i I o < yice t .i(»al j point was ilill <Jef<-»five jthout foi*- refpeA to irtout any oceaiion arance. Cosfidenng what are the refo .to be considered ? A pro n'Jhing the frigates, an appro a of a sum of money for a foundiry no commercial ration ought to be -.eftitiltt) and prother for improving our fortifications. Two of these measures, he f.ud had long fiiice been fan£tio»ed by the miufe, aid they were all ncceflary for the piottAion of our commerce, which was now in danger of being utterly dellreycd. The city ot Philadelphia slone, within the last fi*ty daysliad i«ft half a million of do'lars. The meafures-now propoftd were merely de ft and undegone discussion tat little difference of opinion could exist, upon the propriety of principles which had been feitied and agreed U{ on. It would be t(me enough to eipatiite upon the fuHjeft of *nr rnmnii' r i""trt to France, when new measures (liali be !»ro>igbt forward, orifinat ing in the failure of thur iniffior,. As to the wishes of his frierdi from S. Carolina *nd New-York, for unanimity, hcconfeffed he did not contemplate any great ananimity '.vith i\'"pe£l to all the mcafares that would Ik- neceiTary to be pursued ir. the present cri sis. He believed it would be incumbent on those whj cotifidercd the nation as placed in a dangerous fitijation to advocate fueh mea sures as fliaT! appear to them necessary, what ever might be the conduA or feotiments of others j artdlio-.vever flncerely he might wish for the event, he faw,nothing which encou raged him to espedl unanimity in their de term!natii)i.s. He believed, therefore, ge»- tk-men mu.t d.'fptnfe with this advantage, and do what was rcquiiite for our national define.-and honor—they must do their du ty and leave the event.' Mr- Pincku E.T could not agree with the gentleman just fat down, in throwing any imputation upon gentlen>en who wilhed to protraft the coniideration of the bufijiefs liropofeu. Mr. O. explained by faying that he had expressly Hated that if upon *»y ■»</■» 1»'»- thought it jnftifiable to invetligatf t:»; lives us p-eutiemes, he iliould.be ~ J i euuiu iimii viimii"! UlSffliliau 3. n.itted that part of his observations which might bear that conftru£l.iijn. Allusions of this kind were best kept out of fight. He belie'ed all hnd the fame ri«ws. All, he believed, wifiied to avoid war. He was sure this wasthe desire of both fides of the heufe. Unfortnnately they differed in the means btfl to be put sued for preserving peace fowe gentlemen think an unprepared state the best ; others think it is wisest to be pre pared for the wofft. He was of the latter opinion ; but he believed that the motives of gentlemen who differed from him in opin ion wereequally. pure withhis own. Perfed unanimity as to the moans to be pursued, could scarcely be but, he believ t<J there was a perfefl unanimity both in that house, and throughout tht 1 country, in a wifli to avoid a war. With refpefl to the q'.:efiion before the house, it did not go to the paint » hieh,gcntlemen apprehended.— 7t went only to the providing of the mean! of prote&icu at house; and the reason why this fubjefl was now brought forward, he believed, was owing to the unusual unanim ity which had appeared in the felecl com mittee as to the-propriety of the measure. The consideration of any other meafnres which might be neceiTary in cgijfequepce of our <Jifpute wilh France, fueh as arming our merchantmen, an embargo, or convoys, would be peflponcd until it was seen whether any farther information would be received from the Prefider.t—Mr. P. said, it ap peared to the committee that there was, at ,-> ieart, a probability that this country might be involved in a war; and they thought we (High; not to exhibit the rxtraordinary fpeaade of remaining, not withstanding this appreheufion, in a state of unpreparednefs. Under this idea, Mr. P. thought there was r.o ncceflity for poftponitig the measure, and Itoped gentlemen would, therefore, f*c the pmpriety of going into a committee of the whole at preft&t. If there was a difference »f opinion ag to the propriety ef entering upon any particular i'ukjefl, it might be poftpc.iicd j but he fuppefed there wc-uid be ' certain meafurts upen which there wa«ld be a pretty general »g»eemcnt. Mr. Giies did not suppose a few days delay would make acy difference en the pre sent bufintfs. So far as felf-defence would go, he «as as ready t>> adi as any member in the House; but there were different id<a* of fclf-deience. It was his idea that it i ouli not be carried beyond our eoaft where, liuWever, he d;d not expedt ar.v assault. Lji:t defence there «»s always proper. It had been said that there was little j.robabil iiy that any unanimity could take place as to the mrafureo ncc:ffar/io be taken. He Jikcd th« g.ntietr.an r.sm Mjff^chufctti, ;tl\er his hypotheticall wy "■ c. * with the gentleman from b. thi ,r. Pinckncy). H.drfnot be- of U the members of that hoult ' ,r of peace. He believed iome hn werf in favor of war. He had lor .in opinion from a variety of decl which he had heard in that hodfc, ha the variety of meafurM which had ca ropofed. No gentleman could fatn wind that he was in favor of peace, - he took arms in hit-hands to go -o HeJbelicved that there was not only p»,t of this house, but apart of this gov- « eri.ment, determined on war. Hewa.b.m- * felf fcr peace ; »nd gentlemen might at- O cribc to him whjtf rootivci tiicy pica led. J* t ..ice the other hind,' those in favor of war Itall uaal events, would take the rcfpomibilitv «f that mcafure. If, then, there was a war motive . n Hill and a pace motives it was in vain to ejtpei ,fiv. unanimity. He bad f«me reason for objetf, n ore- in? to this meafare under this view. e ' t to coufidered the prefentpiopofitions as intend- ' if,on ed to afford a defence beyond the l.ciiU ot rlnc the United States, as a part of that system ■ e fo- which had a direst tendency to involve us pra . in war. Tt was said this WMMIy the com- r pro- mencement of a system, aud it was tins fyi- iary tem which gave him raoft alarm. obe But it was said, theic is great impatience 1 ' <,ar in the public to know what Congress intend £ ~ he to do. If tbis be the ease, this impa'icuce J r the he said, coght not to be Indulged. He Jid r the not wi(h to be hurried into measures by any * now fueh fuggef.icn. He believed if there »an The impatience in the public, it is in favor ot . l a st peaee, and produced by the fears of w ® r - ' 'lars. Mr. G. asked whether the house had all y de- the necessary information before them. The ' Son < gentleman frnm S.Carolina (Mr. Rutledge) exisT, informed the house that otar commifiioners 1 i hud' had not had an audience. Hedid not know 1 lid be 'he technical moaning of the ward audience. >Hje£t He fuppsfed they had addressed themselves i lew tf» the minister ef foreign affairs ; but, per (inat- haps, after some &f>je£tions as to their pow- to er«, they may not hare been received. The rnlina gentleman fays the letter of our commiffi feffed oners exhibits a lamentable fatf. Thij is imitv ,rBC » hut it is not aeeeffary to know what voiild to it ? Ought not the haufe to be in pof lt cri- session of a biliary of the proceedings ! It •nt on surely ought. Suppose those commiffioncrs cedin were not poffefTed of proper powers, could n, ea . it be expefte'd they weuld be received?— what- When the house knew the ground npon its of which our ministers had been refufed, they t wish would bt able t» speak upon the fubjed. ncou- He would mention another cireuifcHance, ; r d e . in which he, for once, coineisled in opinion , gen- with the gentleman from Maffachufetts,vii. ,t 3 ge, that the house ought to tak» }ip this fufcjtft tional without reference to any foreign power, and ir du- merely as it refpefis our commerce. But j bad {they, he «flced, all the information •h the ' which they could wish on this fubjeft ! He r a ny believed not. There were two a&» of the ed to British parliament which were mare alarm ifinrf* ing even than the decree of the French di re&ory. The French had made an attack ehad upon our ntntral rights ; that wss, '»« 1" '''rStr fl'T'V.'al .ViJultTce to be apprehended wag ; jpjisiiteiy greater from the Britiflv ftattites, than fvofa th« decree of the direftOry. izdo. And before he fat down, he would re which mark, that though those a£ls pal Ted in July ans of Isft, and it ti.ight be presumed that oar min- He iftcr would not be dilatery in transmitting 11, he thein, so t'lat they must have been receiV sfure «d in Augull or September, yet they were isufe. not till lately laid before the house, and neaas 'hat after a proportion was brought for ce— ward to call for them. They hare been since (late referred to the eommittee of Commerce and ? pre- manufaftures, and they will not report, latter and the chairman has laid a resolution upon jtives the table for the purpose of producing a rc opin- port. rrfed Mr. Hartir said it was not unusual for sued, the gentleman from Virginia to display his eliev- ignorance of fafls. If it was, it would ap th in pear wonderful that he fhoiild be ignorant y, in that these adts had long since been before 0 the the public in the news papers. jo to Mr. Giles did not suppose that the gen. d.—— tleman from S. Carolina would get much lean* from his polite method of exprefling himfclf. why He knew it was usual for him to . suppose !, he he had a monopoly of knowledge ; but he mim- did not suppose his telling an enlightened com assembly this, eonld produce any effeft in sure. his favor. He could only fay he had not "ires seen these a£ls in any news-paper, though ce of he was in the habit of feeing a great num -1 our bcr of papers. He ffiould °be glad to fee roys, them there •, and he should hare sent them ether there for publication, only that he waited fived for the committee's report upon them'. ap- Mr. G. concluded by faying, he difdaiu s, at td what might be said by any one as to his light motivet; for they must poflefs more ii)gean it w« ity than he to discover any iatereft which :nary he could hsre separate from the interest of i l his the country, efpeeially as it related to the Inefs. landed interest of the country, ewas Mr. S. Smith said, he undcrftocd it ;,aud wasthe wiihof the chairmaH of the com-! c the mittee for the prote£lion of commerce and| f the the defence of the country, to call up rente the rtfolution for completing and equipping ering j the frigates, and that for the fortifications, rit be and not the one for the purthafe of addi ,.id be tional veficls. vould Mr. Siwall said, he should not insist upen any other, if it (hould not meet with days the wishes of the committee, e pre- Mr. S. Smith was in favor c'f going in voiild to a committee of the whole on the frigates :n.ber and the fortifications. He fuppefed' the ideas chairman of the committee would be able lit it to give the necessary information with rcf 'here, pedt to the frigates ; but with refptd to Jit.— the other matters referred to the fame cem "• ™»ee, he did not think the house had filf. babil- ficient infermntion upon which to aft. As cc aa to the two afls of the British parliament He which had been mentioned, Jjc.bel'cved tKey -stti, Wo.}:i bf-mcre to the commerce I, , ■ tti* United States than 'pei ll'i l»bjta IWld bt before P ' I 1 » Aucuft. Immediately up have called for them, "e Pjade a verbal U call and tjiey were promi fed, but they not received fill five'or fix week, afterwards t in tli« v-ay which had been dated. g Mr. C» > mpl.k said there was no differ- fe f nct of opinion in the committee of com- n merce and msDufafture» t as totht:fe «g being in llrift conformity to ibe tr <aty > the only difference was »nh re to re porting a remedy to the eviu artfuig :rom g 'Hie Speaks* complained that gcoth- d . mtn did not confine tbemfelve« to the que - o . | von. What was the opinion of the com- < . i mittee of commerce and manufa&ure* \-'t ' refped to the British J<a» had nothing to do a ! with the present queffion. • f Mr. J. Parker thought the hoiiie ought c ! to go into a committee of the who'eon the i 3 state of the union, in order to take up tlie t resolution with refpedl to the frigates. Jn t the present critical state of our country, be r thought it was necessary they fh</uid be tin- 1 - ifhed, in order to defend our commerce a- t 1 gainst the pirates of one nation as well as . those of another ; for he wished to opp»fe } ] the unjust attacks of all. Officers, he said, v , were appointed for the frigates, and they ' wt re in a llatc of readiness. The one at 1 f Baltimore is ready to bend her fails, and j might be got into the ocean in four or five 1 weeks. He hoped, therefore, the house < e would go into this business ; though the o- 1 ) ther fubjefts, he thought, would be befi. de- • 5 ferred until th: house had further informa v t">n. . Mr. Harper, had not the least objection to going into a committee cf the whole, for r . the purpofeof voting a sum of money tor r. completing and equipping the frigates. It e was to any new measures which might be necessary with refpeft to a foreign nation, that he alluded ; and though he felt prepai !t cd to go into any of the measures proposed, f. and much stronger ones, yet he saw there [ t were gentlemen who wished to have farther rl information before they afted. And when Id hitlery of the business before _ them* they would, probably, be convinced )tt of tlie propriety efjoiniag to carry intoeffeft >y the measures proposed. If a few votes could begained by this delay, he was desirous of e> obtaining them, and he believed the-houfe , n watild arrive at the end of the business as jr. soon as if they now to ro into it. Mr. H. ft juftified the executive*ig»iiifi the charge of delay in not communicating the Britifli a&s u t and said they were well known to the mer in chants of the country, as their corielpon le dents in England took care to give them ev lc ery interesting information. «■ n . With refpeft to the question of war or jj. peace, he would state his opinion. The ;k gentleman from Virginia had said that he d w> oot j JI\I ta iinfiieirT bt 11'^, aa fever^l li tyji«|ua«Jcn»'w!cdged, that if gentle .s> men meant by peace, that we (hould sub mit to the insults of a foreign power, he ■ e . was not for peace, though he wifced to ftt ]y serve it, and would do all he conld to pre n. lerve.it, if we could obtain redress for our ig grievances. But if nothing was left to us, V- but either to submit, or go to war, hecer re tainly would be for going to war. He be id lieved that this was the sentiment of the A ir- merican people, which would be re-echoed ce from all parts of the Unioa. He believed id that state of things was -arrived, when this ■ t , country' must either submit, or refifl. He , n was willing, however, that a delay (hould c . take place for the communication which might be expe&ed from the President. or Mr. Livingston said, until this mo lis ment, he had determined to give his vote in p- favor of going into a committee on the state nt of the Union, for the purpose of voting a re sum to equip and man the frigates,believing that that meafore would have no relation to n. any foreign nation ; but when heard :h gentlemen fay they were prepared for mar, - ,f. and that the period ivat arrived for it, he fe dreaded to put arms in their hands, left they ie (hould be made an ill use of. If from a •d knowledge of the late dispatches the gen in tleman last up is convinced that all negocia -3t tion will be ineffe&ual [Mr. Harper said he ;h bad no other knowledge than other gentle n- men on this fubjeft] and that a declaration ?e of war mult take place ; with such impref m Sons, he wished to keep back arms. For d fiuce these sentiments jwere avowed on this floor, how did he know but the executive u- might concur in the opinion. [The fpeak is er said it was not in order to allude to the m- ; opinion of the executive.] He believed if -'h these means ©f offence or defence were put of in the hands of the executive, that, provi de ded he concurred in opinion with these gen j tlemen, they would be employed in bring, it ; ing the country into a war, as they thin\ n- J the only means of prefcrving the honor and nd j fafety ot the nation, lies in war. Know »p iug this, and wifliing for peace, would it ng not be insanity, to put arms into their kand3? is, He believed it would, and he could not in di- his confcienct do it Mr. Otis was ready to declare his •pini rift on, that in the present situation of this coun th try, this hotrf: ought daily .to resolve itfelf iate a committee of thr whole on the state in- of the Union, whether they were b'kely to tes adopt any partictilar resolution, or not he Surrounded ai we are by danger, agitated Me by alarm, infu'ited abroad, and divided at u- home, the hcife ought constantly to (hew to to the people :hat tha anxious cares With m- which they are at this time o'ppreffed, reft »f- also upon the minds of the members of that As house, and thjt they are desirous of enqui :nt ring with contaut solicitude whether they icy could, or could not, do ativ thing to serve rce their enwi-.trr. Vet, notwithftinding this taenfeM, unprovided state «f the nation, he spent wa* forty to find gentlemen studious toavoid way .11 measures upon which the. peace, the li- -of it berty and the happiuefs of the country de- P°» A 5? Fei With rftfpeft to the g*tW*fro« St ginia. To those who reca]frfte£|he af&- rjty with which he generally chofeto exprefi lu. opinions ; to those who remember the a nu temper which he difeovcred the last fcffion, it would sot be a fbbj?a of furpnze that he pro „ (bovld have discharged for the firft time try, ! those phials >f wrath which he has been en- only gaged in filling from that time, to the pre- P J sent, in a bold, ungraceful, and in his opi nion, difgraceful afferticn, that net only E , trentlenien ir. that house, but the Executive re f el of .tie United States, were desirous of war. one The attack was tefch* *¥ **l*' Jg ge »fhc gentleman had proceeded to remark, that he generally differed from him in cpint- forc oil. Mr. O. '/aid that to proclaim, this . #l , ri fa ft wrs to da hiia honour —and that in the but fame proportion that his political sentiments rej«< , approached, to those of that gentleman, they .voaid approximate a vortex otprej'idi 6^ ces and errors, and recede from those which f : he had been taught to consider molt nearly • connected with the happiness of his coun- chsl , try —and that ft they » • might entertain for each other, he hoped had they should continue to differ upon political ult - topics. . . e( j 3 The gentleman had blamed him for lm- { : wilting sentiments to Sim which he after- 0 f [ wnrdi acknowledged- They were, that gen- cou f tlemen were anxious to find motives of de- wf t lay againtt providing the sneani of proted- ere. 3 ing our commerce. This he had avowed, J™ e by faying he was in favour of defending the fM c country by land, but not by sea. But, f ar "said Mr. 0- we cxn defend ourfilnes, by sea ; [ e s s .. and the beoflt of America -will defend thcmfelvi i hat by fit, as well as by land ; and- when decla- be: rations are made which are calculated to ® n palsy the efforta of the people, thry ought (o ' i r to be repelled. And if that gentleman, or ,r some others, wete determined not to take t j,< r t measures for the defence of our commerce, ne , e he hoped there would be found a large ma- thi , iority in that house who would do it. He F l ' would bimfelf foonsr lbfe hie right hand » j than it (hould not be done ; indeed, if gen- re tlemen should decide that commerce ftoultl r ar , r not be protested, the country would not j n( * n long be worth the pains ps defeuce ;it would So re become difmited, and there would be an end ha ■J of its prosperity. _ j ft If the gentleman from Virginia wished j j him to declare whom he thought in favor 3 f of war, and whose measures led to it, he f e would fay it was those who constantly im- b* a, peached the Executive authority ; who ut- d< •J. tered sentiments which had a tendency to w 0 f dispirit the people, and lead them to believe they could not be defended, and that cam- w r . merce was not worthy of proteftion. These measures, he said, led to war—not to so- b; T . reign war—but to civil war j a war of friend it agaiafl friend, andflute againfljlate ! e< 8r Mr. O. thought it extremely improper, £ b e at this time, to introduce any thing relative * he to the futur? operation of the two a&s of q SJ- ' j.'Jvi Wi .iric ai | c , would come under a fcparate coofideration. d Jj. What was the obje<S of this allusion ? It he was iutended to fticw th?t we had as much < e . cause of complaint a«ainft one country, as - f . another, ap.d that therefore we ought ur to fit dowr. patiently under the outrages t>f f, aj> all*; that we (hould tamely fuffcr ourselves b :r . to be divided and parcelled out, and become 1 )e _ the humble-(laves rf a foreign power. Be- ai fore this would be fuffered, he triifted the s: £ d spirit of the people of Ahieriea which had v £ ed lieretofore been difpiayed would be called t , 4is out in defence of their injured country. f { ■ic lu regard to what had fallen from the w ijd gentleman Crom New-York (Mr. Livingfton) « c h Mr. O. had a refpeft for his private charac ter, and hoped he would fee the Jmpropri -1- ety of changing his mind even admitting in that one gentleman had said, the ci ifis had 0 | ite arrived when it was necessary to submit or tl r a go to wnr, this opinion could be no reason i» »g for voting against his former opinion. In- P 1 to deed, he believed, his friend from South l | rd Carolina was misrepresented. He'underftood | f ir, the fentimerit to be that which every Amc- ei be "rican ought to repeat, ««that when the cri- tf :y Cs arrived rather than facrifice the Liberty gi a and Independence of this country, we ought 't n- to go to war." He toped, 'therefore, the a- house would go into a committee of the le whole without delay. e- Mr. Giles said, the gentleman last up g ; an had said some things in relation to him, tf ?f. which he found it necessary t6 notiee, and ei or for which he did expeft he would have been a ' lis called to order. . He had charged hfm with ei ve using df grateful exprcjfmns. This was a k- charge which neither that gentleman nor a- w Ke ny other dare make in any other place, [yf c < if loud call ft tnler.] ut Ths S peakir declared it in *ain that he I di rir endeavoured to confine gentlemen to order. 31 n- Almost every member who had spoken had g. transgressed in this refpeft. lk Mr. Dana observed, that the gentleman J, id from Virginia had cbjeftedto go into a com- tl it- mittee of the whole, because the two afts al it of the Britilh Parliament were not before ' c s? that committee, and referred to what had in taken place in another committee. [The Speaker observed, that every thing which \ »- bad been said in relation to these a£ls,-with n- refpeft to the opinion of another committee, j e :lf was out of order.] Mr. D. added i!?at he ei te had adls publilhed Weforc be canaa h to to Congrefc thtf session, and he thought it ' r extraordinary that apy gentleman should " -d wait for the opinion of a committee upon a r at fubjeft before he formed his own. Mr. D. i; w fa'd. the queflion was not, whether the' y :h ho t ufe would adopt any of the resolutions, ii :ft but whether they would agree to discuss '' at them. 1: 11- ' Mr. Kittera said, the houfehad already 1 ey spent half the day in debating whether thry 'J ve would go into a cojnmittee of the whole, a lis and he hoped farther time wea'i,d net be i< spent nn tbi. {ubjefl. Ho tlu ugb* tkt heft way ot war.was u b e pre,.^ For it. ..le fished, therefore, t* eater n pou lhe bufinef*, and proaecd witk it. - * & d] ir be,,ev,: tin mu( * tim« could he scent Hj»n-«^ q q«fr, on , if i t WSI Ao * roleadtow*r itfeiUrA l"K c V arie ly ot r,L„ jefH whjch, ha,l lice*referred to thi, commit, tee of the «h..lc, had giren « T if e tn a number of observations on theft- different sub" je£U. The ehairmanef the committee for tL. protraon of commerce and defence »fth tfO L try, had declared, that out of thefe-febied* he only meant to call up what related to the te' w * jing the frigates, to the eftaMiftimert of a fa,'" darv.ani tojihe ptarchafe of a number of tclTc)! in aid at the frigates. Exclusively oi these, there were other fubitfl, referred tn thf fame comtnittee of the while nae of them rclates-to our fortifieaiions, anotil tr t« the eflabliUiuunt of a commiflionp,- 0 i marine, and another,to the arming »f rn?r _ clliaU' vefTets. He tonfidtred lb me o[ thtfe fubjedU as with our relation tu i n C foreign nJt on, so far at it relates to any which may hare taken place finctthe lift fefli,,. but with refpeft to any proposition whiih reieiSed it tbe last feffioo, cY any new propoj. lion which may have been produced 011 tj, e ground of a change of our situation, k« was n* ready at prefetrt to aft upon it. And it wo be that not only tbe arming of rap. chant#' vtftels, but tbe propofiti™ for the put" chafing of reflels, was rejetfed at the last fefß,« Mr. O. agreed that a change ofour Ctuatii,,' 1, had in a certain degree, taken place finee tVj laft.feflion i he agreed this change was of i m . portarice ; it confiiied in the intelligence receir. Ed from our envoys extraordinary that they Kit sot been officially receired by the goiernment of France, though they h«(J remained in that country about three months. The queftioa was, whetbe.r that intimation in itfelf is fuflU cient to induce coKgreft to adopt new mei fares, or to take up such as were rejected at the last feflion. To him there was not fufficient reafou for this porpo r e ; hecauf« h« expend farther information upon this fubjtfl j and un. less the bouse kneu , not only that our wmifttr, hid not been reeeivtd, but wliy they hid not . been received,and whether it was from the want , of powers, or any ejrcumftances not kno*nto u >, it was difficult to fay what meafares eujht to ke taken. Another reason was, though our tnjSiftai themfclves inform the executive that they hut > net been received, nor have any hopes of it, or - thiit the et their nsiflion will be acton. » plifbed, they still refrain in Vatis ; and f» W 1 j as they remain there, 2tow«ver " feeble their hope, they have some hope of being received,n . they would leave the place,as itmuft be unpia " fant to them to faci ifice their fceliijgsby reraam. t ing thsre a»y longer'than the occation rcqjires. I So long as we had not information that they 1 had left the country, he did not thiak any nor measures ought te be gone into, «r meafurn j which, in their tendency, must lead to war.— When he said this, he did not mean to fay any ' thing againflt taking meafureo of felf-defenct, e We ought to take every measure of this kind j | i- but, unfortunatelj, however easy this was to be dene on land, it could net be carried to fta, 0 without danger of war. Such is the naturt of c ! felf-defence at sea, that if it be carried eit of } our own jurifdi<slioa, it is uatimatily tonaefltd with offenlive operatioas. e Thus with refpefl to armingef mcrtkanttncn, by putting arms into the hands of iadividutli, iJ it might lead to war, whilil they wereintesii ed only for felf-defence against attacks. In r deed, fuels is the law of nations with rel'peflte fearckiag of refTels, that it is difficult todiftin r guilb between lawful and unlawful fearc'tci.— 8 Other i-tntlcmee whokelje.veiiuoffible toroiri .j . i■* J i.ajiga, anu wno ic at tea, net ealy wifk the measure now to be i. n. dotted, but they did not wilh it at a former It session. The fame reason, however, which W li the honfets rejedl thismeaf»r«li«ytof»re wo»14 JS lead them to oppose taking it up at thi) time. It remaiaed to be conftdered whether it wooM r P ro P er 10 F® '"to a committee on those mtv " fures which were agreed to at the iaft frffien ; rs but .which now required further appropriations. 16 There were two such measures, via. the frigate* .. and fortifications. With refptft to the foit.fi 1C eatioas, he was always willing to appropriate 11 , much as was neceflary for this objefl, ference ev«r took place on this ftibjeifl, except as !Cl to amount appropriated. He flinuld, there fort, have no objection to this mLfure ; kul it le was net neceflary to begone inte at preltnt; it 1 j would do to be considered any time during thi* c _ session, a« there remains a balaace of 90,00* ,j_ dollars unexpended of tbe last appropriation. The only taeafure which seems necefliryts be g-ire inte at present is the frigates. Thi 'd otjeifl;«n made to this measure had been, that 3r the executive might employ the frigates in ii m improper maaner. This apprehenfi*u he fup n. posed to be grounded upon the firft feflioa or the aist of last fefiion, whieh gives the preMeot , the right of employing them, without rfftriftios. ' If it was their opiaios that the preCdent wsuid employ the frigates in * manner dingeroui te 1- the peace of the country, it would be « good tr y guiucl.t againlt appropriating the money ;an 4 1 t it would be within the recolleflien of members, that the sense of the house' was twice taken i* favour of reftriifliag the use ot the frigates; but, e for fear of losing the bill, this point wisgi«» up. Though, however, he was at that timca 'P gainfl the president's having a discretion to sle a, the frigates as he pleased, he was not nowafri i id of their being employed improperly. He hiJ ;n always sppofed tbe building of the frigates in .jj every stage, because he thought the expenflt«- tending them, would be greater than tbe adrH* a tage to be derived from them ; but he did not a " wilh now to oppose the motion for gding intoa d committee on thia fubje<a. With refpedl to the question of W, Mr. 0. it did itot believe any gentleman could with (or it r _ as an abftradl good. He believed every one j thought it an evil ; but he believed there «" re gentlemen in the house who would be willing t» go to war, for caofes whi:h others did not think in jaflifiable. He did not know, indeed, but w"'" 1- they eame to go into the fubjtdl that they ts all ?gree ; but he believed this was the diltmu re ion to be drawn betwixt the different opißi"*' j as tiiflerent geatfjmen. |e Two ether reasons might perhaps be alledg , why the house Ihould not go into committee on ' this fubje£l ; the one wk, because the t- >- had paftponed for an enquiry into tbe u e> je<9 of former expcncea, and the ctim* I '-' le enquiry have not reported, for his own F '■ J8 he believed tbcre had b«en much e * tr f" 3 %' J t in the expeaditar* ; but as no report * * 1 j njade, and as it could not be ioo n ' x P e .' . believed those gentlemen who , t4 , t k " a fr.gatss equipped had better pioceen ' n 1 c \ r.n?f 3 without this report. The etner reaf.» le was, that he thought the house had net ■ . 13, information relive to the pay and fu 1 c c - fs tbe navy. When the account «>» laid before the house, the, ration* ' ere^ c ,' , lo cents, they v/ere now charged :» ceo. , it was well knowii that there had beeoo . •7 vu;'.e m the price of P rovißo«< » additicn. And thdugh he had be {nil in Y'% atre.nurs toi- e en' the
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers