Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-10
C @ N C. r E S S
OF THE UNITED STATES.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
"WEDNESDAY, Jan. s.


u. States, be requefed TO dirett the pro-
per officer, to lay before this Houie, CO.
pies OF fuch official documents as have beea
received by this governments, announcing
the cellion Of Louihana to France, toge-
Their with a report explaining the ftipula-
tions, circumstances, and conditions under
which that province is to be delivered up
-unleis fuch documents and report viii,
in the opinion e the Prehdent, divulge to
the Houie particular sraniatfions net pro-
per at this time TO be communicated.
Mr.. Randolph obieryed that she dit
.cuiIion on this motion might embrace
points nearly connected with the fublea
referred TO committee OF the whole on
the fate Of the union, and which had been
sdifcufied With cloied doors. He there
fore thought it would be expedient TO
commir this uiorion alto to the commit
fee Of the whole on the fate OF the union
TO whom had been committed the mel
fage Of the President reipetting New Or
leans.
Mr.. Randolph accordingly made fuch
motion.
Mr.. Grifwold only roie TO make
qleifion of order, viz. whether the gentle
man could move the reference of the re-
iclution TO committee of the whole en-
fubjeet whole difcuiiion required ihut
doors.
Mr.. Speaker faid the motion was to re-
fer the refolution TO a committee on the
union generally. There was no fpecial
committee on the fate OF the union.
Mr.. Grifwold (aid he made no queeion
of order Of thar. He had no doubt it was
IN order.
The Speaker decided the motion to be
In order.
Mr.. Grifwold hoped the motion would
nor prevail. He did not fee what argu-
ments could be urged in favor OF it. The
,refo.urion related to public tlaniaetlon
fated on their Journal. He did not think
that any thing which ought 10 be kept
fecret could be Involved in the difcuAion
otit. What is its purport' 1t only re-
DUETS the PreGdent TO furniih documents
Iefpeaing " the celIion of the Spanifh pro-
vince Of LouiGana to France, which took
place in the courle Of the late war; and
which the PreGdenr fays" viii if carried
into effect, make change in the afpett
Of our toreigc relations, which will doubt
leIs have jua weight in any deliberations
Of the Legislature connected with thar tub-
jet
Are NOT, faid Mr.. Grifwold, theie pa
pers important TO the houfe Does nor
The PreGdens refer to them as important
TO enIighsen us Z He lpeaks of the ceiiion
as a fact. He took it for granted the
prefdent would not make the declaration
unl.fs he had official information Of its
truth. Oaght not the houfe to be pof-
fened of all the important information in
the power of the executive to give 1t
certainly ought. Every gentleman would
agree that the houfe ought TO have all the
information. If the information is conf
Dental, it will be received with clcied
doors. Bat the quefion, whether the
houfe lha.l obtain this information IS a
public reRion and there was not man
within thole walls, or in the y. States.
who wculd NOT FAY that the leginature
ought poaefs every information On a
fabjearo deeply insefeitirg. Why then
refer This reiolution, calling for informa-
riep, 70 committee Why pofpone il :
They had bur fhort time 10 fl. More
than half the felton, was already elapied.
Is il net time 70 gain information Mr..
. Gsifxold faid, he would venture to de-
clare that no iubjea 70 important could
he bought before the Legislature this ief-
Gon. Oughr wssnot, therefore, on iueh
fuDietf to take immediate means to gain
information He hePcd the houie would
not agree TO the reference, which could
hava M p4Ts4 hat 10 put the relOlutIOn