Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-31
HOUSE OF REPRESENT Wives.

HOUSE OF REPREsENT Wives.
Among the memorials presented this Cay,
was one from the Legislature OF the state OF
Ohio, praying that provision may be made
for the relief of such purchasers OF Public
Land as may forfeit the same from their ina
blity to complete the payment thereof.
Mr.. Campbell made an urfavorable re-
Dor, on the petition Of Daniel Doughty !;
which was orderedt to lie on the table.
Mr.. Anderson, from the committee on the
public lands, made an unfavorable report on
the petition of sundry inhabitants of Ohio,
called the poor mans petition, which was
read and ordered to lie on the table.
Mr.. Williams, Of N. c. from the committee
of claims, made an unfavorable report on the
petition of sundry citizens Of Baltimore, whe
pray for compensation for vessels sunk in
that harbor during the military operations in
its neighborhood, in the year 1914. Order.
dered to lie on the table.
Mr.. Silsbee made an untavorable report
on the petition Of John Russell which was
agreed to.
RESPECTING THE SPANISH TREATY.
Mr.. Floyd, of Va. submitted for conslde.
ration the following resolution:
"Resolved, That the President Of the Uni
ted States be requested TO cause 10 be COM
municated to this House, if in his opinion
consistent with the public good, whatsoever
information he may possess, relative to the
extent of territory which the instructions OF
the Minister Plenipotentiary OF His Catholic
Majesty authorized him to cede to the Uni
ted States. in his negotiation with the Secre-
tary ofState, which resulted i'll the Treaty OF
22d February last and likewise at what Pc
Rod he obtained that information"
Mr.. F. said, thathe had been induced to
submit this resolution to obtain the lntorma-
ton required, as important, upon SUBJECT
OF gre at consequence TO the nation at this
time. TWAS predicated upon an expression
in the letter of the Secretary Of State TO our
Minister, bearing date the 18th of August,
1919. wherein he says" 1t is too well
"known, and the Spanish government dare
mot deny it, that Mr.. Onis's last mstruc-
"tions authorized him TO cede to the United
Estates much more territory than lie did"
Now. sir, as the treaty has not been confirm
ed by Spain, and we are called upon TO en-
force the friendly stipuations of that treaty,
II is peculiarly proper to have all the infor-
nation which was possessed at the time OF
the negotiation.
In reply to an objection which was sub
sequen,ly made to the resolve, that call tor
that kind OF information might have injurious
consequences, Mr.. F. said, certainly no IN
Jury can result as the resolution does not
require any thing TO be communicated which
it would he improper to divuge-but, II
that information were improper to be made
public, cannot the representatives OF The peo'
pie of the United States be instructed with
that transaction For his part, he had con-
suited none, and thought the information ne
cessary. Surely it could rot be improper to
communicate to this house, Mr.. F. said, that
which the Secretary OF State had said the
Spanish government " dare not deny.
This motion gave rise 10 short debate, IN
the course of which the adoption OF it was
opposed by Mr.. Lowndes, Mr. Sergeant, Mr..
Holmes, Mr.. Taylor, Mr. Rhea. and Mr..
Hill on the ground, generally: that the Pre-
siden, had communicated to Congress, at
the commencement OF the session, on the sub
iect of Spanish affairs, all the information
which he deemed important 10 the public in
,erest, and which in his opinion, it was not
inconsistent, with that interest at present to
communicate that the conduct of negocia-
tons having been given by the constitution
10 the Executive and also the authority to
communicate to Congress, from time to time,
information Of the state of the Union, il was
to be presumed the President had, in the
performance of that duty, communicated all
that was in his opinion proper TO be comlHu-
nicated, respecting our relations with Spain !;
and that, as we have yet a Minister at Mad
rid, and matters were rot finally adjusted
with that power. the disclosure of such par
tculars as were required, if made, might have
a preiudicial effect on the questions pending
between the two countries, &c.
The proposition was supported by the mo-
yer, and by Mr.. Johnson, of Va. and MIR.