Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-04-10
1To 5e continued J
SPANISH AFFAIRS,
Saturday, April $.
DEBATE

DE A ! e ssts
!, tAemot;on Of Mr.. Randolph am nd
the secret Journal, By irserang u
1.-THE message IF The Prsst-
dsnt ef tAs oth Deer
Mr.. J. Randolph. Irise to execute the
,.D,,se which inunaatcd yesterday. On
Sa.f FIRST page Of thisjournai Holding 10 his
s,,I the journal of secres proceedings o.
i y. bauscl / 6odit stated saas the speak.
IND before the house a .letter sna com
..nica,ion from the Presidshy OF shs e.
ia Srases which were read, tnas shey,
we're referred % select commistee, and
ind tha, then follows the report OF thar
Com ;ttee without any notice OF the mas
,,os of the President on which Il was
j 4onnded. This take TO be departure
from the regular system OF keeping the
Journal; because perceive IN other paris
ofitmessages, though OF private NATURE
accompanying other com aanicasions, in'
serted. I deem it rot less important 10
he character of those who eoinPoss Inc
.elec, com fni,tee, OF which | had the honor
sote one, than 10 the character OF the ga
Wrnment of the q. States, that fuli .and
fair view should be given TO me puollc OF
The conducs efthe governmens On the one
haad, and of the legislature on the o'eer.
begpardoufor using the phrase govern
.msas by government meaas the execu-
tive department.. shall feel is lncumosns
on me, in order TO impress on the house,
the sense entertain of the importance OF
this motion, to enter into some little slsto-
~ Of the transactions which have taken.
place with closeds doors, in which, shouSa
Imay not undertake to say what the mes
sage of the President contains, [ shall feel
myself a, liberty. according 70 the course,
pursued here, to say what II does not
contain.
Il is true that onkhe 9Th of December
Thar message was referred to a selec, CON-
mititee. Thar. committee met, aud one OF
the members, gentleman from Massacau..
sets, whom do NOT now see IN ms place,
as soon as the committee rAct proposed
that they should recommend to the house
the making an Appropriated of money. to
enable the executive TO negotiate abroad.
understood, though It may not have been
80 expressed, thar the Object was the pur-
chase Of the Floridas. There was great
variety of sen,imsu, 10 the COMMITTEES,
and other gentlemen oflthe COMMITTEES, OF
whom was one, objected, that in the,
confidential message Of the -Presideut,.
shsre was no, a syllable about the purchase
of the Floridas, or an appropriation OF mo-,
hey for foreigp negotiation, that there was !
not word iai toinduce Us to Believe that
Spain was willing to make the sale or 10
come TO an amiahls adjustment OF dlttsren.
css with Us I; but that on the contrary, q a.
rect and opposits inferenee cousd only DC
drawn from its contents.
On coming TO town, AID couyeralps
with gentlemen of this house, vas APP
priced of the existence of a project Tor the
purchase of the Floridas from Spain; and
Twas prepared TO have considered any ex-
IN the executive message as hay-
idg this meaning, which could at all war,
rant It. There was such difference of
opinion in the committee thar they came
10 no direct conclusion. Circumstances OF
an inperions nature called me to Balu.
more /; where I staid, I think, six days.
On nv return on Saturday, 9oand. from
the information of a gentleman from Ma.
ryland (Mr- Nicholson) thar there had
been considerable excitement ia conse.
quence of the committee not reporting.
Without even changing my clothes or 60
iug to my lodgipgs, immediately net the
committee, and il was agreed TO write to