American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-12-28
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Twentieth Congress, First Session
Monday, DECEMBER "a.
IN SENATE

M
increase the number Of public vessels on ,hp An
,tcrlanean station, for the purpose Of pyiry f..
ther protection to our commerce in that ouar,a.
Mr. Siisbee prefaced his resolution by rrm,,t
ing that it was founded on information th,t a.aN.
numbers Of our vessels ha, been robbed by p;,a,a.
in the Mediterranean Sea. So far had tbosc a.
relations been carried, that, at the present t;mrr
il was understood that no ship dared proceed hel
You'd the Island Of Malta. without CONVOY
On motion Of MIR Smith, Of Md. it was orderos
that when the Senate adourns. it adjourn uut;,
Thursday next.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Among the petitions presented to-day, were tSe
following
BY Mr. King and Mr. .NcLson, Of inhabitants Is
York and Lycoming counties. in Pennsylvania. a.
an increase Of the Tariff.
BY Mr. Busset, Of the Agricultural Society os
Lower Virginia, against an increase of the Tariff
BY Mr. Davis and MIR Carter, of the citizens If
Barnweil Sumpter, &c. in South Carolina. aron,,
an increase Of tile Tariff,
Bv Mr. Speaker Stevenson, of the Convention If
Farmers, Wool-gruwers, and Manufactures
which met at Harrisburg, on the 50th july, 1857
for an increase OF the Tariff, etc.
Mr. N Dutie, from the committee of Ways and
Means, reported bill making partial approrria.
tions for the support of Government for the yea-
1923. For Congrcss.) Twice read and mad.
the order for this day.
On motion Of Mr. fright, Of Ohio, it was
Resolred, That The Committee Of Nays and
Means be instructed IL inquire into the eype,lieu.
cy of RENTING to the Theological Seminary Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, and to the KENYON
college, in Ohio, the duties imposed on set Of
plate for the Communion Service, and other ar
ticIes, presented by certain benevolent citizens in
England to said Seminary aud College. and mpor.
ted into the United States, and that tile documents
heretofore presented to this House ON that subject
be referred to the committee.
On motion Of Nj White, Of Florida, It was
ResDired, That the Committee ON Commerce be
instructed to inquire into the eApediency u IN
ereasing the duty on Foreign Oranges.
On motion of Mr. Mitchell. Of Pa, il was
Resolred, That the Committee on Manufactures
be directed to inquire into the eApe,lieucy Of At.
iording a further protection to the manufactures
OF wood-screws.
On motion pf Mr. Daniel, It was
Hesolcpd, That TIE Committee on Manufactures
be instructed TO inquire into Tie expectancy Of
increasing the duties OIL the importation oil hemp
distilled spirits, and molasses.
On motion Of Mr. Ramsay.
Resolred, That the Committee on Commerce De
directed to inquire into the eXpediency of erecting
q breakwatcr, Or artificial harbor, at the mouth d
the Delaware bay.
MIR Hamilton submitted the following:
Whereas law was passed by tie Congress If The United
States approved ON the Ia July i793 entitled "an Az
~ addition TO an act Tor The punishment Of cer'an crimes
against The United States /" which said act is commonly
known bv the name of the Sedition Law
he reSo'rcd That the said law was violation of the
Constitution of the United States, by abrdging the tree
dom OF She press"
BE Il further rese-e That several persons in.
ticted on'cled and suffered in ecun'a, penal'es uDe
this law, HAT the Committee Of WAYS aud Means be direct
ed 10 report bill which shall make full poyisinn for
funding 10 the said persons the amount wih lawful int
rest ~ the nes which they may have pa to the e'pec
tive Narslas Of the District Courts cmpnw red lew and
receive The same And in Of the death, absence
from The United Staea Of any Of the said paties then 10
their legal representatives., such person persons as
may be duly authorized g receive the same
Mr. Hamilton said, that he did moi rise for tie
purpose OF asking the House to consider. at the
present moment, the resolutions which he had just
had the honor of submitting. His object wa'
rather 70 indicate tie time at which he should ask
such consideration for lie was aware that the
resolutions covered too much grounl and involved
too many delicate considerations, both of prnc-
pie and expedlcncy, to DC precpitately discussed.
lie hoped that. as al act OF justice which he
owed TO himself. he might be permitted to avow,
that, IN moving in this matter, he was influenced
by no desire to make the past subseryient to any
purpose Of contemporary excitement. The reso
lutions were introduced because he believed that
the parties who had suffered in pecuniary penal.
ties under the Sedtiou Law, were Just as much
entitled to have the fines which they had paid re-
funded to them, as an ordinary sutton in Court
Of Justice was To have a sum Of money refunded to
him which he had paid, either through fraud or
mistake, and. in his humble opinion, the only
cilcctnai mode of Offering fit atonement for the
violation Inlcte, on th, (nn stifution nv the pas
sage OF the Sedtlon Law, was to make full indem'
nifty to those who had suffered by its enforcement
The question was one purely Of abstract justice
and constitutional law. aud, as such he desired to
present it. lie challenged the fullest discus
sion and frrcst opposition, and had no hesitation
in declaring that. i. in the light which the debate
was calenlated 20 elicit, he shou!d be convinced