Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-12
CONGRESS.
from the National iateifisfRcer.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES
DEBATE ON TIE SEMINOLE WAR.
ICDNTINIiEn

but his excuse would be found i'm the ar
iifcial Importance the subject had AS.
Sumed by the wide excursions i'm which
gentlemen had INDUCED, embracing, in
the scope of their arguments, not only The
iiiusirions chief against whom the attack
Is directly aimed but mounting up 10 the
Executive, and charging him with vio-
laiIou of the constitution.
lie said the advocates Of these rcsolu
Tons claimed To be the exclusive guard
ans OF the constitution: portion of them,
he admitted, held the lille by prescrip
fion they lad sounded the tocsin when
the midnight Judiciary disappeared they
nau raised warning voice against the
embargo, and the whole restrictive syS-
TEN, 3s attractions oftliat sacred charter A.;
ana they protested against rejoicing for
The brilliant victories achieved BY our
heroic armies and gallant navy, as unbe
coming moral aud religious people =
when now called upon, as formerly, Ia
put ihe finger upon The principle which
Is Wounded III that instrument, they can
mol agree upon the point whsxe it is lo
be found II was AN unlansitH fleeing
principle, which eiu'les the grasp of ex
ANIMATION. He claimed no participation
IN The vision, but he claimed consoien-
''O'o 'iENiirl w tuil, anu tHt circuit OIL
The humble endeavor 10 viudicate the ho-
nor of The nation, aud 10 preserve the
constitution iuvioiate.
He objected 10 the mode Of proceed
ing; he denied Congress had power To
proceed in this manner Tie bright page
that records the immortal deeds of our
ancestors, and The Happiness Of This ia
Vored people, Is shaded BIZ the paroxysms
OF party heat. The Congress of the Uni
ted STATES once stepped down from The
elevated duties of legislation, 10 censure
The seii-created democratic societies: il
was then the eloquent Ames sung the Sy
rem song thai spell the people: HE
delusion was but for a season the en-
chantment dissolved the nation awak-
eped from It's trance, and, gifted with Tie
energy Thai freedom bestows, sprung up
Oh that basis OF correct principle upon
which ihe present administration stands /;
then The democratic party contended in
VAN, that The right 10 the proceeding VAS
not vested IN this house. On another
occasion, wien the army, com manded by
81. Clair, sustained bloody and disas
tfous defeat, democratic member pro-
posed resolution, requesting the then
PRESIDENT, General Washington, 10 set on
loot an enquiry INTO The causes of that
lngloriGus affair the federal majority re
Jected the proposition as unconSiitutiOn-
al and improperly interfering with the
powers OF The Executive department..
Each party was correct when contend
ing Tor lie negative, as will appear from
an examination oftlle question. This is
a government of departments, shedding
light, emitting heat, and promoting poll
heal health. When each revoives in It's
peculiar orbit, the limits aud extent of
each distinctly marked out in the cOnsti-
Union. Congress can speak an army Into
existence; by repeating the law that gave
IT BENG, YOU annihilaic il or, by rtius.
ing 10 appropriate Tie means of SubsiSi
cnce, II langulSiirs and expires. The ma
nagemeni fihis army is placed in the
bands OF The executive speak ii into ex-
ISteHce, il bounds into another sphere
b. yOnd your control, This division of
power is wisely neutrality-suspicious.
gainst this dangerous machine by lrgis-
ia'ive Jealousy, and giving il energy and
pr0mpiIiude OF movement by the EXeCu
i've. This army, existing by your will is
only responsible TO the executive and tile
judiciary. Personal wrong, and the in
vasion OF private rights, give tie courts
jurisdiction. II The peace oi The nation
Is compromised, and lis honor furnished
the executive holds The corrective; and,
II this high constitutional officer sleeps al
his post il lie shield the delinquent, and
hesltafes TO redeem The snllied Justice of
his country, he becomes acccssary-is
implicated III tie guilt, and subjects him
sell 10 punishment by Impeachment. The
inconvenience and imprdciicability of ex.
ercisIng this power, prove ii is not grant
cd To this department m The government.
~ II is your right and your duty 10 stOop
beneath The commander IN chief TO las
hold Oh a major general, 1t is equally in
cumbeni upon YOU 10 descend into the
ranks ace a private soldier into lPris-
laiIve IDqulslion, aud graveIy discuss,
and sagely decide, upon his demeriis.-
The doctrlue commended f~r laws hold OF
both ends OF The military establishment
lie SAID, amidst the awful conVuIS!ous Of
the French revolution, the convention
" asied an entire night in examining a ser.
geaut descending from riding in the
whIrIwnd and directing the Storm" 80
The examination Oft soldier. Some claim
The right To censure, as the correlaiIve of
the practice ofgiviDg thanks. l1e denied
that this practice was predicaled upon
right. Tins is no novel idea, intended for
The present moment. In proposition 10
return thanks TO General WaNne, for the
brilliant victory of tie Miami. Mr.Tracy
aud others, denied that Congress possess
ed this power. The practice has grown
out of nsurpaiion. ltcan only be claimed
upon ii'e decomposition that Congress
represent tile entire sovereignty OF the
people, and reflect their feelings. On Use
contrary, the members OF tbls House are
Only special agents, for limited aud defin
ed purposes. This power i not delegat.
ed to YOU by any affirmative grant, nor
u iincldcnidl TO any express grant. When
Congress, warmed by The gratitude which