The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-09-02
CHE enquirer.
RICHMOND, end SEPTEMBER.
REFLECTIONS UPON DECIuS.

tention. II is time for rs to fpeak our own o.
ONION upon Its contents. That opinion has
been hitherto waved, becaufe we wifhed it TO be
calm, deliberate and impartial.
1t becomes US, in making thefe remarks, to
fpcak of Mr.. John Randolph, whole conduit
10 10 often noticed by Decius. OF that gentle
man 1t IS difficult to fp-ak in terms, adequately
descriptive of our feelings. GA nobler fpirit
I'VE believe) lives not among the fons of men,
His intellectual powers are truly fublme and
ms boiom burns with godlike ambition"
When the ardour of his feelings fhal be temper
ed by experience we look to harveit of unrival-
led utility for his country. OF fuch man it is
limpoiliole not TO believe, that his mifakes have
been dictated by fprit, that foars above fufpi-
cion.
There are two obvious ways of replying to
an argument to deny the fstfs which are afIi-
med or the differences drawn. The firf part
OF the inveftigation we leave to thofc intimate
friends of Mr.. Jrfferfon, who are acquainted
with the hifory of the lat fetlion of conerefs.
But admitting the fats as they are Gated by De-
Gus. 7Oe are prepared to deny his conculions.
We mean not to criticize upon that part of
Decius which relates to the meafres of con-
grcfs. Our buiinefs is with that more interet-
ing part which relates to the conduit of tbe exc
eKfia'e IN which, the charge of holding
! wavering, a doubtful, an unconstitutional
courie, conititutesthe mott difingnifhed feature.
Inc argument may be reduced to two
general points ) It. that Mr.. JeEtrfo1 did
NOT comply with his constitutional duty
or =" recon- nendine to the confederation" of
congrets, the purchafr of the Foridas; a mea.
iure which he Judged expedient and ncce(fa-
lry:" end, that he privily recon mended this
opinion 10 the members of congrefs From thefe
two points II is inferred, that MIR. 7. attemo ed
to throw of the Responsibility of this mesfurc
from ms own fhoulders upon the members of
congrefs.
AS to the f,h point,
IL mar be ihown from the evidence of the
members who formed the federal convention,
thaf fhoie trainers of the contribution had never
conhdered this article under the vaft latitude of
ny - e'dt'"'r, wnIcn the advocates of executive
'nhuence nave pretended to give il that it was
at that time fuppofzd principally to embrace
thoie general matters, on which the Dreident
had formed conclulfye opinion, thofe ON
"hich he had no new documents to Law before
congreis but which feemed TO him TO require
leeuasive proviiiDn, and thoie on which the ex
ecutlv- did MOI deem it advifable, at the time. TO
| lay before congrefs all the information which
ne Poiieiied. 1t might be lhown that this mode
of interpretation is by far the mott agreeable TO
nc lp'rit OF republican government for un-
eriuch contribution, that lefs danger is,.o be
aPpFehehded from the sndue cxtenlion of Iegif-
't,,"e IMAM oil executive influence that the nj
n"ter'ai powers of proficient are already iuf-
nc'ehiiy great, without fufcrng him to inter-
fere, unieis IN particular cafes, in the deliber,-
ions ct the legill,ture; that if thefe deliberate
ons mould terminate ia acts, which he NAV
'ieepn injurious to the country, he has in
mott cafes, fafhcient power of controul, in his
conititutional negative over their laws; that i,
Is ridiculous to fuppofe, that in thofe caGrs
where all the official information is equally ex.
h'nfed TO them both, the wifdom of one man
mould be hyperion to the collective wiftiom of
many mat ne is more eafly corrupted and
more eaiiy mliled and that his elevated G,ul
ton eXclndes him from many of the means oe
bold, unhrinking and correct information. Il
may he lhown, that under different mode of
nfernretat!on, tHc coTi.atitutiouai Gutv OF the
PreIiient would be ir&fome, fatiguing and med
a'eione beyond example; that there would be
no Gale, however trivial, in which the pre(ident
would not deem it his duty to recommendn
ms own opinion GO to the confederation, of
congreis, and in every cafe, however cozn,rr.
hen1ve, to fubmit the general meafure, in ali the
Vouminous details necelIary for its execution.
IL may be denon0rated, by recurrence to
executive records, that this has never been fh.
UNIFORM praS'ee OF the two af, or of the pre-
lent adminIltration that they have adaoted diff
terent modes to different cafes fometim.e G,I,-
'mtting their own opinions as TO the courfe TO he
purined' as well as all the fats necel1ary for the
information of COngrefs fometimes fiIygenipg
whe' her iuch & fuch courfcs mightnot be WORTHY
oftheconhderationo of congrefs, without politiye.
~ determining between them and f,metimes
merely iubmitting the facts without q Gnple
commentary on them, without Jingle opinion
as to the courie to BE- purified, and Leay;ug II
WIN congrefs TO pronounce, qvbat l1al he
done. The minifers of the two latt admnifra-
ions, could fate 4 wait variety of inca.
ares approved of by the executive, which
they wiicIy forebore to lay before con-
greis. 1t may be flown, that in variety of
important cafes, the executive has ada-,ted III.
two latter courfes, prefrrring On the words of
General Waihington's fri inaugural foeech)
10 iuoittute, IN place OF a recommendation
OF Particular meafures, the tribute that is due
to the talents, the rectitude, and the patriotiCrn
which adorn the characters fele6ted TO deq,;6
and adopt them :" that even when they have
gone onto laytheir own opinions before congrer,
II was not their culom to launch forth into
the particular details Of their brojel7, but To
confine thtmfeIves to its general outlines.
1t my be IhOwn that this is the prrcif. courCe
pur'ued ny the prelident in the prefert intance (:
tina; having Civ n then all the information
which be poiIeiieh, & fnppofing them to be at
leah a. well qualified as himfe,f to give cor
rett opinion upon them, he had forborne to ex-
prefs his own in all its details, even admitting
that he had conclufVeIy formed one To
them' (iays he) communicate every fa9 ma