Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-01-15
.FRJDA1, yANUARr IS, 1908.

( documents laid before this House rela,iv,
70 the conduct of gen. James Wilkinson b,
| transmitted to the Executive ofthe, Uniteo
States"
| With respect to the motion at presen
under consideration, he was certainly OPP
posed to giving the power of collecting ties
timony TO the committee, and to the refe.
! renee TO the committee proposed to be APP.
/ pointed because such testimony could DS
OF no mere purpose than II three, five or Sc.
ven men out or doors had performed that
Iduty and becauseit would be going sep
| farther than proprety would warrant, &c
| give authority to committee to collect
testimony of which the House could make
no use whatever Under these impress.
uns he should vote for striking QUO these
words, and trusted the modification which
he mad suggested would take place
The TRANSMISSION of the papers would give
to the public and to the executive the ops
mon of the House as fully as if expressed
IN any other way, and might furnish the ex-
ecutive with Information whicn it did not
now possess.
MIR STANFORD said, this doctrine that
mere resolutions Of request to tue e2ecu-
ave were unconstitutional was new, and one
indeed to which he could not subscribe
lie well recoilected, that in the 5th Con-
gress, perm FPS the last session OF IL, reso-
lutien was introduced, which gave rise to
a famous debate, requesting the President
10 INST tute new mission to France, the
FIRST having l., led of Success--and THAI then
II was not opposed on the ground of con
stitutlonal difficulty. A mere resolution
Of request was no exercise OF authority
1t had tlil now, ne believed, been the prac-
tee OF every session, and to his recoiecti-
on had not before been scrup,ed as to it's
propriety. In the constitution it was OK
pressiy provided that no person holding an
office OF profit or trust under the United
States, should, 9cikhonf the cOnsent o. the
Congress, accepJ of any emolument, or pre-
sent from any King, prince, or foreign
state; and Notwithstanding this provision,
they were told the commander of our army
being military ard not civil officer, II
belonged solely to The executive 10 take
his own course with that class of officers.
lie thought Otherwise, and that this clause
OF tie constitution fully warranted the en-
curry contemplated on the part of this
ItcuSe, and that if it should be found thai
the officer in question had been in the re-
ce'pt OF large sums of money rs alledged,
from foreign state, and that without the
consent OF Congress, il was time -he House
iet some Jealousy on the score of their
own privileges, and that some st p should
be taken to check such encroacnments.
The alarm made mat they might seem TO
encroach by this enquiry upon the execu-
tive functions, had once before, he recoliec-
ted, been carried to like extreme, and
gave occasion TO pass the noted law, called
me Logan laTc, in order 70 guard those
functions. Ec could see no reason why
2 oh. Al.
legs alive prerosatve, and take some step
10 guard them as well as executive pre- ro-
gauvc.
Mr.. 5. concluded by asking, if it would
be in order to move a preamble by way of
amendment to the present motion
The oPEAEER replied that it would not,
astne motlon now unuer consideration was
for reference.
(DEBA7'E 10 BE CONTINUED.