The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-13
Gnngrefs.
HOUSE oFREPREsERTATIvES.
Debate in committee ofthe sv6oir,
IN TIE IMPEACHMENT OF
JUDGE CHASE.
Mr. Faruun in tie Chair.
Monday Dee. 9.

uS reported ARTICLES were read.
Dir. Elliott. 1t will be recoleeed, Mr..
, Chairman, by every member OF the committee
who was prcient at the clofe of the lait felton,,
that upon the report OF the committee of in
curry, recommending the impeachment of
Judge Chafc, no member but myief thought
proper, to deliver his fcntiments. feel no in
ciination to retravel the ground which / then
occupied in foitude; Especially as the opni-
mons which then advanced remain unatered.
Nor have r dipolitiou to enbarrafs the pro-
ceedirgs. j with, indeed, to implify them.
But feel it my duty to fuggeR that courfe of
proceeding, and that mode of decifon, which
believe TO be demanded equally by our duty
to the perfon accufed, to our own condolences,
and to cur country; and ihal fuggef them
with confidence rather than with difhdence, be-
cauie they are 10 extremely obvious. | believe
1T TO be our duty deliberately to invcfigate the
principles involved in the report, fome Of which
are certainly novel, and TO take diftintt queiti-
ons upon each general head of accufation.
Becauie think Mr.. Chafe ought to be impeach-
cd fol two OF three midemeanors, | cannot
give my vote in favor of articles accuiing him
Of eight high crimes and thirty or forty mifde-
meanors. If fhould be 70 fortunate as TO be
ieconded in the opinions which l entertain up
on this inbject, will move to amend the report
upon the table by ftriking out that part which
relatesto the conduct of Judge Chafe OF the tri-
| al of John Fries, and which is now comprifcd
in the frft article.
The motion being feconded,
| Mr.. Smile afled if the motion was in order,
obferving that the report conlited of a numbrr
OF diitlnct proportions which he conceived
were TO be confdered in the ufi,al way article
by article and the queftion would be either to
concur or non-concur. The gentleman ME-. }
might crafty his zeal in this way as well as in
the mode he had prapofed for ffriking out, and
the refuit would be the fame--It would furniih
an opportunity for every member to fpeak for
or againt each article, as well as to amend a.
ny.
| Mr.. Elliott replied that he was not tenacious
of form. His only obieot was to obtain dftinet
queitions. IF the committee of the whole
were ditpofed to purdue the courfe pointed out
by the gentleman from Pennfylvania, he would
withdraw his motion.
The Chairman gave !. as his opinion that the
proper mode Of proceeding would be to take
the report up by articles.
On the irG article being read,
MIR. Elliott moved 70 hrike il out.
The Chairman faid the motion to Rrike ont
the iirft fiction was in order, and was ufual in
the cafe Of bill in order to decide upon its
merlt-but in independent articles ike the pre-
ient il would be preferable to take the cuetion
on concurring, 70 that the opinion of the COM
iihltCC uilSut diCcTIdlDcO on e9Cn article.
Mr.. Smile exprelied an indifference as to
the mode of diciGon, but he believed what he
had fugeeAed was conformable to all former
rules and practices.
Mr.. i. Randolph, (after ihort paufe,) faid
that the quei'ion of concurrence with the fe-
leSt committee in his opinion ought to be taken
on each article, icparately, and for his part he
had 10 objection to.take it upon each feparatc
member of each article, If any gentleman win
cd it 70 be taken in that way
Mr.. Nicbol'1n obierying that there was no
queflion before the committee, conceived that
one ought TO be prefenled for their decifon.
He therefore moved that the committee of the
whole concur wi.b thc fcleGt committee, and a.
gree to the FRI article, Which being fecond-
ed thc queition was put by the Chairman, di-
vlbon was called for, and 7s members riing in
the affirmative, ii was carried without reveriing
the qucftion--7i being more than a majority Of
the whole Houie had all the members been pre-
feu..
The I'd article under confederation.
Mr.. Dasyjon. This mode of proceeding in
ours fome difficulty which might be prevented
by the motion 70 ftrike out, as in the latter
cafe the principle upon which tie article is
grounded would be tetcd, and if the principle
was adopted the phrafeology might be varied &
amended as might I've thought proper.
tyVffNTnH. i ne committee has already de-
termincd 20 proceed in different manner, il
therefore docs rot ref upon the difcrctiop of Toe
Chair.
Mr.SmNc faggeHed the propricty of reading
the evidence in inp2ort Of each article, - there
were many gentlcucn here who were not pr. tent
at the iait fefion waen the teRimony vas both
read and printed.
Mr.. FirSigy ieconded the motion.
Mr.. hnboJIon. Reading the tchiinoay will
occupy the whole day, it conltitutes tic volume
IN my hand "a volume Of apparently goo pa
ges.)
Mr.. Snihs would not call for its resdirc on
his own account he bad already pernfed the
teftimony, bst here were iegcral gentlemen
now preient who were not here At the Ian fciB.
on. who perhaps have not had az opportunity
ot feeling the documents, and he believed centle.
men generally voted with more iafissactiou OF
iubje6ts with which they are well acquainted
than on thofe where doubts or appreciation,
are entertained. Behdes ne deemed II more
tate and dignihed to proceed with caution and
III