Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-07

SOUTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

| On the debate OF Mr.. Gays propoSln-
OF, the National Lteidgencer says, that
il cannot. ii ought not TO be concealed, that
the Republican, party in the House, has
| been Ia danger of ii division, which, be-
sides diStractiug the puniic councils,
might have dlituSed itself among the peU-
| pie, who have Hftte expected, and are not
| prepared for IT. We suspect, however,
| the iniciiigenccr is mistaken. The idea
had certainly gone forth of DIVISION in
| the Republican, ranks. Many ofi!ie ness
| papers had given i, CURRENCY. Speeches
and hints upon the floor of Congress had
encouraged the expectation. TWAS "a cur
| rent topic %! conversation, that u new
/ gar y was organizing at " ashington, hos
! Tile 10 The acts and views of the present
| administration. The affairs of South \.
merica Was SAID to he The subject, o.
| winch the leader of this party was to come
out. why affect any reserve upon this
matter Almost every one who is con
versant with the politics of the day knows.
that MIR. Clay Was regarded as the leader
| OF tins party. Even The motives of his
opposition had already been vigorously
canvassed. a writer in the Democratic
Press had charged him with sinister in
teniiOns, as the victim of disappoint-
menl or the slave of ambition. On the
other hand, many had accounted for his
conduct upon the most honorable princi-
! pies-tGai lie was led by his love Of liber-
| t. to espouSe the cause of South Ameri-
IA, and 10 oppoae series of measures
which he honestly disapproved
| Whatever regret Was occasioned by the
| idea, II is moi less true that such all idea
| was generally entertained. 4 division iii
| the republican patty JrGS expected. The
/
| looked TO as The one on which The oppose
ton would be boldly proclaimed. For
| days and weeks has the public mind been
| held IN expectation of this discussion. In
| what way II would come on, what point
would be seized on for the public avowal
| OF the opposition, il was impossible to
conjecture. The very suspense, in which
the people were held, contributed to in
crease their anxiety. Whether it was TO
assume the shape ofa general resolution,
| declaring our good wishes for the indie
| peudence oil South America; whether ii
was TO be some censure upon the ENecu
tive for lis Hardness IN recognizing this
| independence; whether IL was TO be some
| proceeding founded OF the communica-
| tons called for from the Executive i'm re-
| latlon TO the correspondence OF the South
| American agents or in what other way,
| lie banner was 10 be raised and hOstili-
| Ties declared, no one could adequately
| deyie. But almost all were looking out
| forsome squall in the latitude OF Washing
| ton; soms unfortunate division in the re-
| publican ranks. The regret was the greater
| because Of the general respect which was
| entertained for the gentleman who was
supposed 10 head the opposition. He was
one who had risen by the favor his own
merits TO considerable place in the
| opinions of his country men. He had
done the state some service" From
! his grnlus, requirements, and eloquence,
! much more was yet TO he expected.
; -" Was this the man CIT was asked who
i vas about To cast himself of from the
| republican, party
| In fact, public expectation was on tip
! toe, when the proposition Of MIR. Clay for
! apprOpriaiiug eighteen thousand dollars
| for mission 10 La Plata, was announced.
1t was at once seen, that this was 10 be
| The subject on which he was 10 come ont. We
shall best pronounce upon the course
| which the discussion has taken, when
we have opportunity of seeing it, The
| lntciIigencer confesSes "that there was
occasionally rather too much poiRtin the
debate" butadds that cit has terminal
ed, however, without an open rupture"
We confess that t0e shall be happy TO
| subscribe TO the sentiment of Mr.. For
| syth, If the difference be So SmaHaS he de-
! scribes it TO be: Where The difference
" between u.s." said he, " is so small as
" OF the question before us, however
" anxious " may feel for the success
" of our particular views, | hope that
" anxiety will cease when the question is
" decided. Whether the motion be adopt
C ed or rejected, let us recoIIect nothing
" but The ability and the eagerness which
" has been displayed in the contest, and
" feel nothing either of the bitterness of
g defeat or of the JOY Of triumph" How
| far this good temper " shall PREVAIL"
| hereafter, will of course depend upon the
eDents which are yet i'll the womb of
! time. Should the administration fly from
| its duties, its course will deservedly call
! forth popular Opposltlon.-But as it has
every disposition at present TO betriend
the cause of South America, so far as she
herselfwill Justify that friendship, we will
mol, rush into an idle and dangerous oppo-
sItion TO the measures wliiCL The admins
| traiion is pursuing. Those who seek OPP
| position for oppUsiIen-sake, must take
| the consequences. They deserve no sup
port, and the people will abandon them.
he zone, Whicn Tie argument TOOK, IS
| perhaps correctly described IN the fol-
lowing letter, addressed TO Tie Baltimore
American by an observer on the spot. II
certainly gives more comprehensive
view of he matter than any thing We have
yet seen in priHt
"WAsHNGToN, March 31st, 1918.
| " yesterday MIR. Clays proposition as made
| in committee Of the whole v as renewed by MIR
| Anderson of Kentucky. 1 did not believe that
| IL would have been brought before the house
| after having been put down by so large a ma.