Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-01-19
-Four Dollars Per A,rnum-Paid in AdDance.l

l.
Wilkinson, if they were master over m
superior, they were master of the seryan
also he could never reprobate in terms O
spmcient adherence, the position assum
ed that this House was the only bodyswhicl
could not lay request before. the Presi
dent. When he had seen the President a
the United States beniguly receiving adj
dresses from the legislatures of differen
states The could not say with smiles) re
lquesting him to extend his paternal and
affectonate care over the country for a.
mother constitutional period, from bodie.
who had no constitutional power to make
this request, he could not believe that the
President would shew less attention TO =
request from this body than he had shewn
disposition to do to requests from the le-
gislatures of particular states.
On question of this kind he could not
condescend to reason. 1t was too plain.
palpable almost to the sense, that this en-
curry was within the limits of their consti-
tutional power There could be no ouesti.
on that the House possessed a right to Law
a request before the President right
which was possessed By the meanest indi
vidual in society. 1t only then remained
for the House to determine whether they
would act upon this subject, SO important
in every point of view--after a deaf ear
had been turned to this accusation in the
palace, it remained for them to say, whe-
Their they would suffer venality and cor
ruption 10 run through this body unhurt
Helhoped never to see that day when the
House would so much disgrace itself as to
refuse to do what became duty. If do
cuments submitted to the, House by the gem
tleman from Virginia were authentic, IF
hao frrt -
could be no hesitation in saving that n con-
tinuance ofGeneral Wilkinson at the head
OF the American army, was not only dis
graceful to the nation, but inconsistent with
its security. If it were true that the gen
tleman from Orleans territoryhad it in his
power to give evidence stillCmore convin-
cling than any that could BIZ found in the do
cuments which had been submitted bv the
gentleman from Virginia, and Mr. C. had
much reaSon TO believe, and indeed had nc
doubt that the gentleman had it in his pow /.
sr, 1t would he proper to obtain that evil
ience; and 1t the Course had been pursu-
ed as stated (and he did not question the
fFact) to institute a Committee before the
proceedings of the Hou,e had terui
nased on the subject, an enquiry to be car
RED on bvpersons possessing no such pow
ers rs That now proposed TO be delegated
to committee. Ito send for persons, pa
persr Stc.) and il the gentleman from Or
leans persisted in his word as he alwavs
did; this enquiry would appear, if not In
tended, AZ least calculated 10 mislead
For, as he understood it, this Committee.
thls board OF officers, this trio of the Pre-
sident's, had MT the power, if authorised
To pu' sue the enquiry to the utmost extent
that the nature Of the case demanded. m
entcrce their process,j they were sinh
stitnte for the reality, a mere makebelieve
II was therefore that he was not to he IA.
ken in by this; twas therefore that.he was
bound to do his duty to lis country bv ner.
Isisting in an investigation; that AZ least Il
he could not satisfy the Executive, he mich,
satisfy the AMERICAN people; for when lis
nature was known the calamity would mot
be SO great.
This disposition FOR enquiry seemed To Ne
manifested on ali.sides ofthe House. ,Thev
wished to ascertain with unerrine certain.
ty whether this charge was true or mot
II the mole which they were now told ron
what authority he die not know) was 11r.
sued BY the goyernment--if that mode
would not reach the object which was nov
aimed at, why refuse 10 delegate this pow.
er TO a committed This measure Of an.
pointing court of enquiry was not com.
mupicated othe House officially as il o,oht
to be IN order to stop their proceedings
nor ~ such way that they could place
confidence in it, not meaning at the sam,
time any disrespect TO the gentleman from
Kentucky who had stated the circumstancp
] 1t was sufficient for Mr.. G..tbat surb /,
court was not competent and here ne Dled
lged himself, as upon rock from which
ne wonld not be removed, that it w.s no
~ the power, 1t IT was in the disposition O
che President, from his own authority I,
go on. with AN enquiry Of this sort, excep
the House gave him the authority on whicl
to support il. He did not know whetbe
the President had the power TO compel IN,
attendance OF witnesses, except in eases n
military matters and military men. How
then was the e.idence of the gentlemat
from Orleans to I've got att How. but h,
the intervention Of the great. constitutions
power of this House--the only way.
then those gentlemen were sincere VIII
wished to give General Wilkinson an ON
lportuniiy ofshewiDg his innocenne, or thos,
who doubted IL, and wished to have an ON
tportunity of giving evidence of his Guilt. TN
mode WHICH Mr.. G. proposed was the onl
'ne : 1t not the only, assuredly the MOS
proper way.
What was the accusatiou2 Not for a
overt act or crime--not for an offence corn
mitted in the face Of day, or which was "a
pable OF open proof. The crime was l.
lCrct. At committed AZ I'll Ill.,. -. -.