Jir commerce between her fubje&s, and our citizens, to a blustering bullying con- , duit—to a vain paiade of military prepa rations, which may furni<h forne nations with matter for ridicule, and the enemies of our growing itrength with a hint of an easy and effectual method of involving us in ruinous expenctiv. Sir, if a declaration of war had been made fcy Britain, or by Congress, then the arguments used by forne gentlemen againlt the resolutions would have weight with me—but as those gentlemen, from what, till within a few days, had fallen from them, appeared as averse to war as 1 am, I cannot believe that they will agree to a jdeclaration of war; and without luch a declaration, 1 fee no reason to be diverted from an attempt to regulate our commerce, and in that man ner, especially, Sir, which it was the wi(h of our fellow-citizens it Ihould be regulat ed ; a wi(h, to which I think we owe the produdiion of the Federal Government, and the exiftenceofthis House. Mr. Lyman spoke nearly as follows The difcuflion of this question hath al ready engrossed much time. It hath been postponed. I was in favor of a postpone ment because, Sir, I then thought, I now think the house were not in pofleffion of all the information and premises neceflary to guid; their determination on all the re solutions proposed. It was then said, Sir, that although we had aggravated com plaints against Great Britain, (he could not be so infatuated as not to render justice; that those injuries were in atrain of nego ciation and that it would be ralhnefs and foily to interrupt them. I confefs, Sir, that this reasoning had its weight with me ; but the cafe now aiTumes a different face. Is there any gentleman that still doubts of the hostile and mad intentions of that nation. Their aggressions have en creafed: they meditate still more, and have denied us in an unequivocal manner any compensation ; they have added insult to injury. Ido not fay these things with a view to fire the public mind to resent ment—that is alraady done to such a de gree as to want the rather to be allayed and given a proper direction. But it has been said, Sir, that instead of that firm front of defence which the danger of our situation requires, these resolutions are important and trifling—mere pap. I can not think, Sir, this language is any com pliment to the understandings of either the community, or this house, or even the gentlemen themselves, who so zealonf ly oppose them. If they are infignifi carrt as the gentlemen declare them they ought wholly to be difreyarded. No, Sir, they are got infignificant; they present us with a.part at lcall; of a just and temperate defence against a nation that with unac countable enmity plunders and insults us. If they are infignificant, lam con tent to be undeceived, as not compre hending them. I do not intend at this time to go into a minute consideration of the general nature of the resolution ; that hath already been amply done, and I am convinced, and cannot be afraid to ha zard my opinion to the public, that it is founded in immutable natural principles, that will itand the tell of time. There cannot be a plainer explanation than reci procity of advantages in navigation and commerce. It is for our interest to countera&the commercial regulations of other nations by those of our own ; to repel their fa brics and manufactures from our country, and to replace them with our own. We have both the right and the power to do it. These are truths that have been al ways acknowledged in this country. Con viction of their importance was one among the causes which produced the present constitution. We have hitherto forborn the exercise of this right. Ido not pre ted to arraign the motives, 1 believe they were good, because, Sir, I recoiled that our commerce and navigation for some years until late hath been prosperous; al though owing perhaps less to permanent than adventitious causes ; to the fame cau ses pofllbly which now conspire to oppress and despoil it, and threaten a total difTo lution. Was this not the cafe, I could have been content, nay I would have pre ferred ftfll further forbearance; but the evils are alarming; something is unavoid ably neceflary to be dqne, and as no gen tleman propofea any substitute for the pre sent system contemplated, I find mylelf compelled to endeavour to make the bed of thi*, with a firm reliance and perfusi on that it wiH promote the peace and pros perity of our country ; for I do not think any thing we (hall do will have a tendency to raaVe Great Britain lefa hos tile or more friendly. •She has already convinced us, and eve ry one ra«ft be convinced, that we cannot expeil any tiling from her moderation and ju(lice*; and I hope we shall have nothing further to fear from her force. I hope, Sir, and I believe tins measure will attach and encreafe the number of our friend# and diminish and confoUmt our enemies ; for I can by no means iubferihe to the do&rine, that a national character is wholly abdraoiled from all sensation of be nevolence, gratitude, humanity,—virtues that so highly adorn iudiviitual characters. These, Sir, are my imprefiions ; the re sult of a cautious and even anxious inves tigation, in which I have endeavoured not to be transported by either pafiion or prejudice—but to obey the calm dictates of my understanding, with that inde pendence and fteidinefs which is indifpen- Cble. (To be continued.) January 30. (Mr. Madison's Speech concluded.) Mr. H's letter he observed, closed the correspondence on the fubjeit of commer cial arrangements, being justly considered by the executive as a final proof, that the pawers of Mr. H. were incompetent, and irrelative to the object ; and that it would be improper to open a foi-mal negociation with him, under them. His inftruftions might be a rule and a warrant to himfelf, but not being even exhibited, could be no evidence of his authority, to the executive. And his plenipotentiary commission in the ordinary form, could never be underttood as relating to the special objects he pro posed to discuss. According to the usage of nations, a special commission is, in such cases, always furnilhed and required. Mr. M. was persuaded, that no sovereign in Europe would listen for a moment to such a claim as that of Mr. H. and that the Britifli court would have been offended at such an one from an American minister. He thought therefore that the executive had equally consulted dignity aud pru dence, in silently dnoppiug thy fubjeft in the fame manner they did, until Mr. H. should receive and produce adequate pow ers in theaccuftomed form; as might rea sonably be expected, if his court was c(uly disposed to meet the United States, in an amicable arrangement of commerce, by treaty. That the con ft ruction put by Mr. H. on his powers, was inadmissible, appeared to Mr. M. to lefult from theconftru&ion itfelf. v Either thp general plenipotentiary commifiion was tp be taken in the techni cal and limited ferife in which it is appplied to the ordinary diplomatic objects of a stationary public minister ; or, in a literal sense, without regard to fueh limitation. In the former sense, it clearly does not ex tend to negociations for a treaty. In the latter sense it would extend to the concluji on of a treaty, and not merely to negotia tion, as Mr. H. explains and limits. Mr. M. adverted next to the state of the correspondence relating to the treaty of peace. It appeared, he observed, that as long ago as the 29th of May, 1792, the Secretary of State had addressed to Mr. Hammmond, a full explanation of our rights and demands, under that treaty —that on the 2d June, Mr. Hammond informed the Secretary, that he (hould transmit it without delay for the consider ation of his court; and accordingly did forward it in the course of a few days; that on the 13th Nov. 1792, previous to the present meeting of Congress, Mr. H. was desired by the Secretary, in pursuance of a charge from the President, to let him know whether an answer could yet be given to the letter of May 29, 1782; Mr. H. replied that it could not, ; but that he was confident the delay was to be as cribed to the continuance of the cause al luded to in a former answer to a similar re quell. The cause alluded to was the interetting po ft lire of things in Europe, which it was said, had diverted the attention of the British government to obje£ts of a more pressing nature ; and this consideration had been urged by several members, as an apology for the filerice observed towards the United Slates. Mr. Madifonthought very differently. The interval between the receipt of the letter written by the Secretary in May 1792 ; and the accelTi on of Great Britain to the war against France, had been fufficieut for the pur pose of preparing and fending the proper inftru&ions to Mr. H. Mr. M. added, that the profpe£t of being engaged in new controversies of a more serious kind in (lead <jf juftifying an inattention to an ex isting one, ought to have quickened the efforts for a previous settlement of the lat ter. This is the courfc dictated by pru dence, to nations as well as to individuals; and where a right disposition concurs, it is the natural course. It had beeii mentioned as a further rea son ajainll the commercial proportions, at this time, that they might draw upon us the resentments of the Combined pow ers. Mr. M. could fee no ground for such an apprehension. The Combined powers were pretty fully occupied with France ; they could have no pretext for conceining themselves with us, in a cafe where we did not concern ourselves with them ; and there was the less room for imagining that the combination could mifconllrue the measure into an offence against: them ; as two of the parties, Prus sia and the United Netherlands were in treaty with the United States, and are favored by the propofitioris. 7. It was finally contended that admit ing our situation to be such as had beea described, the mode proposed was an ob je&ionable one. Mr. M. said he had no predilections for the mode that could prevent his giving a ready preference to a better, if a bfctter should be offered. And unless it (honld be said, that the Legislature ought to ad journ without doing any thing for the public relief, he thought it incumbent on those who objected to one proposition to fuhftitute another that would be less ob je&ionable. By this he meant a propo sition not merely better in itfelf; but one that would probably be thought so, both within and without doots; and be more likely to coincide with the sentiments of erery part of the union, as well as to con ciliate a majority of voices in the public councils, The firft que!Kon,he said, was whether any thing ought to be done. If this be decided in the affirmative, as he presum ed to be the Wenfe of a majority of the committee—and if war was not in con templation as of course was taken for granted ; the next question could only lie between negotiation, and commercial re gulations. Negociation it had been (hewn was in no train, or profpeft, that could juftify reliance on it. Commercial regu lations alone remained. They would be pacific in their operation. They were the means belt suited to the temper of our constituents. And he fmcerely believed, that, If judiciously framed, they would be more likely to answer the reasonable pur poses of the community, than any others that could be proposed. Congress of the United States. IN SENATE, Friday, March 7th, 1794. On motion, Ordered, That Mr. Foster be the joint committee for enrolled bills on the part of vhe Senate, during the abfcnce of Mr. Vining. ' Ordered, That the Secretary notify the Hoyfe of Representatives thereof. The bill sent from the House of Re presentatives for concurrence, entitled, " an ast making appropriations for the support of government, for the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety four," was read the third time. Rifolved, That this bill pass as amend ed.— Ordered, That the Secretary desire the concurrence of the House of Rcprefen tativej. in the amendments to this bill. On motion, Resolved, That Mr. King, Mr. Lang don, and Mr. Strong, be a committee to join wit h such committee as the Houfa of Representatives may appoint on their part to confkler and report what business is ne ceflary to be done by Congress in the pre sent feflio.n, and what part of the bufi nef» now depending may be without great inconvenience, postponed until the next fefllon ; that the proceedings may be so regulated a» to close this fefllon by the firft Monday in April next. Ordefed, That the Secretary commti nicate this relolution to the House of Re presentatives and request the appointment of a joint committee on their part. A meflage from the House of Repre sentatives by Mr. Bgckley their Clerk : " Mr. President—The House of Re presentatives ha»e pafied a bill, entitled " an act to prohibit the canying on the Slave Trade from the United States to any foreign place or country," also a bill, entitled, " an ast limiting the time for presenting claims for destroyed certificates of certain defenptions," in which bills severally they desire the concurrence of the Senate."—And he withdrew. The Senate resumed the second read ing of the bill " in addition to the ast for the punishment of certain crimes against the United States," together with the a mendments reported by the committee, and after progress, the further coniidera tion thereof was postponed. Mr. Foster re[)orted from the commit tee for enrolled bills, that they had ex amined the bill, entitled " an acl for the remiflion of the duties arising on the ton nage of sundry French veflels which have taken refuge in the ports of the United States," and that it was dulv enrolled. A message from the House of Repre sentatives by Mr. Beckley their Clerk : " Mr. President—The Speaker of tlie House of Representatives having iigned an enrolled bill, I am directed to bring it to the Senate for the signature of the Vice-Prefident."—And he withdiew. The Vice-Prefident*figned the enrolled bill last reported to have been examined, and it was delivered to the committee to be laid before the Prefidentof the United for his approbation. Mr. Foster reported from the commit, tee on eniolled bills, that they this day laid the last mentioned enrolled bill before the President of the United States. The bill sent from the House of Repre sentatives for concurrence, entitled, "An ast to prohibit the carrying on the slave trade from the United States to any fo reign place or country"—was read the firft time. Ordered, That this bill pass to the se cond reading. The bill sent from the House of Re presentatives for concurrence, entitled, " An ast limiting the time for presenting claims for destroyed certificates of certain descriptions"—was read the full time. Ordered, That this bill pass to the se cond reading. The Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock on Monday morning. Monday, March 10. The Vice-Prelident laid before the Se nate a letter from his Excellency Jofiah Bartlctt, governor of the state of New- Hampshire, encloling the remonftrancc of the Legislature of that state, against the determination of the Circuit Court for the Diftrift of New-Hampshire, held at Exeter on the 24th day of O&ober 1793; which letter and papers referred to were read. On motion, Ordeied, That they be committed to Mr. Livermore, Mr. King, and Mr. Lang oon, to consider and report thereon to the Senate. The bill, sent from the House of Re presentatives for concurrence, entitled, " An ast to prohibit the carrying on the slave trade from the United States to any foreign place or country," was read the second time. Ordered, That the further considera tion thereof be the order of the day for Wednesday next. Agreeably to the order of the day the bill " to erect a light-house on the head land, and Cape of Hatteras ; and a light ed beacon on Occacock Island in the state of North-Carolina," was read the second time and amended. Ordeied, That this bill pass to the third reading. On motion, That the petition of Francis Mentges, presented the I2th of February last, be referred to a committee. It pafl"ed in the negative. A meflage from the House of Repre sentatives by Mr. Beckley their clerk: " Mr. President—The House of Re presentatives concur in the amendments of the Senate to the bill, entitled, "An ad making appropriations for the support of government for the year one thou&nd fc yen hundred artd ninety-four" " They also concur in the resolution of the Senate of the 7th inflant appointing a joint committee on their part. " The President of the United State* hath notifiedthe House of that he did on the 7th instant approve, and (ign the ast, entitled, " An ast for the remission of the dutie« arising on the; tonnage of sundry French veffeU wkich have taken refuge in the porti of tho U nited States— And he withdrew. The Senate resumed the feeond reading of the bill, " in addition to the ast for
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