Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-03-03


objection TO the publ' alton of tho Jour
nal in question. He knew, he SAID, that
! this was a delicate topic with some, who
shrunk from The enquiry he could
not divine. This very sPnsiiiven Sc, lie
! said, was with him AN argument in tdvor
Of the resolution. Would auy honest
public agent, he asked, desire a veil To- he
drawn over his acts. 10 hide his conduct
from the public rye2 Tie conceived not.
Al that time, he said. we had nrgoiia-
iion on foot with Spain. which had Ter
miHa,ed lately in the celebrated Florida
treaty.
He chose To explore this long and iuiri-
cate negotiation. so az 10 ascertain the
exirni al The claims Of each party at
different times, and the various points "a
ureOciaiion between them. He saw no
occasion for further concealmrnt And,
with regard to diplomatic secrets, 20 lar
| as we have, III The administration of Our
| government, gouc into the Winding and
devious course of European diplomacy,
>se have departed from principle. He
| took TO himself some sIia,, OF the blame
OF The publication of this part OF our
history having been so long withheld. in
asuiuch as he ha been two wears in Con
gross without having proposed IL. On
the intelligence and virtue of the people.
he said, This government was based, as
on rock, firm aud stable as the pillar.
nj the universe. Are th-N MT TO be rust
ed with the knowledge of their nwn his
linry-of the proceedings of their own
government O. woulh be a heresy, damn
ing On his opIuion) 10 the character OF
this Congress. il they were for momen,
TO hesitate 70 give TO the People know
iled-~ Of the secret history of the govern
meni-in which might I've discoverpd for
aughi lie KIN W, the secret springs which,
had impelled to many Of the public acts
of The government. He was, he added,
acinaied by no particular hostility to any
individuals bat, when he had desired
10 consult this portion of our history, hr
had found i, hidden from the public vip,,
aud all that he desired now, was. tha, he
and The rest OF the nation should have an
opportunity TO examine II.
MIR. HILL. OF Mas sachuseits, said, that
| IL had been stated Yesterday, BY gem
tIeman FROM South Carolina, (Nr Plnck-
ney,) who had himself been one of the
old Congress, thu in his opinion 'lie
Secret Journal ought 10 be published, as
| containing matters interesting TO HE
people t. know This was with his.
Suffi lent reason 10 vote tor It's pubtca-
ton and "hen IL was fur'he rpcoleci-
ed that The pnblcalipn was 10 BE- made
| under the direction Of The President OF
| the United Stats, he though, every obicc.
| ton to il mu,, vanish.
Mr. PINCKSEY, nf Scu,h Carolina,
| l'opeh he motion would moi bp 20 .tpon-
| u. Until vest rda1, h. ,hOmght The
r solve of Congress provi leA for PRINTING
The Secret Journal of the Proceedings If
Congress, subsequent 10 the Trcatv of
| vNpI ~, - ha
| asked had not the whole been ordered
In be published Did 1t not look "a If
there was something in il which was u@t
| fl 10 meet the eve? There were Some
ot III Sc proceedings which ought { be
pnhlished, for general information. H..
would state one of them, I've said, which
perhaps was not known To The nation, and
| vas most important part OF the history
~ our country. II was moi noticed bS
Judge Marshall or Dr. Ramsay, in THEW
| histories Of our country aud was nnt
noticed, probably. because they know
nothing of it, not having access 10 tho
| Secret Journal which contained it. IN
the year 1885, Mr. p. proceeded 10
state, The Spanish government sent
Minister 10 this country. with full powers
30 treat for surrender of ihr right 10
navigate the Mississippi for iwrniv five
10 'VNtN WEARS exclusively IN SDd'U -
II that treaty had taken place, The con
sequence would have been, That The
| whole Of HE country on the Mississippi
would have been either separate aud inJe
ueph"ut OF This government, or in the
hands Of France. This proposition from
the Spanish government, VIII. made,
was referred TO Mr. Jaw 10 report upon
1t AID, 10 the astoniSllment Of the coun
try, Mr.. y. said, that gentleman had no,
only reported ~ favor Of accepting l.,
but supported that opinion with much
| earDesinrsS aud with the best exeriion
OF his talents. The question was then
sub "'iiicd 10 the votes Of the states. Al
ihc Eastern and Northern States, sail
Mr.. y. Joined IN support of The Treaty
and, hal il not have been for The greatest
PXertlous | ever witnessed IN 4 public
body, from those opposed 10 it, thai
treaty wonlh have been ratified " i
bad been, where would now have been
he members Who FIJI these seats? Euhrr
subjects OF power hostile 10 ~, nj
members OF a government wholly indie
pcadeni Of Us, and our rivals Mr.. p
: ASKED the honorable gentleman from Ma
= rYldnd, and others, whether facts Iik
these ought 10 be withheld from the pub
lie eye N was information for which
: he had already said, one wonld IN vail
7 search The most approved of our hi.i0
= ries. But, was IL mol extraordinary, that
> ~ ordering the Secret Journal 10 h. pub
c iished, Congress shonid have stopped =
? The Treaty Of 1888 The inference mus
Q be, unless some better reason were given
g that Congress did not wish The world {
% be acquainted with the WhOie oi IL. II
p was therefore Of opinion, that IL was
matter OF course Thai the rem aindeT shonl
e be published. II there was informaiiO