Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-06-16
CONGRESS.
n,r1sE OF. REPRESENTATIYES.
WHDNEsDAy tune "A.
coNcLuDED.
7aken fs,. the Aleaandria Gazette.


: Npssolutiont 70 obtain the release Of the
Q Nghaqena prisoners before the house.
: s;i. Ross. What are the objections
: They were OF sinister kind, or
{ S5tned on sound policy but hesaw no
: I'D which was said tending to shew that
svas an iirsssolitic measure. It was said
!. would be rob5ihg the public treasury.
S Hin tlctxar Worn soldier lived unprovid-ss
rs. 10 relieve villains. These were IN
: Sa,n:ste men, torn from. society by the a
ras OF vice and duplicity, fraud and Sc
, ESrton know that stern virtue plumes
: E;xlt IN sitting aioof from the vicissitudes
} Ndastare, but know, that IN mixing with
Nsxiety iii ! ansyayyss Ill often become dupes
IN hs nominations OF companions. Would
,htter say, if his daughter were led away.
the fiahss of her nagination and ardor
II d youth, shat she rnight live an outcast,
d he would never forgive her trust
there is more humanity more genera
3 aty, more hberality in the American
II character, than to advance such doc
Eumes. Was this question TO come before
n the people Of this country, though am no
#uophet, I viii not hesitats to predict they
81 would find verdictin favor of their unhap-
py coantryrnen. Young men are ardent,
Is ambitious these were told they would have
honor, wealth and quality, and when they
saw men at the head of the enterprise, pos
IS Ssssd Of fortune and responsibility, risk
IL, mig they not easily be persuaded to
hazard their lttle. gains could they sup
pss it was other than alawful undertaking.
Al That these young men were ignorant there
81 is evidence beyond the power of doubt, in
their endeavors TO escape from theirleaders,
heir imprisonment rather than acquiesce in.
the voyage. Can Anericans,s can any man,
protesting the humanity found in the human
heart, see their counfrvmen laboring under
he Affections, the sufferings, the wretched-
! ness OF Imprisonment and want. Should we
4 steel our hearts against their distress. I
would hold towards them the language Of
humanity, and stretch forth the hand Of
help Extend mercy to the unfortunate,
and they Will warn their countrymen against
ike unlawful acts, they will contrast before
them the mild justice of American laws and
nc severity OF despotic power, and inspire
them from precept with love of country,
constitution and laws.
Mr. Taylor. IF 4 could view this subject
IN the light of its advocates,I should think
THE duty of government to relieve these
men but as see it, an attempt to their re-
B let would but aggravate their pain. These
sunshine stories Of humanity, would do well
enough beforea judge, junta, or king,
but are not calculated for deliberative Boz
dy, whose dutyit is to make laws for the
punishment of crimes, not to offer rewards
Tor their preparation. These men were
found guilty and condemned under the au-
thority of Spanish laws, and it would
De Improper IN this government by an IN
reference, to infringe the sovereignty Of
that authority. VIVA. would the govern
mentof SPAN or those whom you would
apply to say? Why, that we have long
heard, and have had some suspicious of
your acquaintance with the designs of these
men, and now We have proof oft. Under
these impressions they will refuse your APP
Piicatlon, and the prisoners will become OBJ
Jecss OF jealousy, worse treated, and more
Vigorously watched whilst suspicion viii
rest on this government that it may use
force tor their release. To induce us to
take this deliberate step, we are told these
people are innocent. Who told US SO
themselves. | was told by an eminent
counsellor inmy state, who had advocated
the cause of more than 100 criminals in the
course OF his practice, that among them,
although the, nature of the case required
they should confess to him the truth, for
their better. defence, he never found one
who said they were guilty. They said so