Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1819-02-16


ment in many respects, had taken place
near our southern border. He would
add, that the house had not sought, by any
officious interference With the duties of
the Executive, to gain jurisdiction over
this matter. The President, In bis mes
sage at the opening of the session, CON-
municated the very information On which
it is proposed to act. He would ask, for
what purpose ? That we should fold our
arms, and yield tacit acquisscence, even
if we supposed that information disclosed
alarming events, not merely as it regards
the peace of the country, but in respect
TO its costitution and character /? Impossi-
Bile. In communicating these papers, and
voluntarily calling the attention of Con-
gress to the subject, the President must
himself have intended that We should ap-
|ply any remedy that we might be able TO
devise. Having the subject thus regu-
iarly and fairly before us, and proposing
merely to collect the sense Of the House
upon certain important transactions which
il discloses, with the view to the passage
OF such laws as may be demanded by the
public interest, he repeated, that there
was no censure any where, except such
as was strictly consequential upon our le-
gislative action. The suggestion of ev-
cry new law, having for its object to pre-
vent the recurrence of evil, is, that some
thing has happened which ought not to
have taken place, and 10 other than this
indirect sort of censure would flow from
the resolutions before the committee.
Having thus given his view of the ma
ture and character of the propositions uu-
der consideration, Mr.. C. said he was far
from intimating, that it was not his pur-
pose to 60 into full, free. and thor
ough investigation of the facts and of the
principles Of law, public, municipal and
constitutional, involved in them. And,
whilst he trusted he should speak with
the decorum due to the distinguished Of
ficers of the government, whose proceed
iDgs we're TO be examined, be should ex-
ercise the independence which belonged
TO him as representative of the people,
in freely aud fully submitting bis senti-
ments.
In Noticing the painful incidents Of thi:
| war, II was impossible non u inquire infs
its origin. He fearedi. that would bs
found to be the famous treaty of For
Jackson, concluded in August, 1914
and he asked the indulgence of the Chair
man that the Clerk might read certain
parts of that treaty. THE Clerk of the
House having accordingly read as re.
quested, Mr.. G. proceeded. He had
never perusrd this instrument until with
10 few days past, and he had read it with
the deepest modification and regret. A
more dictatorial spirit he had never seen
displayed in any instrument. He would
challenge an examination Of all the re-
cords Of diplomacy, not excepting even
those in the most naughty period of i'm.
perious Rome, when she was carrying her
arms into the barbarian nations that sur.
rounded her; and he did not believe q
solitary instance could be found of such
an memorable spirit of domination per.
vading compact purporting TO be a trea.
lily of PEACE. Il consisted of the mos
severe and humiliating demauds-of the
surrender Of large territory-of the priv
ilege of making roads through even what
was retained-of the right of establish
ing trading houses--of the obligation o.
delivering into our hands their prophets
| And all this, of wretched people, re.
duced to the last extremity of distress
whose miserable existence we had to pre-.
serve by voluntary stipulation to fur.
nish them with breadi When even die
conquering and desolating Rome fail tc
respect the affairs and the gods Of those
whom she subjugated? Let me not be
told that these prophets were impostors
who deceived the Indians. They were
their prophets-the IodiaDs believed and
venerated them, and it is not for us 10 die.
tate religious belief to them. It does
not belong to the holy character of the re-
ligion which we profess, to carry its pre-
cepts by force Of the bayonet. into the bo-
SONS of other people. Mild and gentle
persuasion was the great instrument EN-,
ployed by tie meek founder of our reli-
gion. We leave to the humane and be-
nevolent efforts of the reverend profess
sors of Christianity to convert from bar
barism those unhappy nations yet i'm
mersed in its gloom. But, sir, spare
them their prophets! Spare their delu-
sions! Spare their preiudices and super
stitions! Spare them even their religion,
such as it is from open and cruel vio-
Ience. When, SIR, was that treaty con-
Guided I? On the very day after the
protocol was signed, Of the first confer
Ience between the American and British
Commissioners, treating Of peace at
Client. In the course Of that negocia-
lion, professions SO enormous we're set
I'D. k1V the ofhpr Marty that when thew