The Enquirer

DISTRICT COURT.—At length a most serious and solemn question has arisen under the Embargo Laws, and is brought into discussion before a Judicature competent to pronounce a decision—a question whether the Congress and President have a right by the CONSTITUTION FOREVER to prohibit COMMERCE to the people of the United States: in other words, whether the late Embargo Acts, as they are strangely called, are constitutional. In the case of the United States versus the brig William, now trying before the District Court in this town, the counsel for the claimant have made the UNCONSTITUTIONALITY of those acts one of the points in their cause. The argument on this point was begun yesterday by Mr. Prescott, in an able speech, and will be closed, as we understand, by Mr. Dexter, on the same side, this day. We hope to be enabled to lay a report of the argument before our readers.

September 23.

The session still continues.—We mentioned in our last, that the argument on the unconstitutionality of the Embargo Laws had been begun by Mr. Prescott. On Tuesday morning Mr. Dexter followed on the same side. In the afternoon, Mr. Francis Blake, and on Wednesday morning, Mr. George Blake, on the part of the government. In the afternoon Mr. Prescott answered to such new matter as had been introduced by the Attorney for the government; who, in reply again to Mr. Prescott, closed the argument. It now remains for the Judge to give his opinion. During this long discussion, the hall was crowded, and the anxious assembly listened with the most profound attention to the arguments, in which great knowledge, ingenuity and eloquence were displayed. We had intended to have given in our paper, a view of the arguments on this most important question; but, from their length, have concluded to publish them more fully in a pamphlet, as soon as the matter can be arranged.