Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-09
Ma. aRosvENoH's SPEECH
sfa. HrssYss's REsoIUTIoSs

After Mr.. Oakley had sat down eiF.
Speaker being about tn pu, the ques''oh
NJ. Grosvenor rose AMI spoke suostan-
,i,liy as fellows:
Mr.. Speaker-Icsn not suEerihe qnes-
ito, 70 be taken, viii out offering 10 re
house my reasons for .upp,rting the re-
.olurinns-In doing ttis, 81, l. IKE the
honorable gentleman Ism South Caro-
Ina, NAV hecome sr1rnl yet az can
never admit that such warmth furnishes
sry iicence 10 him for personal attack or
improper language, so shall claim n"
such licence myself, by conaescend'ns
70 initiate his example. have Mr..
Sneaker adverted to the example ct the
hon. gentleman for the purpose oil IN
forming him that boisterous language on
this floor by sav Of defiance, threat or
Intimidation, will no longer have IT'S
wented effect
wish that hon. gentleman, and ererv
other gentleman on this floor distinctly
TO under.tand that their threats have no
terrors for Us, they pas. by us like the
idle winds which we respect not. Sir, |
stand here the independent representa-
tive of free people-Upon all topics
which come before this house, | shall
ever speak what do think" restrain
ed BY nothing, but the rules OF decorum
which are here established, and which ),
may become every gentleman to OBJ
serve,
stand upcn my own personal right
which will Weld to no man. stand
upon the tree hold Of the constitute n,
from which | will not be driven without
a struggle.
Sir. have no doubt that this house
has a perfect right t. the Information,
demanded by the resolutions. How can
We speak or act upon subjects, insepara-
bly, connected with our foreign relations,
if the executive, the only organ of COM
munication with other nations, may be
suffered at his sovereign will and plea
.ure, 20 withhold from Us al bis CORES
pondence? By admitting such course
of practice, the President has bad xle
destinies of this nation in his hands
nor isA strange, that this house, that
congress and the nation have hcen bur-
ricd from one restrictive measure 70 an
other, and finally into an unnecessary K
wanton war. Sir, have not the slight
est doubt that to this constant habit OF
executive secrecy, to the gatbled fr-
tracts OF letters, from and to the French
government. which deform our journals,
and deceive the public; to the deep
with the arch tyrsnt more than to any
other cause, a,ay be Imputed all our pre-.
sent dangers and calamities. Let this
house, let this country no longer be
forced to feel its way in thick darkness,
when the light and the day are within its
reach.
L., England it i. true, I" his Majesty
can do no wrong" I'D when'his minis
try draw a veil over their conduct, they
step boldly forth and demand the &C. f.
dence of the pa, lament and the country.
secure 10 the protection of the king AID
the IN. iority But sir, am utterly as
tonished when | find gentlemen who
buster much about the purity of their
republican'sm, who are in an absolute
polite Al fever when the theory or prac-
tce Of that corrupt, despotic and trea-
chcrrus" nation is even hin'ed at. should
now wish to introduce here practice
precisely similar. The foundation Of
our whole system of government is re-
shonsibRiry. The President and most OF
his dependents are by the constitution
obnoxious to the animadvcrson of this
house. And every official man in the
republic is responsible to the people -
ct this responsibility never be DESTROY
ed or eyadet by suffering anv officer. be
he high or be he low, to draw perma-
sent veil over his official conduct-and
if he attempts it, let thi. house, pleDling
itself upon the constitution, raise its
arm, ,are asunder the pcrnieioas cover.
ing, and expose the naked truth to the
view of the people. In the pure age OF
our republic, such was the theory and
the practice under our constitution.
Bot it is said that 10 reason is assign
ed in the resolutions for the call-no
purpose designated for which the lntor-
nation is required.
Sir, had considered that this ohIcc.
ton was settled forever, in the session OF
1896. The President then refused the
information demanded by the house -
Upon this refusal the house passed two
resolutions, tie one of which | will read.
Resolved, tina, it is not necessary TO
the propriety Of any application from
this house to the executive Tor intorna-
ton desired BY them, and which mGy re-
late 10 auv constitutional functions OF the
house, that he purposes for which such
Information may be wanted. or to which
the same may be applied, shssld be stat.
I'd in the application"
On the'pas.agc Of this resolution, Mr..