The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-16

! es, IN which we had no agency, transferre,
Louliiana to France, and France transferred il
] to us. But this is not now the cafe. We ar,
told that Spain IS no longer an independent
power, but is under the controul OF France
What follows? That France is the agrrefio,
on us, which proves every thing / have alledred
There is another thing to be obierved. The
public have been given to underitand that two
| millions have been appropriated for the pur.
| chate OF the Flordas, This is not fo--The ap.
preparation is only tozvards doing fomething
but what that is, isnot defined by law. Now
! 1t IN 1903, we appropriated two millions for
the purchaie of the Floridas, and did not get
then, what iecurity is there now that by max
ing an appropriation in the fame language we
ihail OBTAIN them Although the perions max
ing the appropriation are not the fame identi
Cal BEINGS thoie applying the fun appropriate
ed are. do not believe that we Glal get the
tiondas. In this may be miRaken. | hope
| ihaii he-for after having defended to prof
tltute the national character, let us at leat re-
ceive the wages of iniquity.
But gentlemen enquire, will you become the
guardians of Spain This is mifake which
has run through every attempt at argument |
have heard. We never protected to be the guar
dams of Spain. We profefs to be the guardi-
ans or our own honour. We care not for France
trampling on Spain. Let her pick her pockets
IL,
1t is no longer mere queltion between France
anc Spain, but aqueftion in which our own no.
nour is engaged, which is at ouce mortgaged
and gone.
Until the gentleman from Virginia got up, |
COMETS that, what with my exhauRed fate, the
badneis of tue air, and the tenuty of the argu-
ments or gentlemen, 70 eXcellively light that
they at once vaniihed i'm thin ar-that had
not word to fay--for it is not to be fupoofrd
that intended to reply to any thing offered by
the gentleman behind me. IF | am total, let me
iall IN the face OF day, and not be~betrayed by
a kli9-l mean no profdne alu.i1n. [ lhall do
my duty as an honett man. | Game here pre-
pared 10 cooperate with the government in all
Its meatnres. told them TO- But foan found
there was no choice left, and that TO co-oDe-
rate IN them would be to defroy the national
charaGter-I found might Cooperate, or be
IN honeit man diipofed to be the 20 between.
and carry down tecret meiiages to this Houfe
Not is becauie men of character cannot be
found to do this buhneis, that agents NUT be
got TO carry things into effect, which men of
compromised character will not foil their fin
gers or fully their characters with.
One word on the fube.f of voting on nof-
neral notice, on the approximations ofindividu
ais, IN the place of communications officially
received from the officers of the executive de-
partment. 1 have always conlidered the exc
cutive IN THIS country as Handing in the fame
relation to the two houfes, that the minifer ~.
administration bore to the Legislature under 90.
vernments fimiiar to our own. have alwsvs
cohhdered that the Responsibility for pubiir,
nediuFes fetcd more particularly on them.
TOT '1oie tneaiureS they are anfwerabTe to the
people--and to me it has been a flbiea of ne
cuar regret q do not fpeak of the general
character of the contribution that tbev hnna
nor ieat on this floor. For Whatsoever NAV
oelupPoied to be my feelings as 10 the mem
oers OF the Administration, am ATTAINED when
zee their fame and characters committed to
iuch hands, as we are in the dailv habits &C
wtneliing. If their meafures are Ii1fcentihIe
OF publication, | fhould like to have iuHi-
ication at their own hands, inltead of hear
ing 1azoo men defend them. Much leC,
H.o expect on tuch an location, to hear
razoo man, atligning his motives for a vote On
totally different flbiett, and this in inRifc,ti
on OF man with whom he is connected nv t;ss
OF confanguinity. This reminds me of the in.
tention imputed to me to bring forward an i'm
parchment agalntt great officer of fate This.
however, l: 10 far from being the truth. that
appeal to thOie who heard me, whether did
not declare that / waihed nv hands of i'm
Peachments-that was done with them. No
VIII neither directly, nor Indirectly, have aoy
thlng to do with them. But will in all oueE.
O"'tnd. hdII come before this HOu(e, diG,ufs
Sne pubic agents from fecretary to conRa-
ole and Will continue to do it, until it fball
De admitted by the contribution, that the king
Can do no wrong. fay / with the heads of
departments had feats on this floor. Were tbio
the cafe, to one Of them I would immediatelv
PROFOUND this queftion. Did you, or did Won
not, In your capacity of a public funtfionarv
tell me, III my capacity of public fuH61onarv.
that france would not fnffer Spain TO fcttle her
differences with us, that fhe wanted money
that we mutt give her money, or take a Sna,
nth or French war? And did not anfwer.
that neither wilhed for a war with Spain or
france, but was in favor ofdefending NV conn
Try l would put that quefton to him, woud
put TINS quettion to another head of department.
was or was not an application made TO Won
tor money to be conveyed to Europe to carry
on any iPecies ofdiplomatic negotiation there :.
i would liiten to his anfwer, and if he put his
hand on his heart, and like a man of honor ra;d
no, would believe him, though it would re.
quire great itretch of credulity. I would call
INTO my aid faith, not reafon, and believe I
was not convinced. ] would then turn IN the
ilrt magiltrate of the nation, & fay, did you not
buy Loufiana of France Has France aHed
IN that traniaction in a bo1a fde manner? Has
The delivered into your ponenion the coup,rv
you believed you had bought from herr Has
Inc not equivocated, prevaric ated, and PLAYED
OF Spain againH you, with the view of extort-
ing money! will anfger for the reply. There