Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-02-05

deemed most proper to be encnircd into.
Whatever knowledge the gentleman from
.Vrrgioia might have acquired from out Of
door informants, Mr.. 3. saia he had none
SUCH and could not at momeut's notice
prepare the amendment which he wished
to propose.
MIR. Quincy said If any benefit could a.
rise from the motion's lying on the table.
he would agree to il; but, because it was
desirable to extend the enquiry, was no
reason why this resolution should not be a.
dopted. 1t was in no instance a good rea-
son against entering into. an enquiry in re-
iation TO one Individual, that Others were
implicated. ~, ~.
Mr.. Micthill was in favor of the reso.
lutlon's lying on he table, not that he had
any aversion to the enquiry into the con-.
duct OF these gentlemen or any other in re.
lation to expenditures Of che public money.
he wished time however, TO Judge whether
IT was proper or not. This subject had
been long before the public eye without re.
curing enquiry; and he wished to ascer.
tain whether it was now necessary or not.
Mr.. Shefiey believed the enquiry ought
to embrace not only the pc rsons. named but
| all others by whom. balances were .epor-
ted to be due. Apd Il twas in order he
| should move an Amendments to thai effect.
| MIR. Macon. saidit was bat reasonabie 20
vote for the motion of the gentleman Srora
Massachusetts, who wished the resolution
to lie on the table that he'might. have time
to prepare an amendment. This was no
great indulgence, for il was what took
place every Gay in the House. AS COR him
self, Mr.. NJ, said he should like to know
the state of all those balances. Whereyer
any. thing was due and payment withheld
suits ought to be commenced
Mr. Bacon withdrew his motion to lie on
the table, with a view to admit Mr.. Shelf.
fey's Amendment.
Mar. Shetey then n loved to strike out so
much OF the resolution ar a,Iudes bv name
TO Messrs- Barlow and Pnkney, and insert
the following: "the several persocs EN-.
ployed 10 the service CT the United States
abroad, entrusted with public money. a..
gainst whom balances appear on the book
OF the Treasury Department"
Mr.. Pitkiu was in favor of the proposed
amendment. He said gentlemen would r..
collect the accounts of Tobias Lear, which
werela LAID before the House some time
CO. which were the most extraordinary ac-
counts he had ever seen, and of which he
did otbelieve the public had any idea be.
lore they were published. A large sum
was now charged in the comptroler's re
4 r.. p.
said he wished to know whether these ac.
counts to a lage amouet had passed the
treasury because if they had,- the sub
ject certainly required the interpretation OF
the House. 1t was true that the accounts
of agents abroad could not be settled so
expeditousiy as those at home, but it W as
| proper that the House should know how
and when they we're settled. The amount
of money expended by the Untetf States
along the coast of Barbary had been im-
mense and If the accounts of MP. Barlow
were not yet scttIed{lit was extraordinary
indeed. But, Mr.. Pssaid, he wished to see
a full statement of all these balances. and
therefore had moved the resolution.
Mr.. Eppes said that he TOO wished 10 see
all these accounts, and also another item.
viz. the account of the expenses attending
the first treaty with AIgiers. IF the infor..
nation he had in relation TO it was correct,
1t would be found that there had been NJ !.
der that treaty some exp nditures of more
extraordinary kind than any in modern
times. He therefore moved TO add to the
amendment of Mr., Sheffey the following
words: "and also the expenses of the trea-
ty with Algiers."
for amendment and that on a general prin-
ciple. He had no, objection to call fol- the
information they embraced; but il it was
tie wish Of the House to prevent specific
inquiry into the conduct Of particular in.
divdual, they could not do better than TO
lead the enquiry with a crowd Of other
matters not at all relating TO it, He had no
objection to vote for this information, il
proposed separately but he was ayerse to
connecting with this particular resolution
any general enquiry embracing variety
of objects.
MIR. Eppes said, that he was misunder.
stood if 1t was supposed he intended BY
his motion 20 screen any person from en-
quiry. MIR Quincy said he had not attri-
b0ted such an intention to him, If any
enquiry was made, what ought It to be I
Were joel Barlow or Charles Pinkney the
only persons against whom balances were
reported No I; there was a volume Of such
casts. A gentleman came forward and in
stead of taking the whole had selected two
individuals tor enquiry. Mr.. T.. did not
consider this proper conrse of proceed.
ings for rertaniy AIRY enquiry on the sub.
ject ought to embrace ali the cases. There
was another objection TO ,his enquiry be.
cause every one knew that these sums were
not due by the persons 10 whom they were
debited. 1t was not six months since a
balance much larger Than the amount in
this case was exhibited against Timothy
Pickeringi which, however had since been
adjusted. No doubt these monies had all
been accounted for, but no final settlement
had yet taken place. MIR, Il. thought tie
rff, a. -