Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-01-10

rY ilim rom his puIpoiS. Dul be hci'iSu
that the adoption of his motion would be
RECTAL TO give information. He well
knew that there was nothing eafier than
10 declare the fubjea vafly important and
make an eloquent harangue upon II, and
| TO infer that thofe who did not immedi-
ateIy agree to the refolution were adserie
| to giving information, and TO going into
difcufiion of the merits of the main fubJeet.
II would, however, not be expected thar
he fhonld enter upon theie on prel'mina-
ry refolution. Bus he would allure The
! gentleman, who had fubmitted this reiolu-
ton, that 70 far from indulging any dit
petition to be dilatory in his attention. TO
| this important fubjed, he came yeiferday
prepared 10 make motion that the houie
fhould go intoa committee of The whole on
tie fubiea, which motion he fhould have
then made but fer thar offered by the gen
tleman from Conneeticut.
Mr.. Rp,ledge faid that, did he confder
thar the giving publicity to any informa-
ton on this fnbjees would in the leaft ~
terfere with the conititutional functions OF
the Piefident, he would be the lait man TO
Gupport the refolution of his friend from
Connecticut. But he could not conceive
that this could be It's effect. What were
they about TO az, They were about TO
ak in refpetfful terms the Prefident ter
information relative to what he fates as a
fact; 10 much information as he may
think it expcdient to give. Surely there
would c no Improperly 10 this. The cet-
iion of Louihana bad been itated in all the
public prints in Europe and this country,
and on the floor of the Britifh parliament.
This ceAion had been made a year ago: &
notwithstanding the elapfe of this time,
we had received no official information on
this fubjeet. Isitnot natural for the peo-
pie to ak why Congrefs do not call for
this information Will they not fay. the
PRECEDENT has done his duty in Eating the
fasl Upon this fubje6, 70 very impor
tant, are they to be kept in the dark !
Mr.. RutIedge could not conceive any tusn
of the debate on this refolution that could
produce difcuf1ion of the merits of the
MefIage referred 10 the Con- mittee of the
whole. If the Prelident ihali fay the in
formation he gives US ought not TO be
made public, he would anfwer for hirnielf,
and he believed he could aniwer for his
friends, that they would not ieek a public
difcuflion. Ard if the information is i'm
parted without confidence, the Houte, il
il Zee fit, can itielt controul a public dit
cuaion. Mr.. Rutledge concluded with
faying that in the prelenr cafe he was
for deciding on the refolution with open
doors.
Mr.. S. Smith thought this point
ought in a g,ea, meafure to be deteFnln-
ed by the cufom OF the Houle in ilmi-
lar cafes. He did not ailtrt il as tact,
bur, from recollection he believed II was
70, that when call was made for pa
pers in the cafe of the Brisiih treaty,
tse quehion was referred 70 a committee
of the whole, and there fully diicuhed.
According TO his recollection, one Gde
of the Houie called fer papers on the
principle that after negotiations were
terminated, the Honfe had right to IN
formation before they made grant to
money uoder treaty but acknowledge
Ing that a call for fuch information
might be improper during pending ne
gociation. He was one of thole who
thought it proper, on that occalion, that
the Houfe fhould have the papers but
he alto thought it improper, and had then
70 declared, 10 call for papers during a
pending negotiation. Whether in the pre-
TENT inaance, negotiation was pending or
was rot, he did not know. He was
therefore, for poRponing the refolution till
this was known to the Houle.
(Debate to Be Continsea.J