Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-05-28

favor aud that of the people, Tor the P,-,i-
dr,ila, Office. Ii is kuuMn that a uajmiiy ui
this House is fn,oiabie To the claims Ut IN.
hour other candidates in opposition t0 the
claims uf the remaining one. Ii is by this
House, thus ,s,,l,os,d d. that this investigation
has been instituted. What will he The infer
ence, II these charges are !. n in suspense, hy
the adjour,imrnt of thus House I ask gem
tlemen to consider, whatwill be th. .tl.ct Of
such course? am sure, sir, that there is no
,nember of this House ~ no is de.i, Gus to do
in usice Ia the indi, idual in question: but
put 1t To every member of this House whether
he does not at least leave a loon to hang Il
doubt upon" IL he agrees by his vote To a.. adj
Jnurn,nest before Mr.. Edwards arrives. All
that Is wanted Is, that the individual sent for
should be brought here, aud questioned
What have you more to say What are
these defensive accusations which you talk
about as having in raserve?" A single hour,
after his arrival, will suffice for his answ ers TO
these simple HETEROGENEOUS. 1t is due 10 the
nature Of the subject, that We should wait for
the arrival Of Dir. Edwards. Asst is stated,
that there is reason 10 believe he may be here
by the 30th of the month, and seven days will
be sufficient for every possible allowance of
time for his examination, and report by the
committee, aud decision by the House upon il,
| am in favor Of fixing on the 7th June as the
day Ofadjournment.
Mr.. Cook said, it must be painful, it could
not but be painful, to disnitied and enight-
ened body, whose duty it was most solemn
ly to decide upon the merits of the matter
before the Committee Of Investigation, to
see, upon an incidental discussion Of this de-
scription, the motives of individuals misrepre--
scented, and erroneous statements made, either
from improper views, Ur because the facts
were not correctly understood. The honor
able gentleman from Georgia, said he, has
stated his belief as to the motive of the indi-
vidual who lately transmitted an Address TO
this House, which he has ascrbed 10 motives,
at which, if true, every honorable mind ought
to revolt. He stated, that the memorial was
presented, not with the hope Of bringing ON
an Investigation, but to have it printed without
being investigated if have misunderstood
the gentleman, he will correct me-TMr.
Forsyth said, the gentleman understands me
coIrectly.] am not now, nor at any other
time, If can avoid it, about to give any opn-
ion as to the merits of this controversy but
let the language of the memorial speak for it.
self. In the 18th page Of it, the memorialist
states that, under calls for information respect
ing the illicit Introduction of slaves into the
United States, Information called for by the
House had been withheld, and says, in max
ing the statement, I challenge Investigation. -
And, at the conclusion Of his memorial, he
says, that, 1t his charges are made in malice
or IN faisehoOd, 1t is misdemeanor that
would prove him unworthy of the oMce he
holds, and expressly invites the Secretary, or
his friends. to make the charges against him.
Language ike this, said Mr.. G.. is in direct re-
pugnance to the idea that he wishes 10 shrink
from an investigation Of his charges and that
he merely wished TO afford food for the news
papers during the recess Of Congress. Whe-
ther il be true or not, l ask whether il is pro-
per for Member of this House, who is to
pass upon this case before God and man, to
express SO decided an opinion, which would
go to stamp infamy upon one of the parties
10 this controversy. l ask whether this is con
sistent with the dignified attitude which we
ought 10 occupy. The hon. gentleman had
better wait for his opinions until the report
from the committee be made for that COM
mittee, able aud honest as he believed them to
be, would present nothing but the truth in
their report. Then is the time to express
such an opinion, If the facts shall warrant it {;
and, soreiy as shall regret it, on account of
the particular relation in which stand to that
individual, let the power of Truth be brought
upon hlm-if 1t be sufficient to crush him, if
Que to justice, aud the character of the c0un-
try, let il be so. ] will not undertake to ex-
press an opinion, as to the merits Of the Sec
rotary will wait until the facts shall come
10 solemn form before us-in that form which
shall justify Us in expressing an opinion there
upon, before this House and the Nation. II
malice be proved, let the seal Of reprobation
be stamped upon the author of the Address.
Sincerely as should lament it, my duty to
myself, and to my country, would oblige me
to express the truth upon the evidence before
US.
MIR. FoRsYrH said, the gentleman from IL
iinois was not well acquainted with the Ad-
dress, or he would not have put upon il the
construction which he had for the author OF
II expressly says, after making various changes
against the Secretary Of the Treasury, J do
not ask for an investigation Of his CONDUCT
and yet, with this staring US in the face, the
gentleman tells us that the object Of the ad.
dress was an investigation Whether the o.
piniOn have formed of the motives Of the
Addresser be just or not, is for this House and
the country tOjudge. 1t has been formed
from fair and simple view ofthe facts. The
conclusion appears to my mind, and must be
to every Dprejudiced mind, irresistible. Whe-
ther Lam disqualified by this opinion, forced
upon me by facts universally known, from
passing upon this case, it is not for the gem
tle'naD from Illinois to undertake to determine.
have never mingled ia this transaction mn
opinion is formed from what has appeared
publicly in this House, and from :he docu-
inents before u.s. know nothing further Of
this transaction.
Mr. TUCKER of Va. observed, that there
was by no means that necessity forthe arrival
ana personal presence of Mr.. Edwards, which
seemed to be supposed. Since sending for
,lim' me Committee had investigated farther
.o'o The facts of the case, and, he believed,
'ney were In circumstances to make a report
| satisfactory to themselves and 10 this House.