Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-05-02


es OF The President. To this we answer
eo,. that although We were disposed 10
trea, with respect the opinions ofthe Pre-.
s'den,, waen officially communicated, vet
even then we did TO, conceive ourselves
under any oo!isa,icn 20 adopt them. We
considered ourselves the representatives
of free and independent people, Who
scot US here 10 be governed, not by inea,
but by principlesj and to yield obedience
10 nothing but the convictions OF our own
deliberate Judgment. That il the Prcsi-
dent had any opinions On this suhj.S, o
Their than those which he had communi.
Gated, they ought TO form the subict of
another confidential message. And that
ii This scheme for spproprating two mil
lions towards an Object not specified, was
his, il was in direct contradiction 20
principle. which he himself had recon-
nendrd and enforced in one Of his former
messages. In his message 70 the seventh
Congress-, he says" In our care too, of
"the public contributions entrusted 70
" our direction, it would be prudent 10
multiply barriers against their d,,sipa-
"tion, BY spproPriating specific sums, TO
every specific purpose susceptible Of de-
"taiticn by disa'iowing al applications
vol money, worrying from the appropris-
"tion in Object, o. transcend,ng it in a
mount; by reducing the underlined Eeid
"of contingencies, and thereby circum.
"scr;bing discretionary powers over mo-
ney; By bringing back 10 single de-
"pArtment all accommodates; where the
Denomination may be prompt, efficacious,
"sbd uniform" How far this bill, an
propriatinK Two millions OF dollars 10.
wards an ebiea no, specified, and giving
1t the same time discretionary power 10
exceed that appropriation. conforms to
the excellent aud truly republican doctrine
contained in the ebove extract, shall
leave the public 10 Judge.
Amongst other arguments in favor of speciE
cation, nsst not emit the foowing-ihat if
this business wss to be kept secret, land strong
effort WA made 60 the very last to conceal it,
specifying shs ebje& Of the appropriation, could
do no possible injsry-whist il would fix the
, responsibility on the President. where il ought
to BE. That although we had no dispositioa to
donbi TOT moment, the disposition of tia, sfa-
Ger. to apply the money in the way intended
YET that law, and act confidence. was, and oue hit.
forever to be tho rule all prsStsab,. cases On
der which we should aa towards him. The
right 70 make appropriations Of money in secret.
was also tenied. IS . practice cAlcslsied to des
troy one Of tbs most efhcsent checks, which the
people had ovss their Representatives. bur tf.e
objection which appeared 20 Us mott important,
and indeed in,spsvahie, was the apparent dis
grace Of the proposed measure Tor whatever
might be said, Respecting ,he policy az acquiring
| ihe >Fiordas; the advantage OF which we did
not deny-yet the appropriation Of noney to
buy them, under existing circsmstsnces, must,
and would be considered a. in the Aighss, de
gree pusillanrnous and dissrasefu The true
motives OF those gentlemen who were in favor
OF purchasing the Floridas, however pure they
mi sht be. could not be known abroad, but wosd
be inferred from the known faA. These faAs
must inevitably produce an unfavor.sle infer.
ence; whether il was true or not. ard the con.
sequence 10 our country, would he ss fatal from
this conclusion, altho#gh il might happen TO be
false, rs il it was fairly d<dueibe from the true
motives of those who supported this me.sure
For il had Frequently besn declared on the floor
of Congress, and none had &c nied t--thas France
had fhreatesed US with wav, if we came to a rnp
ture with Spain---that Spain was not averse 10
an accommodation of otir differences, bur tina,
france would not sugsx her to make II. snless
money was used As the means Of Precipitation.
That France had inririated hsv willingness 10
interfere upon this conditisn, and he'd given w
assurances, THAI Spain should do what ws wish
ed on ttes. terms. Under these circurstances
we centcnded, that whether gentlemen we're 20.
vernedb by fear Of France or really preferred pun
chasing the Floridas. TO an exchange Of TERRITORY
(Which was the Only thing we could Consent 10
propose to SFsir.) it money was thus appropri
a.ed. it would, and must be understood, nor only
by France, but by the world. as the eaeet of in.
timidstion--and that the necessary consesuenos
Of such relief abroad. must be the en,ive pyos.
traitor of our national chsra6er. The day after
This bill passed, which was on the 18th January.
dispatches from our minister 1T London were
sent TO US. which had been received before
Christmas. These dispatches, several member,
declared would have changed their vote, if they
had seen them in tis1e-whilst others aikrn thar
they served TO csnSrm them in the propriety of
theirs.
From the above statement. il must be evident,
what connection our conclave traSsc Siions (which
were all known TO two at least of the foreign
ministers here, Notwithstanding the injunction
cf secrecy.) had with our proceedings towards
Great Britain The insults, and the injuries of
Spain, were 70 be met with money--apparcntIy
IF not in reality, given to France. to purchase
her mediation The insults. and the injuries OF
Great Britain. by commercial restrictions, cslcu
lated ar we thought ourselves, justified in believ
ing, Qf Mr.. Pin had lived ID produce at least
an sggravstion OF those insults, and injuries
if not war. Resirinions too. which in theirore
rstions AZ heme, would amount. as we believed,
almost to total sacrifice Of the Agricultural, TO