Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-01-31

uciIy tue existence OF right IN the PreSi-'
dent and Senate tn make treaty, he did
not deny that the ratification was correct
and polite he only denied, that it could
deprive the House OF Represer-
tatiyes, OF its little share of legislative au-
he would never concur i'm
any construction, which imputed to the
trainers OF the Constitution the delusiye
OF giving power with one hand,
and rendering it abortive by auotfer--like
Portia, in the play Of the merchant Of We
nice, WHO, while she adiudges to the Jew
Z" pound OF that same Merchants flesh"
renders her adjudication ilnpracticable, by
the qualification g this bond doth give
thee here, no lot ofblood.''
Upon The subject OF responsibility, Mr.. Rsn-
aoph differed essentially frosa the speaker, VIII,
eight--or eighteen years IN office. with all its e.
moiunents and advantages, must necessarily be
accessible to those co:npuDctops visit.ngs. pre-
pared TOR him by the honorable gentleman, on his
retirement, how much more severely must those
who composed the house, feel the terrors of res.
receive sentence from their con.
sutuents.-" Short reckonings (Said the proveri.)
make long friends TO which he would add, that
speedy reckoning generally rendered accounts
clear and punc,ual. For his part he had no faitl,
m me specuiations OF gentlemen ON that subject
lie had forgotten all his own ondtheorie, unon
that subject--he had no confidence in such brit
tie securites--indeet's in the eye of common
sense asd experience, what could be the rcspon.
sihility ofsny msn eight ySars hence, who would
by That time, have enriched his dependants---ras-
ed has relatives to rank and opulence--conferred
favors on thousands, by the natural consequences
OF patronage and rank, concentrated the PARTIAL,
ties OF the public in his person and coinmsndeti
theopmions OF society imselT enriched in the
process even to safety; gorged TIL APP elite ex-
pred And yet, gentlemen talked, SO plausibly
too, about responsibility, and the check under
which men in power were held by Their honor
and delicate sensibilit.es by, their regard to
famei by The res,ra,nt of public opinion and BY
various other things equally fine in theory and
iiiusory in practice. Mr.. Randolph however ad.
yised gentlemen to axe other and better securi.
ty, thai these against the enginerv of ambition.
and to make assurance doubiy sure" To the.
honorable gentieman's observation, that the doc.
rmes upon which the bnl was supported werp
true, the constitution was an anomaly, MIR Ran.
doiph replied, by an admission of the fact the
constitution he said, was an anomaly il wa,
's'2sT'Ia ~ frferio heieit happy that it was 81
and ne deyoutiy prayed that 1t might ever con.
tinue SO.
The honorable gentleman had said. that r. the
sanction Of the house, any law of Congress
were necessary 10 carry treaty duly made mtD
eilect, the legislature was bound to grant II MIR
Rondolph granted it-and allowed that compress
ssas boanc TO enact laws in adolf the exec,,t,on
OF (" treaty, but i was with = eroyaso thai such
treaty DID not initiate against any ofthe previous
laws OF congress, OF against its Legislative sutho
ri,y--but not otherwise for a confirmation nc
this truth, Mr. IL, said he need 90 no fur Ter ",
the cases which the honorable gentlemen him,
selt' IN Illustration of his argument. had sun
posed respecting boiHItSes and goods cous,a5aaf nj
soar- Who could entertain doubt that in N,cI
cases congress had power to checl, The eNi~eF.
g. and alterations OF the ireaty-,naSiuer n.u.
err who could believe that il was the 6Ieb,,on
OF tie constitutlon makers, that the ssIutgy laws
OF ule iano, deliberately enacted by Congress,
Should be frustrated in their efieet or re,Ie.Ie,i
N tie letter by the treaty-niaI1nsr power car.
talhiy am obliged TO tic honorable sentle.,an
SAD Mr. X. for taking an illustration for tie use
o. 'l.z argument, which Ihad yesterday embed, ed
"a any own am obliged TO him. not only be-
Cause without recalling it myself, have ayair
Tie use ofitin argument to day, but becans. u -
tue strongest proof Imaginable, of The gentle
Hiaps beng conscious that his own argument !.
10! tenab!e.
Suppose, continued Mr.. r that a treaty were
iaade N all the forms prescribed, and so often e.
iterated during tIis discussion, By winch ,he ex
poriation OF the produce ofour countr1 in itg d.l
terent regions, Cotton, Ind 60, Corn, Tsbacc,
bresu-stuiis, Motions were prohibited ; wou,d
not such trea y require an aol to carry IL mo eE
ieci and would II at once, as gentleman have
sad, be the law Ut the land no, not ofthIs land
Knight be law in H,dlfax-it might be law IN
providence, or il might be aw at Bermuda-but
Il could not bellw, eoea Jot one instance, in the
oa'ted States OF America-the tempest OF public
indagnat on would at once sweep it into fon.ex.
is,ence
As for myself SIR, 1 have Ely % say RS eet;no
the treaty itself, that ii comes m, Co me. q suIJi
cientB agreeable shape, that tho legislative en-.
ae'meniswerc necessary TO carry itInto effect. /
SHOULD be very willing to give my vote for iis ra-
t,hcatlon, and that, although The honourable gen
uemwrs doctrine were tfue VIZ. that the adop
ton OF the measure would mpl;ca e Those who
made IL IA Inc charge VI u.urpation, will give
my vote tor the btiPs passing, however it may
lean upon the President
am extremely sorry, sIr, that the present the
only OCCASION that has laiey occurred in which
Tie house has refused TO make Their castomar0.
responses 10 acknowledgements AS in the teT
wee ut he Episcopal Church, the Clerk docs 10
the Paison, vino stands ab,ve hun. The meas0r.
o, sore the house, is to be sure we'll calculated
anprd gentlemen, witll0nt prejudice, the means
vi ihdalBinS their modef alton and mDartali.v IL
Is two.edged sword, and gentleman car take
either SHE, without Impa ring Their conslstcne,y
DC SIDE MAINTAINS It's CONSISTENCY, because !,
eosts them nothing 10 do so--and the other main.
tals It's consistency, for the some reason and IN
snort, we al MAINTAIN our consistency, and on
ihe cheapest terms imaginable. We give no.
thing, and nothng can we take away. I wish tho,
on All iuture occasi ons, our consistency NAV be
equally maintained, and that the party which
form the majority, may maintain the principles
OF the irst part of Mr.. Jeiicrson'y adn,inistrs.