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

idoS OF .fsuS'uSs WI fNs 10 1oc futtuSr o.
)seryations goins 20 shew that if enquiry
| vas made in one case, it Ought in the o.
Fiber. He was opposed ;e the passage of
\ he resoIasions~
! AIR He!nes moved TO rejeG the resn.
iut'ons; bat the motion vas declared to be
jout of order.
! Mr. Macon said that as.to himself he
| felt satisfied that none of these very seri.
1oas charges could be supported against
1.-THE Secretary ofthe Treasury. rhis be !
lief was founded upon the opinion he en-.
]tertainyl Of the moral characaer OF the
man. He believed the investiga ion could
man In the nation. Under this belief be
cnali have no hesitation in voting for the
snqiiTy. But (said Mr. MI if contrary
to my sincere belief be should be guilty
of the charges alledged against him, let
him share the fate Of the guilty. was
mot in. The house when the resolution was
l,noyed and do not therefore fEnow the
Iground ofthe motion, but it is sufficient
ifor me that the gentleman who made the
motion thinks himself authorised To do it.
/ No matter on what information he deem.
I ed It his duty to make the rneolintl,I for
fone ann Wiling he should be gralifed.-
EHonesty and plain dealing have nothing
Ito fear. An honest man may BE- caium-
niated, but time will put down tue calum-
nv. 1t VAS impossible that some OF the.
tcharges have foundation in facf, BOT ne
fwas wiling 10 enquire into. them. Ii the
hSecre,a,y Of The Treasury was his own
tbro her, ifhe were his father, ard an en-.
Iouiry was asked into his conduct, he would
lg, ant 10 When tie second Secretary Of
1.-The Treasur, went out of Office. he had.
,Iasked am enquiry into his,'conduct, which
was granted Passing these resolutions
would OILY be doing the same in relation
to the present Secretary of the Treasury
as was done in relation TO the former.-
Gould any thing be a greater triumph to
a man placed in the situation OF the Secre-
tary ofthe Treasury than for those oppo.
sed to him to declare him innocenii He
hoped the mo.ion would be agreed to-;
and had no doubt such would be the result
of the enquiry
I Mr. Bibb regretted exceedingly the de-
/ termination oftAe gentleman from ". c.
had expressed a wish 10 vote IN favor of the
resolutions, aud ne was confident the ger.
tleman would nor have come TO the same
determination ifhe had heard the remarks
which preceded and followed the motion.
1t was not Charge made By member
of the House on the contrary the mein.
Der making the mutton declared his dis
: belief of tie Charge. What sad Mr. u.
. would BE- the consequences, in relation to
The public mind, CT pur:uins the enquiry
, under these circunsi aaces Do re MOI
every day see the basest calunnies in the
public prints not only againstths heads Of
: departments bu. against this Houses Ha:
not the Legislature OF a state lMassachu.
setts) declared that the measures ola ma.
Iosity of this House are adopted in sub
servience To Napoleon !! Is il cot as ini-
lportant that the Representatives, of the
: people should stand fair before the PEG.
} pie as that the Secretary OF The Treasury
, should stand fair before this House! d.
, we not every day see charges made in ths
pubic prints against individuals in ths
geyernnne It with5uI inslilu.ing enqIirie
in them! Now / ask, il We Institute
an enquiry in this case and not'in others
whether we shall not be giving al ieas
a presumptIve evidence against the Secreta
~ Of the Treasufys L appears to me tliat
the best way 10 vindicale the cliaractei
, Of this officer f.om the aspersens leveiiee
at 1t ia to give as strong vote as We car
against the mo.ions
Il Mr. Holland said there was no teslimo
ny before the House to induce them Il
) raise committee on this subject. If a
ny member would produce any, or STATE
that he had grounds to bslieye,he could
10 support OF the charges, then and ther
only should committee be appoin
ted.
/ Mr. Quincy said that mere rumoy o.
newspaper paragraphs he did not deem
iii ground for enquiry by the House, un
Jess they came ia such shape as to rais
reasonable ground of Suspicion. For ihi
! reason he was unwilling to pass the re
I solution. AT the same time he sugges
! ted that whatever w1sdone, it shouid no
De done under the influence OF insiantpaa
sion and thought, ifthe Secretary linn
selt were on the Hoor, he would wish de
cision delayed.
Mr. Stanford declared that he should
vote f9r The motion on the general prin
lciPle Of making an enquiry whenever
wished for by member. He quo ed tn,
journals to shew instances of cases which
ne deemed similar. Hs thought post
r. a a