Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-04-15

proper course to effect the obicG in view.
i, Tor 'one,am willing TO go into concIave,
and have the Injunction on the whole Ia
ken of. It's not my wish to see the eyes
OF the people Hoodwinked any longer. Ii
has been declared by the gentleman who
has offered this resolution. that we have
NOT an inch of territory beyond the her.
vile. II was therefore that considered
1t important 10 have The Fioridas, and it
was therefore voted, as Congress did in
the memorable instance of the purchase
OF Louisiana. And it was the fear that
ticking Of the injunction of secrecy might
aiieSt the issue Of this eli important ne.
gociation that induced me some time
since to vote sgainst il. But during the
whole OF the discussion we have had on
this subjeet, no proof has been adduced,
that he money we have appropriated is to
be given to Frsnce, although The gentle.
man from Virginia has declared Their. is
no Spain, no Pyrenees; although he has
declared that Spain is confessedly merged
in France although he has declared
france would not permit Spain to settle
Acr differences With us, and although this
has bsen adduced as an argument to
sheu that We can do nothing with Spain /;
and although he gentleman has further
said that if We could see the dispatches
OF the Spanish minister, we should see
ihem algSed g Charles Maurice TaIlsy
rand )" and although he has alledged that
negotiation could not be opened with
government reduced 10 smsre moments
"; as did no, anticipate tile motion of
my COLLEAGUES, cspnot be expected to be
pre- pared 10 SO into On examination of
ths motives, a. has been done BY nv col
league, which influenced the decision of
the House, This could not be done I'M.
less Ill the documents on this subieA
were printed. Some gentlemen appear
10 nne TO hare given an Importance To a
certain document which ii does not me
rit and 1t has been said it was withheld
uDui our vote was taken fer the purpose
OF trepanning US. have heard of but
,wo gentlemen who have declared i,
| would have affected their votes. On me
1t would have had a different tendency.
wish IL published. will say for one,
| chat think, ! ad it bsen received before
| the passage of the bill, ii wonid have had
tendency to increase the majority, stu.
! psndous as it was, lsecause--but I a;n moi
a, liberty TO say why. i hope the Spea.
ser will decide this ques;ion not proper
To DC discussed with open doors.
2 Mr.. J. RANDOLPH said that he had
| 10 his aslonishmens, found a detailed re.
port on the journal, which it was not usu.
al 70 enter upon it. lie found also three
messages, and this vas The only instance
IN which message was not entered upon
| &c.
| MIR. LEiB asked whether it was con.
sistept WIKI the rules of the House 10
have Inc message ocw read Il il were
not, ne could not concur with The gentle.
man from Virginia in voting for the mo.
ton under consideration. though he a.
greed with him III the propriety of taking
off the injunction of secrecy from all the
papers.
MIR. ]. RANDOLPH asked, whether,
when the journal was read, the clerk had
nog begun 10 read the message, when the
reading was dispensed With. This wa,
his. recoilsction, and if so, it must be
considered as part of the journal res.
peeting which The Injunction Of secrecy
had been taken off.
| The ClerS said this was the fact.
Mr.. LEIB then said, before he decid.
ed on the resolution, he wished 10 hear
the message read.
| The Sneaker said it would be most &C.
cepiabie that the House should decide
whether the reading were propcr.
| Mr.. ASTON. I merely rise to re.
mind the speaker of the decision he gave,
and OF the question put TO him when the
| iDJunclinn OF secrecy was removed. /
well recol.eet the decision ofthe chair tina,
the message of the presiden, and the let.
ters of our minister were not embraced
in the motion for taking OF tliatinjunc,ion,
ADd l have not doubt on ray mind that
| it vas in cons equence of that decision that
the vote OF the house was such as it was.
As TO the publication Of the message, tits
immaterial TO me. voted agains, giving
publicity to the secret journal until we had
heard the result Of The negotiation. To
act consistently on this subject with that
vote, am for going no farther. believe
however for the justification of those who
voted as did, the publication OF all the do
cuments will. De advantageous. In vot-
ing therefore against publishing this mes
sage, shall make a sacrifice of my feel.
-. e. a..