Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-03-02

M. Smile SAID, he was OF opintou,
th,. the i{ous. ought to act at once on
tie resolution. tie wished, sincerely,
that the matter was SO situated, that
the House could with propriety go IN
to an Investigation ef the public char.
acter Of that officer. II think (ssia
Mr. S.) that I may sey, that there is
not a man in the y. States that knows
him better in his public, or in HE PR.
vate capacity than myself. Ifthe most
Distant suspicion rested on my MUD OF
any foundation for. the charges, /
would insta,ty move an impeach-
hient, and proceed regularly with the
matter. This enquiry is proposed on
such groundas never Legislative bo-
'Gy acted on before, an anonymous
publication. 1.-THE House institutes an
enquiry on such ground, it puts IT.
self Ia the power of every caluinnia-
tor who can WELD pen. Is this the
first instance in which. the highest
characters in the government hsve been
assailed? Hommany calumnies were
daily heaped on the late President of
the United States. Isit not known
to the House that at this very day it
as said in the public papers that the
President has in his possession treaty
with France whichshe dare not shew !?
Why then should this calumny be Sc
lected for examination! If it was pos
sible to, bring to punishment the yile
author OF it, wouli agree to it So
as it is a serious and aagrant haei !;
but that is out of our power. sFhe
grand objection to this course, howe
yer, is, that / can no end of it. IF
there be gentleman. In. the EIause
who thinks it possible that the Secre-
<ary of the Treasury can be guilty, he
will vote for the resolution. On the
other hand decided negative will
check the calumny at once.
Mr.. Johnson said he could not per-
init the question to be taken without
expressing his opinion in relation to it.
As to the individual implicated IN
this motion, {sail MI. j. am attach
ed to him from a consideration of hi
merit aud OF the services he-ha done
to his country, and forno other rea-
sons, having but little personal &C
quaintance with him. This is not the
first charge which hal been made "a
gainst this great and good man and
valuable officer. / have heretofore
smiled with contempt upon these pub.
locations engenIered by malice, & have
felt pity for their misguided authors.
The people of this nation know the
man. The persecution of all good
man, as of Aristides anI Socrates, one
of whom was banishe1 and the other
put to death, for their virtues, give;
occasion to those who know them &c
erect monuments to their glory. Thi:
will be the effect of the. persecution
of this man, whose reputation is IN
tarnjshed-even the gentleman who
moved the resolution does no. think
his character impeachable. AS tc
clearing his fame, Mr.. j. said it wa:
not necessary to institute an. enquirs
to clear his fame from impusations
which mustbe as impotent against him
90 Liz WatSio VI tliI OSCdn against Tie
rock of Gibraltar. The memory o.
his patriotic exertions would live a:
long as the world. He did not rise,
he said to euiogise this officer, but he
must give his feeble testimony in favor
ofthe man who had sacrificed his time
and perhaps his comforts co the ser.
vice of his couatry. Aud was hi.
fame to be inpeached by an anony.
nous writer9 It was impossible hs
should be guilty of the charges; i
'yas not within him, whose character
bright as the jewel of virtue itself, the
more it was exa mined, the more bril-.
liant it would appear. And this ru-
NOR was sanctioned--5y whom? he
would MT believe that the Secretary
of State hal given the weight Of hi:
name to such charges, and would no
credit public ru,nor on this point any
m re than in the charges against the
Secretary OF the Treasury.
MIR. Findley was for an Immediate
decision on the resolutions. Hewould
not eulogise TIA. Secretary Of the Trea.
-scry, bat he gave NO credit to the
newspaper paragraphs, ald made some
observations going 70 shew that they
were destitute even of plaasibility.