B A L L. MR m'&.VK's firft Bail win b* Tip E vcnir!* rath December, at O'EUcr,' Ho tel, win n fsvcral new Country Dances for ti~.fi culuiai, feifon will be introduce .. compoftd, Jr,d aihptcd, by Mr. Byrne, far the smufement of t'l company in general. The Doors to bfi openeJ at fix, and the V»H torn::', nce'at seven. Gentlemen's Tcke s one dolr lar earh, ttffce h»d « —l,<diaV Tickets, I gratis, for the season, of Mr. and Mrs. byrne, No. 114, north Si*th ftrert. Pv 8. i he City Dancing AiTembly" Is unavoidably till the J4III iiA. & 1 - ti tor bale by the Subicriber, 13 bales Cofias *' t <0 flo. Baftas I: it do. Mamoody c 17 do. Chintz , 7 do. Toi.tery i- do. GoraTnr »j do. C 3 da. Check gripes t I do. Guzzle ( I box Diapers 7 do. Umbrellas if pip»s fined rarticuUr Madeira Wine, of the vintage 1795. MORDECAI LEWIS. ' December. t. "T- v 4'- v 1 Imported in the brig Eliza, 1 Copt. Hastlfrom Bourdtaux ; Cli ret in ' afes of a very fuperiar quality, ' Vhi'e Sauterfii- Wi ein Caf «, Olive Oil in bafbet* of I 2 bottles etch, J V bite and coloured Kid Glovts, rlo. dp. {-ill? do. A f.tv pij*s of Bourdeaux Brandy, Ecr' Sale by JAMES 1 ATIMFR, jnn 71, South Wharves. Who has also for Sale, A few qr. Caflcs Old Sherry Wine, nec. dzw JUST RECEIVED, (via New-York) And now opening, by ■George Dobson, No. 15, feuth Third flrcet, An extenlivc and general afforttnent of HABERDASHERY, viz. Bed London mixt Pins Galloons and Ferrets Common do. d». Worded Bindiiigt.affor- Mahen3je''fup«T,patent. ted colours white chapel Kkedles Imperial, dialer, and Nuns Thread no. 6 to Thread Tapes 40, regularly aflorted White Edgings Lisle do. no. 130 to SCO, Black •nd coloured Chi regularly alforted ntrfe Ribbands Coloured do. Sattin and figured do. Black fewitig Silks Black Velvet, 1-4 to 12 A Coloured do. and Twill Velvet & pelon Sattins Silk and cottcn W ires French Cambrick Do do. Ribbands ScoMi do. Shirt Mould* and Wires Plain gilt and plated Black brush Feathers Buttons And 3 complect aflortment of G»ods, suitable to the pr*lent ar.d approaching season, at reduced price* Dec. 6. dtf^ for sale. By JOHN MILLER, jun. Ctf Co. 'i No. 8, Chcfnut-ftreet, One hundred and eighty bales bengal goods, . Amoagft which ar.-, Gurrahs Mamoodies Ea'tas Sannas Gusi Oihs TaodaCoffaes Guzzies Emertics Blue Cloths Calicoes Pslampoon Romall Handkerchiefs "Amongli them are a great proportion of the manufactures of Patna. December I. § THE PARTNERSHIP OK Richard Sff James Potter, IS this day dilTolved, by mutual eo»fent. All persons indebted to the said firm, arc resetted to Fay the fame to either of the fubfetibers; and all persons having any demands against them, are reqjelled to fend their accounts sot settlement. Richard Potter, James Potter. December $ § Uriah Smith, No. JO, north Third street—has so* sals, A neat and general afforrment of Broad Cloths,Kerfeymeres,Napt and Drib Coatings. also, A variety of Gcntlemens' faftiionable fancy Waift coatifig, silk Hosiery, &c. December 5. *eod2\v A jiandfome and roomy bouse, with a quanli • ty of good land, wi'hin a few miles of this city. A Heufe in an eligible situation, and several I.ots in the cify. A valuable body of Land cn the river Ohio. Also, many tratfls of fine Lands (military rights) lying near the Ohio, on the Miami and Sioto Rivers . Titles are all dear, and will be made with un exceptionable security. A rsfident of thisoity is desirous of exchang ing this property for Goods—East or Wed Inaia wouldbe pee.erred. If the specie value of those Lands at a diltance, cannot be ascertained fatisfaflorily, they (ball be rated at such a price as the purchaser may have it at his option to return them at the fixed price with inttrefl, atths expiration of twelve months. Notice left with the Editor shall be attended to. December 6. * S PhiladelphiaandLancafter Turn pike Company. THEStockhcldersare hereby notified, th.-.t the anru.il Eleflion for O fficrrs for the erifuing year,will be held at the Company's Office inPhila d'lrhia, on the second Monday in January next, at ,o o'clock, A.M. Wm.OOVETT, Sec-ry. Decern! er 7. at? m&wt?J French Circulating Library. JOSEPH E. G. M. De La GRANGE, No. I If- Walnut-flxeet, INFORMS those who wi(h to recur to the only meass of becoming perfe<st in thcFjfcr.ch Lan »u?ge,that he ha- juS opened his.LißsAßv, con ' fiaijlg'of upwards of 1250 volumes, the bed cal > cuiated 10 afford either ufefuJ inftrucliorr, or plea sure. Ihe conditions, together with a catalogue ol the Library, may be seen at evexj book-feller's in town. N . b. All translations from and i:tfo tlje trench, Errli.Ti ar.d Spanish Languages, executea with ac- CBr*J and dispatch. eolm nav. IJ. Gcenteel Boarding & Lodging. A family may I rteeemmodated with a'Draw imrßoora, two Bedchamber!, ar.d fuitah.e acrrtrrmiodaiiion for f=rvai;ts~at 00. S3, north fourth" Art". Dip. f— its PHILADELPHIA, TS7E3DAY EVENING, 'DECEMBER 12. ■■■' 11 , ' -r-v- 0 CONGRESS; « HOUSE OF [\ ti TUFSDAY DECEMIIKR 12. o MefTrs. M'Do.iijall and Gillefpie, aptjsar- q ed 111 their placeis for the firll time this fef- f, .- 1 1 tion. t The/Speaker announced a communiea- 0 tion from the Treasury. department, vvhiqh c he delivered to the clerk to be read. It f; contained a report and estimate of the ap- ] propriations which will he neceflarv for the v service of the year 1798, and also an count of the receipts and expenditures for ; the year preceding the llt of Oftober, 1797. j Ordered to be printed and referred to the % committee of Ways and Means. I The Speak-jr also communicated a report from the Seci etary of the Treasury on the ? memorial of Robert Hazkhurft, and otlicrs, t merchants of Charlt'fton, (S. C.) complain ing of the operation of the aft direfting all | goods and wares imported from abroad, to , be wtfighed and gauged by an officer of the 1 custom-house, stating that this direftion in- , jurt-d the private property of individuals 1 who had heretofore had this privilege. The , Secretary recommended that no law ftionld 1 be p ffed on the fubjeft but that the matter in difputc between the custom house and in- j dividuals (hould be brought to a legal dcci fion. Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Harper, from the -committee of ways and means, reported that the committee had taken into conlideration the resolution of the house refpefting the {lamp aft, and had di refted him to report in part. The report flatei, that, as the Secretary of the Trea sury had found it impossible to provide the necefary machinery, dies, &c. for carrying the aft into effeft at the time proposed (the Ift of January next) he had omitted to give the notice which was direftcd to be giv en in each (late three months previous to its taking place ; that, finding it will not be fafe to fix the period at which the duty shall take place earlier than the ift of July next, thty recommend a law to be pasTed to that effeft. They mention, that some other al-" terations had been fnggefted as neceflary, but they thought it necefiary to leave these for future conlideration, as it would be prop er to pass this aft a3 soon as possible. The report was read a fccond time and referred to a committee of the whole for to-morrow. Mr. Shepard prifented the petition of A braham Whitney, a colleftor of revenue, praying for certain reimbursements. Re ferred to the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Macon, from the committee «f revi fal and unfinifhed business, reported the laws which will expire before the next meeting of Congrefs.—Referred ,to a committee of the whole. Mr. Venable, from the committee te whom was refew*dr lo whether any and what alterations were necefiary in the law refpefting silver coin, reported it as their opinion, that a law (hould be pafl*ed autho rising and requiring colleftors of revenue to receive foreign silver coin, other than Span i(h dollars and parts thereof, at the rtites at which they were received before the 15th day of Oftober lad, for two years, and from thence to the end of the next feffien of Congress ; and to suspend so much of the aft as relates to foreign gold coin, for the like time. On motion to agree to the report (as it was said to be in consonance with a circular letter which had been sent to the Ctolleftors from the Treasury department) it was mov ed to be postponed, by Mr. Sitgreaves, to Wednesday.—Agreed. Mr. Holmes . presented the petition of ; -Richard Schott, a soldier in the war, for compensation. Referred to the committee' • of claims. Mr. Sewall, from the committee to whom was referred that part of the speech of the President of United States, which related to the meafurts necefiary to be taken for the . proteftion of commerce and the defence of ' the country, stated that that committee had requested him to ask the fame leave for them to report by bill or otherwise, which had i been given to all the other committees ap pointed at the fame time. Mr. Nicholas thought the nature of this resolution fully juftified the deviation which ~ had been observed in the forming of the re solution appointing this committee. It ap •, peared to him better to have the fubjeft in E the form of a report, than a bill, in order that it might receive full discussion. Mr. Sewall said, it was not possible that 1. the committee conld bringforwardany thing upon which the house would not have full power to' aft, and if they were allowed' to report by bill, it would considerably lefien their labour, which was the principal objeft e of the motion. S Mr. Nicholas was not desirous of impof l" ing unnecefiary difficulty or trouble upon a ny committee ; but if the business was so important, it was an additional argument for - the house not only to eiamine the fubj'eft, but the details. It was the praftice of the house to have all important business firft in the form' of a report, which gave time for discussion arid refleftioni arid he thought afi y innovation upon theufualorderofproceeding i- in this refpeft might have a bad effeft. He - wiflied before any projeft flionld be broflght before them in a bill, they might discuss its " principles. 5 Mr. Pinckney laid, the leave now asked, was no more than had been allowed to all >• the other committees appointed to take in " to confutation psrts of th» President's speech. He thought if a bill were report ed, every opportunity would be given to ' obtain information on the fubjeft, as fuffi- I cient time might be allowed betwixt the fe -1 veral readings, and they could better explain the nature of the regulations, with refpeft to the duty of-ceikaor* at JjjK. fevcral p#it«, npj ,by a bill thatf a repoi*>. bo,pci3,there- the fore, asmuch trouble would be. laved by this for mode of procedure, that the requelt of the m; committee would be ecmplied with. fujj Mr. Harper said, the reason why the form mi of this resolution differed from the other of. (was, beeaufe it was of a .very ext'enfive na- in ture, noltfs than to take in'tp consideration ds the (tieafares proper to be tiken for the pro- so | teftion of our commerce and the defence of pr I our country, which wis supposed would re- th j quire previouselucjdationby a report,before of j fpecific measures we're brought forward in wt I the foilmof a bill. He had, however, no w< j objections to comply with the re of the qu i committee, as he believed they might be th fafeljr jrufted with the discretion required, w< • Indeed it w;i« iw>t.<;oiiteinplated,hebelieve<2, ;ny I when the committee' was appointed, that jbe ■ j any thing refpc&tog COTeftovs, or colled- cc ' I ing of duties, wo\>ld have come within its fa j purview ) but as they had thougjit othet- pi : wife, jie-hoped the liberty theyafked Would a |be granted.- - iol ; Mr. S. Smith said nothing had been said re 1 1 abouti collecting duties, but of the duty of w > I collectors, with refpeft to J.he law of 1794- p ! ■ I Mr. Gallatin would be glad to have far- tl ' I tiler information on this fubjeft. He wish- fj ' I ed to know whether what was meant to be | ■' I brought forward refpefting the conduct of g ■ j collectors was mere matter of detail,or whe-j C 3 I ther it involved any new principle ; if it ir : I were the former, he should not objeft to the | n I I mode proposed, but if not, he should be a-' ft r I gainst deviating from the usual mode of si I procedure. j t< - I Mr. Sewall said, the purpose which the v I cpmmittee had in view wasto determine the : b ■ I question refpefting.the arming of merchant 1 t I I vessels. Befori the last meeting of congress j d e I it would berecolleft<fd.that the Prelident of b - I the \Jnitrd States had issued orders to pre- a t I vent the arming of merchants' veflels,except ( 1- Jin certain cases. The committee were doubt- 1; e ful whether there txifted any authority in v g tlie Pre C.den( to jffue thefeorders, the exe- , c e cution q{ which, had been opposed in vari- t 0 ous parts of the Uiuted States. This sub- g '• | jest had been under the consideration of the f t« committer, and they thought it more expe- t >e dlent to report in detail, the regulations ne- i II ceffary,in the form of a bill, than to report t, in any othu/onu. — If the house wished the j it business to be done otherwise, they would, « l-'l of course, refufe a compliance with the re- j f, quest. I fe I Mr. Veiwble said, from the flatements' c 3- which had been made it appeared that the \ >e I committee had had two fubjefts under con- I -d I fideration, one of which had been referred to them, and the other not ;as if they wish- 1 L- ed to blend them together, and to bring in ( e, I a bill at their discretion The committee 1 e- was appointed to rfport what means would i I be the bell to be taken for th® protection of ; '- our commerce,j but the fubjeft which they < 's had brought before the house was, whether 1 g thf-revenue officers of the United States 1 if had performed their duty in refpeft to an ! exiftinjr,l^^vh^J»i?V 3 a diftinft thing, and 1 :® I entirely-writ of- tbtC'fefereug* which had been ' iy | made to them. iV the rtvenue officers had 1 »e I atted improperly, it was a fubjeft necefTary if 1 to be enquired iirro, on information being 3- I received through a proper channel. The :o I attention of she committee ought to be con n- I fined to the business referred to them, and at I they should report accordingly. He was th 1 opposed to ,the motion, fipce, it was wholly m I contrary, to the praftice of the house to go of I into details, before tHey had fettled tjie prin he ciple upon which they were about to aft. he I Mr. Gallatin believed, when this commit tee was appointed, it was not intended that it I it should have the power of reportingbybill. ar I The business of the other fix committees ap »rs I pointed at tjie fame time, and to whom this >v-1 power was given, were wholly different in to I their nature from this. [He read the dif- I ferent refolutions.il The principle of the of I objefts upon which these committees were or I appointed to aft, had already been more or :ee I less fettled in the house ; but what was the I business of this committee ? It was n6 less >m I than t« report the meafurts proper to be ta he I ken for the protection of our commerce and to I the defence of our country. The Preiident he I in his fpeefh, had fpolten at large on these of I fubjefts [Mh Gallatin read an extraft from ad I thq address if the Pfi-fident.] This refer fm I fereifce, be embraced all the objefts iad I which had engaged Meattention of congress tp- during their extraordinary session ; it did I not only iricfifdfc armin'g of vessels, but also his the raising of armies, building of a navy, a ch resting ofarienals, &'C. that so far from giv re-1 ing this committee farther power, he tho't ap-1 thi power .already git-en them was too great, in 1 and that the fubjeft should firft have beeft der I discussed in a committee of the whole oh the state oft he union—Whenprinciplesofthis im hat portance were to be established, the business ng should be fettled in the house. He should, Pull therefore, be wholly opposed to granting to the liberty required. ren Mr. Rutledge did not think the commit eft tee had exceeded their powers in taking this fubieft under their consideration. They iof- had rrothing to do with the revenue officers; 1a- they would, of course, shew that the provi ;fo fio'ns already ( made refpefting the arming of for merchants* veffefs, had proved inadequate. :ft, Orders, it 'wis well'known, had been iflued the by the df the United States to in prevent the arming of veflels ; but,' in ma for ny inftane'es, these orders had been protested afi against. Preljdent had said merchants ing should thefr yeffels ; the merchants He had the P'refelent had no authority to jht forbid tliem. He thought this business its should be lqoked adjufted ; and he di(l not t-e up«n wfiat ground gentlemen ed, could charge the committee with bringing all forward projrßs [Mr. Nicholas here inter in- rupted Mr. R. and faidte had no particular it's meaning in uftng the wordprojetl.] Mr. R. irt- said if there were any <proj(B irihand, he was to unacquainted with it. He had not been in ffi- the hpufe loug enough to lenow whether the fe- praftice of reporting by bill was novel; but ain he believed it was not. eft Mr. Sitgreaves said, the intent of the appointment of Seleft Committees «rj», th it bp! they should produce flifts and lay them be- ing fore the House in a collefted view; they ed might properly be called the Pioneers of chf- thn ftijjion. The belt mode of doing this, <K>m- anc mittccs themfclves muitbethe beit judges 001 of. Some fubjefts would be belt prefentcd It in the abftraft ; others would require to bsi tlu detailed. Stippofe two cases, said he, be- bic fore a committee—the one a proportion for private, the other for public arming. If hir the committee should propose the building hai of more vessels .at the public expenoj, this would be unconnected with any detail; ic thi would be a Bogle queltiort, and would re- on quir: no light from the committee ; but if ful j the fubjeft was a Pri,ate Armameni, a pian fid ! wotild require ti» he detailed, before a judg- ed : ment could be giv«?n upon it ; as it would at< i be proper to be permitted or reltriCted, ac cording to circumltaoces. The committee, m; said he; on this ac»ount, alii tu have the rel power to present the present bufinefj in fueh a view as to give the House the belt means la' los determining on their proportion. The it requelt ought, therefore to be complied mi with, since they are the belt judges of the pi proper mode of prefrnting the fubjeft, as pa they alone are fully poflefled of the fafts re- ti< fpefting it. 1 M ! Mr. N. Smith was surprised that any M gentleman should be opposed to giving the b< ! Committee leave to report by bill ; because, d< : | in doing this, they could not possibly do a- th :; ny harm, though they might give them- so ■ f selves unneceflary trouble. The gentleman er : from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gallatin) seemed ft | to think the principle could not be discussed pi : when a fubjeft was in the form of a hail;' di : j but this was not the cafe. It was true that c< 11 the principle of a quefiion was frequently fc > | determined before a bill was brought in ; al F but it might just as well be done afterwards j al - and if the principle were objefted to, the > t Committed would, of course have loft their p - labour. He thought when a Committee r-. 1 wefe willing to risk this trouble, *he-Houfe k - , could have no reasonable objeftion to ir; It p - might be, as had been represented by the It - gentleman last up, that the principle of a t< e fubjeft could not be judged of, without b - the detail ; when a Committee fortfaw. this, b - it was certainly their duty to report in detail, tl t Mr. Thatcher did not understand the tl e ground upon which this motion waß oppof- f< , ed. It was certainly no new praftice. The si - pkn for eltablifhing a new militia system, f had been reported iti a bill, as an illustration t s' of the report. He bop«d the Committee c e would be allowed to report their detail iti a 11 - bill. ' £ i Mr. J. Williams was opposed to a report c - by bill. The powers granted to th is t n Committee, be said were very extensive. t e which would be discussed, and adopted, and 1 d a bill ordered to be brought in, or rejected, ] if as was thought proper. The Committee a y of ways and Means had thefubjeft of Revet r nue generally referred to them; they gave 1 :s their opinion, from time to time, as to the ; n Weft mode of railing revenue, but they had ( d no general pow-r given them to report by 1 n Ir9i ■; tic Injpeil the fame course would be ; d observed by this Committee. ■>— j y Mr. Nicholas (having obtained leave t« t g rife the third time) said this question was < e important, not only as it related to the bu -- finefs before the house, but with refpeft to ] d their general proceedings. The gentleman is from Massachusetts (Mr. Thatcher) had ■ y spoke of a bill accompanying a report, in the i ;o cafe of the militia system, as an illustration I l- of it. If this would fatisfy the Committee, , they could do this in the present cafe. He t- was surprized that the gentleman from Penu lt fylvania(Mr. Sit greaves) should not confi -11. der this an abftraft queftibn. At the last p- feffion,'it had been considered as an abftraft is question, and rejefted. And could any in gentleman fay, that at this time, when our f- conneftion with the world is much happier le than it was fix months ago, this question rc ought not to be considered abftraftedly ? or What, said he, should we have thought of he the committee, if they had asked for leave 'fs to bring in a bill to build ships of the line; a- to ereft fortifications ; to raise armies, &c.? id Wpuld ihefe propositions have been coniid nt ered as mere matters of form.? On the 'fe contrary, would not the honfe have revolted m at such a proceeding? They certainly ;r- would. They would have thought it pro - sts -per, firft to- h9t«T enquired whether'-our ;fs means were adequate to efftft these fehetSes. lid Yet they were, all at once, aflced for this so power, by the present propofltion. In the a- last session, the house proceeded very d'ffer iv- ently. A ref&lution was laid upon the table >'t and committed to a committee of the whole it, and there fully discussed, and solemnly rtjeft efi ed ; but they were now inclined to treat the he business with more levity. He trulted, m- however, the house would net consent to ess this mode of ptoceeding. Id, Mr. Otis said the present motion was op ng posed on account of its novelty, though he believed the novelty would more properly it- attach to the opposition. He believed there tig never had been an inflance, whether the ey fubjeft was of great importance or other rs; wife, in which, when a ltqueft like the pre vi- sent had been made that it had been refufed. of Was it then right, because such a propafiti te. on was made, to speak of the movers of it, led as if they were about to propose the build to ing of a Naval Force, or the ranging of ar na- mies in battle array ? He thsught not, and ted infiftcd upon the propriety of the proposed nts privilege being allowed; which hie believed, nts so far from being used improperly, would to be the means of kee ping out of view the ab efs ftraft question of arming, which was not he necefl'ary at present to be touched, icn Mr. Isaac Parker wa3 in favour of grant ing ing the leave asked for, as it appeared to him er- to have been the praftice of the house. lar Mr. Varnum infilled upon it that it had R. never been the praftice of t!«e house to take V2S up great national questions, until the prin -lin ciple had been decided upon in committee the of the whole. It had been faia leave had but never been refufed in a fimilareafe ; but he believed it had never been aficed. It was the well known there was a great difference ot opib'ibn iu the house on the fabjocl of arm ing. The President had again recommend ed to them, all the measures with tefpett to that business, that he had before suggested, and they were about to give the power to a committee to report bills upon all of them. It had laid 'oy a gentleman before him that the President had done wrong in for bidding the arming of vessels. Mr. Rut]ed'ge denied having so expressed himfelf; he hud said that the Merchants had said so. Mr. Varntim observed it was insinuated the President had been wrong iij.iffuing the order ; and if a bill was brought in on the fubjefk he supposed the conduct of the Pre sident would be impeached by it. He trilft ed* therdfor? this business would not origin ate in the form of a bill- Mr. Dana was ready to give the Gentle man last up due credit for his solicitude with refpeft to the President of the United States —but he could not be ignorant that thfe law was doubtful as to its conftruftion, and it was proper that this doubt (hould be re moved ; and would it, he alked, be any im putation on the conduft of the President to pass a law to fay what was the true confiruc , tion of the former law ? Certainly not i Mr. Dana referred to what had fallen from . Mr. Nicholas in objection to the buSuefs being introduced by a bill ; there was no doubt, he said, but, if that were the cafe, that gentleman's ingenuity could introduce something to produce a difcufikm o* fuffici ent length, as it would he recolle&ed he had fumifhe&a debate of three weeks by a finglc propofitioi) to amend an answer to the Pre!i ---dtnt/s address at the last feflion. He was confident 1 that as the committee had aflced for leave to report by bill, it ought to be allowed, and denied that the prefsnt was an I abftraft question. v i Mr. Gallatin allowed that it had been the pra&ice of the house to grant the power to report by bill, when it was aficed ; but he knew of ho instance where a committee, ap pointed for general purposes, had a (Iced tkis leave.; They had several (landing commit tees ; but they never came forward at the beginning of a feflion to a(k leave to report , by bill. He had already said that he tho'c this committee improper, and he repeated ■ that at no time did he tecollecl business of so important and general a nature being ri fered to a feleft committee ; the proper rt , ference would have been to a committee of i the whole on the state of the union. As this : committee had been appointed, he (hould i not now, however, move to have it dischar ged. If it were were wished to report a bill t on the fpecific fubjeft mentioned, if the mo s tion was so expressed, he (hould nob objeft . to it. In regard to the general proposition 1 he did not with to feg it at present discussed , He believed the fate of the present negad •, f ation mud decide the opinion of the house - on this fubjedfc. If it terminated as they all e hoped, the fubjeft of arming would riatnr e ally drop ; but if not, and the depredation! i on our commerce were contmned, tlreie f would be no difference of opinion about e mfrrUant vessels, at lea 11 if rf<it going further. He wiiheel, therefore, that ® this fubjeft might not at present come un s der difculfion. i- Mr. Thatcher again spoke at confidera o bis length in favour of the motion, n Mr. Findley was opposed to this mode of d proceeding. It was cutting off a part of t e their deliberations on important matters, and n he (hould beCorry to fee the ordinary mode of doing business. in this refpedt, changed, e Mr. S. Smith was aertain, it thecommit i- tee had forefeen that this motion could have t- produced so long a debate, it would not have-. ft been made. They thought it the best, way ft of bringing the business before the House; y he was indifferent which way it was done, ir Before the last feflion, he said, the Prefi- ST dent had issued orders to prevent the failing >n of any-amud vtffels, except to the East In • diesCongrefs took up the fubjedt, and :>f it seemed to be admitted, on all fides, that 'e there was a natural defence in Merchants to prevent their vessels being taken. The sub ■ • jest of the President's order was taken into -1- consideration; and he believed it was gener ic ally allowed that th* President was.not au :d thorized by law to ifiue this orde-. This ly being the general opinion, it was conceived >■- by Merchants tint ! thcy might, as heret»- Jr fore, arm tlieir vessels in their own defense. s - —>— Some (hips, however, attempting to is clear out, were (topped by the Colle&ors. Ie A new order was issued by the President, r- which gave a further privi'ege of armijg le vessels to the coast of Africa. Injurious h consequences had arisen from this. He knew a vessel which failed from the .United , le States to the coaft'of Africa, armed, for gold d, dust and ivory, which wasattack«<d by a-liri to tifh armed vessel, but instead of being taken, (he took the Britilh vessel. The confe p- quence was, the captain was prosecuted for ( tie pirafcy and thrown into gaol. This, Mr, ly Smith said, was a breach of neutrality, re which called for a law to prevent it. he The Committee thought they could effect' . r- the business in the belt manner by a bill, and *- therefore aflced leave to bring it in. Mi d. Smith was of opiniun Merchants had-a right ti- to arm their vessels, and he thought this it, right was countenanced by the act for pro> , d- hibiting the exportation of arms, as anna ir- on board of merchants vessels, for the pui nd poses of defence, were excepted from the ed operation of the ae\. :d, Mr. Veoabletjtd in o>js<ftion to allow a hill t» l)J brought in upon pait:eular fubj-A, but | j s _ not agreeto thu lc.ivi beitii; general. Ivtr. Sitgreavik. Mr. Gabatin, .'vfr. Otis, *nd Mr. Varnum e.ichnvii'e a few oSfcrvitrUJs *s W> this node of proceeding, nt- Mr. Pincltney said, much had b»ih observed j m as to precedent ;he did,not know wbjit had Ueeii the pr nflics, hut he believed it was within tiie j power of the house to agree to motion, which he thought desirable, He took notice «f. an ikc fwerel the ohjjisiions to rliKmodeof acting. in- ' ringiig in a bill, he laid, they fliould prevent t ee theab iraift qufHisin fr.om being.igitjted. lagi-- 1?( j neral; he thought the hcu p e (hould avcid abiHael , quedions, as marfy errorn aiofcl'rosn 'ii's nviir le aiSiii'. Besides. if the cjueltion w. < j*>orte4 al»* vas ftradleJly, it 'night.oot be elcarlyui)rieri!<'o.d,rr ; ot Jin confequeaee njecied. The gent.tmar; j.un
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