The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-03-06

Mr.. Walworth, Mr.. Lowndcs, Mr.. Stewart,
Mr.. Gamblers, Mr.. Cook, and Mr.. Reid, sew
orally addressed the House on the subject.
Mr.tM'Dufhe thought the sound sense Of
the House would indicate the propriety Of
pursuing the course recommended by the mil
itary Committee and he feared that if the
House we're TO act otherwise upon this subject,
it must act upon it unwisely and injudiciously.
What was the inquiry, he asked /? Net
whether our officers had acted incorrectly
bat whether the subjects of foreign power
have received from our officers an injury
And to whom is such application for redress to
be Preferred To the Executive. 1t was
not Il be disguised that there were diff
cult questions pending between this country
and Span, and that there was opposition ON
the partof the agents of Spain to throw fire.
brands nto the publick councils, to distract
the opentions of this government. They had
already attempted to excite disafection and
dlsturbace in that quarter. He would adj
NIT thereought to be harmony in the cabinet;
and no nan would go farther than he would,
to discomtenance spirit of division and dis
trust. BIT he was not disposed TO change the
ordinary shannels in which business should
proceed, en- the ground that the nation had
if the gentleman from Virginia, (Mr. Ran
dolph,) IN Speaking of the loss Of confidence
in the Executive, did not mistake his own for
the pulse 'ofithe House, and of the nation
Whht administration, he would ask, had ever
been fortunate enough to entitle itself to that
gentleman's confidence? Or, was il proper for
the House topay very great Difference to the
censures Of gentleman who had opposed
aHY =.
continued Mr.. d. to preserve harmony among
ourselves, is at least desirable to exclude
the effects of foreign Reorganization, and for
eign influence.
Mr.. Randolph made some remarks in ex-
PLANTATION of his reasons for calling Mr..
M'Duffie to order, which he had done from
Misrepresentation of that gentleman's mean
ing, and his satisfaction with the explanation
given. He had not the least disposition to
carp at words used in the heat of debate-but
the words used justified his construction of
them. He ndiculcd the idea of these poor
Spaniards, kept under lock and key in Pensa-
cola, throwing the brand of discord in the
cabinet-it needed no Guy Faux to execute
such gm-pOwder plot as that. In reply
to the remark Of the gentleman from South
Carolina, (Mr. M'Duffie, that he had not
supported any administration, he would mere
ly say-though not to know that gentleman
might argue himself unknown-yet he could
say that, for more years than be had heard
that genteman's name, he was Chairman OF
the Committee of Ways and Means of this
House, and gave his best support to the then
administration. Mr.. r. went on at consider
able length in reply to MIR. M'Duffie, to vim
dictate his course on this and on various other
subjects, connected with the part he took in
publick councils in years past. Mr.. r. con-
tended that it gas perfectly competent for
the House TO order the discharge of the petit
TONERS, as it had in the case of American
citizens held in imprisonment by the publick
officers and between these persons and Amer
lean citizens there should be no difference.
AIR aItnufia ronl;I =. 49, l.etth to Mr.
Randolph, on those points of his remarks not
particularly applicable to the question under
consideration; and concluded with an argu-
ment TO how that the Executive branch Of
the government was the proper department to
apply the petition for redress in the present
case, which had been improperly addressed
to this Hdse.
Mr.. Ha;din understood the import of the
memorial o be, that the petitioners had been
long citizens of Pensacola, and officers under
the government of Spain that they departed
from the territory pursuant to treaty, and re-
turned a,private individuals, for the purpose
of revising the land of their nativity, and to
enjoy their property. He denied the arbitrary
powers which the gentleman from South Car
DINA, (Mr. M'Dufie) contended the territorial
government possessed; and was proceeding in
his remarks, when he (it being after o'clock
gave way for motion to adjourn, which was
agreed to-ayes 81 and thereupon
The House adjourned.
MONDAY, FEE. 25.--The Speaker present.
ed communication from the President of the
United States, relative to the correspondence
which led to the treaty of Client, which, on
motion of Mr.. Floyd, was ordered to be laid
on the table, and printed.
Transactions at Pensacola.
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton of the order of tho day, being the I'M
finished business of Saturday, and the ques-
ton recurring to agree n motion to dis
charge the committee on Military affairs from
the consideration of the petition Of the two
Spaniarfs imprisoned in Pensacola by the
orders of the Acting e 7veraor.
Mr.. Hardin, of Kentucky, who was entitled
to the floor at the hour Of adjournment on
Saturday, delivered bis sentiments on the
question denying the constitutionality of the
imprisonment Of these men, and asserting the
existence, in every territory Of the United
States, Of those rights which are, under our
Constitution, reciprocal to local allegiance,
viz :, right to freedom of person, of religion,
trial by jury, the writ Of habeas corpus, &c.
When Mr.. Hardin concluded
MIR. Eustis,. the Chairman Of the Military
Committee, stated, that he was informed,
from good authority, that the pape@ relative
to the confinement of these men had been for