Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-05-12
CONTINUED.

ton of the message. On the vote just "a
hen he had felt himself bound TO consult
the opinions Of gentlemen who had thought
When the injunction OF secrecy was taken ,H
of, i, did DOT apply TO the publication OF the
message Theque sticn now presents itsei
directly for considerations, whether 1t WOULD
be mos, expedient to pob!lshit. ltaPpears
10 me. said Mr. Dana, that there VIII be
no breach of confidence in publishing IL
dim private life one man raakesfs coInmn'
aica,ion 70 anotber, and the person who re-
csives it says he will not pledge himself tc
skee4 it secret, ihere is. no obiigation On nm,
not &c. digalge 1t, and should he dlvuige II
there will be no question about ttae viola.
lion ofconfdence. Underwhat form shen,
was the communication Of the president
made TO this house! Is there any mag In
the constitution relative TO the presideRrs
communicating any thing TO either house IN
confidence, and absolutely prohibiting ell
Their house from disclosing IL! 1t there
is no such thing in the constitution the
disclosure must be left TO cur dlscre-
ticn, of the propsiety of whFch we must be
heiadges. In the FIRST place, the consti-
tation Of the United States provides Tor
such communications TO congress as the
prssideat may see fit TO make; IT also DE-
clares that each house shall be governed by
Such rules as they shall make. Now when
this message was received, Inc rules OF the
last house were adopted, ADD are such as
@re now in force. What IL the rats appil-
cable to the present point!
sWheneyer confidential commun'catTens
are received from the president OF the u
nited States, the house shall be cleared OF
all persons except the members and the
clerk. and so continue during tbs reading
ofsueh communications, and (nnless ether
wise directed by she house) during all de
bates aud proceedings TO be had thereon.
And when the speaker, or any other mem
Der, shall inform the house, that ne las
Communications to make, which he con-
eeives ought TO be kept secret, the house
shall, in like manner, be cleared TIL the
communication be made; the house snail
then Determine whether the matter commu
nicatsd requires secrecy or not, and take
order accordingly"
4
sions 20 US except under this rule. 1t was
under this rule that this messsge was COM
mpnica,ed. What is the inference? The
rule was peremptory, SO far as 1trequired
che communication of the president 10 be
read with closed doors; but after having
been 60 received, II is strictly within the
power of the houae to decide whesher il
shall continue private, or be published.
The president must have communicated
the message ueder this impression. No
OBLIGATION of confidence can be intrsnged
by publishing il. Believing, therefore
tia. the publication will be no violation O
confidence, and believing that il will be fol
the public good, / shall vote for it.
Mr.. SLOAN. I shall, as decidedly a:
she gentleman from Connecticut vote a
4sainss the publication OF the messagei ane
On principle which it beheves me neve
70 abandon so long as hold seat on this
aocr. If | understand any thing OF III;
x,a,scr. il was communi Gated TO the hees'
bv the president ia confidence that it wsult
not be published and il have auy idea o
prspriety, ii ought TO be still kept secret
as the reasons which first made it SO still
ssootinae. If We are net constitutional,
bound to keep the communications mad
bv the president secret, do conceive w
are underan obligation of respect to tn
other branches of the government, not Il
betray the confidence rsposed ia us; an
shouldthis communication be published.th
other branches of the government ough
frs, to sanction it. Such course would
In my opinion, have Srees tendency, /,
destroy oar confidence inthe president, an
cur Observation-Disclosures abroad.