of March 10, 1918, (on which
subject they made report in part some
days ago. made a report final, declaring
that it is not expedient, neither would 1t
comport with the dignity OF the American
nation, to repeal that act which report was
read, committed to acommittee of the whole
house, and ordered to be printed.
PRIvATEERING.
Mr.. Lowndes, from the committeee on TO-
reign relations, to whom had been referred
two memorials from certain citizens OF Ohio,
praying the suppression of privateering. as
means ofnational warfare, submitted the fol-
lowing report
"The committee OF Foreign Relations, to
whom have been referred two memorials
from Citizens of the state of Ohio, relating to
the practice of privateering, beg leave res
pecttully to report -
" That the language Of the memorialists is
such as to leave the extent in which they
deem it reasonable TO expect a mitigation in
the laws of maritime warfare, in some doubt.
They are considered by the committee as
recommending such change in these laws
of maritime warfare, in some doubt They
are considered by the committee as recon-
mending such change in these laws as shall
exempt the property of individuals from cap
ture, either by public or private ships OF
war, at least when it does not consist icon
traband articles, and is not destined to
blockaded port. The general benevolence
which is expressed, as well as the opinion of
DR.. Franklin, which is referred to by the
menorialsts, seem TO prove that it is their
wish that the property which subserves no
purpose of war should be as safe upon the
sea as upon the land--not that it should be
secured from private cruizers, ana be left
exposed to public ships, which, in the SER
VICE of some European powers, are much
more numerous than the others, and whose
pursuit otplunderi is often quite 40 active q
unsparing. II cannot, indeed, be presumed,
that the memorialisls should wish change
in maritime law which would produce very
little diminuton in the dangers of our COM
merce in conflict with any considerable
naval power, while it would wrest from our
hands what we have hitherto considered as
Que of our principal means of annoyance. 1t
is the security of fair and harmless COM
merce from all attack, which The memo
rialists most desire. 1t is the introduction of
a system which shall con6ne the immediate
iniuiies of war to those whose sex, age and
occupation, do not unfit them for the strug-
GLE II these are the wishes Of the memo
rialists, the committee express their concur
renee in them, without hesitation.
The committee think that it will be right
in the government OF the United States TO re-
new its attempts 10 obtain the mitigation of
a barbarous code, whenever there shall
seem probability ofsuccess They do not
doubt that il will do So Its first efforts at
were characterized by an anxiety
10 limit the evils Of war; and if it seem to
have desisted from the prosecution OF this
design. the committee believe that this Cir
cumstance must be attributed, not TO change
in the policy of the United States, bat to the
perseverance in their former policy of other
nations.
The committee are not unaware that the
{, United States are much better situated
than any other nation to profit by privateer-
ing >, but they are tar from opposing ,his