Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-03-16

yyr,o &c this man, SAID Mr. w. ana WncFe 10
he ;s an enquiry that ought 10 De made. am
nor one of those who would without enquiry.
,.tc the words of spy, Traitor and villain as
truth. 1t might be well, Mr.. W. said, to pint
!, sufficient number for the house, but 10 more
until. they knew more about 1t. However
gentlemen in the Eastern states might have
been dissatisfied at particular measures, the
embargo law for instance, their opPosltlon to
them had arisen from their operation Oh their
particular interests not that they had any
dispositionto sever Reconsideration the union.
This business had been very correctly COM
municated by the executive to congress; but
thev ought to act on il with temper, prudence
and GOODNESS. Mr.. w. protested against con-
silering any such disposition as 1t attributed
to a certain party, to exist, particularly In the
spot which has been frequently and etnPbatl-
cally stiled the cradle Of the revolution lie
could not feel the same disposition, which
some appeared to do, to give consequence to
this affair.
Mr.. TROUP did not consider these papers
as involving the character Of any portion OF
our people they appeared to him to be Cal
cuated merely to put the people on thci:
Guard against foreign ernissaries or agents
employed for the purpose OF effecting dis
membernent Of this union. AS to the oplnl-
ons this person expresses OF parties, &c they
are merely the individual speculations ct this
man, and cannot have much weight. But the
documents have most important bearing,
said Mr.. I. They establish the TACT, that
foreign government, on the eve OF hostility
with US, has for some time past employed an
agent to foment divisions among US, and ano-
Their fact, which considered N conneHlon with
other circumstances is of great Importance
they shew the deep-rooted hostility OF this TO-
reign power to our republican government
and ibcrtes-a hostility which could stop no.
thing short of dismemberment of the couh-
try. After the affsir of the Wabash, when it
was said that the indians had been instigated
by the same enemy, to hostllties against US, the
British minister's cho!er rose he denied the
whole. He avails himself Of suggestions in
public prints to deny their statements; to state
that so far from disposition to stir Up the IN
dams against US, the contrary was the fact
that indeed Sir Jane, Craig has been intent
on diveyting Indian hostilit;es. Sir, may we
not reasonably believe Elm to have fomented
Indian hostiIitcs III one part OF the country,
whilst in another he was promoting dlsunlon
in the body Of the people These, sir, are
the only facts disclosed of Importance +; the
orlv facts which would Justify the publication
of more than the ordinary number Of copies
Mr.. RANDOLPH said that although he
was of opinion that the suggestion of the gen
tlcman from Maryland (,ir. Wrigh) was en-
titled 10 greater weight tnan was allowed to it
by the gentleman from Georgia, yet he would
submit 10 de consideration OF the gentleman
from MARYLAND and OF the house, whether, III
q government ike ours, documents Of the na-
ture OF those read this morning publicly, au
dibly and articuateiy read, in the presence OF
seseral note-takers, TO say nothing ofthe notes
taken by gentlemen themselves; whether 1t
was possible, even Il desirable, that the con-
tents Of these papers could De kept from the
public eye Was it not better that an autho-
rised and correct transcript OF them under
the sanction Of the house should be sent TO
press, than that they should be nutilated s. pre-
ssnted to the public with no more similitude
TO the original than the reports, which pased
to thc great mass Of the nation, Of the acts and
Proceedings Of. this house Ours is 2 govern
rnent, Of the people, and ought to have no
secrets. It is 3 government, Which from the
very nature Of its origin, cannot use that des-
patch and prompttude OF action, to the Sue
cess Of which secrecy is so very valuable and
favorable On the whole, then, although he
conceived the suggestions Of the gentleman
from Maryland entitled to the highest respect
because he thought they did honor at once to
his heart and understanding, yet perhaps 1t
would be as we'll to send these papers to press;
although be believed that the opinion of a dis
Greet and select committee Of the house on
the subject would not render the decision less
mature OF less safe.
Bat there was another aspect in which these
papers were to be viewed. If they were wor-
thy of being communicated to the House by
the Executive, under the discharge of So