To be Sold by AuftloA> At die Coffee Houfs «n TliUiHay E«niiig, June 15th, it S clock, the following Lots of ground, situate on Sixth Street, eppofite to the State House Garden 1 viz. fcox I. Beginning at the South Eafl cotntr of George and Sixth Streets, 11 feet wide and 13 deep. *, adjoining lot t, 10 ff et wile, 136 deep. 3, adjoining lot », 19 feet wide,'l3ofeet de'p. 4, adjoining lot 3, 19.feet wide, 130 feet oecp. 3, adj-iningfhj fuuth fide of the IcganiaD library, *3 feet wide, 130 feet deep, Tin ft lots are bounded on thewcflward !>y the 30 feet alley that runs from George to Walnut ilteet, of which alley they have the privilege • Conditions of sale, one fciitth calh, the remain der In approved octcs at a 4. and 6 months, with interaft. Footman fc Co. Au£tr». Juhe »j. ... The Commilfioners carrying into effect thd filth article of, the ; treaty of amity,commerce and navigation, etui- 1 eluded between his Britannic majesty and rheU r. ited j Stata of en the 19th day of November, | 1794, having this day cotiftituted their Eoard, ' fiurfuant and agreeably to the said treaty, do here by give notice, that they are ready to proceed to bufineft accordingly ; and they delira that all claims under the said article (whichTo far astlie fa ue de fuses the Gife* thpr.eby provided for, is hereunto EiinexeS) may be tslftj&d with their Secretary witli our delay. They further desire that all ftioli claims may not only state in what manner the several cases come w)thin the description of the said ,-rticle, but also' Specially set forth .he nature of the evidence by which the claimants rSfpeAivcly undertake to full ftaritiaJc the fame. ExtraA from the said article, " Whereas it is alledgcd by divers Britilh mer « chants, and others his majeftv'a fubjefis, that " debts to a confid rablo amount, which Were bona « fide COB traded, .before the peace, still r.jaain owing to them by or inhabitants of the " United States 3 and that by the operation of va " rions fawful impedinvnts, since the peace, nqt " only the still recovery of the said debts ha-, been " delayed, but also the value and fecurrty thereof "•« have been in several instances 'impaired and less " ened, so that by the ordinary, course of judicial ' " proceedings, the Britifll creditors cannot now " obtain and actually have and receive full and *' ade<jua*e compensation for the lolT 'sanrf dama " ges which tney have thereby ful ained: It is a " greed that in all such cases where full comffenfa- j .« tidn for such losses and damages cannot for what- j " ever jqafon be a£tu ily obtained, had and recei-; " ved by the said. creditors in the ordinary couif.i j of justice, the United States will make full and ".complete compensation for the fame to the said «' creditors: but it is diftin&ly understood, that '• this proviflon is to extend to such losses only as " have' been occasioned by the lawful impediments " afore laid, and is not to extend to losses occasion " ed by such infolvcncy of the debtors or other " causes, as would equally have operated to pro " duce such loss, if the said impediments had not " existed ; nor to such losses or damages as have " been occasioned by the manileft delay, ornegli- or wilful ornifiion of the claimant.'* By order of the Board, GRIFFITH EVANS, Secretary. Philadelphia, CotnmifScficrs' Office, No. 3 south Sixth-street, May 29, 1797. J 6—Jim having been appointed by .L the Envoy Extraordinary and Miniiler Pleni potentiary of his Britannic Majefly, General Agent (or adding Brilifh creditors, and such particular a gei.is as they may specially authorize, in prqfecming their cUims before the csromiffiobers for carrying in to effrft tic (jxlh. article of the fr/ty if Amity; Com mcru ani Navigation ietviun his Britannic itajtfy and If, 1 United States of America, hereby gives nonce that tv has opened his offi e at his house the-fouth fall cormr us Chcfnut and fiith ft'eets, Philadelphia, <Aihtre he is ready to receive all claims or inftiuftions for daima with the vouchers aud documents thcreol, for the purpole of bringing forward the fame agrec ablv so the rules and orders -which-the board may think proper to prelcribe. And as it will be for the interest of all concerned, ■ hat the several claims be so Gated, and fupport cd, as to ptsvent the delay which would arile ftom the oec;ffuy of obtaining further inlormation, or ad ditional materials,ftom periods rcfiding at a dil'.ance, the general agent thinks it his duty to add, (for the direftion chiefly of thofc, who, not having rtrploy ed particular agents, may leave the profecuuon of their claims to his charge and management) that all such claims ought in particular to set forth ill. The proper defcrip.ion and fitnation of the creditor or claimant, «nd original debtor, refpecl ad. The date or nature of the original contract or debt. 3d. Whep, in what manner, and to what extent, the creditor or claimant wis prevented or impeded, by the prqv'lion, operation or deleft of law, the decisions and prsftice of courts, or rellraint of «xe cution, Wu recovering payment of the dibt in The loss and damage incurred or fuflained, io confequsncs of such impediments, whether the fame may have arisen from the infolveney, change of fnuatioc, or death of the debtor, the loss of legal remedy from laple of time, or other causes impairing the value and fecurityof the debt, wfcich would not Have so operated if such impedimenta nad not existed. And sth The grounds and reasons on which the claimant ro.rifr.ains, in the terms of the treaty, that " by the ordinary course of judicial pro io'gs, the creditor cannot now obtain and aftually have and receive full and adequate compensation" lor the losses and damages so fultaiued. % , The general 'gent thinks it his duty further to lug geft that the several chims ought to be accompanied and supported by the affidavits of the claimant! duly fwom and regularly attefled, both as to the exdleuce •f the debts claimed, and such other ci-rcumftances a»m«y be within their own knowledge refpethvely. And wherever the claimants in Hating the nature 0! their evidence (which mull in every instance be the belt of which the cafe ia capable) have occasion to refer to the testimony of wuneffes, it wHI be Proper to apprise the general agent of the names and places of refidenee of such witnetfesand the fatlsto be elka tyifhed by their teSiinwy. Wm. Moore Smith. Philadelphia, June 8 h, 1797. d'o l A Cow Stolen FROM the owner at the comer of Ninth and Arch streets. She is a deep red fcrindle with fonie white, about ten years old and very gentle. The person who fe crctes her had befl. turn her 01*, as, if legal evidence can be obtained, he may expeft a rigorousprofecution. TWO DOLLARS reward will be given to any person who will deliver the Cow, or give such ivitleocc a gzinil the person keeping ber, that he may be convifted of the fadl. Apply at No. 218, Akch Stmest. June 9. tawjw Imported in the Jhip Pigou, And for <ale by John Morton, N®. 116, South Front ftrect, Hyson -~) ' Hylon Skin ( rEAS 0 1 ourvg 1-rylon t Imperial J April 20. - *® t,C '■ | 'CONG 'R E S S.' 1 HOUSE or REPBTESENTATIVES, r May 31. Delate oh Adorefs-, reported, in anfister to the Pre/idcnt's Speech. Mr. Dayton, (the Speaker) CaiJ that the tedious length of debate and unprofitable ' waste of time which the ftrft amendment oc casioned, had determined him to submit his t proposition to the Committee and without troubling them with any comments to leave - it to it's fate. The criticism which it had 1 provoked from the gentleman from South Carolina would have juftifted him in depart ing from that determination, even if there had been no other inducement, but as sever al gentlemen had defired'a modification of , his motion, he rose more Immediately gra- J tify.them, as he found he could do it with -1 ; out affefting the principle. / _ . I . Mr. Dayton here particularly pointed ' out the alteration which he consented to j make in his amendment; -which being ac , cordingly made and read by the Chairman, Mr. Dayton said that he trufled that all u parts of the house were imprefled with the "' importance of their being unifetT at la time t . and upon an occasion so critical, when the e eyes of a corifiderable part of Lurope were 3 turned upon them, and when they had been y informed that their AddrefTes to the Prefi " 1 dent, far from pafling unnoticed, had pro bably already influenced the conduftof some - of the European powers towards the United t States. 3 With this information before them,' he ho -1 ped that gentlemen would not obstinately I persist in maintaining their ground without it yielding in the least to each other, and in a refilling all advances towards accommodati- ; f on, especially when it appeared that their , difference was confined to words, or at mofl, „ to forms, and that in substance they were J almost all agreed. From all parts of the - committee a difppfition had been avowed to ~ place France on grounds as favourable as o " i ther countries, and not awithhad been uttered |]! to the contrary even by t!ie member from S. ! Carolina until yesterday. Believing himfelf J that the United States were thus favorably d disposed towards that Republic, and very lt much preferred an honorableaccommodation , to an unprofitable warfare with them, he had 1- thought it his duty to offer an amendment | :r avowing such principles. He had before . said and now repeated, that he was desirous of maintaining peace, so long as it could i. be effefted without the loss of independence, or national dishonor. He trusted that he should hot be charged with a want of zeal in the cause, ifhe did not particularly an swer the arguments and follow the footfteps of those gentlemen who had taken it npon themselves to arraign France like a culprit . it their Bar, and to compel the committee ,y to fit; as it were, in judgment upon the 1- condutft, the motives and the designs of that » Republic,.not in relation to the United States whofe'interefts alone were confided to t. the care of their Rcprefentatives, but in ref > psft to the nations of Europe," who - had 'd 1)f-n leagued for her deftru£tion, and witll " whose internal regulations and political con \ rtexir.ris that Itoufe-had nothing to do. If 18 truth had permitted, decency, Mr. D, said, I' fhouldhave forbidden the members to address iy the nations of Europe, &to fay to one nation, you are enjlaved ; to another, you are oppref '> fed, and to a third, you are deceived, and your monarch held in leading firings by the I- French Repvifclic under the femb lance of c > Friendship. Policy and decorum should e 'e qually have restrained gentlemen from such if reflections at a time when Representatives II from those very nations were received and accredited as the Ministers of Nations, fov £ ereign and independent as ourselves, and per mitted not only to re'fide in our Metropolis, ! J r but to fit within their walls and listen to their debates. If they were discussing the means j) of maintaining the balance of Europe, and ie were deliberating into* which scale theUni e" ted States would throw themselves as make 10 weights, then indeed such obfervatious might d, be more pertinent and juftifiable, but as the le question really was, by what means the peace of this country'jhould be honorably preferred, ,g he could not fee the propriety Of such rea nt foiling. Mr. Dayton hoped he should not be accufod of want of spirit, if he did not assume the high tone of menace which some 0. gentlemen had done, if he did not talk of !y war, as a mere matter of paflime, or of con or quering whole provinces, as if they had only to walk over and make them their own, or -d of buckling on the armour of hostility, and 'y of dying in the lajl ditch. He had conceived cc that this country might exhibit becoming y firmnefs, w-itho'ut rushing into intemperance of and that they might shew a proper spirit of llc resentment without exhibiting the rage of a ' e ° madman. Fortunately for them, it was not ; es necessary that they should crouch as fuppli ta- ants at the feet-of a mailer and hold out a carte blanche, to have" inferibed on it the terms of their fubmiflion and peace, nor' on the other hand to assume the poftu're of Gla diators and found the trumpet of defiance. He neverrhelefs felt the full fotce of thein th dignity which had been offered us in the re e(j Jecrion of our miniiler, and he owiied that rB he could not calmly hear the French Re -e public addrefling the United States in terms a l the mofl imperious and fayirig' " this law 1 a you mull thrfe decisions you mull refcind, those engagements you mufl-annul jjj before we can have further communion or a _ intcrcourfe with you." Such language was unwarrantable and iufulting. But a desire, still if possible to conciliate, rather than to make war,-and afenfeof gratitude, not yet extinguished in his bread, induced him to moderate ht£ indignation, although it did not prevent his refilling such improper at tempts to interfere in the Government.— l '' The recolltfftion of what France had been to us, in times the most critical, would in cline him still to address her and to (ay,— "You Frenchmen were our JirJl, yon have been our bejl Ally. You alone came for wards to our alßflance, at a time when that country wlio called herfelf our motlier, .and ; whom we had been pioud to acknowledge as fuchj) not only threw us from her protec tion bt>t endeavoured to reduce Us to uncon ditional fubmiffipn. When every other na tion fled from our alliance, and all other peo ple avoided any intCrcourfe, treatihg us ra ther as rebels than as men struggling for Our just rights, then you, people of France, or (jf gentlemen prefer it) your monarch,- — strong in your flrength, rich in your wealth, supported by your will, nobly held out a helping hand for our protection, and ac knowledged and granted our Indepfndeace. Then wasfigned that compact which uni ted your fate and interests with ours. But if owing to change of circtimftances, that treaty operates now to your injury, we will no longer hold yon to its observance. That which you generously gry.ted in 1778 as a pledge of friendfhip, we as liberally restore to you in 1797, when it is your opinion unequal, and has become a source of dif-" quet to you. We agree that it should be cancelled. Our laws made for the preserva tion of our neutrality and peace we. cannot repeal, the deciiions of our courts we cannot rescind, oUr engagements with foreign pow ers we cannot violate, but vve freely consent to cancel that compaft fublifting between us, which prevents your participating in the favors granted to Great-Britain in the treaty of 1794. This obflacle removed,'the three articles of Mr. Jay's treaty, viz. that of neu tral ships not protecting enemy's property, that regulating what ftiall be contraband, and the provision article can be extended to you."—This, Mr. Dayton said, was the lapguage which he conceived to be most pro per and dignified on the present occafiori. He, however, refilled the conftru&ion which had been put Upon the second article of the treaty of 1778, and had been the pretext for passing the decree of the 2d of March, and by no means admitted that France could- claim, those favors as a right. Altho' he could never consent to repeal the aft of Congress of 1794, nor to violate in the le'aft our engagements and treaties with other na • f _• tions at the requisition of France, or any' foreign power, becanfc the independence, the honor and good faith of the U. States forbade it ; yet he should rejoice to learn that our government would think proper to offer at the very commencement of the ne gociation to annul the French treaty, in ! which their miniiter fays they find only dif ; advantages. This he believed would be found to he the truefl policy also in refpeft to all other nations whose treaties with us ' should, from change of circumstances, cease to be equal and reciprocal. They would otherwise be the sources of hostility rather than of friendship and good neighbourhood. The amendment which he offered to the committee of the whole had expressed a hope to that effeft, that the d'ifpofition" ( which was not. questioned) in our government to ' place France on grounds as favorable other gountrifs, joined to. a mutual spirit of conciliation, vould prbdnce an accommoda tion compatible with.otir engagements, rights, honor and intCreib. If he had believed that such a difpofitioo (lid not exist in this coun try, or that the e*prefiion of a hope that it would elfe£t an accommodation, could ,be fairly tonftrued into an improper interfer ence with this executive authority, he should have been among the last" to advocate a mo tion of such tendency, but\as on the contrary it contained in it nothing dictatorial or im perative, and as the speech of the President invited them to give an opinion relatively to the contemplated' negociation, he was per suaded that it was not liable to any conftitu- I tional objeCtitm, and that it might have a conciliatory effeCt". After making these general remarks, Mr. Dayton said it might be proper to take some notice of the objec tions of the gentleman from S. Carolina (Mr. Smith) which were at confli& with each other. He said " France -would be offended at the propofalif that were true, then agreeable to the doCtrine of his colleague (Mr. Harper) it w;ould inspire them with respect, for us: but he added also that France would ;" laugh at the propofalthis was indicative of contempt, and Mr. D. did not fee how they could look upon it with such opposite sensations at the fame time. The fame gentleman went on to fay that to place France on grounds as favorable as other countries would be to put her on a worse footing than she then flood, and yet in almost the a?xt breath he declared, that the reprefentaftves would betray the interdls of their conflituents if thsy did not demand. from that republic' some compensation in re turn for granting them such favors. These were inconfiftfcncies which the gentleman mufl reconcile' hefore. he could be entitled to a more particular answer. Mr. Dayton then took notice of what had been urged againfl his arnendment, as improperly dicta ting to the Executive, and as a violation of the conflitutiqn, and fliewed that it was nei ther the one nor the other. He concluded with faying that .such a sentiment mijAt have an influence in preparing the way for the favorabk reception of their negociators, and prove the,harbinger of peace between the two countries. THURSDAY, JTfNE tl f Concluded fropi jeJltrdafi Gazette ) Mr, Otis /lid not think that the objeft of the mover of thisamendment would be ob ' tained by it, fjnee he believed vessels woufd be as'much exjjofed todanger within aswith out the jurifdiftion of the United States. Hetrufled they should leave this business' to the President ; for whatever personal ob jections gentlemen might have to him (be cause he was not the man of their choice) he believed the people at large would be willing he should have this power. Indeed he tho't whatever it might display of candour in gen tleman to fay they had no confidence in the firfl officer of Government, it had very little of discretion in it. It was to deflroy one of the objefts of the fefiion, which was to (lie w to the world that we were not a divided p.op!e. Mr. O. did hot fay that Congref* had not a right to defiijnate the ot>je& of tins iorce , but he believed it would not be convenient ; for, said he, suppose either of the Barbary States were to declare war against us (and they all knew there was no certain reliance upon their observance of treaties) fhouid not the President have a right to fend those vessels into the Mediterranean ? Or suppose we wanted to fend an AnibaUador to a for eign country, or dispatches to our Minitler reliding there, shall we, said he, limit his power in this respeCt ? He denied that the House had expressed art opinion favorable to a limitation of the employment df the frigates, by theit decisi on upon the fubjeft of the gallies : The equipment of the gallies was an extraordi nary measure, intended for temporary exi gencies.,-and as it was a new force placed in the hands of the Executive, it might be propel* to avow its deflinatiot), and thus avoid the appearance of hoflile intentions, But the frigates were'-an ordinary peace es tablishment, provided long before our oon troverfies with the French ; a law had pas sed the lafl feftion for completingtheir equip ment, in which no mention was made of t!»; mode of employing them ; I n making pro vision for manning and fending them to sea, we exercised a right in the regular course of legiflatioh, for which-we were not accounta ble ; and if the amendment prevailed, he thought three wooden towers would be quite as ufeful as confidence. It seemed to be the objeft of gentlemen, Mr. O. said, to hang a dead weight upon every measure, to prevent any thing effec tual from being done, that an idea might go abroad that the President had ealled them together unnecessarily. If gentlemen could succeed in this, .the people might adopt their opinion, and believfe the President was unworthy of their good opinion. He thought when all the world was in arms, and we did not know how soon we might involved in the calamity, it behov ed us to be upon our guard, and to give the President such powers, as should enable him to take proper measures of defence againfl any attack that might be made upon us. Mr. Macon thought every thing which had been introduced about confidence, or the want of it, in the President, was ex tremely irrevelant and improper. For gen tlemen to charge others with a want of con fidence in the President, because they hap pened to disagree in opinion, was extraordi nary conduft. His reason for proposing the present amendment, was to prevent these vessels from being sent to the Mediterranean or the Weft Indie*. He read an extraft from the law in 1794, to shew that the ob jeft of the frigates was there designated to be against the Algerines. Hi 6 objeft wa3 now that they should be employed on the coast, and no where else. If a provHien of this kind was not agreed to, they knew, from his speech, upon what business the President would employ them. He had gi ven his opinion to the House with candour, and he wished the House to be equally ex plicit. Nr. GAttATiu observed it seemed to be the opinion of the gentleman from Massa chusetts, tbdt if they defined the objeft up on which these vessels were to be employed, they should be chargeable with difrefpeft to the President. We have, or we have not a right, said Mr. G. to define the objeft.— if we have not the right, we ought not to exercise it ; but if we have the right, there could be no difrefpeft fhe>yn to the Ptefi derit by an exercise of *hat right. It might, be improper, but could not be difrefpeftful. If once such an argument as this were ad mitted, it would be introduced on every oc cafiori vyhen it would have weight. Indeed the gentleman saw that such an assertion was likely to have its weight on this queflton, and therefore introduced it. He wished to know whether the clause from the Senate ' did not define the .objeft ; and if so, whe ther that body could be charged with want ing refpeft for the President i objeft of the frigates had never been defined, for a good reason ; because they were never ordered to be manned till now. The gentleman from S. Carolina had said they were not to be used for any hoi tile purposes whatever. He wished to know how they were then to be employed ? He thought they would be somewhat expensive packet beats to carry dispatches abroad. He knew only of two purposes for which they could be used, viz. to be held in readiness in cafe of war, and in the mean time to be employed in some purpose, or other, which he thought should be defined, and not left in doubt. He therefore hoped the amendment would be agreed to. Mr. Dana said, admitting that they had a rjght to define the objeft of this arma ment, it was no reason why they should irt fift upon exercising it. He agreed that " they had the right. He had no ob . jeftion to leaving.the.business to the Presi dent, except that, if the vessels were em ployed in convoying our commerce, he ■ should have wished to have shared the res ponsibility With him. He denied.that the , danger which had been predicted could arise from the disputed. articles in thc_ French treaty, as the President had a riglit to give such inftru'Ctions to the commanders on that fubjeft, as he saw proper. Mr. W. Smith thought the propofitipn ■ vague, fincp it did- not fay the vessels should 1 -not be ufe'd in any other way. Gentlemen - were begging the question, when they said, • that if the business were left with the Pre > (Ident, the consequenCe would be thai the ■ vessels would be employed as a convoy , iinee he did not believe they were equal to that ' objeft. It was liis wifli that the hands of ; the Prefideiit should not be tied, and tho't : it extremely imprudent at the present time • to discover a want of confidence in the Ex ' ccutivei Mr. Kitter A had often seen that House attempt to take powers which did not be ' long to it. He thought this one of those I cases. had power to raise an army navy, but the use of them lay frith the t President.' Mr. S. Smith said they had beencalled together, beeaufe the French had commit ted depredations on our commerce, and re fufed to-receive our Minifler. He took no tice of the different a£ls which they had pafl"ed this session, till, he came to this,— which, .in his opinion, if our veflels went out to lea, woUkd iead to war, and therefore he wiHied to Invs them limited- . Wbeivour Comijl Hi ixiraairive In France, said Mr. S the Fren li Diteftory will aflc: For urtat etc you aiming ? Y«ur Congref* li<i» b?en - tailed together for the express j/iitppfe ef taking rneifutts againll us," They .-would add, " Bifa-' m, or we will not Meat.-A.iih yo«." He tfnlted tl.ry'diould nut put it in ihe Power of any b*%«ch of govem majt tp plupge us in wa». It had been said Ky the-gentleman from S. Gaiulin'a.-tlvt we were to force our way into the rebel ports jn the Well-Indies ; if so wai mull.be thp con-' 1 iequence. Mr. Broqkes was surprized to hear a gen ; tleifeari declaie that we were bru't to, ftich a filuat ion that, we could not-taks up v arms itt our own defence; without offending a foieiprt nation. He was the more affefted- at tli* declaration, beciufe it-came fiomao A merit a W Soldier. "M. the gentlemen' will fay to the commifftoners, 'Go home and -lay down your arms.and vye will then treat with vou." He hoped the gentleman would retradt this humilia'i-'ig fetitirrxnt. The.question was pnt negatived to 44, The committee then role 1 and had leave to fit again. Adjourned The bill fer raifinga Provisional Army had been rcjefled in the Senate, by a ma jority of three votes. Frid-ay, June 23. A message from the Senate informed the House, that they had passed a bill making a detachment of the militia of the United States ; and also a bill preventing the regis tering of-.veffels taken by any foreign and afterwards purchased into the United States, except to the original owner, with amendments. The amendments were taken up and agreed to. 1 The House again went into a committee of the whole, on the bill providing for the prote&ion of the trjtdeof the United State, when " Mr. V"EN able renewed his motion to al ter the lixth. fe£tion of the bill, so as to fix the wages to be allowed to the petty officers, midlhipmen, seamen, ordinary seamen, and marines, instead of leaving it to the Presi dent to fix them, on the ground of its be ing legislative and not executive business. This motion was opposed, from the cir cumstances of wages being so fluftuating as to make it impoiTible to fay now what would be a proper rate of wages to be 'given when the veflels were ready to receive <their men ; and as the fufn was not to exceed fif teen thousand dollars per month, rio mif chief could arise from leaving the business with the executive. -»* Thfi question was put and negatived,. 48 t0 37* , ' ' Mr. P-ARK-Eii moved to add two new fec tipns to the bill ; the firft was " to autho rize. the President of the United if be deem it necessary, to enoreafe the strength of the revenue cutters, fp as that the num ber of men do not exceed to each in order to defend4he sea-coast, and to repel any hostile veflels, and to ptoteS the com merce of the United States within the ju rifdiftion thereof, having due regard to their duty in the protettioiyjf the revenue." The second feci ion provided, " That the •additional compensation allowed to the men employed in the revenue cutters, by an Aft of May 6, 1796, should be extended to the additional men proposed to be employed." Mr. Nicholas wilhed, instead of the words " if he deem it neceflary," in the firft clause, to introduce those used 011 a for mer occasion, when the gallies were under consideration, aiz. " if c'ircurr.jlances Jhfill hereafter arise, which, in his opinion, Jhall render it expedient." Mr. W. Smith saw, no difference be twixt the two phrases, except that the one prOposed was not so well expressed as the priginal. He wilhed the gentleman to fay in what the difference confilted. Mr. Nicholas said, that by the words a» they now flood, they referred to the Presi dent what it was their duty to determine for themselves. He wilhed to have an eye to any future occasion which might arise ; but if the clause passed as it now appeared, the President might immediately go into the bu siness: Mr. Parker consented to adopt the words of Mr. Nicholas. Mr. S. Smith and Mr. Parker intro duced two or three fmafl amendments,which related to the number of lieutenants, fer jeants, corporals, £cc. to be employed, which were agreed to. The bill having been gone through, ftft. R. Williams proposed ta amend the firft feftion of the bill, "by adding, after empoweringthe President, ftiould he deem it expedient, to cause tee frigates to be man ned and employed, " provided they Jhall not be empioyed as convoys." Mr. Giles hoped this amendment would be agreed to. He wilhed to define the ob ject for which these veflels Ihould be employ ed, that there might be n.o mifundprftmiding on the fubjeit. ' Mr. G: infilled tliat the French nation had a rig'it to enq *ire of our tommiffioncrs for 'what we were arming ? And if this amendment Were agreed to, it would be a fufficient answer. Mr. W. Smith fiid, if were agreed to it mjcht go farther than it was meant to go. frigates might not be able to protest the trade of the. United States «t {ill. He did not suppose they would be employed in convoying our veflels to the Weft-Indjes, ; but if this provision passed, it would not be pofljble for them to* protest our trade from the cape aof tha De laware to the capes of Virginia. Mr. S. differed in opinion from the gen tleman lad up that the French nation had a right to take umbrage at our arming. When
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