The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-19
mo. 78.

| measures they had appropriated none, for
half-fortihCatioh this session; he wanted no
halfway enquiry into the conduct Of the COM
mander in chief, for this halfway business
would not answer.
The power of the House to do this was
tunquestionctl; it hascxercised that power in
a variety of cases. The only question was,
whether this was one of those cases III which
the House should exercise that power? Was
this the only mode in which they could con-
vict Gen Wilkinson if he was guilty, or sa-
tisfy the community of his innocence if he
were not guilty, If this were the case, he
thought friends and enemies should take
this plain course; this was the object and
the only object they ought to pursue Mr.. G.
was not influenced by any personal dislike -
Gen. w Tor lie had TO acquaintance with or
knowledge of him. Gen. ~. had never in
jurcd him or any of his CONNECTIONS or friends.
and he felt himself therefore free to decide:
but he should ill discharge his duty to his
country if on an occasion like the present he
did not advocate the most eifectuai means for
an enquiry. He should express ali occa-
sions what was Ills opinion, and he would say
that the present case was test of the impair
TALLY of the House. Ifnotw outstanding par
ty attachments, and Difference to the Execu-
tive, the House should exercise that impair
TALLY which should of right attach TO them,
he should have hopes of the salvation Of his
the fate of the country was to be decided
it was here that corruption was 10 be est
ed and exposed, if not here, ne was afraid
no where
He was more DESTROYS of seeing this enqui.
Try take the proper course, from events which
had recently taken place, in which this Off
Ger had been charged with violating the cot.-
shtution OF the country. The bleeding char
tel of our rights, and the oppression of our
citizens, had long ago called upon the House
for interference. If the constitution was for
no purpose, mere paper works which Mill
tary officer could with IMMUNITY trampIe UNI
dc" O., it was time the people should knew
it, that they might submit But when he
found in the declaration of independence.
that among the causes OF our separation from
the mother country were these -" lie has af,
factcd to render the military independent d,
and superior to the civil power--He has gi-
ven his assent for transporting beyond the
seas to be tried for pretended cfences''-----
that these among others were assigned as
reasons for destroying the poltica, bonds of
society, AS sufficient reasons for throwing of
or allegianCe--whcn VIC had seen not a Efent
and powerful government committing these
enormities, buta mere military Commander
committing them With imponity--when the
spirit of the nation was SO base as not To cry
out with unceasing sensiOility at these viola
tous Of itsrights--whcn he saw this, lie 7,4s
disposed to think that the officer would notbe
too much injured by an enquiry into this par
'tcular charge, which was, to say tie least Of
1t important On consulting the constitution.
he found that the people OF the United States
were not sufficiently content with tho crieinaI
articles of the constitution, but other articies
had been added, in which it was declared that
no person should be deprived OF life, liberty
Or property without due process of l,sw-@a
right which one would think did not require
the sanction of a constitution TO secure IL. >
This right which the people had so sedUious-
iy guarded to include it in sin additional
article, had been violated wantonlv and With
out occasion. He wanted no evidence of this [:
1t had been done at noon day, before tx.
whole American people. He must himself
express his establishment, that after conduct
OF this sort, the person who had dared to com
NIT these acts had been suffered to exist asa
military commander /; and he conceived that
he who had suffered hiIn to do these things in
country of civil law, was scarcely less cul-
pable than the offender. He expressed his
surprise that at this day it was necessary TO
institute the enquiry now proposed. When
was the cup of guilt to be full? When was
the wounded constitution Of the country to re-
ccive its balm! He would not have it in this
case understood that he believed the Execu-
tvc had gone through with the whole busi-
ness he believed it would have been content
il the effect alone OF Certain measures had
been produced, without the means which
were employed.
Would ever case exist i'll which a mill
taly commander would not render himself
independent if lie could! Would a case ex-
ist i'll which he could not find pretence -
They had seen the Emperor of France 20
forward step by step, and had he ever been
at a loss for plausible pretencesp No: nor C.
yer wouldbc. a nation which submitted to
the first violation was ruined forever. Let
us, said he, oIice become familiar with tn q
violation of orr national honor. and we are
familiar with it forever--if we ever suffered
the constitution be invaded more particu-
larly by military power Those military
gentlemen who acted in their proper sphere,
protecting and fighting for their country,
should have his jealous support as long as
their conduct was proper. lie wished thev
might gather laurels in profusion he wish
ed they might be we'll provided for and at
the present crisis he would go so far as TO saw.
that better provision ought to be made fo.
their support than they received at presents:
but whenever they went out Of the line of
their duty, whenever they violated the con-
stitutiorfOf the Country which it was their
duty TO defend, they would become the fee Of
every honest man he was persuaded that