Mr. Rutledge thought it necessary, as the gentleman from Virginia had withdrawn his opposition to the commitment of the bill from what had fallen from him with respect to the probability of despatches being shortly received from our Ministers, to state upon what ground he had said this. [Mr. R. then mentioned the arrival of the Pomona at Baltimore.]
Mr. McDowell did not think the information given by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rutledge) ought to put off the decision of the question which had been under consideration.
Wednesday, April 25.
Provisional Army.
The Speaker having declared the question on the bill from the Senate for the raising of a provisional army, viz: "Shall this bill be rejected?" to be first in order before the House,
Mr. McDowell said, upon further consideration, and conceiving that gentlemen might wish to see the contents of the despatches of our Ministers, which had been mentioned, before they gave their vote on this occasion, he should withdraw his opposition to the second reading of the bill.
The bill was then read a second time; and a motion being made to commit it to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union,
Mr. Lyon called for the yeas and nays; but only himself and another member rising in support of the motion, it was not carried.
The bill was then referred.