The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-02
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Deoste on Mr.. Websfer's resolutions, conf.

49, ~""oW Sdiu nc nad hopod that
there would have been no division of obi.
mon on this subject, that there would have
oeen no objcctiontos such a modification of
this resolution as had been proposed by him.
He would state the circumstances which
he thought ought to govern gentlemen in
paying some little Difference TO the FEELINGS
AID wishes of those on :his side of the
house What were the facts on which the
resolutions were groundcd,2 A few days be-
lore the end of the last session of CONGRESS-.
on motion OF gentleman from MARYLAND,
resolution was adopted calling on the
president for certain information relative
to our relations with France. The prcsi.
dent on the next day bat one, that is. on
the last day OF the session, made a com
municatlon which among other things, S, at
ed a conversation which had taken MACE
between Mr.. Barlow our late minis,sr 10
France, and the duke of Bassau5, relative
to the repeal of the French DEGREES. MIR
Barlow expressed his surprise, when the
decree OF 2Sth April, 1871, was produc
ed, that II had been SO long concealed
he duke OF Bassano replied that il had
oeeh communicated to our minister in
france ana the French minister in this
country, at the time it was issued. II is
tair to acknowledge that that order must
nave ocen antedated, or concealed by the
french government, or communicated to
Tue executive, and by them concealed.
w Whatever iormor enquiry gentlemen Nigh,
think proper to adopt, by which to prove
that the decree was antedated or concealed,
Mr.. L. was willing should be adopted.
The house ought not, however, in the pre-
sent stage oil this business, TO presume
that the repeating decree had been com
nuni'ated 10 the executive ard by him
concealed He would not attribute such
motives 20 the gentleman from Newhamp
shlre-1e vas too honorable to be actuated
by them No man who looks into his own
mart and huds purity there, will be liable
10 miSrcpresent the motives of others
The resolution as hastily read, would never
theless convey the idea to which he had
just alluded. He wished the gentleman
from w-Hampshire then would consent
TO eXpunge these words; and he asked il
the more confidently, as the gentleman
himself had shewn that those words were
mere surpiusage, because the object which
he protested to have in view was embraced
In two distinct resolutions which follow
the first. IT, when the President should
make reply TO the resolutions thus a.
mended, there should be any circumstance
leading to a suspicion of concealment, il
would be competent to any gentleman to
move aa additional explanatory resolution ::
and Mr.. c. distinctly pledged himself for
one, should any ambiguity appear in the
reply, that he would Join gentlemen in vot
ing tor further inquiry. But he had the
tFmest belief that nothing was withheld
that was necessary to be known and that
all would be satisfactorily cleared up
Before he sat down, he would advert to
one thing The gentleman from N Hamp-
SHIRE, In moving these resolves, said lac
cordlng TO the report of his speech in the
National lntel!igencer) to this effect: that
the question at issue between the govern
ments OF America and G.. Britain, on which
the declaration of war turned, was, whc-
Their the French DEGREES were or were not
repealed. And the gentleman from Virgil
MA had to-day spoken to the same effect.
Mr.. G. said he would not on the present
occasion, Soto the trouble of diiating at
large on that point but he would observe
that the gentleman had presumed to do for
us In this case what would be considered
very extraordinary to have been done in
suit at law. He, the defendant in the ac-
ton, had drawn the declaration for the
plaintiff, and pointed out the issue. This
was as unfair in political as it would be in
legal contest. MIR. G. said he always
distinctly contended for the right to consi-
der the injuries done to us by each bellge-
rent on their own ground. This had been
his course, because different one would
have been as unworthy a nation, as it would
have been unworthy of an individual.
What said he, shall we make the right of
obtaining redress from England dependent
Oh, kn incticn Erarcnl L. e.. L..