Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-01-02

| lIlC lIol llotGllCG dSCCIkdlilEdt dllu ny
which Congress would avoid the sdop-
ton OF crude and ill-advised ones. AS
to the policy Of the bills referred to, the:
committee torbear as well the expression
OF any opinion, as an examination oi the
reasons urged against their adoption.
Should it be deemed their duty to offer
them, or any of them, to the House, the
occasion will be fairly presented to test
the soundness of the objections, urged
in the petitions with much zeal and no
little feeling. But we cannot withhold
the expression of our opinion, that it
derogates from the respect due to this
House, that, by abusing, it may impair
the sacred right Of petition and remon-
STRANGE, to either ignorantly or wilfuily
miSrepresent the proceedings of ANY
branch of the government. 1t prevents
the fair and legitimate action OF public
opinion, deceives and mlsleads the peo-
pie, by directing their attention from
what is really proposed to be adopted,
10 phantoms which exist only in the fears
and ignorance OF those who raise them.--
1t Is no. Tor the committee to impute it
as Intentional; but when misrepresen,a-
non exists and spreads, its source be-
comes lmmaterial; in It's effects, it
| equally tends to poison and ntlame the
minds Of the people, excites causeless
alarms, and creates anunfair, ungenerous
hostility, which would not exist, ii the
subIvc, were candidly stated and fairly
explained.
| Few cases ever occur which could
laore clearly show the bad consequences
oil this perversion and lnisstatemtht of
the proceedings Of the National Legisia-
tare. The assertion by some, and ,he
belief by many, that it was part oil the
| system recommended by the committee
of manufactures at the last session, 10
abolish the right of debenture and the
whole system of drawbacks, would na-
turally create great alarm in all the tsin-
ncrcial parts OF the nation. II true. it
would Justify their most active opposi-
tlon : me friends Of commerce might
ely say, tat It's destruction was italt-
ing, if not avowed object; the feelings
OF the people would be justly reused,
sad conv eyed to the Legislature in the
| trong, ii not indignant voice of those
no, feeling themselves assailed i'll their
most vital interest, would ACT in sclf-de-
fcnceia repeiling an injury. The House
y III Judge OF the burst Of public in
lgnation which would have been called
rlh had ,bose bills contained The pro-
visions attributed, when their existence
uly II The fancy and groundless fears n
petitioners have justified them, n
heir own minds, IL Saer pe5l,'osrs arc
s#ssed to this House, IN assailing the
motives and intentions Of one OF your
e9mmitsees. Had the petitioners un-
1erstood these bills, had they ktowD thar
hey did not abolish or restrict, bat re-
Alned, extended. and offered ntw sub
lecis to the present system ofdrawbacks,
provided new and acre enlarged one,
leaving it at the option CT the 'Herchant
10 avail himself of either; not prohlbit-
ins, but encouraging, the exploration Of
foreign produce, not by adding new, bnc
removing existing impediments; thus,
SO far from destroying, aiding and assist
ing this important branch OF great ma
tiona, interest, the committee indulge, il
aot the belief, at least the hope, that 4
lone would have been given 10 public
feeling different from what is expressed
in The spirit of these petitions. When a
committee, on their responsibility 10 the
| House, recommehds--whcn he House,
ob It's responsibility to the nation, adopts,
a system which is believed to be called
for by the public exigenoies, il is hoped
that II is not expecting too much from
those who complain, that they will view
| hem as the acts, not of an individual,
bat OF a public body of high trust, whose
motives ought not TO be questioned, at
least moi without even the color OF truth ;
whose conduct, motives, public and re-
corded acts, should not be misreprcsent-
ed that it may he held responsible Tor
its own conduct only, not Tor what exists
not but in the minds of those who create,
then so iaelingiy deprecate, their imagin-
airy grievances aud that those who avail
themselves of the right Of petition shouId
use no language which is not respectful,
and make 10 imputations which arc not
true. If, with the means which this
House has adopted to diffuse iniorma-
ton on all interesting subjects, the mea-
sures which it proposes will not be exc
amined or understood by those whom
they affect, or, If understood, arc mislc-
presented, the committee can recognize
no right which they can thus nave to-
publicly, and on its own records, arralga
this House fer what they are pleased to
cali schemes, projects, and STAKE ma
chincry; to charge committee with
haior tive enp,nies of toreirn commerce.