Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1806-09-08

1905, which had been Iour weeks lying m
the office Of tile fecretary, were laid before
the houfe, Thofe 'dilpatches which had
mott important bearing upon our SPanifh re-
ations, which had occupied the attention of
the Houfe of Representatives. for nearly three
preceding weeks, during which their doors
were cloied, produced an inltantanec1s con-
viction on the minds Of many, the beff informs
ed and NOT influential members of the houie,
who had hitherto voted with the majority,
that the courle which they had purfued was
wrong. a feeble infnuation was indeed made
by certain members Of tn. houfe, preluned TO
he in the confidence Of the fecretary Of ftate,
that the delpatches had but lately arrived !;
and this inference was fupported by this cir
oumRance, that a 6hgie copy only (perAaps
the Originally was fubmitted TO the two houles,
to be interchanged between them from
whence il was concluded by. many, that fulfil
cient time had not elapfed, fince their recep-
ton 10 enable the clerks in the Office of for
eign affairs to make out duplicates of the pa
pe-s. But this fact was immediately difproved
by Mr. J. Randolph's calling at the fecretary
Of yates o9ice, where he learnt from Mr..
Wagner, the chief clerk Of thar department.,
as well as from the iecretary himielf, that
they had arrived the week before Chriltmas
that is prior TO the elf Of December. 2'l
The Houfe Of Representatives having re-
folved TO incur an expence for the purchaie
of Florida, the fecond member Of Mr.. Bid
wells refolution, TO continue for--years,
the additional duty of two and half per cent.
ad. valorem, inIpoied by the t" act further to
protect the commerce and feamen of the u.
S. againh the Barbary powers" to make good
the fame, came under confederation, but this
proportion was vehemently oppofed by Mr..
RandolE h, who iated, that he deemed il AN
unconstitutional mode of voting fupplies 70
raife taxes in conclave that if the members
of that houfe fhould once come to levy impo-
iitions upon their conltituents with cIoled
doors, Whit the votes which they ihould
give TO fay nothing Of the difculIion) from
the very nature of the etjcurnal remain
ed concealed from their conftituents, there
was an end of The puhlic liberty. Congrcs
might thus pats any laws, however unconlti-
tutiona' and oPpreiIive, Whit the people
would remain ignorant of the part whichlther
Representatives. respectively had taken, and
be confequently unable to apply the proper
corrective, aud thar, however reafons Of
fate might render it expedient to proceed in
this way againft foreign enemy, or 10 give
feeret direction TO military expeditions a.
gainlt the common foe, thofe reafons wefc to-
tally inapplicable to tie impoEtion Of bur-
thens upon the people, or-to any eurtaiment
of their rights, with which that enemy could
have no concern, and from the knowledge of
which he could derive no advantage. The
proPoftion was az that time withdrawn, but,
on the lalt day Of the leillon, April 81, this
tax was continued the only oltenhbc mo.
tive Is TO be found in a meiage from the E1-
eeutive of the 4th of the fame month, init
mating the exifence of an unfuendly dit poli-
ton on the parl Of Tunis towards the U.
States.
ID future number, forne remarks win be
offered cnithe proceedings Of congress reipect.
ing our relations With Great Britain: a fub-
jeSa, which if pofihle, has been more lpilrep-
refented, and iefs underRooi, than that Of
the prefent communication. 1.it bsJlb
a anI hf zn DECIUS vg