The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-28
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Debate on Mr.. iVe6Stcr's resolutions, con-
fiuueH
Mr.. Grosvenor's steech concluded.

Shall be asked, if believe the eXesu-
tive has done this guilty decd answer,
frankly and sincerely, no-However poorly
1 may think of the political character and
conduct OF the executive, do not believe
him capable of crime of such complicat-
ed wickcdness combining all the black
est attributes of official turpi,ude, murder
and treason. But, sir, my belief or disbe-
lief, has nothing TO do with the subject. 1t
is OF to satisfy myself alone, that press
TINS CALL have more exalted motive.
stand on higher 6 round-The honor, the
purity OF my native country is .hrouded
In darkness. Sir, national honor is a plant
OF peculiar growth--It can live and flour
ish only IN the broad blaze of day-covcr il
with clouds and darkness, it withers and
dies. The honor OF my country cannot
long survive amid the dark and pcsiien-
tlal vapors which hang around it. To dis
perse those clouds and vapors, to restore it
to the genial beams of day that America,
Europe and the world, may again behold il
bright and unsulied; to frown contempt
on The bloody dcspot, who has strivcn 10
slain and destroy it--thesc are the objects
these londly hope will DC the effects of
this measure.
Has this house considered the black and
hidcous aspect which this subject now pre-
sents 10 the American people Has it re-
hccted that, at this moment, the foul accu.
satlon stands before this people and the
world, uncontradicted, unexamined, unrc-
sented If it is. suffered thus 10 remain in
mystery, liz truth will soon be considered
as established, and the stain on the Ameri-
can character so deeply fixed, as 10 defy
every effort TO wash il away.
Sir, examine for moment the circun,.
stances of this dark affair. have said
that, from the date of the letter OF the duke
oil Galore, from August 5th 1910, down to
the 10th OF May 1912, the British govern.
ment invariably refused to give credit to
that letter, as repeal or modification of
the FRENCH DEGREES. That government,
declared the letter false and jesuitcal, and
invariably demanded some authentic in-
strument repealissucd by the French GO.
vernment itself. For such an Instrument
onr ministers In France had in.por,uned
the emperor, always without success. un-
til, on the 10th of May 1912, Mr. Barlov
prevailed, and the decree of the 95th nj
April lsl was produced
And here permit me 10 read short ex-
tract from the letter Of Mr.. Barlow 10 Mr.
Monroe, bearing date the 18th Nav 1870
In this letter Is contained an account OF The
iSnominIous attack upon the honor of the
executive:
{" When in the conversation above al.
iuded to, the duke first produced TO me the
decree OF the 28th April 1911, | made no
comment on the strange manner in which
1t had been so long concealed from oe.,and
frobabky from you. / only asked lin ;r
that decree had been publishcd--he said
no, but declared that it had been commn'
nicated TO my predecessor here, and l;tc-
wise sent to MIR .Surrurier, with orders to
communicate IT 10 you / assured him thar
1t was Not among the archives of this lega.
tufe, that never before had hoard Of il.
SC" 80
Had tae vile accusation been PROMPTLY
contradicted, no doubt would, or could
have renamed, as to the truth or falsebood
OF the charge. But, by strange fatality,
every act OF the executive, and of his mi
nisters and agents, has tended strongly to
confirm its truth, Did Mr.. Barlow CON
tradict 1t No; he simply declared, that
ne "neyer before had heard" OF the decree
Has Mr.. Russell, the predecessor Of
MIR. Barlow, ever publicly deniedh! No,
~ ""' wv" "ClI CoHtcnteO, mat his honor
should remain stigmatizcd by the black &C
Cusation.
And what has been the conduct of the
executive The session of congress in
which the war was declared, did not Ter
inmate until the 9th Of July. Mr.. BARLOW
received the decree on the 10th May pre-
ceding. OF course, unless there was un
common delay, it must have been received
by the executive while congress was in ses-
sion. Why was it concealed from ihcm {?
was II feared that, even then, If convinced