The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-01-23

best purpose! and would he Obtained IN the
shortest way, 1t was for this reason that he
had added his motion the power to send for
persons, papers, &c.
| The gentleman from n Carolina (Mr Al
stony seemed. to apprehend that Mr.. G.. hal
mistaken what had fallen from the gem
tleman from New-Orleans On a former tiav.
Mr. q. had stated that the Executive had
turned deaf ear. What did the gentle
man from Orleans saw That he had it in
his power to give testimony which would i'm
iplicate gen. w. he did not deny, and what was
the reason that he had not given this in
formation to the House? B cause ne had he
tsre made application to the Executive to
! give information not only with regard to this
officer, but to others, and the President had
turned deaf ear to all not only to this par
ticular point, but to tive whole. The gentle
mans expression particularly" did not
convey meanin.- that this was not among
the subjects, but that it was not exclusively
the subject of his communication, being in
Guided in the rest. Mr.. G.. SO understood him,
and the gentleman would correct him if he
misunderstood him.
The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. CO
had taken distinction between evidence and
information the gentleman would send these
lpapers not as evidence but as information
MIR. u. would not enter into a grammatical
contest as to the exact definition of the word
Information. If he would send these papers
tor informing the Executive TO use his own
word) why not send other testimony which
was not upon paper! His argument or rea-
soning, IT it amounted to any thing, was e.
EQUALLY applicable to one as to the other As
Mr.. u. knew that they had means of acuuir-
ling more information than they possessed.
and that that proposed TO be acquired would
be more to the point than what they had, he
wished to send that also. He was not howe
Yer tenacious of the particular form of his
,motlon: if gentlemen thought the House
should appoint committee of enquiry ia the
FIRST instance he was agreed so that the
lgreat object was attained by securing the A
Imerlcan nation from the danger of having it's
forces commandedAbv officers not WORTHY of
confidence, on the one hand, or of wipine
off the stain which had attached to the cha
tracter OF the commander in chief, on the o.
lther. God knows, said he, that would re-
joice as much as any gentleman OH the floor
after proper enquiry to find that this officer
dld not merit the accusation, and would be
the hrst to retract my opinion On conviction
of my error
The gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Fisk
mad asked at what time the character of O.
Wilkinson had been first impeached. Mr..
10. was no advocate of Burrism nor was he
one of those opposed to gen. w for putting
down Bnrrism; for he never had confidence
IN burr at any period of his life-There-
lore 1t the gentleman meant to insinuate
that he had symptoms of partially for anv o.
Their than the good Old school, he was greatly
deceived. Mr.. G.. said he was a friend to
TINS government, thought it should not run to
democracy on the one side, or Aristocracv IN
the other; 6 also thought when military COM
| mander violated the constitution, it became
DUTY tor the people to raise their voices a.
Sainst it, He had dared to express his opi
mon becsuSe he conceived it to be his duty.
- he hoped no member of this House would he
| deferred from doing his duty by having his
name written on every house in the city-IIe
| mad confidence in every representative of
| the people: he looked at the events spoken
| Of by the gentleman from New JERSEY as do
| ing honor to the nation, and was happy that
4 member OF this House had not descended so
| low as to disgrace himself bv such a conDe
tltlon, and when the time should arrive that
a representative should be deferred from his
duty by insult he should feel the character
| OF the House degraded. Upon the whole, if
| serious, fair and candid enquiry was in
tended to be made, he should be content with
any mode which might be pointed out.
Mr. Clark said the gentleman from North
Carolina (Mr. Alston) had mistaken him,
representing him as having used the word
meant instead of attempted Mr. G..
SAID he had not, III attempting to make these
communications, mentioned gen. Wilkinson's
name: nor did he know whose name he had
then mentioned. His intention at that time
| might be known by application to the secre-
tary OF state for the letter which MIR. c..
had written to him. His information had re-
| lated to efforts made by the Spanish govern
| rnent to detatch the western country from the
| union. He had various proofs of it: and A.
mong others a letter which he now held in his
hand iii Spanish, a translated extract of which
he read. He had thought it is duty to give
| this information: he had not been attended TO
| ne presumed not, however, to call the Exc
cutlve to account for its conduct as Consul
he had attempted to make it known, and that
| attempt was made known further by an an
pication 10 know if he was understood -
| A member asked the date Of the letter from
! which an extract had just been read p Mr.
I. said the letter was dated the 9th April.
1876: the other part of the letter related
TO matters not revelant to business
1t would shew that there had been a dele
gate sent by certain persons in Kentucky to
| treat, and this ne wished to have made known.
| Mr.. Chandler asked at what time Mr.. c.
became possessed of this letter I He had
knowledge OF these circumstances to which
the letter alluded, before he came to this
part OF the country; but he had not tn let
ter IN his possession at that time. mir
1 III.