Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-01-08

exorsssed. a In numbSr OF ssatcs, tas
laws gave the Individual the right OF slvn-
,ne tar truth 10 eyiucnce. He had always
eons,dered the state laws on th.S subject
binding to the federal courts. Ihis auss,
ton never Influenced the proceedings OF
TIC courts with which h: aas best acquains'
ed aud if il had affected their proceed q.
ipgs 10 other states, Is was high tlms to
sel.le the question. The remarks Watch
he had maae did not aPpear 20 he anasr'
ssood by the gentleman from fennsyl9a'
MIA. He did not conaider the select com.
miree, 10 whom it was proposed 10 letesr
this resolution, "A intcadsd 70 decide the
principle, but TO determine whether twas
proper for the house 10 d,scusslt. lie was
clearly Of opinion tina, the resolution should
not be referred TO a 1coMmittee Ut Inc
whole. Il would not be there in order 10
settle the principle, bus merely 10 deter.
mime whether it should be referred 10
select committee. What thEn would DC
the effect of this course! After the report
of the select committee, the committee VI
the whole mus. then discuss the principle.
/ Ii would therefore, contrary 10 the asa
al course, be twice discussed lastead OF
once.
Mr.. Smile wished the geasIaman from
Connccsieut would pseseEt aspetihc pfopo-
si.ion on the suojecs, wincn would enable
the house.to decide on iAs principle, aud
afterwards refer IL 10 a select commitiee.
| This was around about way OF dciag Blu.
siuess. The only object of the commlttee
Of the whole would be 10 enquire whether
i, would be proper 70 appoint q committee
to enqsite whereas II spscihc resolution
was offered, the principle inv lived in !:
naigs, be decided ID 3 committee Of the
whole. He trusted there wns no differ.
ense OF opinion ca the subject 10 the
mouse.
MIR. Ely did not pretend to be we'll &C.
quainred with the usual mode Of proceed
ing ia the house; but if he understood
the object of the motion madeby the gen
.lrmaa from Conneciicrt, it was to gise
the .commi,see appointed such conuls-
sion as ,hc house, instead of the mover,
might wish. II the house considered he
motion as 20. exactly right, it would be 10
their power to give such eonm,ssion as
should be- most consensaneous TO .hels IDEAS
He thought this she mos. cosrscE course.
A gea,lsman draws up resolution, which,
pefhaps, only ia par, Suggests tbs dpinIons
of the majority; The house then lay II be.
fore committee Of she whole ta modify
taccordirg 20 their idsas. Mr. Ely @ho't
the whole subject would be before a COM
nittee of the whole. std that it would be
in The power Of geaslcaasa % asodity Il AS
they pleased.
MIR. Eppes, said if he understood the
object of the resolutina, il presented two
.ubiscts for consideration /; the Frat ct
which was, whether the common law Of
England was the law of the land; and
the second, whether in cases OF plosecu,.
ton the accused may give the truth ia eyi.
deuce. He though, the gsn.le sasn from
Connecticut might get q. his cbject better
by tive specific resolutions, than BY the
one he had proposed he had drawn such
resolutions, and would r al chem by way
Of argument. <s
Mr.. Eppeyhere read the following 1850.
buttons:
Il. RessAed. That the common law Of
England is not part of the law of the y.
S. except so far as it has been adopted by
the laws Of the u. S. or Of the individual
states sud that the prosecution of. per-
son at common law for libel is violation
OF the freedom of:he pres, and senTary 20
the constitution of the y. S.
2. Resolved, Tia, in all prosecutions
whether criminal or Otherwise, il is the
natural right Of a citizen to give IN esi.
dence the trath.
Mr.. Dana said that in preparing the re.
solution which he had offered, he had en-.
da.yored RI nresepe isf.the most uDSxccD