Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-01-08

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| To convict of crime? No-that was confid-
ed to the criminal judge. The power of i'm
parchment acts only on the Office, and if the
person arraigned holds no Office, there is Moth
ing whereon to act and the man who is ftnc-
ms oDtcio In regard TO his Office, is as much
beyond the power of impeachment as if he
were physically dead. Can we impeach "A
man for murder? No; but, if he has COM
mitted an offence that iustilies an impeach-
ment and deprivation of office, he NAV after
his conviction, be further turned over TO the
civil courts to answer for the violated laws of
his country. Haw then could this House
impeach Gov. jackson? He holds no Office.
lie is not, therefore, amenable 10 the i'm
peaching power. We cannot turn him ont of
Office, for he is out already. How, then.
stands the case of Judge Fromentin? His
appointment is not confirmed by the Senate.
lie cannot be said to hold an office under the
onited States. His appointment is subject
to the will OF the President. 1t was therefore
lndelica,e to interfere with that confirmation.
Mr. w. alluded To the case of Judge Easton.
In which these principles had been settled
uentlemen were therefore travelling out of the
record. They were giving a verdict before
the evidence was heard. The President of
the United States had told us that each OF
those officers had done what he believed they
thought tn be their duty. The case was now
with the President, where il ough; TO rest
The Office ofJudge Fromentin Is IN feri Or not
IN .fert, the President pleases. In our
anxiety 10 get ahead of the President and
Senate, we should be careful not to go out
OF our sphere, and engage in an indicate
telierence, from the apprehension ofheing
out oi business. Mr.. w. would engage that we
should have business enoug h on our hands for
six months tn come, without meddIing with
this controversy. There was no evidence be-
fore the house-Dothing that could inculpate
the Judge, or prove that he had acted un":or-
thy an American heart. Mr.. w. knew both
the Individuals implicated, and entertained
high respect for them both. He believed the
inquiry unnecessary; that il would lead 10 no
valuable result, and hoped the resolution would
not prevail.
Mr. EDWARDS, of n. G. remarked that this
was the first case in which he had known a
mere call for information encountered nv So
warm an opposition 1t had been an usual if
not AN uniform practice, from courtesy, to per:
NIT such enquiries TO he made. They were
useful and salutary, and he could perceive no
good reason why this enquiry should he so
pertinaclously resisted. He hoped we had not
arrived at the period when information was To
be mo from the eyes of the people. Ii was not
now the question whether articles OF impeach-
mcnt should be drawn--it was a simple pro-
position for inquiry. If gentlemen wished to
screen these individuals from mputation, they
had selected most unfortunate method 10 at
tain that object. To smother information is
not the way to clear the obscuriies of char
acter. That reputation is the brightest which
can best bear the light. Mr.. E. did not pretend
| to know the merits of the case bat he would
vote against no call for information that was
not either papabiy useless. or fagrantly i'm
! proper. He hoped, therefore, the mover
would withdraw his molten, out of charity 10
| Isis friend.
Mr. SAWYER could perceive no reason for
! surprise that this resolution had been warmly
! resisted, especially when the mover came
boldly out with an avOwaI that il was to law
the foundation of an impeachment. Mr.. S.
believed it was only calculated to excite the
feelings of the House, without being produc-
tive of any benefit TO the public. He did not
wish for a revival of the Seminole controversy.
and thought General Jackson had been per
secuted enough already. He therefore moved,
that the resolution be indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. ARCHER discained having given any
opinion upon the merits OF the case, and called
upon the gentleman last up, for AN explanation
of his remark relative To the persecution OF
General Jackson.
Mr.. SAWYER replied that the remark he
had made was occasioned by the observation
of the mover of the resolution Mr. Whitmani
. that 1t was To lay the foundation for an i'm
parchment of Gen. Jackson.
Mr. MONT0OMERF denied that he had any
wish to prosecute General jackson, and be-
/ bevGd he should vote against any mere mo-
ton for censure. If il stopped short of i'm
pcachmcnt his present sentiments would be
opposed to it /: but he wished TO know whe-
thrr the Governor of the Floridas was cloth
! cd with judicial powers. and whether the writ
of habeas corpus would not lie in that terrific
ry. Ii such were the case, ii proved that there
I were defects in the system, which it would BE-
proper TO remedy.
The motion for an indefinite postponemcnt
having been then seconded, the question was
taken thereon, and lost.
b Mr.. RANKIN was opposed to an enquiry
S which ln It's effects could only extend to CEN
% sure Of one Of the parties. Such an object
$ was too small 20 engage the time Of the house
= III an elaborate investigation. 1t appeared
e evident that an impeachment against General
6 Jackson could not be sustained. A monde
+ script government had been organized fOt
= West Florida. 1t wls, to MI intents and pur-
d poses, Spanish government and depended
- upon principles neither suited to- nor adopt
cd in, the United States. The only result like
= ly TO accrue from This inquiry was, li,seriou
~ and protractcd Investigation, Of which the onl,
n result would be, that one might he sllewn h
e, he right and the other wrong, without tn,
p power Of lnGictng any punishment upon eth
v or, except, perhaps an expression OF ceusure
10 Mr.. RANDoLPr sbcieved that this was no
II the first instance in this House, though he hop
b. ed it would be the last, in which proposition
M was ia greater danger from its friends tina
as its foes. Itillustrated the force ofthc old Spa
- nish progerb, Save me from friends, and wi
e guard against enemies" Mr.. II. felt hinse
h hound To- say that he did not assent to- All TIA