Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-06-06

q! message. And that ifthis scheme FOR
"ppr"Pr '.tlug two millions towards an
OH Ct not >pe.i6cd, was his, it was in
direct conty adle,ion to principle, which
he h,nSeli "a recommen ded and entorc-
ed t, one OF his former messages. LII
hi, M ssa to the seventh Congress, he
sa, 49, Ia our care too, OF the pubic
contr.hriions entrussedto our direction,
It woutI or prudent to multiply barriers
against dissipation, b. approPriAting 'pe-
che sums To every specific purpose sus-
cept,ol, of definition; by disallowinS all
application OF money, varying from the
appropriation in object, or trAnscending
it in amount by reducing the undsin-
eL field Of contingencies, and thereby
Nlrcumscribing discretionary powers O.
yer none, bv bringing hack to a sim
gle department. all &C cou ntabilities where
the examination NAV be prompt, efica-
cious, and uniform" How tar this bill,
sppropriating two million" OF dollars to-
wards an obi Ct not specified, andgiving
at the same time a discretionary power
to exceed that appropriation, conforms
to The excelIe Mt and truly republican doc.
trine contained in the above extract, l
shall leave the public to Judge.
Amongst other arguments. IN favour
| of specification, must mt omit the fol-
loving that if this business was to be
kept secret, land q strong effort was
made TO the very last to conceal IT, spe-
! cit. ing the object of the appropriation
could do no possible injury-whilst it
would 6x the responsibility on the Pre-.
sident, where it ought to be. That 81.
though we had no disposition to doubt
for moment the disposition Of that of
6cer, to apply the money in the way in-
tended yet that law, and not confidence,
was, and ought, forever to be the rule
in all practicable cases under which we
should act towards him. The right to
make appropriations Of money in secret,
was also deied, as practice calculated to
destroy one Of the mos, efficient checks,
which the people had over their repre-
sentat,ves. But the objection which ap.
peared to US most important and indeed
insuferable, was the apparent disgrace
of the proposed measure. For whate.
yer might be said, respecting the policy
Of acquiring the Floridas the advan-
tage Of which we did not denv yet the
appropriation Of money TO buy them,
under existing circumstances, must, and
), would be considered, as in the highes,
degree pusillaniuous aud disgraceful
The true motives Of those gentlemer
I who were in favor o(Pbrchasing the Flo
ridas, howevet pure they might be could
hot be known abroad, but would be in
ferred from the known facts. These
facts must inevitably produce an unfa
vourable inference, whether it ~as-~tru<
Or not, and the consequence to our coun
! try, would be a. fatal from this eouclu
sion, although it might happen TO b
false if it was fairly deducible from tn,
true motives Of those who supported
this measure. Fer IL had frequently
been declared on hhs Raor If Congress,
and none had denied It, that France had
rhteatenedL a. ruth war, i rUe came to q
rupture seitK Spain j.: thar Spain zpas nel
0versr 10 an accommodation o Our d;f fer.
enees. 6yf that Frones tpoul6 net SUITE,
her 70 sake il, GnLess money toas used
as the nseaas o bropitiatisn. That Franc.
had intimated her willingness to inter
fete upon this condition, and. had~giver
assurances, that Spain should do wha
We wished on these terms. Under these
/ circumstances We eontended, that whe
th-r gentlemen were governed by fear o
I France or really preferred purchasing
the Floridas, 70 an exchange ofterritor;
(which was the only thing we could con
sent to SPAIN if money was thus appro
| priaed. it would, and must be under
stood, not only by France, but by III.
world, as the effect of naturalization; ans
that the necessary consequence of sucl
belief abroad, must be the entire pros
tration of our national character. tn,
day after this 6iApassed, rVh;eh spas on
| the IAfh af 4ouuorN dfSAotrhss Tra,r