The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-30

that he was not to be carried awav by q
heacc mdnia any more than a roar mania.
MIR. j. G. Jackson said it would be per-
ceived from the message of the President,
that he had called the attention of Congress
TO the very subject Of the first resolution of
fcred by the gentleman from Virginia, in
these words: 1t will rest with the iudg-
% ment OF Congress to decide, how far the
Change in our external prospects may
" authorize any notifications of the laws
" relating to the army and navy establish
ments." lnasmuch as a committee would
be raised on the message, and the House were
to have report on this subject from the
War Department. without which they could
not act Understandings, the motion he con-
ceived to be premature. 1t narrowed the
field of enquiry too much. There would be,
1t the motion were agreedto, one committee
appointed particularly to enquire into the
propriety of a reduction of the army, and
another committee to enquire generally into
the subject of the army. In relation to the
second resolution, he lad no objection to it,
but that it proposed usurping powers already
given to the Committee of Ways and Means
Mr.. Randolph said that he possibly might
not have understood the Presidents message,
but unquestionably the President of the u
nited States had not given any opinion on
the subject of q reduction of the military
force. Now suppose the House were to go
into committee of the whole House on the
state of the Union, and the message of the
President was dissected secnndum artem,
cut up into various business for committees
How much would be referred to the COM
mittee to whom is referred $50 much of the
message of the President of the United
States as relates to our military and naval
establishments What would be before
them! The Presidents opinion that the ar
my should be augmented or diminished, or
kept up Nothing of that sort. He had
said that he left it to Congress to determine
what should be done with this Matter-l
Where the President recommended any
measure to Congress, it might be referred
to committee. Suppose the President had
SAID something OF this kind / forbear,
gentleman, to call your attention to any
particular objects, relying on your patri-
otlsm to adopt such measures as shall
coaduce to the public veal" Would the
House refer any particular part of it. No ;;
and yet quo ad this subject, such was the
late message. When the presiden, at the
session before the last, had called par,icu-
iarly for troops, which MIR. X. thought he
had at one time done, the message was re-
fefs'ed to committee, because it had an
express object in view Mr.. Randolph a
gam mentioned the motion Of Mr. Eppes i'm
1902; and observed that the gentleman's
recollection of it was correct. 1t is equally
true (said hey that tisagresable consequent
ces grew out of it-that my colleague per-
sisted in saying his motion was proper, and
thatit was improper; that he was for it.
and I'against it and now / make this mo-
slon and vote for it, and he against it. If
tins prove any thing, it is precisely that we
nave Changed our opinions quo ad hoe, sup
posing the cases to be analogous But they are
not analogous That period was got the &C.
ra OF a new administrati,s of the govern
ment OF this country. Sure ana that there
existed no connection between the then E.x-
ecutive and the Chairman Of the committee
of Ways and Means which rentleres it de-
ficate in him TO make a rigorous investiea-
ton, or which might be presumed to arrest
the Chairman of the committee in the rigo-
rous discharge of his duty. have no right
to suppose, sir, that such is the case with
the gentleman from Virginia. But let ne
ask him. if an acquittal on his verdict would
operate to the same extent Oh the public
mind as if on that of any other person.
wish to be distinctly understood-it would
De putting the reputation of the late atlmi-
nistration on that sort of game, which chill
dren call :" cross / win, pile lose'-be-
cause the Administration had nothing to
gam by an investigation so conducted -
My friend from North Carolina (Mr. Ma
Con) differs from both of us, taking a mid
die course, as it were, between us. agree
perfectly with the gentleman from North
SarolIna as to one part of his declaration.
Without the slightest disposition to create
unpleasant sensations, to go back upon the
Footsteps OF the last four years, do une.
quiVocaliv say that believe the Country will
never see such another administration AS
the last-it had my hearty appreciation for
one half OF It's career-as to my opinion of
me remainder of it, it has been no secret
j ne lean kline of Pharaoh tlevoured the fat
Kline; the last four years. with the cmbar
go I'D theif tram, eat up the rich harvest
OF the first tonr-and if we had not some Jo-
seph to have stepped in and changed the
state OF things, what would have been now
me condition OF the country / repea, it
never has there been any administration
which went out of Office, and left the nat,-
on IN state so deplorablc and calani,ois
as the last. And why should ], having ex-
pressed this opinion, be afraid to express it
now Let US not look back, sir-iet the
EVIL OF the late administration be buried
with it-let its good deeds alone be inscri-
BED Oh It's monument. Let us look forward
and take especial care that no attempt to
bolster UP It's dignity, to add lustre to its
deeds, prevent US from acting with single
eve to- the public good. AS if no such adj
mihiStration had existed, let us begin de no.
10. L do most cordially congratulate the
nation on the Change which has taken place,
and shall be willing, trust to Cooperate
in every measure, let it come whence il
VIII, which shall be for the public good.