The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-09

make treaty ; and if Congress can cons,i.
tutionally pass "a law TO authorize the Presi
dent to make treaty, my lips are sealed on
'his Point--to use modern phrase, they
are Theoretically so forever Blu, Congres,
did no such thing; the arrangement was
made under the law, and not under the con.
stltutional power to make treaties. If the
PRESIDENT was to blame, or was not authori
sea to do what he did. the last session was
the proper time to have objected; but in
stead OF objections Of any kind. no man in q,
OF OF Congress discovered that the British
minister, Erskine, had not full power. In
truth, if this objection be good, we ought no,
then 10 have said a. well done' To the F.xe.
cutive, not only we, but every man in the
nation. said to him g well done" IF the
British government had not disavowed the
arrangement. and the Presitlenc & MrJack
son differed, we never should in nv opinion.
nave heard a word a5ou. this want of ful,
power in Erskine, it would not have been
thought Of.
: l confess. sir. have been most es, .eions
ly disappointed. since the debate on the re.
solutions commenced. Ibid not believe be
tore, that there was Il man in the nation who
Thought the administration hostile to an am.
lcable adjustment of all our disputes with
y. BRIAN. or who could read Mr. Jackson's
trst letter without feeling the insult offered
IN that. In that letter he intended either to
insult the administration. to laugh at it, or il
you please to humbug it. His appeal is no.
thing compared to his first letter. Instead
Of his appealing to the people. suppBse the
PRESIDENT had refused the arrangement Of
tered by Mr.. Erskine. and he had in an an
peal to the people, stated the offer and the
refusal. Should we have had motions to
approve the conduct of the President no. NOT
one, all would have declared that the ADM;
n,stration was hostile to negotiation with
England. every one would have been as
much displeased with the refusal. as tb,.y
were pleased with the arrangement, and SO
pleased were all parties, that all seemed to
Claim the President, it seemed to be almost
dispute in the House to which of the two
great parties he belonged, and if he had not
concluded the arrangement, both parties
would probably have disciaimed him, one
saying they never expected any good from
him, and the other that they always enter
tanned doubts of him. II the administration
were unwilling. is has been said, to settle
our disputes with England, why make the
agreement with Fir. Erskine, especially if
they knew, as the gentleman from Connec
ticut has told MS they did, that he had no
full power! 1t this assertion of the gentle
lety IN the administration to settle our dis
putes with CT Britain. and if they have err
red, they have errtd from this over anxi-
ETY..
his debate, l fear, will have a most un
fortunate effect on the nation, it has more
than once put me in mind of twomen, who
should be present when the house of a third
was burning, who instead of assisting him To
save his property, were endeavoring to call
his attention. from the FIRE, to some unin-
portant circumstance, such as look onder
Is a Jack "A lanthorn, or star shooting they
were willing to amuse the man with trlfles.
but not to aid him in putting the fire out-so
with us. any thing will do to debate on. that
VIII take off the attention of the nation from
the greatqucstions which it omght to consi
der. One says, Smith is wrong ard jack
son is right. another that Jackson is wrong
and Smith is right; is this to cal the atten
tion OF the NATION to this petty quarrel, for
so call 1t, in Comparison with the or!ler
Wis inflicted on us, is it equal To the attack
OIL the Chesapeake? Is it equal TO the i'm
pressment OF our seamen? Is it equal to the
French DEGREES and British orders in coun
Gil, which violate all our neutral right. Or
IS 1t equal to France, paying no sort of re
gard to her treaty with us, It is pointing
the eyes OF the nation to Jackson alone
now comes 1t to pass that the nsulence of
TINS minister makes so much noise in this
iou'e. when that of D'Yrujo made none, and
that OF Genet very littIe-to me this is in
conceivable.
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr.
POTTERY who made very elegant speech.
said that the whole dispute between the two
great parties, was that of the ms and outs a
contest who should have the loaves and fish
es 1t itreally be SO, have been very un
fortunate, having been here long time, and
have not got either loaf or fish; do not
doubt, but The gentleman believes it as he
stated. nor can | doubt, what he says con
corning his own party, he knows them better
than do. and / therefore must believe him
as to them. But, sir, the men who were in
opposition IN the year 1898, did not want
places, and they afterwards proved it by
their acts. AS soon as they got into mover
they put down foar or FIVE hundred snug
places. by repeating the laws under which
they existed; if those in power now possess
the same principles with the opposition OF
the year 1898, they do not want places.
The gentleman almost warmed me up 70
war pitch, when he talked about the ;nsults
we had received and the wrongs we had suf
icrcd Tor the last lift. Ell years-ifhe had laid
a declaration of war OH the table, am not
sure but should from the impulse of the mo
ment have seconded the motion. Indeed
began to think he had such motion in view;
as for myself feel no hesitation in saving,
that mad rather wait longer and even de-
pend on chance, than to declare war at this
time.
To MY mind the cause Of the disavowal is
as tieara as the noon day sun. The embargo,
winch the gentleman from New-Yorg (Mr