Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-12-15

| ON tie Sublecl fiV SPAIN. II NOuiu ne
time enough for Congress TO act on that
question, when IL was properly presented
10 ihcm. What, he asked, would be The
feelings of Gen. Jackson and his brave
officers and fellow soldiers, on herring
OF the question being ag;taled here He
tevey had believed but their conduct had
been correct, and according both 10 The
law and constitutions and ,liat they had
been the salvation oil the frontier of the
country which the honorable gentleman
/ from Georgia particularly represented.
He believed that, like all good men. the
more Their conduct was investigated, The
more il would be approved that The more
they were tried, the brighter they would
slime.
| Mr.. BALDWIN said, he thought it all
visah!r, as Tic proposition had been the
! subject OF SO much difference of opinion,
and was likely TO promote unreasonable
debate, that the motion for indefinite
! postponcment should prevail.
| MIR. JoHNsoNof Ky. said, it the motion
| tor posipopement did no, prevail, he pro-
posed TO move suc. reference TO the Sc
| verai committees as would be satisfactory
10 all. lie particularly wished, since so
much had. already been said on The sub
| jtci, that tie motion should moi be post
poncd, but an opportunity might be Civ
| en- to tile proper committee 10 investigate
il.
The SPEAKER minated his impres-
sion lha, the whole discussion had;been
premature, and that lhe original propo-
siilon, being one Of mere reference, did
moi auih0rise the range which had been
taken III debate. Gentlemen on all hands
appeared disposed, he thought, TO aniici-
pate the debate which would more pro-
Il Al
business, after The committees should
make their reports.
/ MIR. Co.'s said, that his views OH the
subject of the latitude of debate were the
same as the Speakers but as a. motion
Tor indefinite postponement, winch went
TO lie principle of The question, vas HOW
made, he thought himself called upon TO
state why he could not assent To- il, and
why he wished tie enquiry 10 proceed as
proposed. The subjects embraced by
the resolution, he said, were Two: the
Seminole Mar. and the trials OF Arbuih-
not and Ambris,er. Did this Seminole
war or these trials of Arbuihnotand Am
bris,er concern our foreign relations q
Were they likely 10 involve us in any dis
putes with foreign powers, orto affect the
relations OF this with any other govern
meni! Ii so, the subject belonged pro
L
lions. His own opinion was, Mr.. G.. said ,
that these matters had an intimate CON
nection with our foreign relations. 1t was
somewhat doubtful, lIecontinued, whether
the whole oi;his war had not been waged
on unconstitutional principles. lie knew
very we'll he said, that il had heretofore
been urged IN tins house, and was re-
celved opinion, that, under law now in
existence, the President could employ the
military force of the United States for the
purpose OF repetiine invasion by The In
diaEs. But he had never understood
that this power extended beyond the IL
nts of The territory of the United States.
II was yet "A question, whether, under Tie
plea or preteNi of an Invasion from with
out the limits of the United States, our
army could he ordered without the IL
mits OF the United States to prosecute a
war even with the Indian tribes. But. if
this power did actually exist, il followed,
that the President OF the United States
could declare war without the ASSENT of
Congress, unless the conclusion was
drawn, that it was moi War 10 send d de
taciment Of our army 10 carry on ope-
raiions beyOnd our own Limits. II is ell
iher war, said Mr.. g. or il is not war /!
II Is, Congress, under the constitution, a.
lone have authority 10 make il. If IL be
not war, SAID he, and we must give II some
other name, lei it be called man-ki!ling
expedition which the President has d
right 10 direct whenever lie pleases. Ii
presented a question on which IT was Zig b
time some principle should be establish
ed, If no such rule had existed heretofore
MIR. c. acknowledged that al the last ses-
sion this question might have been br0'f
forward. Thai ii WAS not, however, was
no reason why the House should now act
equally enormously. Ii w9s time 10 set
lie the question whether !ie President
could nnke or carry on wa, against any
nation, savage or civilized, without the
authority oi Congress But another inn
poriant question was embraced by the
resolution on lie table, which il was now
proposed 10 postpone. The President,
he said, had informed the House That
war had been carried on by cur troops on
the Spanish territory, IN tue course OF
which ST. Marks and Pensacola had been
occupied. In the same Message in which
iliis Tact was announced, the President
bad told Congress that the commanding
general had been led TO the occupation
of those posts by facts which came to
his knowledge whilst on The theatre OF
actioB. Mir G.. SAID he wished to know
what these facts were; and, inasmuch as
this cOuld not but be a proceeding affect
ing our relations with ii foreign power, il
appeared TO hinl properly 10 belong 10
the committee Of foreign relations to Gu
quIre into it. Mr.. c. said he knew the
reason which the newspapers had given
for this proceeding. II was, That Spain,
being neutral power, had failed TO con
tool the Indian hostility to us from within
her limits. But lie subject for enquiry
was. who was responsible for Ills pro-
ceeding against the Spanish possessions z
Who was 10 answer TO The world for il Z
! Was IT nOt the nation al large Was If