Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-17

petition could not he received. The
tiousc could just as well, Mr. p. said. take
an essay from IA partizan newspaper and
refer II to the committee of foreign rela
lions, rs 10 refer the paper now presented,
and one too so abborrVni 10 the feelings
and dignity Of The House.
Mir. PimiaH made d few remarks III re-
ply To Mr.. Tucker. II the petition was
received. Mir. z. said, II necessarily adj
m.Ited that The southern republics were
not sovereign : iiihiS MAS a,iiai,ied, thea
these people were pirates, and the pst-
| tion VAS received from pirates, and the
House mig!;i next receive an application
lc1m them TO change the laws against
piracy. As 10 the paniphl,i of Don OnIS,
which had been referred 10, he had reau
Il, and WAS wiling 10 treat this petition as
he had treated tIiat--.to take no further
notice oi IL.
.Nlr A!iHs, of Mass. said the right ofp,-
tilon WAS ii sacred one, and belonged
cCuaily to the meanest and the greatest
cIuzeu in The nation and II such peil
ton as This duplicating The conduct 81
the Executive, had been presented from
the u,tanest citizen. he would receive II.
and, II il complained ui SrleN ancesw liiiuuf
pointing out lhe redress, II would be the
duty OF The House 10 give the proper re-
dress; but II was to our own CliizenS only,
Mr.. NJ. said, lie would turn tliis listening
ear. What right had foreign subject Ia
petition this House, No matter whether d
private man, or the agen, OF foreign 20
vernmeuI, recognised or not recognised,
lie had no right TO Law his grievances be-
fore this House. II this be permitted,
them, said Mr.. NJ. wt:.av receive petitions
from the suffering people OF Ireland, or
The people OF any other country, 10 cNer-
else our power tnr their reiicf. Iii tins CO.
vernmcni, Mir. ri. sad. the powers had
been distinctly distributed and there WAS
proper channel DESIGNATED thro' WHICH
foreign agents were required 10 make
their COMMUNICATIONS that channel vas
tn Executive, an,ith Executive could ~
well interfere ian the legis.aIiv department
~ this hous. could inicruose i'll The exec
utive duties. This agent said he had an
piled TO the Executive without receiving
satisfaction suppose lie had, and sup
pose said Mr.. NJ. the President had treat
ed him admit all This TO be
true-shali We be told of i, bv This foreign
agent Shall We listen to his complaints
and permit him To call OH us to punish
the President! No, sir. said Mr.. nj that
is the business 0. the members of ,L;s
house. Asfo The authority of t,is aycnt
TO ask an Investigation into the rishts of
property at Amelia Island. he did nor an
pear, Mr.. NJ. said. to be an agent ON the
part of the persons lately holding posses
sion of that island. nor had he offered any
evidence that he was their accent
Mr.. Bal, of Virginia. said the Pres,-
dent might have acted correctly in this
affair, or he might not. That was not
the question. The question was. whether
the House would receive This petition and
thus cast an indirect cenSure on him for
his conduct. If the Executive lad acted
wrong, no one. Mr. B. said. would sooner
call Tor anenduiry Than himself: but shall
we, said he, be instigated by this torei,nrr
TO 90 into an investigation OF the Execu.
tive conduct ?The petitioner STYLED him
self foreign agent, and that was a suiii-
cient reason for not recei, iny if. The a.
gent did not appear to be acting on the
part OF individuals, as there were no names
signed to the memorial. He claimed 10
be The agent ola foreign government: he
| bad applied TO the Executive, now TO this
| House. and he might perhaps next appeal
to the people THIS, Alr. b. said. had
once been done, but he hoped il would
not now be tolerated.
Mr.. BaSseu asked whether the motion
of Mr.. FORSYTH was in order. believing
that, so long as he had been member.
he had never heard ofsuch Il motion.
The Speaker believed the motion might
be entertained, though he did not lIlnh
there was any precedent for it,
MIR. Puhit, III reference To the petition,
said he had never known any petitioner
10 come before this House iii the capacity
of a foreign minister or agent. We have
| had, said he, during the present session,
messages from the President, TRANSMITTING
the communications of foreign accredited