The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1825-01-01
IT, .. CONGRESS-.
IN SENATE DECEM BER z
GRATITUDE TO LA FAYETTE

GRATITUDE TO LA FAYETTE.
The Senate, according to the order OF
the day, took up the bill making Provis-
ion for Gen. Lafayette and Oh amend-
ment being proposed thereto, the ques-
,ion was about to be put OIL ordering the
bill to be read a third time
MIR. Macon rose. 1t was with pain
rul reluctance, he said, that he felt him
self obliged 10 nppose BIS v"ta-vio the
nassaee Of this bill. He admitted, TO
The full extent claimed for them, the
great and meritorious services OF Gene-
raj la Fayette, and he did not object to
The precise sum which this bill proposed
to award to him. But he objected to
the bill on this ground he considered
General La Fayette, 10 all intenls and
purposes, as having been, during our
Revolution, a son, adopted into the IA
mily, taken into the household, anu
placed, in every respect on the same
too,,ng with the other sons of The falni-
Nv: To treat him as the others were
treated was all, in this view OF his re!a-
tion TO us. that could be required, & this
had becn done. ThatGeneral Lafayette
made great sacrifices, and spent much OF
his money in the service OF this coun-
try, (said MIR. NJ as firmly believe as
1 do any other thing under the sun. j
have no doubt that every faculty OF ms
mind and body was exerted IN the revo-
lutionary r,in defence OF this country
But this was equally the case with all
the sons Of the family. Many native
Americans spent their all, made great
sacrifices. and devoted their lives IN
the came cause. This was the ground
OF his objection 20 this bill which, he
rcpenteJ. it was as disagreeable TO him
A., STATE ms IT could be 10 the Senate TO
hear. lie did not mean to take up the
time Of the Senate in debate upon the
DrineipIe Of the bill, or TO move any "a
meuument to 1t. He admitted, that when
such things were done, they should be
doue,w;th a free hand: it WAS to the
priuc,p!e of the bill. therefore, and not
10 the sum proposed 10 be given by it,
that he objected With regard TO the
details Of the bill, however, he was
rather of opinion that 1t would have
been better to have given Sc. much mon
ey. which we have in the treasury, than
to have given stock to the amount.
MIR. Brown OF Ohio, said that this
bill purportei to give compensation TO
General Lafayette, for serSices render
ed. he should like to know what evi-
dence had induced the committee to
Susuose that the amount proposed was
the proper amount Of the compensation.
He shoald like to know how Tar the
proposed appropriation was grounded on
claims for serylc or for expenditure.
He should, indeed like to see The phra;
seolooy Of HE bill changed. lie should
Xix. to have the bill recommitted, also,
for another and a peculiar reason. as
IL proposed 20 raise money ny a ioan' ne
dorbted whether that provision OF the
hill WAS not invading the peculiar pri-
v;lere Of the House OF Representatives,
Hinder The Influence Of these consIdcra-
,ious. he moved TO recom'nit The bill
Mr.. Hayne of South Carolina, said
he had entertained the hope that ms
bill would give rise TO no discussion,
and if no other objection had been made
IN tho hill than that Of his friend Mt.
Macon) who was opposed upon pr'nei'-
ple TO making an appropriations I" any
ease. or under any circumstahees' ny
wav If compensation, fOl losses ana SER
vices in the public cause, he did not
kpow that he should nov have risen
Bn, the objection Of the gentleman fro"
Ob,o made il his duty 10 submit, as
briefly as possible, his views OF ms
nnos,;cn. lie trusted, he said, that he
should he able TO satisfy the Senate ana
o. sai;.gy even the scruplcs oFtIle gentle
man himself, that there WAS no occasion 81,
at this time to recommit the bill: me
affection Of his friend on bis right var.
Macon went to the root 81 the bill Tor
MIR. II. said he understood that gentle,
man to say that, though An individual
MIGHT have spent his substance IN 'he
service Of HE country, and put bis hand