The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-02


Mr. Rarrcy. Now with respect 70 that re-
port bf the committee the truth was, that the
facts were taken down BY the chairman of
the Committee, the parties being present ;
whenitwas stated to them, they could rot
directly agree but after soms time, several
days, the report was made cut and read to
them; they seemed TO agree except in one
point; Mr. M'Creery commended that he had
been in town ten days previous to the elect-
on, end Mr.. Barney would admit but five or
six; they at last however agreed that it
| should be stated at FIVE or six, The report
was at this time read over to them several
different times, and the parties did copsent
to the statement of facts. Five or six mem
bers OF the committee were then present,
who would bear testimony to this statement.
AT the time the member from NC. attack
ed the,report, a member from S. G. Ms d.
X. Williams) rose and stated the facts asMr.
G. had now stated them. The House, how
ever, not contented with this statement, wish
ed more perfect report, sent it back to the
same committee, who gave the parties time
| to procure farther proof on the case. When
they returned from Baltimore they brought
with them such evidence as they could COL
lect which was reported by the coamittee &
| now before the House. He should not now
| have risen, had not this report been attack
| ed by that newspaper, and had not an honor
able gentleman whom he esteemed and re-
spected as much as he did any member in
| the House tMr. Nelson) yesterday declared
that the last report was insidious. This was
a heavy charge on the committee Had that
| gentleman or any other stated wherein that
| report did not conport with the evidence ?
He had not, he could not. Membersd did not
voluntarily form committees, they were com
PEELED to do it by an order of the House. 1t
was the duty of the committee of Elections
to .collate evidence, and to state to the
House such facts as might come before them
with their opinion thereupon. This was al
| ready done and it must hurt the feelings of
| that committee to be insidIously" attack
ed without and openly within. That paper
! which derived some eminence from assum-
ing the title of g The Wing" had also attack
ed the lat report as &c insidious'' Mr. C..
| thought it very unfair that the House or COM
mittee should be attacked while deliberatine
on a particular subject; after the subject was
decided, it was fair game. That paper or
any other had right to discuss public cha
racters and public measures. The editor of
that paper had better from the matterit con-
tanned, head his paper "The retailer 'of Sian
der and defamation" 1t was also very. UNI
fair Mr.. c. said, that gentlemen could not
step out of the doors, without being iostled on
the way, and having opinions intruded on them
pect than members of the House. The edi-
tor of that paper was pcssibly not to blame :;
he might be an honest man. Possibly these
lndecorous paragraphs might have been writ
ten by some member of the association which
itseemed supported that paper: Mr. c. did
not charge any gentleman within or without
but possiblvthere might be SOME sly, skulking
member of this society lurking about these
walls, and sending these defamatory para
graphs to the editor. BY his observations
Mr. e. did not mean to attack the liberty of
the press !; he thought that and liberal ed
ucation were two main pillars of the great
Republican fabric When speaking Of the
liberty of the press, he meant the fair report.
er of facts which spread from one end of the
continent to the other, to inform the people of
the measures adopted by their Representa-
tives, and the reasons and motives on which
they were grounded. ~. |
Mr.. G. said he had taken view of the pro:
ceedings, and what was the result? That
the report OF the committee of the whole of
yesterday produced the, resolution, in the
same form precisely asthat first reported By
the committee Of Elections the evidence
last before the committee estab ished the
same facts that were originally admitted by
the parties themselves. After gentlemen
had the subject more than a month before
them, twisted it and turned it, altered and
amended II, sent 1t out OF the House and
brought it back, they had now reduced the
decision topresisely the same words as at
first.
MIR. c. concluded by explaining his rea-
sons for the vote he should give he respect
ed the state sovereignties as much as any
man, thought them the great sheet anchor of
the republican government; but if they clash
ed with the federal government, he should
err on the safe side of his oath, and support
the constitution of the u. States.
lMcssrs. Findley and Sturges Yesterday
stated facts to the same amount as thosettta-
ted by Mr.. Clay.1
MIR. Nelson justified the observations he
made, but totally disclaimed any intention of
rejecting on the members of the committee
either in their aggregate or individual oapa-
city. if fanny difference had occurred between
the committee and 'The Wing" let them
settle it; he had nothing to say but if Mr..
N. were disposed to rise in his place and re-
pei every improper attack made on him in
news paper, he should have enough to do.
Mr. Bk0Hnt said it was true he had made
motion to recommit former report OF the
committee of Elections, but in doing that
he had not the slightest idea of impeaching
the motives of that committee. He had then
stated that he had heard Commodore Bar
ney with whom Mr.. b. had no acquaintance)
that morning complaining to other mem