CONGRESS. Houfz of Rcp'i tfcntafivcs. January 30. In commit'.: t - uj -;<• rcjns, are capable of Supplying us with a variety of articles, as well as the nation from which they now come; and, if invited to our markets V prudent encouragements in the firft mlUuce, will soon lcain to faPnion their manufactures to the wants ar,d tailes of this country. The policy of favoring* par ticular branches of ftracje, even at some ex pence, in order to guard againlt the evil of depending on a single one, was exemp lified by the condu6t of Great Britain her iv lt. A •though he viewed her difci.imina tions generally, refpeaing, us, in .the light he had explained ; yet, he thought it pof fibie, that in the iiutance of naval stores a-.vl it might be her intention to fofler a ri/afeh:p ,n a dillant quar ter, in order to provide against a casual pi tvation of the lupplics of a nearer quar ter. 1 nefe artieies are central to the ma rine of Great Britain ; her marine is eiTcntial to her greatuefs Were (he to have no reiource but in the Baliic, a war wfth the Baitfc powers might be fatal to h r. .It may be wife in her, therefore, to iteep ooen t.e American resource, even at tle p?ice of a tax on hei fe:r. In this' cafe (he mult' quarrel with both the Baltic powers and the United States at the fame time, be for? thefupplres will be cut off. A member from Maflachufetts, (Mr. D&ter) had not, Mr. M. said, been very eo.uiltent in his i eafoning on this fubjedt. rich id contended againit all attempts to Excite .a beneficial competition, on the idea tli t no competition could be benefi ci 1 .vhich would not spring up of itfelf; and yet he had warned us against the dan ger, that Area's Britain, by exciting a competition agair.ft the United States, in tiiofe parts of Europe, which mod refera ble the infant situation of our country, might eftablilh new sources from which supplies would afterwards fpontaiieciufly flow tu her, without being «ver again w anted from the United States. The fame remaik was applicable to the leafoningof the other gentlemen who had represented the danger of exciting a permanent rival (hip for the Weft-India market, in favour of Canada and Nofk Scotia. Fifthly. The plan of the resolutions tended to conciliate nation! in treaty, or disposed to be in treat)' with lis, into ar : rangemen:B still more favourable to our commerce-. This argument had peculiar weight in relation to France. It had been said that Great Britain was our belt cus tomer. The fa£l, he said, was that we were her bell cullomer: but that France w;',6 our best customer. We consume more of British manufactures than any other nation in the world consumes. France consumes more of oiir productions, than any other nation confurr.e3. He referred to the statement* he had before offered for proof of this. Her consumption was also of the most valuable kind ; and under fa vourable regulations would be a very grow ing one. It confiltcd of wheat and flour, kit provisions, and firh; articles which were not admitted by Great Britain ; and which without the market of France, would glut every other. Of ourfilh (he consumed si ve eighths of the whole exportation. Her use of our live animals was another important cohfi deration. It amounted, in the lilt of our exports, to 352,795 dollars, for the year 1791. In the fame the Britilh de mand amounted to no more than 62,4.15 dollars. The superior proportion of na vigation we enjoyed in the French chan nels of intercourfc had already been {hewn. In examining the policy of cultivating and securing the Fiench markets, he said it ought not to be forgotten, that the pro fits and the revenue ariling from the rum diltilleries, depended on an article obtain ed almoit, if not from thifc French dominions alone ; and which was the only raw material of any confequcnce imported into the United States. It was paid for also, as had been much urged on otiiei occalionsby members on the oppo site lide, in the worll fifli, which could find a vent in no other part of the world. The MolafTes imported into the United Statcsin one year, amounted to upwards oi leven millions of gallons, more than one half of- which went into the state of MalTachufetts. He took notice also of the article of sugar, as rendered of great importance by our habits and our finances; and of which more than one half was fuppliedby the French Weft-In dies. Out of 17,142,723 dollars impor -9,32 dollars were received from that source. The residue came from the Danifti, Dutch, and British domini ons, in the following proportions, to wit. Danish, 2,833,010 dollars, Dutch *»7°7» 2 3 J dollars. Britilh 2,280,647 dollars. This ltatement was taken from the imports of 1790, the only year he had been able to examine on this point. It had been said, why grant privileges before a mutual grant should be secured by positive stipulation ? Why throw away by a legal regulation, wtoat ought to be the price of treaty ? He answered, that the legal regulation threw nothing away* as i; was always recoverable : That in the p: „fer.t iiiftance, it was only meeting the legal regulations of which France had set the example : that inltead of being a bar to treaty, such a courie of proceeding, more than any other, would smooth the way to it, by explaining the objects, and eftabli/hing. a confidence, on both fides— that it be happy, if in all cases, where treaties are in view, this open and cone ilia t orjr -process. could take the place of that relerve and mysterious r on, with which the parties approach each Other. Were Great Britain deiirous of forming amicable arrangements by treaty, he affced what readier or more prudent step could file have taken for the purpose, thap to have followed "the example set her, by holding out in her laws, the spirit in which Hie was willing to meet us in nego ciation ? on Mr, M.iitjoiis Having gone through these explanati ons, Mr. M. entered into a view of the principal obje&ior.s to the " resolutions proposed. I. It was said they would diminish the revenue, and endanger the funds. With refped to the public debt, his general ideas had been exprefled by several who had spoken before him. He acknow ledged that he had disliked and opposed the modification given to it; but after it had received the fanchon of law, he bad entertained no other with on the fubjea, than th.it the debt might be honorably difeharged, as fact as the circumstances of ttye country would permit. This he was r well frtisfied was the prevailing sentiment of the great body of the people, lie did not believe, that there was a fingfe state in the Union, or any considerable part of a single state, that did not acquiesce (where they did not approve) in the provisions vyhich had been made in behalf of the pub lic creditors. At the fame time he was equally sure, that it never was either meant -by Congress, or understood by the' public, that in mortgaging the import for their security, it was to be an hostage to foreign countries for our unqualified acquiescence in their unequal laws, and to be worrte, as long as the debt (hould continue, as a badge of national humiliation. The nature of the obligation could certainly import no more in favor of the creditors, than that the fund appropriated (hould be applied, as far as requisite, to their nfe ; unless e quivalent funds (hould be substituted ; nor more against the public, than that all de ficienrfiei in the fund (hould be made up, whether arising without, or in consequence of, a change in the laws. If it (hould happen,- then, that in consequence of any mcafure, dictated by the general good, the impofi: (hould become inadequate to its obje£t, all that could be exacted by the public creditors, would be some other provision that woiJd supply the defalca tion ; and it ought not to be doubted, that the people at large, whose good was purfaed, would readily support whatever other provision might become indifpenfi ble. He had made these remarks, how ever, with reference to an event, which he did not by any means admit to be pro bable. The more he had revolved the fub jedl, the more clearly it appeared to him, that a very operative addition might be made to the duties on the enumerated arti -cles, without endangering the Aggregate product of the importations. Ai.d he en tirely concurred in opinion with those, who had observed, that the greatest injury which' could be done to the class of citi zens holding the public paper, was to re present their interests as more to be re garded, than any national considerations whatever; and to oppose to the latter, even the most imaginary contingencies to the former. (Speech to be continued.) March 11 Sundry petitions were presented and referred. The House went into committee of the whole on the bill to provide, for the de fence of certain ports, See. and, after some time spent in the business, the bill was reported with amendments and pafled to a third reading. A bill came down fra&tlie Senate pro viding for building 3, light-house on Cape- Hatteras, and one near Occacock Island ; twice read in the House. A bill was reported, providing for building a light-House on Seguin in the Diet rift of Maine—twice read. These two bills were incorporated to form one. The amendments of the committee of the whole to the bill providing for the ex pense attending foreign intercourse were agreed to, and the bill pasTed to a third reading. Adjourned. Wedrlefday, March 12 The bill providing for the defence of certain ports and harbors was read the third time and passed. The bill making appropriations for the fopport of the military eftabliihment of the United States for the year 1794. was brought in engrofled—in filling up the blanks, the estimate of expences which will attend the fortifying certain ports and harbors was incorporated— the bill was then pafTed. The foreign intercoarfe bill was also palled this day. Mr. Sedgwick, after some prefatory remarks, read agreeable to notice on Mon day lad the following resolutions : Resolved, That there be raised, armed and equipped, fifteen regiments of auxi liary troops, toconfiftof iooo men rank and file each, with the proper officer*. Resolved, Fhat the commiflioned *flp cers thereof be appointed as other officers of the United States, and that the non commissioned officers and privates be in lifted for the term of two years ; and with this condition, that if war should break out within that time, between the United States and any foreign European power, they (hall be bound to serve for the term of three years, after the commencement of the war, if the fame (hall so long con tinue. Resolved, That in the cafe of such war, the officers of the said regiments shall be entitled to the like pay and sub sistence, and to equal rank and command with the officers of the present military eflablifhment of the United States ; but except in such cafe (hall be entitled to pay, only for the time they (hall actually attend on the days of training and excrcife here after mentioned. Resolved, That each non-commiflioned officer and private (hall, by virtue of his lnlittment, be entitled to a bounty, con filling of a suit of clothes per annum, of the value of twelve dollars, and (hall also be entitled to a compensation of half a dollar per, day, for each day he (hall as semble for the purpose of training or exercising ; which except in cafe of war, with some foreign European power, (hall not exeei d twenty-four days in one year ; & in th-t cafe each noncommissioned offi cer & private (hall be entitled to the fame pay and rations, and (hall be fubjeft to the fame rules ami regulations, as the o ther troops of the United States. Resolved, That the said regiments (hall be furmihed witharms and accoutrements at the expense of the United States to be returned at the expiration of their ferm of services Resolved, That revenues by taxes br duties, competent to the purpose of de fraying the expense of raising and paying the said troops, be provided. Resolved, That within two years and Gx months after the time, which (hall be prescribed by law, for beginning to enKtt the, said troops, if no war (hall in the mean time break out with any foreign European power, the regiments aforefaid (tfallbe abolilhed andceafei Resolved, That the President of the United States be authorised, if in hia judgment the fafety or welfare of the United States (hall require it, to lay an embargo generally or particularly, upon (hips in the ports or harbors of the Unit ed States,, fpr a term, not exceeding at any one time, forty days, and also to pro hibit for a like term, generally or particu larly, the exportation of commodities from the United States, and such embar go or prohibition to continue from time t6 time, until the expiration of fourteen days after the commencement of the fat (ion of Congress next ensuing the present. These resolutions were read- twice and committed, and ordered to be printed for the use of the members. A (ketch of the remarks which accom panied the above resolutions (hall be givetf to-morrow. A mefiage was received from the Pre sident of the United States, communicat ing sundry representations from the offi cers of the Spanish Legation—these were read with closed galleries. Foreign Intelligence. LEGHORN, Nov. 27. Yesterday we witnessed one of the mod dreadful catastrophes. Le Scipion, a French fliip "(If 74 guns, carrying 600 men whicß was lying at anchor in this port withthe Britifli lquadron un der the command of Admiral Cofby, be came a prey to the flames. At three o clock in the afternoon, large columns of black imoke, riling from all parts of the (hip, were the fore r unners of the flames, which began to break forth a few mo ments after. The crew, who were almolt all on board of her,& had not the fmalieft luipicion of any accident, finding they could not withstand the rage of the fire mostly flung themselves thro' the flames into the sea, every one driving to es cape with his life. Mean while a great number of the jolly-boats belonging to the Bntilh, Swedilh, and Neapolitan men < war, picked up many of the unfortun lufferers, and a great number of dead 1 - dies were afterwards taken up, fuffocatei or.drowned. The reft, being invalids, or Ivifhinir to ratingmlh the flames, which Wan to spread in every part, fell victims. About 4 o'clock, all -the and malts were seen on fire ; the port-holes of the cannon resembled ft, maty furnaces if. fmng a fiery lava. The guns, loaded ei ther with grape (hot or balk, we „t olf, and threatened to set fire to the reft of the ihipping. Rear-Admiral Colby, finding the squa dron of his Britannic Majesty too near the French (hip, and exposed' to the moil imminent danger immediately failed from the harbour. Shortly after, the French Ihip bore away from her anchors all on hre ; fortunately a strong gale from the kind, had preferred the (hipping i„ the harbor from definition,while Le Scipion pal Ted along, and that prevented great misfortunes. About eight o'clock in the evening. -Le ocipton was four Italian miles from" the port, when the great explosion took place in the store-room, containing 300 barrels of gun-powder. The column of fire, rose to the height of near 300 fa thoms ; a large smoke ensued, which ap peared interfered with flames, and du ring several minutes the whole horizon leemed to be on fire. The explosion was so great, that it rr lembled the effect of the mod dreadful (hock of an earthquake, and an immense number of window panes in this city burst. After the explosion of the flore room, the water rushed into the body of the hulk, which began to fink. About two o'clock in the morning no further fignt of fire appeared on the fur race of the sea. t ' >e morr| ing, a piece of the ship wis 14,11 fecn out of the water, full of coali, and covered with b«dies.