Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-01-30
C0A'GRES.s.
DEBATE ON TIE TREATY.
In tie House Of RcIresrntGt:ves. }
CONTINUED
1lontie,y,. .Jyr:,cy,, 9
Mr.. HOpNINSON's spEECH

-'Io"o"y, JuTaGry 8.
Mr.. HOpKINSON'S SPEECH.
Mr. Dopkinson, Sid, that, not anticipa-
ing that this BILL, VIII ch was laid upon liz.
.aoie Dat ycsterdty, would 50 soon lie ,sl-
"a up Tor discussion. he had not given thar
reflection to it, viii II was necess a.y for AN !,
argument ON rs principles. Such thoughts
ana Suggestions, howevc as had occurred
70 nm On the moment, lac would Offer to
tae h'hse, with all possible brev.ty and \
Sincere wish that he had been able to
give more consideration to the Iaattcr, and
d better shape to their manner.
he gentleman who press the passage Of
tAis til!' seem to take range OF chs-rvaA
TONS tar wider than the subject, & 70 travel
over ground NOT necessary now to be cN-
piorsd The subject itself. offers matter
enough for consideration, and of sufficient
importance, too, to deserve the undivided
atteh'ion o. the house. Their ingenuity
mas been eHerted and their Imagination
put into ac.ion, to create ana con,binc "a
ses OF supposed treat es, which would re-
quire the aid ct the house to c r'ry them in
TO eject, ano which must be submitted IN
Nspower and control. That cases may
occur anil surely III t cases may he ;n,a,-;3.
ed, in which this house might fnd ;fssle
exceedingly embarrassed, By a treaty
mace by the President and Senate. cannc.
"S u0Hico-hu' is the case now bc!orc US
ui tl1t oeScrpton' DOES aby body feel
1h~ 4Sast reluctance TO have the convent;ot,
go INTO operation Does anv body cav ;ts
provisions are of u kind to reoujre arv IA
from us to carry them into execution. az
where money is required, or some coIlate-
RAJ ass stances, before the treaty can be
consunimated by performance WHY +ber
shAli we Iret and eEbarTass ourselves wifi,
possible cases of difficulty. when we ar.
CARD upon only to decide che. in wb;ch
thcre is no difficulty ?-The cases put. are
All OF an extreme KIND from which il ia
seldom safe to draw an argument-when
however, tney shall occur, they will be.
nicI'oy the mouse with proper fr,nGess and
discrcton on fall ew of ali its r;ohts
ana duties as regulated by the constitution.
conSc'entiously PERFORMING the latter .r.1
assuming nc more Of the former rban i ;e
entit!cd to. But let Us Nave those casrs.
untli they do occur sufficient INTO the,
day is the evil thereof
Inc iquestion now before the House -
" shall the bill be indefinitely POSTPONED -
and would presume IN t if it can he ehe,,,
mat It IS utterly unnecessary ard useless:
that 1t can produce no sensible tfieci.--,
ina When passed, 1t viii leave its sub
!gct matter precisely as t found it.
there Is reason enough shewn WHY II eho,,i,i
not be passed. 1t is surely unbecon,in,.
the wisdom and dignity of this BODY. to he
grraVeiy enactng nugatory laws, or as some.
oi the gentlemen have termed this. harm
less laws. The enactment of a law co,
heVer De without consequt noes for If tha
law IN itself, means nothine:, and doss ~
thing as law, it must injure the rcnpis.
uoh OK the body enacting it. This brings
me then directly to the Question-do t6e
gentlemen who insist upon this bill he
heVe' that IL IS, IN any manner, necessary
to tee validity OF the convention to Will,
1t refers Does that convention ren,,;ra
such aw to give it force and efje,tS
are we toput the fin shing hand TO II III
out which 1t IS dead letter. II a.ksno
appropriations OF money; it REQUIRES mo,
Collateral or eXtilHsic act TO be done r.,
enable 1t to i've aud move, and execnt.,
ITS functions. it it he tn supreme law, IS
the land, L 'es OF Use f ali that l. 49,
sary tor its full contamination and Is !.
be not The law OF the land, WHIST II
Ii IT De any thing, 1t is eUc1y thing. 'rbis
Usay mas Dceh made, ratih 4 & excbans
q ny tae President and Senate, IN The
manner rected 10y the constitution Are
& ntlemen wiling to say. that, nn,,e;'b-
standing this, it still requires our. conc,,r-
ren G or confirmation, to give il Iifs ard
van. ~ -! Is 1t no lJr er 4 treaty if We
Sttii refuse our concurrence? for; i ;s,,
hdest that II our refusal viii rot destrov; l.
on concurrence cannot help It. Il Is ons.
'nniFisi0,e act, AMI is consequences s,s.
% ally indivis bic. have an ius,reroi,ls,
OBJ ction, to following gentlemen IN ~.
q scusslon of points, not necessary to re
iui understanding and fair decision Of tbe
n'ater before Us; and VIII CHI pecessar;',1
ieai us iHlo heated controversies nh
cry questions. When the d of this H1nsa
oy money or otherwis is called Co. :;
oruer to carry INFO execution lie proy;
siohs' or some of them, which this II n,e
shall think luxurious to the importsn. MT
eats Of the country; apd it shallb. nnt =.
US 10 say, whether we VIII grant the
CURED aa5istlnce, or meet tie conssc,,s.,
crs OF Us refusal, The House viii do,ii..i
take 'ts course with that sound djscrt,or
and deliberate Judgment. which tl,p NIX
thc awful responsibility * tie act viii r.
mdnd. They will en- votr to rern,cS-.
tncIr constitutional Obligations v.,5 ,ne
safety NDd interests OF the state A 80
81 Tn apsading shape and inagn tofe 81,
DC trusted, ma must le ,ru' tej W
GUS e. ces q thos. v. may te ,"r"i
upon TO decide Il. neu
Happily, such is not the case me-.
now acans upcn-I, Therefore cope9',t