The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-06-30


raj terms will not answer the purpose
The very circumstance of 4 resolution in
general terms, such as / have read, having
been adopted on the LIST March, 1918, and
not extracting the information desired
makes 1t extremely necessary that the re-
solution now 10 be passed should be precise
and definite as to the Information required;
that it should point distinctly 10 the object,
and leave nothing TO the discretion of the
executive, except that discretion which all
admit ought 10 be granted him-that is,
discretion whether or not the information
asked would ininriously affect the public in
terest. Sir, expect from the resolution
proposed by the gentleman from Kentucky
as substitute, nothing of that kind of in
formation which we deem irnpo, ,an, And
IS 1t not important, Has there not been a
cloud hanging over the executive since the
last night OF the last session Of congress
Have not circumstances given something
like color TO the idea that the chief ma
gistrate Of free people could do an ACT
which would disgrace tyrant vino claims
the throne by divine right or by any other
right For OF such chai aCtcr would be
the Withholding information, an act which
would plunge the nation into war, rather
Than be convicted OF having proclaimed
lastly L have hitherto believed, whatever
difference there may be as 10 the objects
OF the several parties in the government,
That there has been perfect purity on all
sldcs; and hope rot TO be compelled 10
change that opinion. Is it not important
to gentlemen on the ether side Of the house
that they should assent to the resolutions
as they now stand II 4 resolution in re-
neral terms be substituted Tor them, what
Will the world say ! they would say that
gentlemen were afraid to see the light
that they refused she information sought
Tor, because if brought out it would have
damned their cause. do not believe in
formation will be had Of such !. character.
But as the assertion of tho duke of 3assa-
no has been made, if we pass resolution
on the subject at all, it Should unquestiona-
bly, point 10 the particular information dc.
sired
Mr.. Fisk rose but 10 say word or two
In reply to the gentleman from Virginia.
could wish, said Mr.. Il. when questions CT
public nature are brought before the
house with the express view of giving in
formation, that the statements OH which
they are founded might be correct ! de
ny entirely the conclusion Just drawn, that
II the executive was in possession of this
information, and had communicated it, it
would have prevented the war. Is it no,
known to the nation that the British minis
ter, MIR. Foster, after quibbling for months,
was at length brought by Mr., Monroe 20 a
dehnitiVe answer, that if the French de-
crees were repealed, the orders in councii
would not be revok ID AID are We now 70
be told, 1t that decree of repeal had been
produced, it would have prevented the war
presume it will be found that the decree
was not in possession Of our government
but 1t 1t had been, its promugalion would
not have prevented the war Mr. + said
he had only risen to express this idea, and
TO state his surpPize to hear every atlcmpt
made on every occasion to shield the Bri-
fish government from blame, and 10 inipute
ii to our own government.
Mr.. VI Kee said that nothing was more
foreign from his wishes than to prevent
the disclosure OF every species of testimony
which was in the department OF state on
this subject. He was confident in his own
mind that the specifications IN thc reSo-
luton would not elicit mere information
than ii its terms were general 1t was
due 10 csndor TO state, however, that he
had been totally enapprized of the passage
OF the resolution cited from The journals of
the last session, when he moved his amend
ment. He had not been in his place when
It had passed, and it had escaped his OBJ
scrvation. Although he retained his i'm
preston that the resolutions contained un-
necessary insinuations and were not sufi-
cicntly respectful III THEN terms, he should
tor the present withdraw his proposed
amendment, reseryiDg to himself the right
to vote against the resolves altogether, If
OH further reflection he shogld retain his