Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-28

he had done when making a grant 10 our late dis
unSuished 1uest. Bat was principle which he
wished should sink deep into the hearts of the Mem,
beers, not only OF this House, but OF this nation that,
Under the American Government. the same ;,.,ice
onSh 10 be awardedo all. The late President in his
message, had told the House. that it was imDortant
' tue most severe scrutiny should be made into the
S1eo'h's OF a pubic officer who held so high and
YteSpohsio'e station, not olly on its own account
~" a. u matter oil precedent. lie fully assented to
the correctness of this principle and, when the
'sil hai oeen presented to the House in this solemn
ana mp 'sing attitude, the duty OF Con
sress 10 guard the precedent with all possible eau
uon: Ana with this view ought it not to be sub
h'itted 10 committee, such as all acknowledged
me Committee OF Claims TO be--a committee as
o.ind as Jusiice--impartisl, iidc.aiissbe, and
known, not only 10 the House bat he ,nirh, saw
To The Nation Tor lis grea; labor and high inteli-
ssncc. 1t had now got 10 be perfecl understood
NOT Only IL, but ont of this House that a select
committee was, out OF courtesy, invariably selected
ION among those who were the per sonal or avowed
'eds Oh me measure which the petition referred
prayer ior; anu, as 1t was his object and desire to
ihhht'ln the lame and wel-earne reputation of the
U'S'hSui'heh individual concerned IN this case he
vas desrous OF relieving his claim from the impl
Aation or s'spicioa of having been carried through
ne ftouSe by the force of personal favor The
select committee which had been raised at the Ia :,
congress- on this subject, worth of the highest
Ss' ue'e WAS strong Infusion of trieaGiv
.schnSs pervadinS every select committee The
Committee of Claims was Governed Iv r,,I.s -, :,
HsAiSic and almost a. well known as those which
regulate Court OF Chancery. Mr. NJ insisted
tia'' As II was the avo we'd object of the claimant
himself 'hat solemn prece!eat should be set by
Tue proceedings OF the House, this petition. j,
was the more important that every stem attan,j,o
II should be parked with the extremity of cauio
II the Committee of Claims had not fine IN .., !
'AonSl the subject the present session. WHY sholl
ho' thi- claim take the course of al! other claims
aud be Iald over 10 the next Why shall we |
wSri TO tlis ndividu ii, because he has lately been
me PRESIDENT OF the United States, courtesy !
winch we refuse 10 the poor soldier who has fopcg,
ourb"ue~. aud who plead, his wants or his wounds |
before Us He repeated, that he scorncd lin, ian |
fIiauon OF seeking IN this matter the a;,ol.u.e of
lie multitude bI, there was deem sense in bs !
bosom, that, at the tribunal Of thu House all who
come before II, have an equal right to Justice and
ie slo"u resist tIe course now proposed with the
same earne>'ness, had the claim proceeded from, any
other quarter. lie knew that there We're ,rece, |
dents ior The reference of claims 10 Select Comn,
ices; oit tile cases which had heretofore received |
'Aa' reference were attended with none of th,,
pohp aAd circumstance which enco.rrassed
Us cI"ln' tie hoped that it would be made to !
"hVeTSo thorough examinations and finally La |
"ecidrd on ~ intrinsic merits: But he wished oIso
.hai IL should lake The ordinary course He was |
Any aware that the utmost ab!IorreEce had been |
EXPRESSED IA e public streets well as elsewhere
at The great d,Tespeel With which The ex p,esier,
mad Deem treated, BY h1viag his petition referred to
the committee o. claims. But for himself b, ,,,
not 10 be deferred, either by the shouts or the b;.
e5 from an unwaverins performance of what he CON
cciVed 10 Oe his duty. He knew that in this at,,os
pAere many ihin5s were done out of c1lfyfss,. but
ne te!t II his dLty TO take the course he va, nos,
p'FsHins' a"d he should not shrink from Us per
loImahce lie regretted, indeed, that such was his |
IL hA taa a
wh"eVer might he the determination OF the House !
lie shoI nd cheerlully s95mit There ,y,s b., L,e,
q ma = Lsi-h seilsiiiiy anil high ciivuric cor-
10y, gentlemen pleased TO terra H. o., questions
"a ths SORT hui neither The wailings OF that rla,vk
isi sen -ioi'y, nor 'ie complainings of those who
were Tor yielding all to courtesy SHOULD drive hin
from iiiAi course winch his conscience approved
which he should endeavor'to follow, without ming
ih% with 1t any private feelings of his own. or the
aiishiest dr-respect for tue feelings of Others.
Mr.. Mccoy sali. though lie had no doub of the |
thorough hoAesiy OF The gentleman from North Ca |
Eoll9a II ilc sentiments which he had ,;Xnro.oJ |
yet he ihonBht that the course which he had taka,
was lii'ie SINGULAR. as tOthc matter OF co,r,o :;
the proceedings OF this House, something il due To
II, and Is To be seen IN every DAYS business. and
at every seA-oh has been The practice 10 refer to
Sciec. Committees matters of particularly grave in,
q'Ty. lie might refer the recollection OF the zen
tlcinAn no further back Than three or c,,, d.,
when n case OF clAim had been referred ~ Caia
Committee, on the .rounds on which II va.
asked ta2t lie case NOW before the Iiouse sbo,Id
90 u Select COMMITTEE, VIZ that the i,.I,er. coo-
nec'eu WIN tEe case we're vo uminous that il was
in Itself Ct great magnitude and In all trobbiIi,
II 1t weat 10 Standing Com nIilee, a report conIl |
not he made on II ct tbs session. OF cases similar
10 ti,s, in which the course now pcono.ed had |
been pursued, Nr. Nee. said he could refer tn = !
number. He in~ianced the cases OF Gover,o |
TonpSins, wee President a the time J ofCioyern-
or bloIn;, OF Gaaefa LAT yelle, of Gen ST Clair.
ii Gen Stute, oil the heirs Of Hsa.im,rcbai. -, |
Bmon Blsrcp, and OF the MARQUIS of Mason
Rouge !. lac could take tine to look them M, he
sad he coIi oluce Fly cases nf t,i. SORT ,yJ,L
nid gone 10 select Committee for the EXPRESS re,
to's "i'cH hf h'd state wAen up - fore So thai
;; wa not altogether matter oil courtesy bJ, in |
Inlny Instances. itwts a IN lie of iu.;ic,. n, ~,
!er cases 10 select committees. Is general p,,c- |
ice, ne was as much opposed to taxing business
from The s.'..inS committees he had himself ne |
yer ye s.r..k from lis diary, and he should no, in
this se }. tnc House sho4!I Insist urou the Com
nt,ec OF Claims retaining possession of this use
against their VIII. Tbs case, moreover, Mr. TcC
said, did PIE cht itself TO this HOue in a two al
aspect lnTc had been suggestions made 20 lie
prejudice OF ir Monroe, ihat, in the di,.ilr.enle
o. pD.ic moneys, he had ini,applir.I Them: and q
these suggestions IN lis 'e.sa.e Oh las, -ps.io IN |
Co1Srs4s, Tie fhcl President exprcssI, RETIRED
Mr.. Nc ,Ov, therefore, wished tins ,.hi,ct a. .,t,
Select Committee, With the double pirp,.e I'll
doing jgsice TO he character Of the lac Pre-ld.,,
IN gard TO these transactions, and iakIHy (I adj
complete vleT OIL the Claims which lie has against
this GOyefnmeat
alr. Saunders OF y. Q. theI observed. thai. ~ b.
had had iAe aoaor " ,cfyios on ne Select Com
nttac 10 whom tins subject was re!sr ed At the l,.I
session. 1t might he proper for him to say sonethi,,
m reply to what nd i1iieu from his colleague. On