Wednesday, February 24.
The Frigate Constitution.
The bill making compensation to the officers and crew of the frigate Constitution for the destruction of the British frigates Guerriere and Java, was read a third time and passed, by yeas and nays. For the bill 61, against the bill 39.
Order in Council.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States:
To the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States:
I lay before Congress copies of a proclamation of the British Lieutenant Governor of the island of Bermuda, which has appeared under circumstances leaving no doubt of its authenticity. It recites a British Order in Council of the 26th of October last, providing for the supply of the British West Indies and other colonial possessions, by a trade under special licenses; and is accompanied by a circular instruction to the Colonial Governors, which confines licensed importations from ports of the United States, to the ports of the Eastern States exclusively.
The Government of Great Britain had already introduced into commerce during war, a system, which, at once violating the rights of other nations, and resting on a mass of forgery and perjury unknown to other times, was making an unfortunate progress in undermining those principles of morality and religion which are the best foundation of national happiness.
The policy now proclaimed to the world, introduces into her modes of warfare a system equally distinguished by the deformity of its features, and the depravity of its character; having for its object to dissolve the ties of allegiance and the sentiments of loyalty in the adversary nation, and to seduce and separate its component parts, the one from the other.
The general tendency of these demoralizing and disorganizing contrivances will be reprobated by the civilized and Christian world; and the insulting attempt on the virtue, the honor, the patriotism, and the fidelity of our brethren of the Eastern States, will not fail to call forth all their indignation and resentment, and to attach more and more all the States to that happy Union and Constitution, against which such insidious and malignant artifices are directed.
The better to guard, nevertheless, against the effect of individual cupidity and treachery, and to turn the corrupt projects of the enemy against himself, I recommend to the consideration of Congress the expediency of an effectual prohibition of any trade whatever, by citizens or inhabitants of the United States, under special licenses, whether relating to persons or ports; and, in aid thereof, a prohibition of all exportation from the United States in foreign bottoms—few of which are actually employed—whilst multiplying counterfeits of their flags and papers are covering and encouraging the navigation of the enemy.
JAMES MADISON.
February 24, 1813.
The Message and accompanying documents were referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Extra Session.
The House went into Committee of the Whole on the bill to alter the time of the next meeting of Congress—a motion being under consideration to fix on the fourth Monday in October.
Mr. Grundy spoke in reply to some observations of Mr. Johnson (on yesterday) in favor of that day. Mr. G. was decidedly in favor of meeting in May; he believed it necessary to the support of public credit that the House should meet in May. Had not the Committee of Ways and Means first taught him that an early session was necessary with that view, if revenue should not, as it would not, be provided at this session, he should not have been found advocating an extra session. The House had been told by their financial committee, that it was indispensably necessary forthwith to provide a revenue; and that a paper system, without a foundation of permanent revenue, would involve the nation in disgrace or irretrievable ruin. Mr. G. quoted various reports of the Committee of Ways and Means to show that they had made such statements. With these facts staring him in the face, how could he do otherwise than urge an early session? If it was indispensably necessary a day or two ago to provide a revenue, what had since occurred obviating that necessity? Nothing. War had been declared, and it was the duty of those who declared it to provide the ways and means of carrying it on. Mr. G. protested against the idea which had been advanced of giving enormous interest for loans, and against accumulating a large debt, almost without the knowledge of the people on whom it would be saddled, and expressed his determination, as far as lay in his power, to go on and provide the ways and means.