The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-04
CVoLu ME 2.

hated that but three or four medals had been
truck during the revolutionary war--one he.
l'eve for Saratoga, another for the capitulation
OF York--a third, perhaps, upon that occahon,
yet more auguft, when the commander i'm
chief Of our armies came to reign into the
bands of the civil authority that military DOW
er with which he bad been intrufted for the
iaivation of his country. have always under.
nood that medals were truck, not 70 much
IN compliment to an individual, as to Comae-
morate ione great NATIONAL event, and we are
now called upon TO commemorate the great
national event-of what, Sir? A * irmifll be-
tween a few of our countrymen and a handful
OF undifcipllned, half armed barbarians As
this queffiou is rather fuhieta of tate and
feeling than Of argument, I fhall not trouble the
committee upon II, further than TO fuggeh that
there is true and falfc fublime in politics AZ
well as in poetry, and that BY attempting tn
ioar too high, we fhali only plunge into Ba-
thos.
Mr.. Bidwell. Iagree generally in the prin.
ciple aiidncd by the gentleman from Peuafyl.
vanIa and the gentleman from Virginia, with
regard to the apportionnent of rewards to the
degree or merit, aud the importance of the act
Performed. When the fubjet9 now under con.
liberation hrt occupied our attentions II iaD-
peared to ne that fword was the proper fvn-
Dol by which to exprcfs the national gratitude Z,
but on more mature reflection / have formed
SoHt'hJ SouSIIEOI- L Ne pfSicntattOn OF
1word would appear to be more appropriate to
fervices merely military while media is more
charaeterific offervices of mixed nature, per-
formed with fome great object in view. The
reinforcement, whichis the ohjeSt of the pre-
irnt refoution, is NOS merely military, but
partly military and partly diplomatic. A fwor,i
would NOT, il: rSlk: be adequate to :, an, -,,.--
Pf'te or equal TO the fervice performed. This
isrv'ce was ~ great mcclure voluntary. 40
z n ,k,l,-
the et-baillaw of Tripo!i, and with the tac;,
CONTEXT OF our government--Mr. Eaton com-
mandeu the army of the ex-Baihaw. For theft
realons u appears to me that medal il more
appropriate as emblenatical of the grstitud.
OF the country, than a fiyord wouId be In
point OF examples that may have been f.t.
ihall not 60 back to the revolution, to cnonre
MIRO tne d'itinctIons which may have been then
made IN rewarding different degrees of n.r:,
On late occafon we have feena medal re
towed on commodore Preble With the ZEN.
t'emen who have preceded me, I agree tb,.
unan'mity would add highly to the prati6c ,tion
or the gentleman who is the obieGt of this refo.
luton and it would be certainly highly ora
Trying to me as friendly TO il. am therefore
f"rrythat an unanimous vote is not likely TO oh
ram. merely role to fate the reafons which
nal ihape. e
AZ the requef of Mr.. Stanton, the refo,ut;en
conierrnga gold medal on capt. Truxtor, was
read; vac
WhcB fhe qneftion was taken on Nrikjpy On,
lsDor4, aud infertne u,edng ofpoZd qoifb E,;,a-
OLE tevi-eJ, and pafled in the affiruiative-Ayes
56-Noes 81.
The committee rofe and reported their 2.
ereement tn the report of the feietf comrit,er.
which the Houfc Immediately took into conf.
deration. ~''""
On the qnefton to concur with the commit.
tee OF the whole in the amendment,
Mr.. ]. Clay rofs TO exDrefs hone thar IN.
gentlemen in the majority would agree to con.
ferring fword infead of medal. He declar-
ca himi-if as anxions as any gentleman could
De, TO heitow in this cafe a proper tribute Of
reipect; but he could not in confidence or du,v
agree to warding medal, and he felt hin.
telt under the necefIity of calling for the Yeas
and Nays.
Mr.. Jackfon. Inaipuch as took the liner.
ty OF expref fling my appreciation o. the amend.
ment now under confederation, when this f,h-
jeet was previouay before the Honfe, and am
now OF the opinion that 1t ought not TO he a.
dopted, think 1t proper briefly to align my
reafonsfor the vote fiai give On 2 forn,e,
occsaon was governed by a f-ntirnent ofger.
ing, having at the fame time regard to p,ece.
dents, without taking into view the cat,. ios
capt. Decatur. Without derogatinp f,on,
the merits of Others, confder his me.
rits to be az great asthofe of any other IT. an. r
am of opinion if others of not greater n7erit
have received higher teftimonils of refpetf ;f
we have made a difine'ioH between men Of p.
quail merit, and ALIGNED to fibordinate mrfit
the fame reward as to thofc who have atchievSd
the liberty oftheir country, it is time to ftop.
1t rs extremely delicate to compare the merits
Of particular men, where all have deferyed wdI
OF their country, and deferve It's refpea AMI
gratitude. Asthe higheR need is due to thnfe
who have rendered the greateft fervices TO their
country, we ought not to Allocate fucb cafe,
with thofe of lower grade, becasfe, we there.
by impair the tehimony of gratitude and ref.
pcttfo july due 10 thofe who achieved our
liberty and independence.
Mr.. VARNUM 7 agree that every eSprsfiop
IN national gratitude ought to be in proportion
to the fervices rendered but do not agree
that it ought to- be in proportion 20 the rank be
thofe who performed them. This cireumfancr
ought to make no difference In the tet,,rh az
gratitude; or if it did make difference, ito.
ueht to dignity rather than derogste from TIE
degree of merit. There fhould be no differ
ence, whether the obiset Of our gratitude wet-
the higheh general or the loweft fentineI. we
all know that Mr. Eator, ,,,e -, -.