Friday, May 25.
Instructions to Armed Vessels.
Mr. Sewall, from the Committee for the Protection of Commerce and the Defence of the Country, to whom was referred Mr. Sitgreaves' resolutions for instructing the commanders of our public and private armed vessels, and also the bill from the Senate for the further protection of the commerce and coast of the United States, reported it as the opinion of that committee that the bill from the Senate ought to be agreed to by the House.
The report was twice read, and ordered to be committed to a Committee of the Whole.
On the Speaker's asking for what day this bill should be made the order, Monday, to-morrow, and to-day, were named.
The question was first taken on Monday, and negatived—43 to 37.
The question was then put upon to-morrow.
Mr. Gallatin hoped this bill would be made the order for to-morrow, as the bill had only been printed this morning, and the report but this moment made. It would be a very extraordinary proceeding to make this very important bill the order for this day.
Mr. J. Williams said, this was a very extraordinary case. When we learn every day that our vessels are taken by the French cruisers, without any cause whatever, it is necessary to act with decision. This day had been spent on a very trifling business compared with this, and he hoped the House would sit until this bill was gone through.
Mr. McDowell hoped this bill would be made the order for to-morrow, as it had only been laid upon the table this morning, and few gentlemen had yet turned their attention to it. Besides, the usual hour of adjournment is arrived, and he hoped gentlemen would not insist upon hurrying so important a bill through the House in this manner. The gentleman from New York remarked that the House had been engaged in trifling business all the day; but, he observed that gentleman sat very contentedly under the discussion, though he now seems so desirous of expediting this business.
Mr. Sewall was impressed with the necessity of passing this bill as soon as possible. If the committee had thought they might with propriety have taken time to deliberate upon this subject, they would not have made this report, but have taken into consideration the resolution which had been referred to them with this bill; but finding it necessary that our armed vessels should receive their instructions immediately, that they may go out and take the vessels on the coast, or drive them off, they made this report, intending hereafter to report farther upon the subject. But the present measures they thought necessary, from the peculiarity of our present situation; the dangers attending which the people without seemed to be fully persuaded of. And as this subject had been fully discussed on the resolutions which had been before the House, he hoped the bill would be immediately taken up; as he wished to provide without delay for the defence of our coast as far as our force would permit.
Mr. Macon said, it was very extraordinary indeed, that gentlemen should wish to hurry this bill through the House in the way proposed. It appeared as if they were afraid of any thing coming from our Commissioners before they got the country in war. Being now the usual hour of adjournment, it could not be expected that if the House went into this bill, that any debate could take place. Indeed, gentlemen seemed to wish to prevent debate as much as possible; a few days ago, they had got a rule passed that no person should speak more than once to any question, and now by moving to go into a Committee of the Whole, at the hour of adjournment, they wish to prevent them from speaking once, and that upon a bill which will certainly place the country in a state of war. He thought a regard to decency ought to prevent gentlemen from pushing this motion.
Mr. Lyon called upon gentlemen to consider the importance of this bill. He considered it as a declaration of war as it now stands, and he hoped time would be given to consider whether some amendment could not be introduced into it, so as to prevent its being so considered. At present, he believed, it was directly in the face of the laws of nations. He was desirous of avoiding war if possible. His constituents also wished it. He had received at least two hundred letters requesting him to do all in his power to prevent it. Indeed, he was afraid of the consequences of war; he was afraid it might produce even a dissolution of the present Government.
Mr. Brent was proceeding to express his astonishment at the conduct of gentlemen in wishing to press so important a subject upon the House, while members were impatient to adjourn, when,
Mr. Sewall rose and withdrew His motion, and the bill was made the order of the day for to-morrow.