Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-04-15

| rangement, and difficult toreconciIee
with any future systematic measure
Such would be the proposed establish
ment for the districts of Tcnnessee.--
The committee, therefore. respectfully
] recommend to the House not to concur
| in the said bill.
The bill and report we're ordered 10
| lie on the table.
| The bill from the Senate for the re
lief Of John. FL. Piatt, was twice read
and referred to the committee Of claims.
/ And the House adjourned.
/ In Senate, April3.
Mr.. Peasants, from the Committee on
! Naval Affairs, communicated the following
which was read, and ordered TO be printed
| for the use Of the Senate:
For the defence of our Commerce. and the
protection oft revenue in the Cult OF
Mexico, near to the river Mississippi.
The prosperity of commerce materially
depends upon the aid and protection afford
ed It by the government under which it is
established; therefore, an Illicit or illegal
1 trade should be strictly guarded against and
carefully prevented. The honest merchant
should be protected the fraudulent pu--
nished. These observations apply with pc
culiar force to the government VI lthe United
States, whose present principal revenue IS
derived from its duties on imports; OF how
much importance, then, is the protection OF
this revenue to The country especially at
New Orleans, whose present greatness and
future destiny render it, in this respect, one
Of the most important points in the Union.
and yet, at this moment, the most unpro-
tected.
My object, therefore, is now to point out
the most efficient means, fer the defence
and protection of our commerce and reve-
nue. along the coasts Of, and adjacent 10 the
river Mississippi; well aware that several
causes combine to render this very difficult
task. The principal, however, are,
lst. The country IS, every where, inter.
sected by innumerable small bayous or Ca
nails, connecting the river with the ocean
thereby forming series of communications
between the latter and New.Orleans.
These outlets, winding through uninhabita-
Bile marshes, are so various and intricate,
tina, at this day, they are probably only well
known to those Who have long irequented
them, and to whom they have been subser-
Went m those practices of Infquity, which
have hitherto existed in this quarter.
Cd. The mixed population Of this part OF
the country is composed Of elements having
no moral action to this circumstance may
be attributed the impunity to which crime
has hitherto so often eluded justice. Time,
and our liberal institutions. will, however,
operate to heal the one but on the oiher.
force and vigilance are the only agents that
can immediately produce cure.
To effect this, propose that vessel Of
$50 tons be stationed at the S. w. pass OF
the river Mississippi; to be armed with one
long twelve pound gun, ona pivot, in the
centre, and SIX twelve pound carronades,
with complement OF 100 men, and furnish
ed with four boats, each % feet long, cal.
culated for the service hereafter designated.
That another vessel, of IS tons, be sta
toned at Passe L'Outre, armed with one
long twelve pound carronade, having a
complement of 40 men, and two boats las a.
boye described. And third vessel, OF one
hundred tons, be stationed at Dauphin Is
land, armed with one long twelve pound
gun, amidships, and twelve pound caro-.
nades. with onplemehto Of 60 men, and
three boats, as the others.
These three important points established,
] shall now proceed to state the description
of vessels necessary for each, and the nature
of the service respectively to be performed.
The hrst and most important station is the
S. w. pass the vessel here should be a
schooner, lifted with comfortable accommo-
dations for the officers and men, to draw not
more than ten feet water.-Her boats should
each row ten oars, carrying four repeating
swivels, in addition to the usual armament,
and constructed so as to row and sail very
fast on this much would depend. This
vessel should generally be inside the bar Of
the pass, and her duty, to guard and pro-