The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-12-16

proceeding. they should have al The raners rela.
ting to II before them. He asked whether, when
the House WAS called upon to pronounce an opi-
! aion and make decision which nigh, lead to
war, they sh ouid not have the same information
before them that the President had before him
AIR vi said he felt every disposition to support
the Executive in all proper measures in the exc.
c.s,on OF his duty; he was ready 10 meet the
| question proposed whenever the House had be-
lore them Tie documents which lac mad acted
Until they had them, it was impossible that they
could make just decision.
Mr. Ne,stoa said ie should decidedly vote Cor
the resolution befors the House. The voie which
he should give did not proceed from any osres
pect 10 the President; the simple reason which
would induce him 10 vote for it WAS a de sire tbat
when the House came to discussion of I'M. re-
solution from the Senate. they should ID. o,eed to
the merits of it that no incidental question
should be discussed; that no gentleman should
have AN opportunity Of saying that he could not
vote tor II because NE House had refused to call
for documents.
MIR Sib6 said that the mover OF the resoluti-
on had any other object in view than was exress
Ell on the face OF II, 1t was perfectly msaatcriM
60 lim and must be SO 10 the House. lie should
vote Tor the resolution not because the papcrs
would have any influence on his onluct, but be-
cause they were deemed of importance bv others
whose duty it was well MS hi. own to cndea-
vor to relieve their country from its enSarrsss-
meats. 1t appeared to HIM that any member had
II right to ask OF the Executive any pubic docu
ment which he deemed necessary f,rti,e govern
ment OF his conduct IN Legislative matters The
gentleman from Massachusetts (Afr Onncy)
having declared such to be his situation in re.rard
to the present paper, ME- said he ought 10 have
il.
Mr.. ". Aston said that gentlemen srot.
OF Their being called upon to vote on the resolu
lion from the Senate without this pap.r. ftbat
resolution WAS no. pleasing to them, 1t was oucn
to amendment, Il the friends of the resolution
iAied to justify ii from tbs want of the paper in
question:, Its opponents could make use of that =
argument against it. The letter of Mr. Jackson
was known to be nearly verbatim with the note
d.'Ivered by Mr.. Smith 20 Mr. Oakley and no
additional information could be derived from
the call, although embarrassment might be cre,-
ted.
Mr.. Upsans said it was for the very purpose of
seeing whether the circular coincidsd with The
note Just alluded to, taat he wished to see II
WY then refuse TO do 1t
Mr.. E9pes . d. lest it should be thought, from
what had oesn said by others, that in voting y,
gainst the resolution he should be DESTROYS ofact-
ins without Information, he should make a few
remarks This was not an ordinary case in which
application ought to be made to department of
TIL government FOR iDformatien--for what de-
partment could say whether the piece to which
the Britisli minister's name was subscribed was
u genuine paper or not You know (sdid Mr.
Eppes) toa certainty that the letters have not
gone TO the Secretary OF State by an official chan
i'ei, but that he possesses the same information
as you do and 40 o,her. IN every case of this
KIND are you not compelled 40 act on NEWSPAPER
iiiofnia,ion II IN aRy instance q Legislative
body attempts 10 examine tie conduct of a minis
ter appealing from The Executive to the peopie.
on what must 1t decide Isit to be expected that
las address vii! be forwarded TO the President
No, sir 1t is frem the Executive the apne.iis
made, and 1T will found in newspapers, pam
phiets or some other form circulating nonf-.the
people On the present occasion, rs to the au-
thenticIty OF the paper, for one, without express
sing an opinion on the merits OF ii, have no hesi-
tanop IN saying that believe it to be a genuine
p2Per, written by the minister of Great Britain
| t1rthe purpose ofappealins from the constitut-
Ell authority TO tbs people of this country Ifyou
apply now TO the Secretary OF State as pronosed,
what can he do He mas become possessed of
ilfornaiion II the same way with yourself; and
IN transmitting 1t to our minister, lie does not call
II copy CT letter but paper otyborfing 10 be u
copy on letter, &c. Now if this paper had
come in any official form to the. Secretary of
State. II would be proper Tor Congress to call for
IL. Dut OF what Importance is it to obtain infor-
NATION cut out oil public newspaper This mo-
ton does not aiiect the enquiry the resolution
from the Senate, winch Is, whether, from the Cir
cunstaRce of the letter appearing in print and not
bSng denied by tie British minister, from
view OF all the circumstances, Congress shall
think it proper subject or which TO iegislat. I?
thsy cannot act without as pertaining its authen-
ticity, lei them summon the printer and take o.
Tier steps to ascertain it. The appeal is fan,
, the government and TO them l sl.Cuid last OF all
look for copy GIFT The letter from Mr.. Cam
ming TO Mr.. Ersknc, cOmng enclosed from our
! minister at London, have objection to call
! for; but because have objection to take that
part OF the resolution, swallow the nau.
seous drug with which it is comp unded
The question was then desided by Yeas and
NAYS, in the affirmative, 90 TO 46
Messrs. Quincy and Dana were appointed a
committee to wait on the President with the re-
solution
TUESDAY, Dec ~.
II letter Suas received from tie Secretary
Of The Treasury, enclosing a atemenf Of
tie district tonnage ofthe u S.
II refort 7va8 also receiU6G from The Se~
ere. arg Of the Treasury, in obedience to the
act TOR regulating tie currency Of foreign
; coins.
| CON7D4T1'1'EE or D7IWUF.ACTURE
Mr., .SAy7ER called for tie consideration
| offhe motion admitted by him for ahtoin-
| ing a seharatc committee Of MANI lectures.
| The House agreed to consider The resoiu-
noh, ayes 6S.
| d7r. SErBER7 snhhorted tie motion on
The ground If the frofriety Of haying a
! more Particular attention 10 fhe subject of
nianHfactHreS, 7uAich had lately become Of
great i1nhortance.
| Mr.. NEWTON ehho8ed the motion as IN
necessary, because The Committee Of COM