Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-02-15
IN THE SENATE.
Monday, January 10.


which was ordered 10 be printed.
| That our commerce, for years, has
been harrassed, and the lives oil our citl
zens destroyed, by pirates issuing from
the colonies. OF Spain, IN the West In.
dies, is a fact derived not only from the
message of the President, but is OF uni
versal notoriety. These outrages have
been SO long and SO often repeated, and
marked with such atrocious circumsian-
ces, that detail OF the particular cases
would be as impracticahle as unneces-
sary. Our government, with view to
protect our citizens, has resorted to the
means within their power, by stationmg
a naval force near the places where the
pirates resort; measure also pursued
by other powers. Every effort, hereto
fore, has been unavaillng, TO put an end
to these atrocities. These desperadoes,
acquiring confidence from impunity, be-
coming more terocious from habit, and
multiplying BY recruits from the most
abandoned Of Other nations, threaten the
most disastrous mlschiefs, Justly alarm
ing to that highly valuable and most re-
spectacle portion OF our fellow citizens
whose pursuits are on the high seas.
Ii is manifest, rs well from facts derived
from other sources, as from the message
of the President, that the continuance OF
this evil is acribabie TO the asylum at
iorded the baDdiui in the colonies OF
Spain. The governn ent OF the United
States, cherbhlng The most amlcable
disposition towards Spain, has presen'
ed the subject wnh great earaeslness to
the Spanish government, demanding re-
paration for the past and security for the
future. To these reiterated remnn-
strances, no answer was returned till We
ry recently, and to this day, all lhat has
been obtained is a promise OF satistal
Tory answer to the applications oil the
go. ernmen' OF the United States; al
though Spain has been soiemniy war;
ed, that, il she did not promptly acqul,
herself OF her obligations to us on this
sublec', our governm woul be con
strained, from The nature OF The ouragts,
to become its own avenger, and, awaiting
itself OF its own resources, protect lhe
commerce and lives of the American
citizens from destruction.
In the same spirit of Cancellation, an
appeal has been made to the loca au-
borities, accompanied with reque 81,
;ha II, from weakness, they were unable
to extermluate the hordcs OF banditti who
took shelter from pursui! within their
territories, that PERMISSION might be 81
ven our forces TO pursue them On land
This has been denied, on The vain pune
tiio Of national dignity. The posture in
which Spain now stands, is that OF con
nivance in these injuries, or lncapaciy
to prevent them. A sovereign who
refuses to cause reparation 10 be made
Of he damage caused by his subject, or
to punish the gull y, or, IN snort, 10 deli
yer him up, renders himself an accom-
pllce in The injury, and becomes respon,
slble." II the committee were OF OPT
Mon that the refusal, on the par; OF
Spain, was wiitui, and not The result OF
inability, they would, with full view OF
all The consequences which the measure
invoices, at CnCe recommen an appeal
to the last resor, OF nations against Spain,
and all her dependencies. But, ilcU
ing, as they do, that courtesy requ"'e
that her refusal 10 do us justice snpnH.
be placed on the ground oil inability
inability resulting from causes which ,he
committee intentionally forbear 10 emu
merate, they content themselves VITO
recommending only such measures as
are believed to be Indispensable effectu.
ally to reach the mischief And hence
they beg leave to prcsen bill With suit
able prov sions for the end designed.
Accompanying the Report, Mr., b.
reported bill, which was twice read,
and on motion OF Mr. Barbour, made
the order of the day tor Thursday next.
Thursday January 30.
Mr. Barton, from the committee on
Public Lands, reported the bill " to gra-
duate the price of public lands" without
amendment.
The following resolution, offered yes
,erday by Mr.. Benton, was taken up and
adopted:
Resolved, That the committee on In
dian Affairs be instructed to inquire into
the expediency Of procuring from The In-
dams south Of Lake Superior the privi-
lege OF exploring the country for the dis
cosery of copper mines, and for the use
and occupation Of the same, by the Unit
ed States, if discovered.