Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-20


he would Rotentertain apettion frolna foreign
4 agent calculated to sow divisions among this
people, and i'm the nature of an appeal from the
| ENccut,veto the people. He therefore felt
hlmsefi bonsd TO vote against receiving the
/ memorial but it petition were presented for
reiicf III this case, tree from improper imputa
IONS on the Executive authority, &c. he had
no hesitation TO say lie would receive it with
| pleasure.
| Mr. FcRsyTH said he hoped the House
/ would notagree TO permit this resolution to
| lie on the table. The gentleman from yirci
ma, who had not heard the memorial read,
would mud, on referring to it, thai this person
| presented himself TO the attention of the house
| IN public capacity. as a representative OF a
! political body, clailning Naturalization for in
| jury Sustained by acts of our government, al
yer complaining OF its conduct. The question
| then, for the honSe 10 consider, was, whether
when the consultation has placed the conduct
| oi our foreign relations wiih,re executive, n 10
| Z Ign agent haiib permit, dto appeal from the
| IKE cu'lve 10 this House. VIII you, said MIR. L.
| permit hum 10 suppose, that the Executive OF
| he United States the a gent of the people of
| 'he united states ~ this rrspect. has acted in
manner contrary to the wishes of the people,
| orof their Representatives What were the
| questions, he asked, " hich consideration OF
| this petition would PRESENT. Why, these-Has
| me conduct ofiie government been cerrectf
| Has II been such as to demand the restoration
| OF tue property taken at Amelia Island These
| lie SAID, were questions. TO discuss which
| would be 10 enter into the whole scope of orr
| policy IN respect TO our foreign relations
| what could the House do : Could they reverse
| ne proceeding complained of. If you differ
| from the Executive in regard to the policy
which has been pursued, said he YOU can ONLY
| express your opinion to that effect by resolu.
non and ask II this House will permit it
sell to be required to do this BY the agent or
| representative of any foreign nation intlepeu.
| dent, or claiming 10 be so Though not then ar
| rived Il manhood, MIR. +. said he well rccoI.
| lected The sensation once excited throughout
fr.- hut l. "a
| foreign agent from the Executive, Ia the PEG.
| pie OF the United States. The neutral paiicv
OF the United States at that day, in regard TO
| me rrench government, was obnoxious to the
DIRECTORY; ana their agent here threatened 10
| appeal 10 the people from the eovern,nent-
| Mllat was the consequence That man. who
was previously very popular in the U. States
became an object not only of suspicion but of
| contempt. his popularity, great as il was
| had not been able To wthsIan the shock pro.
| dnced by the mere threat. Here said Mr. r.
| we have III this memorial not a threat merely
but threat carried isto execution; aud ire
| are called npon TO be the instruments of this
gent OF foreign power, TO carry his appeal
| from The constituted authority to the people of
| the ilntSd States. Mr.. F.said he was not the
| apcloSist OF the President of the u. States or
| or the administrators Of the government he
cared not, in his conduct as a member of this
| House, either for their feelings as individuals
| or Tor their characters public officers In
the decisions OF this house, the members wonld
1 q
| 10 themselves, q 10 the government which the
! people lave framed, not 10 suffer questions 10
| be raised in this house BY any foreign agent
! louchlng the conduct OF the gov ernmcnt of The
| United states, In ans of its relations The
| case of Beaumarclais, which had been refer.
red to, had no analogy 10 this. He having De.
| ttlone Congress for the payment of private
claim, and having been refused, had asked the
! atd OIL his government. How had that govern
ment afforded it? Had The French Minister
| dared 10 insult this government or peopIe by
| applying immediately TO this House in the
nam or ms sovereign, No: that government
| kmew me proper MODE of proceeding, and APP
| pred to the cons titu,Ionai organ, the Fxeci,-
tive In the present case, itoughi to be neted
| The memorialist did know the proper course
ana had applied TO the constitutional organ of
| intercourse with foreign powers; lie had not
Deen satisfied, however, with the anSwer-the
| policy OF the United States had not been a.
| gTeeable TO him-the Executive had refused TO
| Go hum justice, he thought and therefore pre-
sehted himself TO this House. If the Presi.
gent nave done wrong, said MIR. i. il is uues
| ton Tor our consideration, and on which we
| ought TO express our opinion, but in proper
manner, q NOT al the instance of the agent of
| foreign power. From respect TO ourselves
| ana to the government of our choice MIR
said he wonld neither consent TO Law this me
| moral on the table, nor 10 receive it,
Mr. SERGEANT said il was due to the govern
| ment anS to the nation, not TO receive the me.
mortal. 1t would be seen, on reference to the
| nSIhOiidl, tildl VI HdZOS 1aN come 10 CONGRESS-
because, as lie had said, tile Executive had
not done himjustice. 1t was therefore a direct
| appeal from tie Executive 10 Compress and an
| appeal grounded, not on The defect of the
authority IN the Executise, bnt one which,
| admitting the authority of the Executive for
Wnathad been done To- he full--and nobpdV
had questioned it-caed upon Congress to re-
| verse the proceedings and undo What the
Executive had done. Whoever would look at
the memorial, wonld find that the property
! seized was IN itself nothing in the view Of the
| memerIalist, and scarcely entered into the
| scope OF his appeal. MIR. S. referred 10 The
| concluding clause of the memorial i'm which
| reHance IS expressed that this Honse will rive
| dignitied support to the republican cause
| &c, &c. All this was preceded by statement
| such as this individual had thought proper TO
| make, OF tie course Which had been taken in
regard 10 Amelia Island, aud nv cOmnIaints
! not of tie conduct OF the Executive only but
| OF the Admiralty Court--So that the bonse IN
comply win the prayer Of this petition. must
| revise not MY The conduct OF tie Executive.
| but that of tie Judiciary also II was ths re-
tore, direct appeal from the Executive to the
| house. Now, MIR. =. laid il down as a princi
pie, That, IN respect 70 foreign powers and the
| agents OF foreign powers, il was the duty and
| the interest Of this government TO present IL
| seit as an entire power; that FOREIGN nations
| snonld never be pcrmittedtO know this govern
ment, bat in its integral character The con
| sequence OF different course wOUld be that
whist the constitution OF tie United States
ehtrusts 10 the Executive tile conduct of orr
relations with foreign powers, We should if tile
| precedent now sought, were established, have
every foreign minister thus going the round.
! and exciting the one branch of the Government
| against The other. Every one must see that
me eject would be 10 destroy the harmony of
| tie constitution and eventually the BODY poll.
| TIC. and, IT falling of success with the depart.
ncniS OF the general government, WHY moi. on
| t,'e same principle, apply TO tie legNiaturcs OF
| INC states, ana bythat means attempt 10 over.
Iule the decisions of The proper departments
/ OF this government
Mr.. ,. hoped, he said, 10 would be understood
| that he did not mean to touch on the topics