The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-01

ed the move. procedure OF reporting fomethiDg
tantanount 10 AN elaborate fpeech in favor of
the claims. as the fpeech of the gentleman
from Virginia is unfortunately deaitute of ar
gufent againft the claims, and as it might be
pof,ih.e tn deduce from it rea!ons in their favor,
it might perhaps nc proper for him TO print it
and annex it TO the report, as a fubititute for
that which he thinks the chairman ought TO
have fubioined. for the edifcation OF the Houte.
NV feeble optics have been able TO d;fcover but
one attempt at argument, which is ia thoic OBJ
fcrv7tions which relate to the menag- of the
Preiident. and the proceedings of CongreiS, on
the a6t of Georgia, in 1895, and which it is
commended, were notice, 10 purchafrs and to
the world, of fraud. At that time it was not
futpetted that fraud had been committed, and
the reafon for thcie proceedings was. that the
United States poleiled, or were fiIppofed to
ponefs, certain claims 20 the territory. There
are certain fnbtle, iuhlimated, ETHEREAL, heaven
defended Feuiufes, the loft and iiken texture
of whole minds would fuacr infinite difcom-
poiure from the contaet Of that rude anerknot-
ty thing, M argument. That gentleman is not
ofthis defcription. Too often have we witncf-
fed his argumentative powers, to entertain
this idea. I regret that he has detained in.
ttcad or reafoning upon this location, as / he
lieve that argument, particularly upon impor-
tant fuhiects, is more ufcful than mere dccla-
nation. From motives which | cannot deve-
lope, for afcribe improper views to no one,
the pretent is attempted to he made party
queition. The people are told that the CAPT.
tol has become fcene Of political and private
iniqaity, of fraud and fetlcralilin that the ma
iority oftheir representatives are committing
ltupendous robbery upon the public patrimo-
nv; and their Indignation is invoked upon tie
plunderers. What facts exit to iuRify thsre
denunciatiors? Are we about TO barter away
the rights, and interefts ofthe people? Are we
about TO be guilty of wanton waite of the
public property Are we guilty of political
apoftacy? No fuch thing. We are about 10
make arrangements for carrying into eficct
folemn liquidation in the treaty with Georgia,
and folemn acf of our predeceilors, by devo-
ting part ofthe five millions of acres, fpeciq!-
ly reierved for that purpofe, for which the Uni
ted States never paid cent, and never will paw
cent, to the extinsuiihment of the coIourable
claims Of equitable claimants. Yet we are told
that this act of equity, good faith, and good
policy, rs ftupendous crime, compared with
which the hagitious acts of the former "un-
principled administration" dwinde into pct
ty larcenies." am republican, democra-
TIC republican. Twas oppofed to the genera,
tyltem of that Administration. But do not
think 1t magnanlmous or honorable, malignant
y TO triumph over fallen foes. Nor do I dread
the union of honef men. 1t can be dreadful
only 10 the diihoneit.
1t is faid that the prefs is under the influence
OF virtual fedition law. No, fir. The prefs,
l fpeak without ilulion to political dftin6ions,
is incorrigibly licentous. Has the gentleman
from Virginia read, in one of the orac!es of our
country, mingled with his own praifes, the de-
nunciatIon ofthe whole representation of one
OF the largef Gates in the union, (Manacbu-
fettS1 cOmnOi,sH IF IaA,tr.a IL &C
public and private integrity, and confpirators
againft the peace of the union, merely becaufe
they differ in opinion from that gentleman up-
on this Jingle quefton Does he know that
thcie denuncations are echoed and re-echoed
by means of the pre1ss called exclufivelv re-
publican, through almot every village of the
nation! Has he heard that the repreGen-
| tatIves of remote diftri6ts are denounced to-
their constituents as traiterous to their rights,
and that their independence of his iinperious
mandates is made the powerful evidence OF the
treaion! Hope, Gr, that we fhallneve feetheday
when a private cauCns of few individuals
fhall be enabled to dictate to the people in
whom TO inveit their confidence. And / alto
hope that the day is not diftsnt when indepen,
dence of fentiment, when independence even
OF party, ihall be the fureft paiiport TO public
confidence and public iionnl1rs
1t IS faid that the circumstance that one of
the great officers of the government is number
ed among the claimants, ought to fcatter con-
! itcrnation through this Houfe. 1t is nnnecena-
ry tor me to undertake vindication of the cha
! ratter of that gentleman. Does his Office d.
veit him OF the common rights of citizen ?
Does 1t deprive him of the right of petitioning
the national legislature. But his contracts are
retorted to for the purpofe of proving that he
has extended his official influence within our
walls. Unfortunate indeed is the application
of this argument. BY the report upon the ia
bic it appears that three members are contract
ors, and we all fee that two of them are oppo-
fed to the prefent claims.
Believing, Mr.. Speaker, that this act of e.
normous robbery, this wanton difipaton of
| the public treafure, this abominable league be-
tween corruption ard federalifm, of which we
hear 70 much, is neither more nor lefs than an
act ofjuft and national policy believing with
the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the
Treafury, and the late Attorney General, that
the intereft of the United States, the tram
guilty of thofe who may hereafter inhabit that
territory, and varioaJ equitable eo1E4erationt,
which may be urged in favor of mott of the pre-
tent claimants, render it expedient to enter in
to compromise on reafonable terms and be-
lieving that this compromise ought to be delay
ed no longer, ih1ll give decided vote in on
petition to the propofed amendment, and in
favor of the original refolution, as reported by
the committee of claims.
ITO be continued.
4