Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-03-14
Congress Of the United States.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
N7ouduu, March 9.

| Monday, March 9.
! The message of the President of the United
States, transmitting the disclosures OF Mr..
Henry, British Agent, having been read, &
a motion for printing the same having been
| made
MIR. PITKIN said, that he had no objec-
| ton to the papers being printed, but that he
rose to protest against the sentiments attrlbat-
ed in these papers to the federal party, being
considered as those OF the citizens of the state
| which he had the honor to represent. lie
| trusted it would not be believed, that they had
| any knowledge of any any mission OF this kind
| from Canada, or from any other quarter.
1t was the first time that he had heard, that
| the opposition to the embargo in the states OF
Vermont or Massachusetts lad any connection
with the British government or with any pro-
! ect of a separation of the Union in any man
/ ner, much less under the agency of a British
| Spy. SO far as he could understand the pa
| pers from the first reading, Mr.. P. said they
| did not intimate, that any disclosure had been
| made to any individual of the United States by
Mr.. Henry of the object of his mission, or
! that his scheme had been advocated or sup
ported by any one. And trust no gentle
! man will take the character of the parties in
any sectioniof this country, from man who it
seems has proved traitor 10 his own govern
ncnt. So far as the statements made in these
papers may be considered as involving the
party in concert with the federal party, in any
scheme Of cooperation with the British 60
vernnent in dividing the Union, it is one of
he grossest libels that ever was uttered.
Nor do feel wiling to take the character
of the people of this country from the mouth
IF this man. He does not stop at debasing
he character ofthe people of this country, but
he utters libel against all parties and against
the government itself. He states, that in the
extra session of Congress in May 800, rnere
were 81 votes against Mr.. Madison, in con-
sequence Of his arrangement with Mr.. Frs
kline when we all know, that the vote on the
resolution approving Of the Presidents con-
duct in that affair, was no criterion by which
TO Judge. While, therefore, sgentlemen will
not, as presume they will not, place any
confidence in the statements made by this man,
against themselves and against those whom he
styles democrats; trust they will be equally
incredulous, as to any statements he has made
against those he has called federalists, with
respect to their cooperation with the British
government; in dividing the Union. More
especially as they come from one, who, dis
appointed at not receiving the promised re-
ward from his government, has turned traitor
to his employers.
If, sir, there is any individual in this coun-
try, be he Of whatever party he may, who
has given countcnance to this man as British
agent, and has Joined him in a scheme of di-
yiding the Union, under the auspices and with
the aid of the British government, 1 wish he
may be known, and | sincerely hope, that the
house will institute an enquiry on this subject
and let every such man be held, as he ought
to be, in contempt by all. found it impossi-
bic, Sir, to remain silent under the imputa-
tons thrown or attempted to be thrown upon
that section of the U. States from which I
come, by the papers ust read. l will repaat
my wishes that the whole business may be full
iy and promptly developed
Mr.. BlBB said be agreed with the gentle
man just sat down on one point. that full in
vestigatlon ought to be hal. 1t was due to
the Congress, TO our connections with Great
Britain, that an enquiry should be made into
the transaction now exposed to view and, in
addition to the motion for printing, he should
move reference of the message to the COM
mittee of Foreign Relations.
MIR WfDGERY said it was an old saying
among gunners, thatyou may knozv the 4vound-
ed pigeons by THEN. fsttering. He would not
undertake, as the gentleman from Connect
cut had done, to exonerate his constituents in
a body from any implication in this business
i m NJ