Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-12-30

~ ANrf NSS1e lIEp4Ou SAT down m NE
journmept took place 10 he next day. &
Nosember !.
Mr.. Wells 81. PFssident- Having
always held % the opinion dat when 4
treaty wa duly made under the eonstis
t,lted alitkorities 81 the United States,
Congress was bound Is pass the laws me-
sessary to.earfy K INTO effect andas the
vote lam bound 10 give may not ii irst
seem 10 conform ittelfto this opinion, T
feel en- obligation imposed upon me 10
state, IN a concise manner as I can,
the reasons Why / Withhold my assent
from the passage q this bill.
There are two acts necessary to be-
performed 10 carry the present treaty ii.
. effect one byfhe French governments,
the other by our own. They are 20 de-
iverus . fair and eiIectual possession Of
the eeded territory and then, and NOT
tiil then, are We q pay the purchase mo.
ney. We have alresdy authorised the,
President % receive procession. This
co-operation on our part was requisite
. % enable the French 10 comply with the
stipulation they had made |; they could
notdeliver unless some body was appoint.
Cd 70 receive. Ii this view Of the sub
jeet, the question which presents itself
% my mind ii, who shall Judge whether
the French government does, OF does
not, faithfdly comply with the previous
condition. The bin on your liable gives
Is The President this power !: I am Cor our
retai1ing and exercisingit ourselves. /
may be asked, why not delegate this
power 70 the President! Sir. answer
By enquiring why We should delegate il /
To us & properly belongs and, unless
some advantage viii Be derived to the
United STATES, IL shall not Be transferred
with my consent. Congress win be in.
session AZ The time that the delivery Of
the eeded territory takes place and II
we should then Be satisfied thar the
French have executed with 6delify that
part of the treaty which Is incumbent up !.
cnthem first 70 perform, Ipledge my-
selftoyote forthe payment Of the pur-
chase money This appears Is me, ar.
guing upon general principles, 10 Be the
course which ought to Be pursued, even.
.supPosing thar there were attending this
case no particular difficulties. Hut m
this special case are there NOT among the
archieves ofthe Senate sufficient docclu-i
ments, and which have been withheld
from the House Of Representatives, o.
justify IN spprrhension, hat the French
government was not invested win the
capacity . convey this properly to us,
and thar We shall not receive that kind
Of possession which . stipulated for byI
the treaty lam NOT permitted, By the
order Of this body, 10 make any utiiSssr
than this generaIreferenes 10 those docu.
ments.
his 70 Be observed that the latter part
of this article refers to that convention
which stipulates fort the payment Of mo-
Dey 20 the French government. But
who, ] ask, could understand il IN thi.
4ay Z The convention here referred d 4
said 70 bs 1seiatipe 70 ads faifive ruiz Be-
t1pees she eo,tiyacfis9 Parfes.n WHY
those dark, obscure and unintelIieibie
expressions! Is Z confederation = m.
nikivs slfis :" The frst article speaks
Of the cession q being made, from 4
desire to7give 70 the United States 4 /,
strong proof Of the friendship Of the
First Consul md when youturn 10 the |
convention which i said % establish The |
8 eaifipe rxit,n you End ptoyision
binding The United States 10 the PAYMENT
ofmQnsy % the French Republic, but
not word 8 said about its being tie con- |
siderationof the cessicn.S Suspicion hang, |
over lie whole Of this basinest. II he
teFFitosy i beyond all doubtto &c put |
quietly and peaceably into our hands. |
whence the necessity Of sending down 70 |
receive i. an imposing force 1 Admit /
that I nominal possession Of the tsrrito- |
~ has been given up BY The Spaniards to |
the French, the LATER. III Il welf known