The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-31

competed of the mott leading chara6t ers, and
the mott flaming patriots too, for the cxprefe
Purpofe of fevering the union.
In my opinion the true way of avoiding dam
ger Is not to defpife it. Suppoie even that
gentleman are right, and that am wrong. II
am wrong no danger can enfue from my err
ror; but If they are wrong, the grcateft public
calamity may enfue from theirs. So, on their
own principles, gentlemen ought 10 agree to
the refolution.
do conceive, and it gives me extreme cons
Germ, that the very mention of a difunon of
theie ftstes is great public injury it goes to
unhinge the tone of the public mind it makes
men familiar with the pohbiIity of the thing,
and once admitted into their breaits, they will
not contemplate it with that adherence IN
which it ought to be held by every true patriot,
1t the mere talk of the thing be mifchievous,
what fhall we think of plan fuch as this is re-
ported to be. do not conceive it re be 4
thing ofyeterday but an affair Of long hand-
ing. Look back to the times when the charac-
ter implicated in this confpiracy fri began to
move in that country. 1t was at leaf ootem-
poraneous with the disappointment or his ams
biton. Look further back look at the famous
proportions of Thomas Powers. 1t appears to
me that thefe are parts of the fame dieafc, and
that it is mott extraordinary thing tina. al
though 10 extenGvely incorporated into the
body polite, the country fhould remain TO long
profoundly ignorant of it.
Mr.. THOMAS afked for divilion of the
queftion at the words Z" u. S." He faid he had
no objection to the firit member of the refolu-
ton, the agreeing TO which would enable them
to obtain all the information that was requifite
to form Judgment of the magnitude of this
national calamity. He was decidedly againft
the other part Of the refolution. 1t would go
to e3pote the military operations purified I'M
der the Prehdent for the purpofe of intercept
ing and defeating the confpirators. 1t was evil
dent to every man acquainted with tactics, that
military operations TO be efetnal mutt frequent
ly be conducted with the greateit fecrecy.
MR.. EARLY enquired whether the Yeas and
hayes would be taken upon each member of
tae retolution. The Speaker anfwering in the
affirmative, Mr.. Early moved to adjourn. This
motion was difagreed to-Ayes 47-Noes 6s.
MIR. STANTON declared himfelf againft
the reioluton.
Mr.. ELMER faid he was oppofed to both
members of the refoIution. He was not pre-
pared at this time to vote for it, becaufe when
iuch a call was m-de, the Houfe ought to have
fome fpeciic propolition before them on which
tAey meant to act. No fueh propoii ion at
preient was before them. He adde's that be had
full confidence, that when the Prefident was
poiieiied of fuch information as he thought
ought to be communicated, he would promptly
impart it.
MR.. JACKSON. l believe 1t has been de-
clded by the Speaker that after the queftion is
taken on the frit member of refolution it is
out OF order to debate the fecond. Ash mean
to vote for the firf, and againit the fecond MEM
per- will now atiign my reafons for the vote
mall give. The fecond member leads to pal
pabe abturdity. It calls on the executive TO
inform us what he means TO do. am at as
great lois as fome other gentlemen 70 deter
mine what connection there is between this pro-
Pohtion and the proportion of the laft year to
cnaitlie Spaniih inlolence. ItruH that the peo-
PIE VIII appreciate the force of the remark, that
II the meaiure recommended at the laft felton,
had been adopted, there would be now no dan
ser. The argument urged on this location 10
the conitant pretext for rafting Handing armies.
j ms meaiure was, however, rejected by the
good ienie OF the people in 1899, and truf to
Cod, 1t will be rejected in 1907. The argu4
ment of the gentleman goes TO this, that fate
OF things which no human reafon could forefee,
is to be overawed by rafting Handing army
long before its occurrence. IF in this cafe it
Is necefiafy to relort TO Handing army, WHY
did we not do 70 in the cafe of Fres's infurrec-
ton, as well as in that of the preceding nfur-
reetion in Pennsylvania ! however rejoice to
coincide in opinion with great majority OF
the people, that the militia may be lately de-
pended upon, and if had not this reliance up
on them, l would infantry yield up my conf
dence IN the practicability OF 4 republican 60
eernment. BUTT appears to me that this auef-
ton, from the extraneous circumstances min
gled with it, has affirmed an importance to
which it is not entitled. It is merely a refolu-
ton to obtain information, part of which
think will be important, and which am forry
gentlemen do not all agree in requefing. 1t
has no connection whatever with Handing
army but the mover of il, having dragged an
army into the parade, rendered it necefiary for
thoie who differ from him to repel bis oblerva-
tons
Me-. SLOAN faid he had hoped that the
Houie would have agreed to pofpone the refo,
luton II was in his opinion important, and
decfon upon it ought MOTTO be precipitaied. He
therefore Till hoped the Houfe would adjourn,
and that after reflection they would entertain
different opinion from that which they at pre-
ient appeared TO bold. He faid that he was
oppoied to both members of the refolution to-
the firf, becau!s it was only calling on the
Pre6dent to do his duty, when there was no
doubt that every neaiure had been taken by
him which was necefary, and becaufe it would
be injurious at this moment, as betraying want
of confidence in him. As TO the fecond mem
Der it might he fraught with Till greater evils.
MR. GREGG wifhed TO know whether il
would be in order to move pofponement of
the fecond member of the refoution after a
vote on the 6rh Uhsn he 6rn heard the -.