Capture of French Vessels.
On motion of Mr. Otis, the House went into a Committee of the Whole, Mr. Rutledge in the chair, on the bill encouraging the capture of French armed vessels, by armed ships or vessels, owned by a citizen or citizens of the United States, and for allowing salvage in certain cases. The bill, which proposes a bounty on guns, according to their sizes, having been read,
Mr. McDowell observed, that this bill is similar to the one which was two or three different times negatived at the last session. At that time, he considered the situation of this country more alarming than at present, and the conduct of France more likely to drive us to extremities than it has since been. Knowing this, he did not expect gentlemen would have introduced a bill of this kind. Finding however that gentlemen are not satisfied with things as they are, but are desirous of hiring the people of the United States to make war upon France, though they are unwilling to declare war, and not being willing to give his vote to any such measure, he should move to strike out the first section of the bill.
The question was put, when there appeared 43 votes for it, and 42 against it, and the Chairman said "it is carried," before he declared his vote to be in the negative.
A motion was made for the committee to rise, and negatived—43 to 42.
Wednesday, February 20.
Matthew Lyon, from Vermont, appeared, and took his seat in the House.
Alien and Sedition laws.
Mr. Livingston said, he had received, under cover, a number of petitions from the State of Vermont, praying for a repeal of the alien and sedition laws, which he begged leave to present to the House. One of which having been read, in which, among their other objections to the laws, the petitioners complain of having been deprived, by the sedition law, of their Representative in Congress for the greater part of the present session; Mr. L. moved to have the whole referred to the select committee to whom was referred the other petitions relative to this subject; but on Mr. Gallatin's suggesting that he understood that committee is ready to report, and that it would therefore be better to suffer the petitions to lie on the table until that report is made, and then have the whole referred to the same Committee of the Whole; that course was taken.