Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-01-19

J. observed the confidence OF the people
not, it became the duty of the house to er
t quire further.
I 1t had been said by some that the paper
: read by the gentleman. from Virginia Shout
be sent to the executive but nothing ha
. been said about the gentleman from Or
leans. Mr.. G.. would ask the gentlema
: from Tennessee why wonld he send thes
papers to the Executive? As what II
should suppose as evidence which the Pre-
sident was to communicate to the board q
enquiry which had been instituted IF tn
gentleman considered it proper that an,
evidence should be sent, why not send tn,
whole Of the evidence which it was in tn,
power of this House to acquire Ifthev sen
any, why not send all2 And If they would
send all, why not take measures without
which they could not procure il? 1t did
strike Mr.. G. that the thing admitted oil
no other course that it they sent any they
should send the whole He would in this
case particularly, if there were the most
distant prospect of being able to accom-
plish the object sought for, place before the
President such evidence as could not be re-
sisted
The gentleman from Tennessee was
pleased to remark that the. House had no
more business with this enquiry than the
President of the United States had to re-
commend any act which exclusively per-
tanned to the House of Representatives of
the United States. He did not know what
he might call the peculiar province of the
President; but he knew that it was the pc
cuiiar province of the House of Represcn-
tatlyes TO originate impeachments, andyet
he had seen in the message from the Pre-
sident to the House an implied recommen-
dalton to them ON that subject. Mr.. c.
did not object to this; he Thought the diff
ferent branches of government did we'll to
sustain each other III ali events. The Pre-
sIdent, said he, has given us an evidence
that he thinks himselfcompetent to advise
us; and | really wish to be equally civil,
aud return him the compliment to shew
nm that we can advise him, and give him
the means of acting efficiently. IT was in
this way that the House would eTfeotually
perform its duty. He wanted no half ,nea-
sures; they had appropriated money for
haii-iorthcatioD this session; he wanted
|nohalf-way enquiry into the conduct of the
commander in chief, for this halfway bu-
siness would notanswer.
The power of the House to do this was
unquestioned; it had exercised that pow
err IN variety OF cases. The only questi
on was, whether this was one of those ca
ses in which the House should exercise
that power Was this the only mode in
which they could convict Gen Wilkinson
II he was guilty, or satisfy the community
OF his innocence if he were not guiity1 Ii
this were she case, he Thought friends and
lenem es should take this plain course -
Ithiswas the object andthe only OBJECT they
ought to pursue. Mr.. G. was not infinenc.
ed by any personal dislike to Gen w. for
he had no acquaintance with or KNOWLEDGE
| of h.m.r Gen w hsd never Injured him
or any of his connections or friends. and he
felt himself therefore free TO decide. but
The should i'll discharge his duty to his coun.
TRY If on an occasion like the present he
did not advocate the most efFeciuaI means
for an enquiry. He should express on ali
occasions what was his opinion. and he
would say that the present case was a test
of the impartislty of the House. IF not.
iwiinstanding party attachments, and de.
ference to the Executive, the House SHOULD
exercise that impartiality which should o.
right attach TO them, he should have hone,
I of the salvation of his country. II wa,
here, within these walls that the fate r.
the country was 10 be decided; il was her,
fthat corruption was to be arrested and ex
posed, IT not here, he was afraid no where
lie was more DESTROYS Of. seeing this en-
Iquiry take the proper course, from event
winch had recently taken place, in which
this officer had been charged with violat
ing the constitution Of the country. Th,
bleeding charter Of our fights, and the on
pression of our citizens, had long 400 Ell
Ted upon the House for interference
the constitution was for NO purposc. wer
paper works wbich military nficey couI
With imPpnity trample under foot, il wa
time the people should know IL that the,
} might submit. But when he found In m,
declaration of Independence, that anon,
! the causes Of our separation from the mo
ther country we're these "IIe has affect
ed 10 render the military independent al
{ and superior TO Tie civil power--IJe ba
: given his assent "for TRANSPORTING bevon,
} the seas to be tried fos pretended ofTen noes
: that these among others were assigne
as reasons for destroying The polifica
bonds Of society, as Sufficient reasons 70
throwing of our legiance-wher he ha
; seen, not great and powerful foycrnner
committing these enormities, but a mer
= military commander COMMITTING tber
2 with punity--when The Spirit Of the ~
tion was so base as not 10 cry out with IN
{ lceasing sensibility At these violations of /,
rlghts-whcn he saw this. I've was dispcse
b to think that the officer would not be r.
= much injured by an enquiry into this par
: ticular charge, which was, to say the lea.
: OF i, important On consult ng the const