fSTipoVdrr 400,0001b. of. saltpetre and sut
im. It ii Lot till me ,19th, that the powder,
men from penalties innocently' Incurred,
the doing of this, the. legislature could di
Tp
sen-
minate as far as discrimination was necessary,
and he would by a resolution; Which it was his
intnrinn to submit to- the house (should he
have an opportunity) mark out the line of chs'J
tinction so as to eaaWe them to actup
miiihUnhf ''mnrn mnerous than iustr I he
Kt IllVll'tV v - w . Q - J
1 . 1 ''
resolution he would read.
1
mi
discovered at a fine
L6iaWi!.lj merit," half a league from the city.ljiis
Ms a matter of importance"; we are now supplied
! vvi'th ammunition for two campaigns We every
t day diicover celltrs lull of wine and branny.
' Manulactwres wete oegtnning to ii"niiu
Mos-.ow ; they are destroyed. The cor.fljgration
ranital will throw Russia 100 years back
V Will " - - j 4
i Their loss is incalculable for .Kussia,. for he
commerce, and far her nobility, who left all there
It is not overrating its value to state it at many
millions.
k i . l .. xP iti. iivfoniartp have
. " akiui one iiuiiuicu iiimv im.niii-'- - ...,- i , .l
.... . i j i. j ' i -f ,wiar. .i,rr,r at thi crisis, mat tne DCniUICS . UU
;i; ed that they acted under the orders of Rostopchin forfeitures, incurred by the late, importers or
L - - s i , - . MVS LUVrvQ ' ! n i , - -
nOW threaten tt. "every act
e'eeded to consider j. iri a general view, and
to enquire into the real nature .and extent ol
the violation of the npiVimfjortatipnlawiWiCh
had been' with sq. mych severity alledged a
the merchants and in doi ng this, he referred
to. the "assertion, tM the re?tictive ..system
the grievances or wnicn wc eompiaincu iuai
which now th
' wvuvu Liic i ir. ill irn,,. .
the nation Uul gained thEN,'
Us. Tweruy millions of AmS
to the country, much of which Wu "l.r
ed to the public. , . b '
3d The introduction nfm
-u-,r...-i ' " - v -"Hues
into
and the Director of the Polic. British manufactures, m MJatr cases or, oona
"Thirty thousand sick and mounded Russians fifo American property bc unconditionally re
liave been burnt. The richtst commercial houses mitte(i .. -
! , This line being adjusted by the legislature,
i all inferiour distinctiQns would become matter
: of evidence in the proper place, viz. the courts
! of law.
Mr. Cheves then adverted to tre pains
n
4
it4
4
in Uussia are rUinfed. The shock must beconsi
derable. The clothing, the. magazines.'-1 and .the
equipments ot the Russian army have been con
sumed. They have thus lost every thing ; they
would remove nothing, because tKef always thot
it impossible f'r us to reach Moscow; and because
they were willing to deceive the people. When they
saw all in the hands of the French, they conceived
the h'irible-pioject of destroying-by fire this fi st
capital, this holy city, the centre of the Krapire ;
ad they have reduced tobefeiry 200 000 resp-ct.
able inhVhitantt. tWsfttM ctlme bHlsi4pchin,
executed by felotrs liberated from the prisons.
" The resources whkhthe army had found,
are -consequently much ditturfislied : howeye
which had been taken by .the gentleman from
KentucKy, to aiscreun tne icsumyw.y ' -fnr
the committee, bv insinuations against the
motives'of the witnesses. It was- aidthat
thy were interested persons, that merr; were
nmne to be" casuists In their owtv cawe ; in-
deed, the eende,mao'--a8rcatl"did enougk to ac
iauit tbem of purposed misiepresentatidn, so
3 ... 1 , '. P 1? ".. I L.'lknnk
44,gVlV.. ..w .ww', 'J j
' ' i ' r .' i I . .1
gine Great-Britain was mucn aitectea oy mat 0jierate as soon an-the orders in cmndl thd dbe ?
measure as to suffer coercion from it ? (t ap- acinded. Mr. Cheves insisted thp.reF,. . l..Jrf
peared that of the manufactures exported from merchants. were justified in acting uponiuch J
Great-Britain, one fourth only Mas imported thority that teLutliority of the tei'tof Kov'i'f
into this country ot that lourtn, at the time
the estimate on which he grounded his posi-
t
syer, we f he ha(i SDared their feelings, and he
have collected and ate- sTyu&oHectir.g, a nmoer ; eci him for it, but was the gentleman's argu
ot necessaries, au me cciurs aic ,uni.i wj
the fire ; and the inhabitkrttt. during the last twen.
ty four hours, had saved many articles. They
endeavored to stop the progress of the flames, but
the Governor had taken (he horid precaution to
carry off or destroy all the engines. -
Goftgrefs,;
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 4
December 4, 1812.
Debate on the Report of the Committee, that the case of
the Merchants who had given Bonds for Goods Import
ed in cdhtraventton of tj.e Kon-lmportation Act, since
the declaration of War, should be referred to Mr. Galla
tin, forhis decision. , ,
Mr. CHEEVES "commenced one of the
most convincing and eloquent speeches- ever
delivered in congress, with avowing the em
barrassment he felt in addressing the commit
tee upon a subject, their decision upon which
Would be felt from one extent of the Union to
ment on that point well founded I and how did
it agree with his argument upon another to
pic I endeavouring to demonstrate the great
injury our restrictive system had done to G.
Britain, he had remarked that, it had been laid
hv remonstrances, and petitions from man u-
th- House of Commons of
England, stating that riiin was staring them m
the face, that they were4 starving, that this was
insisted upon by the minority there, and was
made the ground of parliamentary proceed
ings. Thi 3 s.o far from impugning, Mr. ineves
insisted creatlv contributed to fortify and ccc-
finnthe cause he supported for the house
kid the trentleman own authority for it, that
thev were ait evidence much- inferior to that
tion was made, a proportion was exported by
ourselves to the colonies of European nations,
which brought the whole of our consumption
down to about eicix'r'Aj'and even that has of
late been diminished by the increase, of our
domestic manufacturers, and from other cauf ,
es: Ana couia we, ne uemanueu, nauci vu-
selves that the distress which prevailed in hng-
-- - . i . .
land was occasioned by our withholding me
purchase of l-6thof her exported manufac-;
i It ivniilrl he Kile to imaeinc 11
ment ought to be considered as a warranuc .oniF
ui ine guvenMueni iisen , auu mat tneir cci iula
Mr. Itussel was abundant proof that they Iwdixiil-
ntiir of uriinnf tiir r'nnrmlmmlt. 'm. !
an3 iupposina; the petitioners had not iiiiiWt!,l!
prjonety n coiifoi mlty to the advice of Mr.liuistltv
Wtat,'feaid Mr. Cheveswouldvebeen 'dt cobse.''
quence ! Why, the loss of the merchants ind
... lv
vka 'rr1t1rr, r( n much rn.-ital. ..'.'.u
perished in British1 warehQuses. Five miliiirtisipf
dollars would" have been lost o the revenue t imd'
the. war woutn nave neen aouugeapt sa jwuLti tT
ijut ' its means , of proceeding. Arr attempt had fcce
maae pp Qibcnuuunw wwwi usoms racrty;s !
1 '1 ! .l. I'll .(loin 1.1 . r
tures
who were the sufferers by
Ourselves. By them the list oi bankrupts a,ft(1 after the rescinding of theordeism en,. ;n:
had been swelled to an extent as alarming as
it was distressing. Tiie. spirit of the nation
. ., !.:,(if. jv. j
haa oetn DroKen tne soui oi lauusiry para
lyzedthe affections of the people alienated
pne third of them reduced almpsj to enemies
and discontent spread over the country. In a
contest of that kind, America must necessari
ly be the loser, since (fre-n-Bjritain was able to
suffer, and was able to inflict. The; honorable
member from Kentucky had said, that to sanc
tionthe violations of this luw was to lop cfl the
right arm of the-couutry, and deprive your-j
laid before the-committee, or rather, maeeu, selves or one in iuC ;
on no evidence at all, but upon the mere repre-; for prosecuting, the war. Mr. t.heves, on tne
r-.. .u m.mi.hrti.vHr!! mill sufferers ' contrary, maintained, that by making our re-
without oath, the British pailiamtnt .proceed-: stnctivc laws, tne house cut oU. bo.h their
.. r i-i : . i:,i iw.iV.. .it-.no . -mil ir r'flr to fuck out one eve ot
ff tn rfiier wniie me lesiimuijy mm uw-! , " .
1 '
r.
'i
i
. i . ." ... ii-:...;.. ...tir.Kr i I'ttmvef thf.ir own
the other, involving a property ottorty mil- the committee was on oatn consisreni aau,ui.u-u.,m.,v., 7 '; , .. ,
tions of dollars, and it might be theruin of a unexceptionable both as to the matter itself j vision. You vaunt, said he, ot the policy -ot
large number of our .fellow citizens. SuchT and tfe witnesses who gave it. Testimony ! the measure, and yet you have abandon "
considerations he owned himself incapable "of both on oath and not on oath-presented by Jyounselveb you inveigh against and ttircaten
resisting-thev pressed upon his mind too interested men, and men not interested imn to .punish the violation or it. when you your-
forciblv thev agitated him till his feelings Mt selected for the purpUe, but rising Up in-1 selves have made. several legislative iniracrions
wr. inn h"tt fnr ntfprnnP. F.XclllSive of ,t;e-r'i mlnntplv from eVfcTV tJO!)ultUS CltV in the
these considerations which regarded the peti-. 'union. Even since the -printed 'report had
tioning merchants only, there were others of a heen laid H&ibre the committee, testimony on
Very important nature. It was no ordinary oath, in several affidavits had been laid before
act, he said, which the House was called upon the house, 'and read yesterday. He wished
to do it was in fact a demand upon them at that gentlemen had attended to thern, hey
once to legislate and to avoid legislating : to ' WOuld have found4tem4mportaut ra the high-
legislate upon the claims of the petitioners,' and e8t degree, and completely corroborative of
at the same time to avoid legislating, oy ueie- the sratements in tne report, in iati, vw. pi uw
. 1 :f f .1 .1 U ' L i . r" 1 ".1 .1 .U.. M.m A .M'.a
' 7 gatlBS an maiviauai inc puwer wmui uc- oeippi tnem was as gouu aamc t.oc -lopged
only to themselves to discriminate and"ceptSble of and consistent, correct, and in no
4 decide. A proceeding so novel and anomalous! instance contradictory, though the witnesse
he regarded as a new experiment upon legis j had been silted and cross exammcu wuu n.
nnnn ir. iu lew Denaiues uou mi. m
iohers for doing at, their own hazard, that
which you found it a necessary policy to do,
for you mad.a law allowrng the importation
of fifteen millions worth of British mar-ufac-tures
to supply the wants and necessities pf
our citizens, and to draw five millions of duties
into your treasury You have not once, but
Over and over again, abandoned the law you
abandoned it when you licensed exportation,
for you cannot export without importing how
could vou eet paid ? If you carried your pro
duce to South America, the productions of-the
mines would not pay for it. It you exported
it to England, the whole circulating specie of.
tlierrCOtin try-wou!dilQtJeu tjuijojxiyjo
, ,1 w iu u(i.v , " O "
! 51 1 n Secretary 6f -:theTreasuTy): authority which
wv . -!Mi itftntf k 'nrer.tidunt which mieht Drove fatal
to consuiuirona irccuuui. nc ucu cu mat,
tions of equal magnitude and intricacy are so
subject to, that they s(jarcely ever escape er
ror, and any man of candor after taking a full
survey of it, will be" fain. to confess, that there
he trembled for the cpnseqdencea, kuowing ashas seldom been a transaction comprehending
he did. thatleBslatwe bodies were sometimes, such a varietv" of important matter, in which
liVi4nAwiHiVals- firone to exercise their Dower ! ls rrnr ' was dt.tr.ernable. ' But. said, Mr.'
in a way, that makes, angels weep.. .It was .with! Cheyes what does the evidence amount to ?
a view chiefly to this latter consideratibnT that'! whv to this
l 'Themeanttobe explicit with the House. VVhat- j That the greater part pf the goods were pur-
evpr consiucrauun? migu va cuhcuku up cnasea uerorexne revocation uj. uk;wiuw m
i.bn the mere matter: which constituted the sub- ! council. 5
the revocation..
impression that
orders in cotm-
cil. being rescinded. " '
Here Mr.Xheves entered, into a -calculation
1 1 ject- ?f lhe report, they should recoUect ,that o- That they were for before
l 1 tners or a mucn nignernaiuremrgoi ue mvoivr . . , . , , ,
i , v,l:- .,P) 1,1 'CL And, were shipped under the
lit j lif'jl!.-,, i-;: the shipment was legal, the .
' r ' il - " KOOU puilty , uuuci any kuuuiaukvii, .
but Mr..C--:"insisteli'that'ttie discnmiiiaiion wastioj
matetiai ; they should all be placed upon tk stCii
footing. The same cauuon, the jsatne upright
honorable modve had gnided all the- pctmaptr
and it would be unwortiiy of tHs house to make
distinctions, where none i n fact existed. But. it
whs "also contended, that at least the 'txu-a pr(i:tf.
merchants 'should be seized.; These mighr'f
mount.to "about two millions of dollars ; aoif hJi
it, M r; Che ves asked, would it lie a proper object, or
a poliiic purpose, or one worthy of the govtr;
Ot a tree country to grasp at wn a uurig i a.' '
doing so, the more effectually aiicnate the affectic
iidlAinc the resentments) and dtsiroy all ct utia
in government, of that class ot tt'ecommuhny .H
alone possess the means "of furnishing by !(o:u!i
supplies of the war liv 'all times, but prficu!ur
in tliose f exigency like the present, it wuj, ,'ic uj,
the true policy ot government to turyw tiicn selvd
upon the affections of their citizens; tu.!:'te
their esteem, to win their ' confk.ence, to ailfupi
those libCl-al sensibilities, arid (y a cnorjus uctt5
awaken in the people those m mnimouj kmi
ments, in which'consisted the sreiig:irsnd
power of govcn.mcnt. Mr. CiieVvS e.i.rfifKiy'w.4
warmly deprecated the merchant bciag lezipiM
plore the vestorauon of ids pn-pem-ut ike dofl?' ot
the treasury ; and said, 1 trust tibl ittv,cy we.
thev will bring: no, other .qui vaient ttan ai
tfc.-I would rather,,. al he, son our ast.
Vessels captured, our stamen impressc3 m a
them take the chance of buttl to regain tfcar IB
tf j and 1 am sure it would be an i:.ii.uu-iy fy
evil to this country, than that, the long mi uw
treasury, should be thrust into the pockets ol at
citizens to filch from many of them perils w
tot:,t earuintrs of a loner lite of industry. If.ii--
said, the danger of the principle which I msa to
press upon you. ; - . i
Mr. C heves besought the-hoiise to amfct
what the exigencies of government weie, Mj
their resources Engaged in a war wuh
bouwliess wealth and vast power, hat
had it buHtr'the attachment and cona.itoce
one Quarter ol it. You abandoned the non
imaortation, law yourselves, therefore when
',naA rftnHiinn vmi acted ricrht. I "am ' irr7 5rmnt"nn"lirtiTinsff'' taxes the teuow
J 1 . . . i . ,i. . ' ...... . . ;i i......e ciiil l;:Sl se;
citizens
Wlnrt will you do for money i
nnvu -ininosr taxes the ten.Wt dli
t,,i.-,i ...uVi tUn ntHMial rtv of thr halicu. the mmti-v infill noi hear it
3ilucGU mini --yi I""-"" ' . Ini V'V"
of thi st stem, while in indecisive aherna- by way of apology ? Jt was too utt to 1.7
tion you inlringe k entorce it, trtatingu as cer
tain pagan nations treat their stone or wooden
idols, now whipping &uow worshiping them.
It.was but lately that one of these restrictive
curses of the land in the shape ot an embai go - mn im who posicssuw
resolution was introduced, and after hiving, 31 nirvuui by direct imposition y- .
like the comet that lately -disturbed and tern- .8Hhfl0rtthe war.it is .as impracucable ait" ;.';
.L.ri. :. i , i .t. a nrfictire a
r K SfNMI )l I II 13 1UU w -
W,M, 5m'- nrftlrh for the pWSelll. U'.-f
.....l T ,,nMt .it. and vou uil know M
vita j , ,f
the temper 01 tne peopie 1. v..- ,
..i,rr.,N., i-Mnnli.ite all claSbLS 01 .
I
See ths interests of a whole "country.
Mr. Cheves laid it dowri as a maxim, that
?, '! ' ; if there were any possible case; it must.be oWfounded upon the various classes otduties, to
" r -A:ii-i-;u.?----.i..-4.:. :...;;A?Ukw that nntivitbstandinc the oams which
eman
is.reprjes.cn.-
cise such functions under the tbrisfer, should jtation, he (Mr. Johnson) had been inaccurate
be clear. Tp accomplish their object, gentle- and mey correct. r)
, ., hirl aacprtoiff tknt the Secretarv'' of the : Cheves proved that th
UjVU www, Hyy - j J I
Treasury was invested with - full power to act
in the present case.; utners, again, insiscea
he had not;' while some'- admitted that h had
this calculation INI r.
e ut most extent - 01 uhc
tlemen had thought proper to ques
coinpetencv to exercise that right, considering
V- ? ' a " ' . avI SiAntM rxl fk iikiirtri' All
d . mm
t .VIVi' the
j J i ; , , - this M r. Cheves viewed as erroneous. t if st,
V ' ' I because the subject was One which did not re-
f, quire such "mitiute investigation, nor was sus
I . .ceptiHe of the multiplicity of distinctions and
realculau6ns sugcednext,b
the-'hous'b'u.the'8'ecre'tkry' of the treasory
1 nimselt was mcapaoie 01. unraveuiug mcni
t $ass so extremely' 'numerous and o various
f Alxnanyt of the Circumstances of which were un
t. '
-n
r susceptibleof proof, and the merits of which
must ever-remain matter of conjecture : Mow
could the -secretary or the treasury decide ya
' ' detail ?-ifnw could the Iiegislature itself.de-
cide ? Tt was impossible nor was it riecessiH
i ry. ' The proceeding fitted for the housr was
' aa act:ofr grace absolving thpse unfortunate
error (though he did not -admit any error intheir-
statemints). ascribable to the petitioners, to ne
but one and one third perrcmum, while ' Mr.
lation frorh thelecords,' by, which it appeared
'' t . 11 1. .u
tnat arter deducting an necessary cuaiges, ujc
average extra profit of the petitioners was only
7 1-2 per cent, to which, it 3 1-2 were added,
admitting that so much waS gaiped by the rate
of exchanges, a profit-would then accrue to
them of barely eleven per cent. But sgppos-f
ing said MrV that anv error of 1 1-2 or 2
per cent, is chargeable upon the testimony, it
is in fact ; an error merely of cQmputationy'aris
inff frdrh'mv; hon.' friend' calculating his aver-
f ..." 1 .- , r .i-r
age trom tne nignesi ciass 01 auties, msieau 01
vast
ought to stamp the whole report
lity, and convince theu of iu aubstantral jaccu'
racy and truth.
r r -- . . .. . lit
friend on my left ; this too, after terrifying river, while its : deep JM W'i
m,n with fear of chanrres. and threatenine that oi or agncimu. - -uiiliM.
o it vni'tfatn rnp it:r,iiii
from its " horrid hair shake pesti-,,Zu it notW
UCCH umiynwu, ... ..- c : - ... Cfi
v.nwinis t.f its surface, which, liKti 1'
spreading, themselves over the sum J
IcU auu iiuwuvui m.v.
it would
lence and war," passed also, iunpxiously- along,
& sun k below the horizon. 1 o these succeeded
i . j. fvrtr mrtfirs wh'.rh moved after the
V W. . -X" . . . . . . . - v - Tftfl H11U II UI.L111V.VI, OllU. - . ftf
comet, and formed its tail. Had any of these u bC Memphis and Thebes had nfvtrfX,tot
been made a law, not. all the. plagues of kgypt iTjulcs baycextendedvihe .boundaries .
could have Jjeen more ratal to our tarmcrsj tilul science, wmcn opensw i,.v -
But never did the -pestilence which So often ittal sources formiprovcmeni.aiiM .j.
has desolated , our, slresvhlag.Jil3M
be," btmimpt--gnojH
hordes T "lie was far frolnenymS; J 7,
J- .1. u St. rlnA i lilt tO C0P.W" ,
tne praise iubi - ..m.w
that refines, improves, rfc
imparting to ag cuuut. neceS
vrveryhreeze,-emptyiugxiurcities oftheir ppp-J
ulation, and glutting tne grave wn tneir. tup
tents, spread more consumnate misery, or ruin
more coii inle tef than wou ki tuts resolution ,
should it pass into a law. Dismiss then, (and
do it magnanimously too) this misei able policy
which but destroys yourselves. ; .
Mr! Cheves then applied himself to' the consi
deration of the jvt'hice of the measure. ' Nowwhen
the restrictive system and the war had produced
nothing-but; divisions' and disunion,; congress, he
saiclTouglit to have recourse to such measures as
would tend most to produce harmony ; and in do
. " 1 .1 .. 1 .: .i ' r., ik.
ing so,,strengtnen aim animate uic v-ou1'" ,ul
better support of the war. " It had been said, that
the merchant naa gainea great au vantages num mo
goods iipdrted. Oii, that subject, Mr. Cheves re
ferred to his former calculation, by which he had
shewnihat eleven per cent, was the extent of it
but against this, the house houTd,in justiceseicflv
penses
were not materially lessened
ihrmec
d:1ks,and8t-.
' in -ru r ni uluiv . ii vt,"1
nen, De mueuuic u.ul ... raising"
consistent, with .-jastice',- for the house to withhold jthstence ot a tree gov. Hc binv,.,-
Would it, then, he
- .ft. the annual.
itssurp.ua iiu.so, a... nourwf-
knd were suppuea, co. - - p,
....1 .,,1 o,a: .mhe is!imult v
man
Jap opulence and arts, m
merabie institutions and lmptovem'' y
1 s rt C
comes a theatre 01 ww"". . . j &
Upon the whole, Mr- CITg8 aj
the measure now belore the csane
ture, not only in itshnmute u ...r
mischievous, hnu u
moua to tne coumr) , v - j use .
done his duty till, he", had ufL
its consequences, and imjred t y
general- ll;, rSdef $n act--,
oiniwiuv.il t,u exawr 4,
cyand truin. , , . . , consistent wun justice, iur ine nuusc w vhiuhiim - nnfiscauon.
Having ;disnoscd of the subject as it present-thaljivperty whi;h noj the goyern- i penal statutes and corm - f
V--