- . . . - JL 1 - -1 . . 1
' - '' . J -: lj , : : : s u. i- . . f
ifiWuiei weekly k-ixiWiiK Tm Doluss & Year.
CONGRESS
tt UffiTtn Statks,
1 E)usi of 'Meprescntativn. i l
fedoesdari Feb. J.j', ; -
Thft COmmittM fr whom w.r re.
ferrei, meniorials -fmifl eitirens of
Washiogtda ' and ; Alexandria, ' was
Atuhorised to report by bin or other;
wise on sacn alterations, as maf in
their . opinion' be deemed proper in
the act (or the government of thr dis
Sriet of Cotambia.' ;.-v.' r;
The hcHiso took up the amendments
wtl respecting cojifils, 'rice-consuls,
f ' After areynto the amendment
MJvi.mKf aMnditteaJtsv.tlM''
Btfuse ordered the.U11;4ol"9oiiSB4
for a third reading fdfnorrbw. -The
house. Wint into: ' totttmittee!
of the whole on the trill' making pro-1
Tision iot persons Wfto. have receiTed
known wounds in thererolutiOnary war.
Mr. Varnum in the ehsdn ,
" A Conversation took plice between
Messrs. Griwo1dHHlrt- P
Macon, anj Elmer, on the adequacy
w toe proTisions oi the bill to. the ca
ses for which it wasbrorided ; when,
on motion of Mr.EustU. th
ttittee;- ros'nd(rted progress t ;
the Jhouse refused thebi leave to 'sit A
gam, and recom mitted the bill to the
elect committee that introduced it.
Mr. Hill railed for the order of Jhe
oajr on the bill to prohibit the impor
tation of certain bersons. tec. . ,
"When Mr. Barard reaueated thm
gentleman to ware his tall or one !
cnomentf to enable the houe to take
his resolution respecting French spo. j
liations laid some days since on the '
table, .into consideration, for the sole,
purpose of giving it a proper disposi- j
tion. His object, some dars since he '
called it up, was to hara t refjrred to
committee of the whole house, not to a I
urge its discussion on that dari His
osjectwas'nowtlrsame.andliis sole!
wish ras.thatlt ASould be referred.
and dtf nam-d for its consideration.
As, howerer, said Mr. Bayard, Itnny
be voted dowu'tiovrrwh then. was
wltheat aaf rssons.assigiv:d, gernJe-
WTVn I ff PTrTl m mm a haILk iL . i
v... wi..MuiuW.iaa.imig.-s. io cousmer mat our sole object
L-n .IrVlr '! ".Clcmen i
w... ... .v trap,T wiin me ., m our ciuzens. i do not undertake to investigation of the suMect. He was
forms or ms ice as to suffer the case ,i express any opinion on the validity of in favor ofhe distant day lie had ra
SJS.JSti1. mtjr be ,1 ff. ClaimS ?HVhe fl"r , ?ncd, in a, n.uch he was convinced
-.... v.i;il,. 'I
air, KanaoiDh said he woum vc
W m . W m . .
,v t
the gentleman from Delaware, whe
ther he hadseci any indisp')sition in
that house to discuss the subject. For
his part he had seen none either in
the house or in any Individual 'mem
berlie felt no Objection to take op
the subject at any time, and to dis
cuss, or rather to hear the gentleman
from Oeh ware discuss ij. He hoped,
therefore; the gentleman would not
Eersist In takinj 'up the time of the
ouse by calling the yeas and nays.
' Mr. Bayard said he had seen an in
disposition in the house to discuss the
subject . and the reason why the
gentleman from Virginia had not seen
jt, was that he was not in his place
tn the day he had before moved that
the rss-4utiou should be taken up.
nadheb'een in his place, he would
nave seen mat a motion to take it
j - j " ",umv" m i
into Consideration had been reieetrd
Without a single reason being assign-
u. IJot under the assurance of the !
gentleman that there was no aversion ,
v consider the subject, he would wave .
aeMn ff .lh7M '
Mr. Rsndolph said he spoke only
ar ' -a" ... !
Mr. Bayard replied that he then,
persisted in the call. ,
i nc yeas and navs were ttirn tV on
wa taking an the resolution ; and were
.ys 7 ss loiiow i
, Yi at Messrs. Alston, B icon. B ii.
y, Bayard, Bishop, Boule, Bowie,
. Bi-eot. Browo, Campbell, Culler, Da.
. Daveoport, Dawson, Dennis
..Dickson, Early, r.lmendorf, Elmer,
7-)foter;CoddaroCreg?, Oris-
www, vtrove, llatt nrs. D. H.itt.
. a...HpHMto ..enaerson, n,n, Holmes,
Jtuzer, Hunt, Lon. m.,,
1. .st If . "
'i,!? h R,tMTnew' Newton.: hct, he would be willing to heif. it
J'Pcrkms, Pl.ter. Bsndolpb, Ran-, iis'im-1. and it wo.il I then sppe.r
VvJa . Jo,5;,cSrBh,. i misfortuoes, and wlo nrcasloned their
.Southard, Stanley. S e ward, Stanton.. o,. But as he btlievtd there was
l7nuv-s,', ipvnoneth,eo'isldcratinor thesub-
Horne w'.'i V M 1 th when it
vLi ,Trth U WJ,ttf"1.y?liMyrieir who had been the
svrnns j. , . fnen!t,k wSo the enemUaefone
ats Messrs. Archer, Butler.
abell, Clay,Clopton,Condit, Dsvit,
Crsy, Hanna, . HeUter, Helms,
Jtoge, Holland, Uib, Meriwether,
toti, nmUie. Irael Smlih. J. Smtik.
t. J. Smith, Vlrg. StaaiUI, Stao-J
ton, A ; Tnggt Van Cortlandt R.
Williams, Winn. 36. v
The resolution . was referred to the
committee of the whole without op
position V . ' 1 :
When Mr. Bayard moved that it
be made the order for Monday next.
Mr. K. Williams moved the 3d of
March. 1 ". . ; .'' -. '
' Mr. timer ttinnwTit if.. 1nekt tn
take the; resolution up fairly k decide
it at once. . -
Mr. R. Willliras said he was will
ing to meet it fairly ; but he thought
one oay sutucient tor the tnvesuga
uon. .
On Mr Bayards nation jttpttting ,
'1a ' t . 1 i Itriblrh shnti aliens ? i ' -
itayjjigttms was a quesoenpi a greas
moment 'land one wtllvrorthv . ot the
deliberae;. ttenon of tbehpusej j
io oesjireu tn ere was a great press
of imooriAt business,. we would cqui-:
esce in. k jpos'tponement. , But this
was notjthe case. ' There was no bu
siness before the house of pressing ;;
importance. ..He was in favour of a
fair andfuU investigation of the sub
ject. T,he mptidn to make it -the or
der of tje jflay for the last day pf the
Session irh'eh the Dress of other busi
ness wodlbsblutely preclude an. t-
tention ;o wis tantamoun.to are,'
fusal ofalr msgation whatever
Unless (he. motion was withdrawn, he j
would tyerefore call for theeas and
nays. ;,. 'I'.: f - .v v;
Mr. Bacon said his mind prepon.
deratedftgainst the claim. But to him
it aDDeired that a Tmstoonenisat to .
suchalaywould be the same as de-.;j
clanngthe claim should not be attend:
ded to. If the claim should be .sus-'
tamed by thevote of the house, it j
would surety tequire more than one .;
day to make the necessary . arrange,
menu for Carrying itinto the shape of
t7 ' - ' t - ' . V ' .
Mr. Bayard. No doubt the obser- .
.vauuriui LilC irTCUUCUlAIl irom IViaiSa M
chuse;t is correct, that a postpone. '
w. 1 . t
is to bring Into discussion the chims .
is icss personally or locally imerestea
than 1 am. Hut I fa nnt think that i
; no claim whatever of the meanest na- j
ture should be decided upon until the i
party is beard. Many of our citizens
who have incurred losses, suppose they
have en equitable claim on the go-'
rernmcnt. The claims have been an-1
nouoccd in the public papers, and in '
petitions on the files of this house Is
it then for this house to say they will :
not attend to the petitions of our citi-j
tens I For what do we ask f Sim-
ply foradiiscussion, and that a deci-'
sion shall not be made, until those !
who consider themselves aggrieved :
shall be heard. Are centlemen un-i
willing to trust themselves, lest their
own conscience should compel them
to an act of justice F But I will ab.
stain from going into the merits of the
subject. 1 will only repeat that there
. i iivi pcutiun nowcTtr wonniets, out
the Knn mil St a . l
is no pennon however worthless, but
referring it, and allowing time fo- its
examinMion. Will they then in a
case of such msgniiude si this where
there are so mauy claims, so variously
charicteritcd j will they refuse thii
rnMiniry measure of respect f I will
etptct a different decision from the
justice and candor of the house,
Mr. R. Williams said he would
liUnlitiM'.n. . j ...
j the su'.iect should be made the order
f m -. iu( vivtr
of the day for thelit day of- Match,
waieh would allow soffcient time for
a full and fair investigation.
Mr. Smilie did not know what the
eenUcman from Ddiwir
when he said we were not willing to
trust our cons Jenc-s. , fie hoped e-1
fclj Kriititiiuil n
crj grnucman nig os food a con. I
; srience as lumseif. For his own part.
itr.u .-. j.
chsnta. tntfi.m..H. i v ,j.
add that he wmti.1 hette K Aka f ikA..
.JJ.L..I ( 1 . '
who wouH ,c on-rt to ts the sgrl-
1 .km
v.-uun, miervns or uc country to pa;
Mr. R.tkJjt observed that it wu
Thursday IUrch
important that our mercbipi should Jj
be extricated from their present .,
harr9tmint.. TKi' wiih tASnnor'tKo I
disposition of congress on thjsif cbims. J
This cannot be done if the tretent n9
Yirm nnt m t ti ttw tnhtT in th .a
yent will be precisely disposed Mf this j
r-rv,f -rr--- mi j
' referred, at an earlv -oeriool ta a ram. I
mittee, with whom v. .sleptuntil near
the, close of the session, win a report
mere it ot tact was mnde. rbe nnrt
it wa..u,w raaac v Ute ny ot the
j session, and thchousonevertookit up;
unUl aVery latt dajrobii sission, and
it will then not be .ttktn tip? -
- - rj-i'A.- 6".-,
&WTltWrXtoi
i honourable Snd enTortunatemerchftKhsl
r, - T :
tunes, pr duced by French spoltirtions
c ..tuw jnruiing wim ineir mi&ior
uraom ine nopes pt miet irora go
vernment has saved from. ruin...They
wish tb know their fate, and no. longer
to be kept in suspense. Iet their
claims then be decided at once ; and
if gentlemen' are ready to say they
shall not be indemnified for 1n
I which but for" the renunciation of the
treaty they would have been indemrui
fied for by France, let them say . so.
It 1s .known' that' France would hare
.indemnified for ;these losses, but for
the treaty. The most respect aMe li
ters have been received frfcm France
to this effect ; and Mr. R. said, the
fact was within fciscWn personal know
ledge. "
Under these clrcumsttntes the
.cluims ought to be taken upi and deci
ded upon speedily.- If thetertlcmn
was serious hi naming- so kte a day,
the house must be; troubled with the
calling of the yeas and nays ; as it was
impossible to expect that any thing
that would be effectual, could be done
efterthe Jst of Marsh, tsaU tU mea-
,,PcS optcd by the house required
the concurrence of the ecnale, ajid the
nTfkiK At h low -
Mr. R. Wi'.liams ld Ynem t.
that if his motion 'should tie Adorned
there would be fdl lime allowed for n
it wou d orolect th hn... fm
unnecessary consumption of a great
deal or tim'e, arid which if taken up
now, would interfere with the trans
action of much important business
Full time would still be ellowed to de
cide the question of indemnity. " He
did not know that more was required
this session by any body. He had not
heard any member say that a law
would be necessary this session. All
that was required was a decision pre
paratory to a law. In his opinion this
was an improper time to' iiscuss the
merits of the subject; he should
, f . - .-(i..mi.mi tjwuiuig. tun iciMcn
?r;aie.ii "&v.ei"R'n .ft? New-York
tions of this. nature, which he thought
had .been imnrooerlv offered at th:
stsgecf the business.
Mr. Baysrd said he hsd fallen into
the same mistake with his honourable
friend from South-Csrolitis, in consi
dering the gentleman from North.
Carolina, as not in esrocst in the mo
tion he had made. He hsd nt tho't
him serious, as the day named by him
was so late as ret to allow time suffi
cient for a fair discussion. The gen
tleman was not a new member and
bis experience could tell him how Im
periously the house was" occupied du
ring thejtwo or three last days of its
sitting, in details indispensably neces
sary to compute husinets already be
gun. He had seldom known the
close of a session when it had not been
necessary to set onSundiy or t ill mid
night. How then could It be expected
that at such a period even the sern
blance of justice could be done to the
subject I Whereas if it were esrlirr
attended to, they tniftht consult their
own convenience. Hit happened as
hsd heretofore been the case, that they
had more time lhan they knew what
to d with, a much earlier day
could be fixed on. Bur should the
fuhiectbe postponed till the 1st day
of March, U ;Uht be saJd if the
house should not then go into a com
mittee en it, that a day so lata had been
named with a siew of inferring the
subject to the next session. While if
VlT" is
Wa ; tCiU, M V ,ftl?5,f
li ;Ci,K dfrin,f,W;1
rrji'V-'
a minority, or even a few memberi.
io prevent tne traosactian 0f other
Important business. Mr. B. said he
would not pledge himself; but he ra
ther thooht the subject could Udie-
juqj.
. j
cMccA ; " j
;1rVMMlMiw'
a 1.1 :
V. . . . .. .. 1;
science. This was hot astonishing as
that gentleman often makes mistakes
He had said nothing , about the tdn-fj
ScienCB of that trmt?'mri. a&ti kilew
Kicnnai wu genuemnn, asnt Knew
w nm'.m.; ni
ther the genuemen were uhwilhng to- last sesstOR cf congress, th"! memorialt
trust themselves, Iesttbeit own conjj of tb tlaifcantswere tefcrred to tbV '
seiencefc should compel . them 'to an ;! tonsidertibn of a select committee.
ct of justice. This "was all he had That cotatnittee , reported a state of
said, and it had not been said with sv facts, and (tlosed their report with the-'
ny view to impeach the conscience of following words? vhV
anv gentleman qn the subject. " l?pbk-tne Whole view of the case.
Mr. Bacon hoped -; this business ; the comitiittee submit it to the bouse -would
be so conducted as to shew nil to letetirine whether the government
M.pv5""' oaiuepanoime nousewi, wwo wnu niaies Oe In any resDcct
meet these claims on bbnouraWe andtotoJttdcmnify thettemorisnstsi
iunfifMi(JM .k w. -vauJm fi 'mtAMtaiJ
, no moisposition to a fcir and lull dis- U
cussion. It was undoubtedly a serious-
question. There were a number of,j
respectable f characters interested ii?
the decisions-respectable, because jj
atizens ot the United States. He :
hoDed their claims would ho trntel
wit all the candorand liberality theyi
had a riirhtto exoect. He ahnreherul.'
ed that two" or three davS were not
: sufficient, amidst th)s croud of other is
; business at the end bf a session, fbi a i
fair and full examination;
Mr. Dawson hoped the motion
would prevail. A resolution in a great
measure similar to those now. nrooo-
sed by the gentleman from Delaware,
fhad beenqljercd some time since by
a gentleman from New-York. . It was
j moved to refer that motion to a corn
imHtee of the whole, and negatived;
afterwards amotion was made to re
fer U to a select committee, which was
' alsq negatived. He did conclude
"from these decisions that a majority
.Of the house were not disposed to dis
! cuss the merits of the question this
. session He believed this was still the
sentiment, of the majority, who con-
s'nlered the subiect as not vet rioe ffir
U!ccision. lie therefore thoupht the
taking - H up at an early day would
only serve to waste time. -
Mr. Cremr asid thivt an far Tia
I mind was made up, he was sgamst the
fclalnf llkot K was ntlwithstandingm
favour of a full discussion of it. The
subject had been atlended to'. The
committee appointed last session had
v .......... UlUlfcU l.nt, 3C9SIUII llftU I '
goneintoa laborious investigation of j!
. .1 L . 1 . 1 . . . . . 1 1
it: and had made a renort containing
Very important, statements and facts.
He wished the rrTAar'iiT tn K. mn
, - " w mm w v iaw W W WW
far delayed, as to alkw time for the
I priming oi tins report. He was against
'. the postponement to the first day of
iviarcn ; nut thoushttlie second Mon
day in February would answer.
Mr. Thatcher said he fclt ratified
! althe house possesing more liberality,
j in giving an opportunity now to dis
j cuss the subject, than had been jnatiU
j festrd before. Attempt's made durhig
I (he last session to discuss the subiect
naa enata in nothing. This session
(Dr. Mitehell,) had offered a resolU
tion, it had been negatived. . The mo
tion of the gentleman from Delaware
(Mr. Bayard) to take up the present
resolution had also been negatived
But row a considerable, majority were
for taking it into consideration., He
ws however surprised at the motions
for making the consideration of tie
subject the order of the day for the
1st and 3d!of March, ss they wouldjn
effect frustrste all discussion from .the
press of other buiincsC .The subject
was of infinite importance, billions
depended upon, the detlsion', - The
merchants ' were anxious to know ihe
result. A state cf seipece wis.of sil
states, the most painful to them. Why
then put off the decision f a cluimla
his opinion tust. and ta
hiefe tha
house ought not to shut their csrs I
SI. a.....! tJ. ... . '
m - m
i,uvii aaia wraicvtr may i avt . , ' .
been the Intettion of .the tnoe to' Thttrdsy, February J.
postpone till the 1st of March, ar-d rf The hill entitled ah act supfemeTH
the intentions cf gentjcnitft en this or Ur7 t0 tl,c concerting conawla and
any. other occsslon, he hsd ro dipoai-'.f?f'ol,wK nJ ff lle further pro
tion to ecqulre -lie tcrenr y f .the'-! cdonef American Seamen,' was read
rostpontment will be to preclude a de- j third time and aued. ' 1
liberate disctmioo, Those rnore j : The house sgain ft sblred Itself b-i
convtrssnt with the eourv of bt:iines . te- a comrnlrtee of ile whole on tha
V5W . er in,,r)e1,d the pre aure
of business hich r.eresssrily crcuded
the last days of a session ; and he was
more averse te the motif n frobs tie
of honourable gtnilemin
from Virginia (Mr. Dawson) who l ad
risen q support tlie motion, and.
ihis Vrlncjpal reason to U k
"'icn.that the present fctgres.
W8M ,Wt .t0 UU wy decisive La -
risen to SOmort t!ia rnot'ion. tA
Bureseu the subject, ef the ilalms juge Utl e United States.
l. differed w.drly from that gentle. lufrrftdto s-Kci rfmittef.
wan. Independsntly of the. tusgni. .On irotJ'ob hf Dr. Mml.eU th m:
tuie end extent of these claimtsnd of ,mCrUl.of t) mertlanusod t-rr-,the
sUasUcn ef the esteemed, the facts m ff Kew-Ycik tuuucttd wt!i
tVour, No. 321;
,;imi 1 ' " 1
house were called obon by a eebstfof
hlLJ Jfu.JZ
... . " HVVH UHIU
cool 'v nnd ' deliberate cnnsUrw,
which c4 ordinary occVslotis Was exi
tended applications of an indi vidual
tod jpfeTior nature; Thr eomnioa
hmiri V.rfhni. k.!.. .1 ' . .
Course of busirieu brings this subiect
V? W4U receoectea at too
dismrainattcn ijertireW ttas k k
losses sustained btforc the acUof the
28th of May, Jfin, he 7th of Julyi :
1798, d the Vth of Inly, 179S j and
cases of losses sustained after thnst
Penofls.",
From' the late dav of the aesnfM
which .this report was made, no order
was taken on it. no disrusft inn.rttahBti
Bv this Dart of the rnnrt f ... Ar
fered fcr consideration j data are furi
nisped ; a discrimination in comt of
time, and of course in notnt nf tner!u
is made I and the final dejerminatioa
Is submitted to the hotosi.,
A sense of justice to the m'emorii
alists and a strong sense of public duty
require that we meet the question and
come' to a decision; Those who api
pear already to have judged the quesi
tiort may . possibly - sei Jn the stated -ments
Which have been vnad atA -
! the areuments bv which the r l.lni
shall be supported, reasons to alter '
: wpiutuua. in ny eyeni ana cs
pecialJy afters discussion', in case of
jah adherence to those . opinions they
. appeal already to have ormed, if tbey
fail to produce conviction on others,
the reasons on which they ground
; those opinions may be useful to the'
- a,t -
, nouse, ana win accompany and justify
, the vote they shall finally give. WheA
I wv Mvaiiwu Buaii VC ttCCIUCu auO 1
; hope it will be in favour o an earfier
; oiy -man mat ffloved.ror) 1 shall mora"
; that a repprtof the committee of ho
last winter shall be referred to tha
conisiittee of the whole, together with
vv v. nimib WIUII KH
solution under consideration. It
1' 1 1 1 I. a 1 . t m.m .. . mi . . ? k . . !
will ke elo proper at that tihieto glve
a second readme to the memOfiula
which have . been creiehted tha
1 groaod on which they rest their claim
-I1IV. I... . ...
uiuunm agam into view, ana
by giving tbtm a free discussion and
Consideration, we shall be better ens
blcdto pome to a just decision. These
dains ( Ukt tonttitnee) are of no parly,
inenisionunehasneenmaiscriminate,
and it is to be expected th Sua! detri
tnlnation will be just.
Mr. Hollund adNecat'ed a fbll cli;
tusiion, and the astigcjnc&t'tf ah ear
1di.y. ;
, When the yeas end nsys were ta
Itn bn making it the order of tht-diy
for the 1st of March, and acre ycii
7-nays 13. . .
.' On n otion cf Mr. Bayard It wii
bade the order fcr the second Mon
day In February.
. The house Wthtlrta irommlfMrf
,th'e wtotecnthe bill tb prevent, the
I Importation of certain persons prchibii
i . . i . ......
ieu oy me siaus air. jcLa w. bmith
In the chair. . . '
. This till originsted In a 'petition
from tfce citizens of Wilmington, K
C.and is contemplated to tvard, ly
the imposition of heavy pciiaHies, S-ci
against the introduction into ti e Uni
ted Sut'es, bflrlgands from the French
mm . m ml
West-Indies.
The committee progressed k
the
i cohslderktion of the bill, reported
! Fgltis, and otlamed leave to sit ai
! Hm.
'? ptevtht thelrrprnalM ncf cer-
. I uin persons, wl4 iirl.ttauofl was
pruhiiijted by certain sres, and uada
uvcrsl amenduicQts tficrcto.
Ffidsy, Kb. 4. ' '
. . A mtiikre was trttited from tla
Dresldent res
iunts bade
& &Uri
'toLitV
ptesident reapvetirg cartiln rmn-
ace of Uic intcirtttctxy cf,
kerinr of Kcw4Iata&shlr
a aaataa ll.ai Jla.a at a. Ju.l a
v
ft- . i
4
r .
r. . .