The motion was put and negatived, there being only 15 votes for it.
Mr. Sitgreaves said, the observation of the gentleman from Massachusetts could only be applicable when the principle of the bill was under consideration; whereas, the present proposition only went to limit the period within which advantage should be taken of the indulgence proposed to be allowed.
Mr. Varnum moved a division of the amendment, and proposed to allow till the 1st of September next for persons to make a declaration of their intention to become citizens.
This motion was not seconded; and the question on the amendment was put and carried—47 to 31.
The bill was then ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
Tuesday, May 22.
Alien Enemies.
On motion of Mr. Sewall, the House went into a Committee of the Whole on the bill respecting alien enemies, Mr. Dent in the chair; when the bill was read as follows:
Sec. 1. Be it enacted, &c., That whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion, or predatory incursion, shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened, against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government, and the President of the United States shall make public proclamation of the event, all natives, denizens, citizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed, as alien enemies; and shall be further subject, with their goods and effects, to a just retaliation of any unusual severities, restraints, and confiscations, which shall be suffered by the citizens of the United States, resident within the territory of the hostile nation or government, and inflicted by their authority, previous to, or at the commencement of, any war or rupture as aforesaid, under color or pretence thereof. And the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby, authorized, in any event as aforesaid, by his proclamation thereof, or other public act, to direct the conduct to be observed, on the part of the United States, towards the aliens who shall become liable as aforesaid; the manner and degree of the restraint to which they shall be subject, and in what cases and upon what security their residence shall be permitted, and to provide for the removal of those who, not being permitted to reside within the United States, shall refuse or neglect to depart therefrom, and to establish any other regulations which shall be found necessary in the premises, and for the public safety, subject, nevertheless, to the regulations which the Congress of the United States shall thereafter agree and establish.
[The second section allows to any alien enemy who shall not be chargeable with actual hostility, all the time for the disposal of his effects, and his removal from the country, which any treaty with his nation may stipulate; and the third commits the execution of the act in relation to all persons comprehended in the President's Proclamation, and to all who shall harbor them, to all the judicial and ministerial officers of the Federal and State Governments.]