Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-01-17
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unjust and unnecessary, and felt to be opprcs.
sive. At the period when this letter was trans-
mitted, this house at least had pledged itself
10 system OF neutrality. Gentlemen on the
committee of foreign relations "a that dav
might he able to say why it was, after taking
sand on the report oftheir committee, they
were induced to change their neutral ground.
Hut why call on the Execii i've, IS was SUE rcsA
4 ted, TOR this information, when the very foun
| datien OF the enquiry was, that the President
mad done an act this house ough, to enquire
,n'o ana for which, dissatisfied of his guilt, the
rresident ought to be proceeded against
Gentiemen may smile, said Mr.. H. but if tie
document which produced yesterday, (NIr.
| 1raham's translation of the icitef) is substan.
natesi, and all the facts said TO be connected
WIN II are proved. then say th.t high mis-.
uemeasor has been committed. Let me ask
gentics en-, ifin the days of adams's admins.
ua.on a letter OF this description had been
written By Nr. Liston or any other foreign nil
MISTER 10 our government, and it had been con-
ceaied from public view, and the ptop,r lad
never heard of it till it had been dragged
forth like this letter, what would gentlemen
nave sand SIR, said Mr.. n. Wan, AN oppor.
tun'ty to prove facts; and, if gent emen then
pronounce verdict o. acquittarce, let them do
so. But do nat suppress an enquiry do not.
( ny smothering investig alton, attempt to give
impun'ty tosuch conduct. Cent. men appear.
ed to him, Mr. II. said, to take offence. as il
they had a fee simple in the government, OF a
lease OF power for ninety nine years, renewable
for ever, whenever any investigation was pro-
posed which struck at the character of the Ex.
ecutive They must expect, said he, and If tFey
do not they ought, that we sbs Il use Ter, fai- Sc
| honorable means to oust them from the possess
sion OF power, which we feel they have abused
ksis House has pledged itself to the people, by
implication, that this subject shall be investi-
Tod nd lot, L n.
impression if this motion be rejected ! AS to
the impression ] wish to produce, sir, the Tea
lection OF this mOtIun viii De tantanount to a
positive proof of al that havs alledgcd.
Mr.. Hanson being the mover of the resoIu.
tioD, his observations are, in justice to his
views, report d more at length than those of
the gentlemen on both sides who followed him
i'll debate. rH
Mr. Calhoun said he now hoped the house
would refuse the enquiry proposed He had
asked for specification Of the object, and had
received none. lie had ask, d r practical
conseque noes to result from it, and had recei.
we'd none. Mr.. c. pronounced the resolution
extraordinary in It's character, and unprece-
dented in its form. The resolution went to
break mot e executive Offices. TO call er says<
witnesses before the house, for what purpose
For the highest purpose IN tue power of the
house. No; for mere i-quis orial and yexa.
tous procedure, which is, IS no suck purpose
IS avOwed, 20 lay no foundation or imbeuch.
mek, the only o ject which would jGst.fy the
application OF such ineans. SUPPOSE il were
proved that this letter was III fact written by
Gen. f,rrrrad, ard thai al the otter cisruas-
stances relating 10 ii were trme which for him.
self he did not credit, what did it prove Merely
that an inper,inent letter had been written by
a for ign min ter. Did the Elk, cutve sanct on
it No. What view the Executive ought To
take of such letter, or how to treat l., deper.
ded on variety of circumstances, on which
this House had not the means to form an opri.
on. Mr. C. said lie hoped this House WOO d
not grant what was in has view a direct violali.
on of the spirit of the constitution. lie went
on, and adverted to the nice sen.,bility display.
ed by The whole phalanx on the other side ofthe
House, yesterday, on mere proposal for ea-
quify into the constitutional power OF Congress
to punish spies Mr.. G. said he thought for
his part We had the constitutional power 10
enquire into that subject He hoped on this
occasion to see gent emen Consistent, and ex-
hibit the same commendabe zeal as on yester4
day and join with HIM TO secure the constitu-
ton against an invas on of its spirit MIR. C..
expatiated on the vexatious nature Of enquiries
OF thi. description tending to no practical re.
suit, &c. as 10 all she insnuations of Fr pch
influence, and the vague defamation which
the House had heard, he did nat deem fit SUBJ.
jects of enquiry, or of SO much Importance as
to constitute ground on which to cut the
Chet Magistra e under committee Of this
House. Mr.. e.. repeated the three Re quisites
he had before stated necessary to Just ~ this
enquiry. ii gentlemen, could shew thst q
crime had been committed by the executive Of
such character as to max. him amenabe to
the constitutional All horny Of this body, then
ana not till then would he consent TO an rnqtli.
~ winch gas equally novelty in tlis House
ard IN the history 4 Legislation.
Mr.. Castor OF N, &. said the gentleman
last up did no more than justice % the mo-
tives OF those with whom he acted, in ssf,-
posing they wohid oppose the resolution if
he could establish the doctrine that its adop-
ton would involve violation of the som
stitution. But he could not agree with him
on that point. The gentleman fsum Mary
Land had recommended to the adoption Of
the House resolution having for its object
the attainment of document which must
be allowed to be OF considerable importance
"a document stating the conditions on
which alone we could retain the amity of
France x in which the views Of that govern.
ment we're declared If this document
we're indeed in possession Of the Executive.
the House might with great propriety apply
to him to lay it before them, to afford them
the Information necessary to their correct
decision on our foreign Affairs. But we know.
said MIR. G.. il any cred is to be given to
the information which the gentleman from
Maryland has receiyad and believes to he
true, that there is no vestige Of this docu-
ment IN the possession Of the government.
| If this information said to exist be a inn,
| portance in our future legislative proce e.
| dings, how are we to come at itS Only by
the mode designated in the resolution. And
| would it be denied that this docUr ent
ought to have an important influence on the