The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-24
Goilnre5e.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
FRIDAY, Ian. lS.

FRIDAY, Jan.
Mr.. ]. RANDOLPH. In the Prelident's
mefiaee, at the commencement Of the felton,,
he announced to US as follows:
Having received Information that in ano-
thcr part of the United States great number of
private individuals were combining together,
arning and organizing themfelyes, contrary to
law, to carry on 4 military expedition asaint
the territories of Spain, I thought it neceiIary,
by proclamation, as well as by fpecial orders,
TO take meatures for preventing and fuppref.
fling this enterprise, for iezing the vei1es, arms,
and other means provided for it, and for ar
reiling and bringing to juttice its authors and
abettors."
SO long, faid Mr.. r. as the illegal move
ments OF the!c Perfons were fuppofed to be
directed againft foreign nation, although the
intereit of the U. S. and their honor too requir-
ed that prompt and Deceive meafures fhould be
taken for fupprefing their defgns, yet believe
there is no gentleman in this Houfe, but will
agree with me in the opinion that the u. S. and
this Houte in particular, could not feel 70 deep
and lively an interef again6 a confpiracy of
that kind as aganft one for the fubverlion of
the union, and perhaps of the liberties of thofe
who compete it. have waited with anxious
folcitude for fome information in relation to
this iubjeet, that might be depended upon -
for lone official information. / contented my
ielf for long time with the belief, inafmuch as
no information had been given to the Houfe,
that there were imperous reafons connected
with the public welfare which forbade Diff
cloiure but the afpea which affairs have taken
on the Miflifippi is fuch, that can no longer
reconcile it to my fenfe of duty, as the indie
pendent representative of an independent peo-
pie, to reft fatisfied in that fate of fupinencfs
and apathyin which the Houfe has been fatis-
q fr IN Co. n
SIR, from the information have been able to
collect, and it is fuch that am obliged to place
great, if not implicit reliance on it it does
appear to me, that if the government of Spain
is IN any wife concerned in thefe meafures, it is
concerned not as the defendant, but as the
plaintiff ;-as the aggrefng party, and not as
the party on whom the aggrefiion is made.
80 long as l was induced to believe that by
Withholding correct information from the egif-
iature, the fubfantial interefs of the nation
would be more eGentially fubferved, than by
laying 1t before them, 70 long, though not with
out reluctance, acquiefced in its being with
he!d: But from the hottie appearances on the
MliiiiiipPI, 1t Teams to me that the fate of
things IS fuch AS requires the mon prompt
and efficacious meaiures for occurring the
union. The bubble is faid to have BURT, and
mere no longer remains any reafon why
the information in the pofleffon of the ex-
eutive ought to be withheld. But to guard
agaIntt all Poflible objection have endeavored
10 10 frame the motion, as to do away any OBJ
Jectlon arifing from this confederation 1t does
the newspapers IL is true-but
under much higher faneton than is generally
attached to information received through flch
4 chaHnel-it does appear in evidence un-
der the faneton of an examination before the
Legislature of Kentucky, that ever fince the
peace OF 1888, Spain has incefantly laboured
to detach the weRern people from the union
that 'no'equentiy to the treaty OF San Lorenzo
me has carried on intrigues, and in the mott
faithlefs manner withheld acceding to its fipu-
Iations, III order to excite fpirit in the wefern
country iubveriive of the union and that fhe
subsequently made proportion of the mott fla
eitlous kind to feveral leading characters in
Kentucky, and as believe elfewhere. 1t APP
pears, indeed, that ihc has never loft fight of
this object and believe ihe will never lofe
light OF it 70 long as ihe fha find materials TO
work upon, or a fhadow of hope that fhe viii!
fuccted. 1t appears to me that fhe has found
thofe materials that they are of the mott dam
gerous nature that they are now in operation;
and that, perhaps, at this moment while am
you, at leaf for a time, the fate of
the wefiern country may have been decided.
Sir, this fubjed offers ftrong arguments, in
addition 20 the numerous reafon5 prefentcd du-
ring the prcfent fefIion of Congrefs, to iuftify
the policy avowed by certain gentlemen during
the laft felton,, 70 highly condemned and if
| am correctly informed, the other branch of the
legislature are now acting on that policy 70 con-
temned and defpifed.
Mr.. Speaker faid it was not in ordertoallude
to the proceedings of the Senate.
Mr.. ]. RANDOLPH ihall fay no mope
on that peint, but / will fay this in relation to
orr own proper bulineis. We have had bill
before us authorizing the Preiident to accept
volunteers. member of the committee, with
whom this bill originated, and with whom |
had the pIeafure of concurring, intimately con-
rcGted and domeIiicaied with the fecretary of
war, did make proposition before that com.
mttee fubaaDially the fame with that rejected
the Idit fei1ion-to augment the military forces
to meet the preliing exigences of the times, &
which ] prefume muh have had the function
OF that officer. Is there man in his Houie,
who at this day doubts, that if the govern
ment-I mean the executive and legillAture-
had taken manly and Deceive atttade to-
wards Spain, and in0ead of pea, ink and paper,
had given men and arms--is there man who
d'ibeIieved that not only Spain would have been
overawed, but that thofe domcAic traitors
would alfo have been inundated and overaw-
cd, " hoic plans threaten TO be 70 dangerous
Would any man have dreamt Of defending the
MINI; D;)i 1T the head of an upDrincirIed nar-