Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1806-09-19

said however, this, withevery other diff
ficulty that could NOT Be solved, was o.
verrnled: and on Thursday the 10th Of
January, the engrossed bin, with the
message, above Tecited, was trasmitted
to the senate On the day following,
when the bill was no longer Ia possession
Of the house, or under irs CONTROL the
dispatches from our minister 1t London,
ofthe, 1sth and 2sth Of October, 1905,
which had been four weeks lying in the
Office Of the secretary, were laid before
the house, Those dispatches which had
a most important bearing upon our Spa
nish relations, which had occupied the
attention Of the house ofRsPresen,atiyes
for nearly three proceeding weeks, during
which their doors were closed, produced
an. instantaneous conviction on the minds
of many, the best informed and mostin
Auential members ofthe house, who had
hitherto voted with the majority, that
the course which they, had pursued was
wrong. A feeble insinuation was in
deed made by certain members Of the
house, presumed to be in the confidence
Of the Secretary Of State, that the dis.
patches had but recently arrived and
this inference was supported by this cir
seamstance that single copy only, (pcr-
haPs the originaD was submitted TO the
two houses, 70 be intetchanged between
them from whence it was concluded BY
many, thar sufficient time had not elaps.
ed, since their reception, to enable the
clerks in III. Office of foreign affairs to
make out duPlieates Of the papers. But
this fact was inmediatly disproved by
Mr.. ]. Randolph's calling II the seerefa-
ny Of states Office, where he learnt from
Mr.. Wagner, the chief clerk Of that de.
partment, as well a. from the secretary
himself, that they had arrived the week
before Christmas that 10, prior To- the
2ist Of December. .Il<, !
, The house of Representatives having
resolved To incur an expense for the pur-
chase Of Florida, the second member Of
Mr.. Bidweil's resolution, 70 continue for
years, the additional duty Of two
and half per cent. .ad vslorum, imposed
by the act further to protect the COM
merce and seamen Of the u s. against
the ;Barbary powers" to make good the
same, came under considerations. Bur
this proposition was vehsmently opposed
BY Mr.. Randolph, who stated, that.
he deemed il an Unconstitutional mode
Of voting supplies to raise taxes in con-
claye: that II the members of that house
should once come % levy eontriha.ienss
on their constituents with closed doors,
whilst the votes which they shouid give,
TO say nothing of the discussion) from
the very nature of the secret Journal, re-
manned concealed from their constituents
there was an end Of pnbiic liberties. Con-
greSs might thus pass any laws, however
unconstitutional aud oppressive, Whilst
the people would remain ignorant Of the
part which their representative respec.
lively had taken, and be consequently
unable toaPply the proper corrective, and
that, however reasons OF state might rem.
der i expedient to proceed 10 this way
against = foreign enemy nor 70 give Sc
cret direction to military expeditions q
gainst the common foe, those reasons
were totally inapplicable to the imposi-
tons Of burthens upon the people, or %
any cIrtailment Of their rights, with
which that enemy could have no coucern,
ind from the knowledge Of which he /
could derive no advantage. The propo.
alton was AZ thar time Withdrawn, but,
on the last day Of the ssssion, April 81,
this tax was continued /: the only osten. |
sibl. motive Is to be found il . message
from the executive ofthe i4th fthe same
month, intimating the existence Of an
disposition On the part Of Tu.
ais towards the United States. =
Iha future humber, some remarks viii |
,e offered on the proceedings Of congress-
our relations with Great Bri.
ian a subject, which, il possible, has |
,een more misrepresented, and less un.
ierstood, than that Of the present com.
~ ~