Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-13


ihould fpurn at receiving il in iach achan.
mel. We want oaacial iniormasioa. Ba,
gentlemen FAY they want to go into fee,el
on this refolurion. What will be the
good of this / Though he could nos FAY
what was done in fecret yeiferday, ye,
he might FAY what had not been done.
They had doi e nothing; and if they went
| into lccres again, the confequenee would
De the fame.
Mr.. Randolph felt extremely reluasu;
10 rife 10 this itage of the d'fcufion, bu,
he deemed it time to TePel infinuaIions 70
frequently thrown out as perhaps TO gain
lome credit if they were permitted pai
entirely unra,iced. We are avela to
take up the merton ofthe gentleman from
Connecticut, and wherefore? Becau!e, q,
our opponents would inhaye it believed,
we are inienGble to the Watt interef afta.
ed by the obl}ruSsion Of the MiiiMppis
No, fr, becaufe we are alive to this deli.
cate and momentons fubjea, becau!e We
wifh TO act upon il; becauie we win to
go into committee on the confidential mel.
faye Of the executive, becaufe the infer.
nation required by the motion before
you is not neceflafy to determine US IN
the courfe which we ought, and, truH,
will purfue and becaufe thefe various
preliminary queaions, whatever be their
uhieta, are, in efea, only calculated ia
yctard and to embarrais the deciion of the
honfe on this great qneiion. Sir, ! am
content that gentlemen hould repeat al.
ter each other thc tri,e observations which
have beer 70 of,eo reiterated OF the mag.
nitudc of rhe objeet in queaion. | an
con,enr that they mould make the belt
pofibic diiplay Of their ardor on this oc-
cation. But wherefore this exhibition CT
zeal 10 inctdina.e as to arrogate TO 1t.
feii all fendbility to .fe national welfare!
Since gentlemen infa upon il. iince they
pfopoke the diicoflion, mulf Teqnea to
be INDUCED in forne remarks on rhe hiao-
ry Of this fut;.a. Ana in reply to the
gentleman froro Connecticut, lMr. God
dard) / muR be permitted to obier'e tia!
luch OF my information as may have keea
derived from the executive IS equally ac-
ceilibIc to every member Of this houiS, and
! believe TO every reputable citizen in The
union, who chooies to apply for it. That
however which [ am about TO prtient is
derived FROM a ioarcc accefilble to the
whole world. Ii is to be found in do
cument Of in-a;rnabie value, (fhe debates
of the Virginia convention in I7SS, J and
might truly be faid 10 be oAicial. 1t IS
an account given in his official character OF
member of Congrsfs and under the old
confederation, by thar able and eminent
man, that faithful and illuerious pubic
iervanr, rhe late governor of Virginia, to
the convention of that fate at their requl-
Gtion. AT his own fuggefion the legi.la-
rure Of the fate had declined to iniia upoa
il. To the convention it was given how
ever reluctantly as 70 paramount do-
thori1y. (fier. MIR. Randolph read Mr.
Monroe's fpeech.
After Gonc defultory conversation, Mr..
Monroe fpoke as follows: Mr. Chairman,
My conduct re- pettiug the tranfattions
of Congrels, upon this intereaing fubjett,
fince my return to the State, has been we'll
known to many worthy gentlemen here:
have been often called upon before this
in public line, and particularly IN the
LAT afembly, wh,lf | was prstent, tor IN
formation of thefe tranfattions ; but have
heretofore declined it, and for reaions taat
were he'd satisfactory. Being amenable
upon the principles of the Federal compact
TO the Legislature for my conduct IN con-
grefs, it cannot be doubted, if required,
it were ny duty to OBEY their directions ;
but that honorable body thought It ben
to difpcnGe with fuch demand. The ngns
in this aGembiy is unqucitionably more
Il