Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-02-01

| sion act Of April, 1906, and the bill for
the relief Of Isaac Finch, were several
ly read the third time and passed.
The resolution offered on Saturday,
by Mr.. Ruggles, was taken up and a.
greed to.
The resolution offered yesterday, by
Mr.. Noble, was taken up, and, after
| some explanatory remarks by the mover,
was also agreed to.
The resolution yesterday submitted,
by Mr.. D'Wolf, was next taken up.
Mr.. Macon suggested to the mover
the propriety of SO modifying the mo-
| ton as to direct the committee to in
quire into the expediency Oft the measure
relative to drawbacks, instead of po-
sitive instruction to report a bill.
Mr.. D'Wolf said his object was, by
the shape of the resolution, to elicit a
discussion of the subject in the Senate,
instead Of in the select committee, and
to ascertain the sense Of the Senate on
it; but he was not tenacious of the mode
Of attaining his object, and therefore
varied his resolution as suggested.
The resolution was further modified
by expunging the amount of drawback
proposed; and, thus amended, was a.
greed to.
The resolution offered yesterday by
Mr.. Chandler, proposing an inquiry
into the expediency Of making two mill
tary roads from the state of Maine to
the British line, was next taken up; and
some opposition being manifested to it.
Mr.. Chandler briefly explained tho
Importance which the proposed roads
would be in national point of view, &
which might be easily constructed by
the military force in that quarter.
/ Mr.. Holmes, of Maine, gave de-
scription of the country referred to, to
shew the value which these roads would
be for military purposes, if the country
should ever again be involved in war
with the same nation with which it was
recently engaged in hostilities, & there
was little probability of a war with any
other power. These preparations ought
to be made in time of peace. He re-
marked, moreover, that the general gov
eminent had never been called on be-
fore to expend any of the public money
in the State of Maine, or for her use,
and he hoped the resolution would pass
| Mr.. Macon said the two gentlemen
did not exactly agree. One of them ask
ed for the road because he deemed it ne
cessary-the other because none Of the
public money had yet been spent in the
State of Maine. The State of North
Carolina might ask some public inn
provement with the Same justice; for
there had been precious little public
money expended in that state, But,
said mr.. NJ we don't ask Congress to
spend the public money in our state
all we ask is, that you do not take our
money and spend it elsewhere. As to
preparing for war, he said, there was no
danger that a free people will ever be
unprepared for it, the danger was that
they would be too we'll prepared for it,
and too ready to engage in it; for it
seemed to him that free government
had the same effect on the human cen
stitution, as heat had on iron-it made
it swell. Commence these roads, and
there is no telling where it would end;
for legislation might be compared to
shingling house-the first row is use
less unless you 60 on, tapping one row
over another to the top. 1t will prove
just SO with appropriations for roads if
they are once begun.
Mr.. Holmes would apply to Mr.. Ma
cons emile the story of man who
lived in a house open at the top; neig h-
bour called in one day while it was rain,
ing, and the owner exposed to the wea-
Their, & asked him why he did not shin
gle his house? Would you, he answer
ed, have me Single it while it is rain
ing. No. Well, then, said he in dry
weather it don't want shingling. So
the house went without it altogether.
| Was not that man, rejoined MIR. Ma
con, long lived one?
Mr.. Chandler, to continue the smile,
said it would be strange in this case, if
they refused to inquire whether the
house wanted shingling, VIXEN the fact
was stated, and the inquiry only pro-
posed.
The resolution was agreed to-lS to
10
The Senate took upfor consideration
the bill to amend the charter of the
Bank Of the U. States; when, on motion
of Mr.. Findley, who remarked that he
perceived the bill did not provide for all
the objects prayed for by the bank
which indeed he did not know it would