The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-01-28 00:00:00, page 5

Mr. Clarke then laid on the table a
letter from the Baron de Carpndelet to
Manuel Gayoso, dated April's/, 1796,
written in the Spanish language. Mr.
Clarke stated that he had not had time,
since the vote of yesterday, to reduce
what he knew on the subject to writing.
His papers and documents on the sub
ject were at Nsw-Orleans, and some
time must be afforded him to present a
complete and accurate statement.
A motion was made, that the resolu
tion lie on the table.
Mr. Crowninshield was ready to ne
gative the resolution at once. He was
opposed totally to the course which this
business had taken, and thought it ex
tremely improper for the house to inter-.
A re in this way to blast the character
of a meritorious officer. He had seen
no reason vet to suppose gen. Wilkin
son guilty ot the charge preferred a
jainst him.
M:. Lloyd considered it very singu
lar for the house to call on the gentle
man from Orleans for a statement of
\\h ;t lie knows on the subject, and then
dc< iiuu receiving it. He thought the
h. :.t friends of Gen. Wilkinson ought to
favour this investigation.. Suspicion
had been justly excited : the truth ought
to be ascertained and declared to the
cc/tn munity.
Mr. Kowan read a letter written by
/iaron de Carondelet to Judge Innes of
Kentucky, in which the Baron states at
length the means hv which the western
states may he detached from t.he union;
oilers one hundred thousand dollars to
pay writers who will come forward and
advocate a disunion, and another hun
dred thousand dollars to support troops
who shall be employed for this purpose.
Judge Innes, when questioned why he
had been selected by the Spanish Go
vernor, said that Gen. Wilkinson had
presented the Baron with a hook in
which his (Innes’s) name was written.
1 his was the only reason Judge Innes
could assign, for being selected by the
Spanish Governor as a fit person for
[ such a treasonable proposal. This cir
cu nstVnce, though small, was fraught
with much meaning—it indicated that
Wilkinson had been connected with the
Spnni »h government.
*Tr. K. wished that an extensive and
a u' -factory inquiry might he made into
ah t ic transactions of the western coun
try. tie couM himself name persons,
v on •‘••eii v could give information
* pi the utmost importance. Much had
been said of the delicacy with Which
character ought to be treated. He tho’t
it a lalse delicacy, which should prevent
an examination into the conduct of pub
lic men, charged on solid grounds with
the commission of high crimes. He had
no confidence in the court of inquiry or
dered by the ex< cutive, because the
court had no compulsory power; it fur
ther was composed of subalterns, who
are to try tin ir superior officer. A full
investigation would not be expected
from such a tribunal.
I he debate was continued bv a num
ber cl members—and the resolution was
ordered to lie on the table.
[From the Washington Federalist."]
Monday, January 11.
1 he house proceeded to consider the
resolution of Mr. liandolph, relative to
gen. Wilkinson. Mr. Clark, delegate
from Orleans, laid o.i the clerk’s table
a written statement of all the infor
mation m his possession on the sub
ject, in pursuance of resolution ,of
Thursday last, which was read, and on
a special call, read a second time. This
statement is of a considerable length,
and goes to shew an improper connec
tion between gen. Wilkinson and the
Spanish government, and that he was a
pensioner of Spain.
Mr. Rowan said hr had apprized the
house, a lew days since, th.it when the
consideration of the resolution was re
sumed, he should offer an amendment.
Mr. R. then offered an amendment,
which the Speaker said could not he re
ceived, as it was a substitute for the oi i
ginal resolution.
Mr. Randolph said he was convinced
the gentleman from Kentucky had a
right to an opportunity of trying the
sense of the house on his motion. He
would therefore withdraw the motion
which he had made.
Mr. Rowan offered the following re
solution, and demanded the ayes and
nocs on its passage.
Resolved, That a special committee
be appointed to enquire into the conduct
ot Brigadier General J. W’ilkinson, in re
lation to his having at any time, whilst
in the service ot the United States, cor
ruptly received money from the govern
ment oi Spain or its r gents; and that the
s iid committee ii. ve power to send for
persons and paper , and to compel their
attendance and production,and thatth v
report the result of their enquiry to tins
house.
1 Mr. Bacon acknowledged that the
communication just read had made a
great impression on his mind, but he
was opposed to the resolution on the
ground that it would be the exercise cf
an unconstitutional power.
Mr. Randolph argued that the house
had a l ight to make any enquiries for
legislative purposes—that it was very
possible the result ot the proposed en
quiry might call for important legisla
tive provisions—that the legislature had
the power of disbanding the army, or
of refusing to make the usual military
appropriations—that the report of the
committee might point to the necessity
of exercising one or the other of these
powers, lie observed, that in the course
of the last summer he had received in
formation, of no dubious kind, of a plan
to dismember the union through the in
strumentality of the army—that instead
ol the army having crushed the conspi
racy, it was not until the courage of the
army had lulled, that the enterprise was
abandoned. This he had learned when
serving as a member of the grand jury
at Richmond. J he conspirators had
been caressed at different military posts
in their descent of the river, and that by
officers of no mean rank—and they had
received from those garrisons most of
*he very, few arms which they possessed*
He then called the attention of the house
to the copy of Burr’s letter in cypher to
W lUciuson, ‘which was transmitted by
the President at the la?t session, and to
that which had been decyphered by
three of the members of the grand jury*
by the use of the key furnished by the
General, and pointed out several impor
tant variances between them.
Mr. Sinilie enquired of the gentleman
from Virginia, whether a motion had
not been made in the grand jury, to find
a bill of indictment against Gen. Wil
kinson, and .whether that motion had
succeeded.
Mr. Kandolph said, a motion to pre
sent Gen. Wilkinson for misprison of
treason had been made—that it had
been overruled on the ground that the
treason was alledged to have been com
mitted high up on the Ohio, and that the
General’s letter to the President was
dated a short time before its alledged
commission—he had therefore what the
lawyers would call a legal exception, or
a flaw. He had heard no member doubt
ot the moral, though they did of the le
gal guilt-[The debate was continued
[ until the hour of adjournment.]