The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-09

our last, reShectins' Gen. WILKJwso1.
Mr.. II. S. Hooe (ofK. George) observed
that he had not intended to revive this resolu.
on lin his HANDY but for false, scandalous
and malicious publication which he had seen
i'll newspaper. That publication had sta
ted, that none but Fedcralists and Randolph
| ties were in favor of that resolution For his
own part he was neither a Fedcralist nor a
Randolphite. He should offer this resolution
under hope that the House would adopt it ;
but he trusted at the same time, that they
would take silent vote ON this question.
Mr.. Waiker (of Mecklenburg) moved that
the further consideration of the resolution be
postponed till the S1st March.
Mr.. Srother (of Culpepper) observed,
that if the motion of the last gentleman should
not prevail, he would then move the follow
| ing resolution.
ent to act OH the resolution, rela tive to Gen.
James Wilkinson.
| He thought that the sense of the House
could be better obtained on this resolution.
than on the one originally submitted by the
gentleman from K. George. He believed
| that it was the duty of the House to express
Their sentiments on every subject, and not to
turn aside from any resolution which was SUBJ
mittctl to them. But because a court-mart,-
afwas appointed to investigate Gen. Wilkin-
| sons conduct, was it not unnecessary to re-
quest the President to dismiss him? Was
not the affair i'll that very Course, which the
gentleman himself must wish to place it
Before it would be proper to dismis General
Wilkinson, would 1t not be absolutely neces-
Sary toinstitute an enquiry into his conduct |!
| And was not an enquiry already common
ICED, which may serve TO develope whether
his high character had ever been furnished
by improper and diShonorable conduct But
would it not also be improper to postpone
this resolution till the S1st of March be-
cause by SO doing, this house would CONVEX
an impression to the world that they con-
Icelve him to be innocent OF those accusati-
ons (! Would 1t not express an idea that the
iassembly OF Virginia was impressed with
an opinion that Gen. w. had been an ini,,r
ed man and was entitled to- the confidence
of his country? Was this House prepared
to assist and give force to the opinion, that
| he was this iliustrious man, and entitled to
this distinguished confidence MIR. S. had
no doubt that the gentleman who brought
forward this resolution has the best reason
for his suspicious, from the facts and do
Cuments which had been already pub
lished to the world. But the Disappointment
of such resolution would be at least ex-
hibiting the opinion of that House in very
equivocal point of view; and might Justify
the conclusion, that they conceived Gen.
w. to have been slandered and unustly per-
secuted by his enemies. He himself was
not willing to so that length but he 7vas
willing to declare, that whatever was the
turpitude OF Gen. w. however guilty he had
been of q derciction of his duties, that steps
had already been pursued to develope the
guilt or innocence of his transactions, which
suspended the necessity of their acting on
this resolution at this time. Certainly this
resolution was not necessary to prompt the
administration to pursue the enquiry which
they had already commenced; but because
the House were unwilling to express such
a sentiment, was it therefore proper to sur
round Gen. w. with the Kgis of the appro-
lbation of the Virginia Legislature which
might be calculated to shield him from The
attacks of honest patriots? If we looked to
the public prints, We shall find that this man
lis already marshalled against the attacks of
the most enlightened men.-Let this House
leave him to the engines of Truth alone; To
the investigation of a court of enquiry -
Let us leave it TO them, if the evidence
will bear out the conclusion, to wash away
every suspicion from this mans character,
which should be as pure as a seraph'S robe
Mr. POPE (of Powhatan) had hoped never g
have heard any thing mere OF the proposition be-
fore the House, but that It would have slept for.
ever, and never rise up in judgment again.-He
sincerely hoped that this resolution would be post
poned till the 31st of March ; and whyi Is il
right, when gen. Wilkinson has surrendered up
his sword, and solicited an enquiry into his con
duct before an honorable court, does it comport
with the generosity and gallantrY of this honor
able House to- strike at disarned man viii
it not be supeftrogation in the extreme in this
House TO be impeaching gen. Wilkinson here to.
day, when he is 1T this moment under trial al
Washington Ought not this honorable House to
when he has been so cruelty and unrelentedly
prosecuted when he saw gen. Wilkinson OH 4
late occasion aTestng treason, rebellion, and IN
surrectiOn, and bringing traitors and consprators
this floor for trial, he could not help feeling the
deepest gratitude for such patriotism and love OF
| country--An1 he wished to God that every man
in Virginia had discharged their duty as well as
general Wilkinson on that occasion it they had,
| we should not at this moment have traitors and
conspirators stalking abb Dad in the face of day,
| and patching treason in every part of the coun.
! try, and the people of the United States III dan.
| ger of another insurrectlOn. Why should two
courts be held over general Wilkinson at the
| same time Gen. Wilkinson was tried on this
| floor when even your President was attacked
was present III court, and when l looked at the
| proceedings and cast my mind over all former
circumstances, could not help inyoluntarily ex.
| claiming, God send the President and gen. vii
| kinson Z safe dclivcrance--And thank God they
were honourably acquitted by the jury although
they were charged with high crimes and INSIDE
mcanors, & altho' the charges were bro't forward
with great scurrillty and acrlmony by that drunk