Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-01-18


eie occasion, or the obi ,ct, were copslict>d.
IL came from mao y,Iert5lc tor his wears,
respected for ms services, nov tilliny, aud ha-
Fin1 long Allied, with honor to ms country, the
hrst o''icn mt. II cane from the President Of
the UoitHI states, addressed e. the Rcprcsen-
tAtIvc5 IF IA people he had served HIS object
was - 'oHta'n an investigation OF suggestions
which hid been made; 2ot IN tue public papers,
but on the loOr ot that House; aud the applica
ton was made at Il ulo.ncnt selected bv TIE most
scrupuiou, Geitcicy, when ms retirement from
his high station rreciu3ed the most distant Idea
OF official influence. Can It Oc sad that this
Is common application, and hjut be treated
with no more attention than a clam for the set
Element Of Il disputed account, The Presidential
office was coordinate brilch of the Govern
rnent, equal in Importance, ii not in power with
this House. The official character of the lunc-
tionarv who filed it, 1.-THE indisid'tpl, as he had
been called in debate,) was public concern.
ami ne had a right, and the public had an in
tercst. to have that character cleared from all
shallow o Suspicion that might have been thrown
on IT. twas just, too, that that Investigation
should now he made: before it would have been
liable to ungenerous suspicious of official inhu-
ence; AT any future period it would have the eff
feet OF dragging hin from his honorable retire
ment, and subvcrtlng that repusc which his SER
vices hal earned ana his age required.
For nv own part, said Mr.. l.. | consider that
my dignity as representative of the people is
not injured by giving more respectful attention
to such an application than would 20 that of au
ordinary applicants both are entitled 10 Justice
but there is a courtesy due from one branch of
the government to the sugs Csons of another
the practice OF which Will neither interfere with
the duty, nor the dignity Of the House. After
all, sir, what Is proposed? reference to "A Sc
lect COMMITTEES, required by the complex nature
OF the investigation, and granted on many such
mere questionable occasions ~ individual appli-
cations. Is this asking too luci' Is it much to
ask that few iavs of the lime OF few members
shJuli be employed in procuring evidence 10 de-
ternine whether the Chief Magistrate o.. the
Union, IN the exercise Of his high office, had
managed with fidelity the pecnniarv concerns
that were coutiiei to h'rn: Is it much 10 ask
that, after h. has retired from Office he NAV hc
prepared with materials for silcncinr any aspcr-
alons that may be cast upon mis- Character So
tar roin thinking thls unreasonable, Mr.. l.. said
ne should tnink 1t q useful practice at the end of
every Presidency, 10 institute a similar enorirv
which might detect ,nIstnan"gcnent or silence
cainnny. He woui therefore, vote for the re-
ference toa select COMMITTEES the most respect
tul' The most efficient, aid most prompt mode of
disp)sing of the Message.
Mr.. HAMILTON, Of !. G. expressed hone
that those gentlemen, who were in favor of q |
select committee, Womb also vote for the in !
structions moved BY thcgcn'lernan from GEORGIA |
as they went, IN his opiron, to attain precisely |
the object desired by the President
MIR. LIyEeMoRE, of New Hampshire, rose
and SAID, that he was opposed 10 the Instructions
As he understood then, they amounted TO this
that the committee was to hear what the Presi
dent had to communicate, and report il TO tins
House, and there was to be an end of the bust
ness. Tins, he thought, would De far short of
what the President asked. He wishes a settle |
ment OF his accounts. What Inconvenience
could result from leaving the committee free and
unshackied. The thing had been done again
and again, as we'll at this session as at every
other He cited the instance of the Beau
marchais claim, that OF Vice President Tonn.
kins, anu the recent case of Gen. LAFAYETTE
why should not the same course be pursued in !
the present case9 lie WAS for HANGING no cI,rs
about the committee.
Mr.. MERCER, of Va entertained the same sem
timents with the honorable member from New
Hampshire. He coul not think it was propcr
to enharrass the committee with the Instructions
proposed by the gentleman from Georgia
Mr. MANGUM, Of y. Carolina, then rose. and
expressed hope that every remark which he
might feel IT his duty to make, would be taken
as they were meant III spirit Of perfect venera-
ton for the distinguished individual from wbor,
this VI So. gr Tough i.e had no design
to be iehaIent IN respect, ii might happen from
Dis ignorance ol etiquette, that he would auDnar
so Yet ne must say, that, To him, this appeared
TO be one of the stringest applications that ever
was made to Congress. Ii might be considered
as presumption in him TO say anv thing IN rela
ton To IT'S delicacy. the President was certain
ly the best Judge OF what vas delicate, in his
own case But lie should saw, consulting his own
Judgment, that an application like this was in
d2i.cate and, he hoped he should not be held
deficient i'll respect, wien he said, that he coulr;
not feel sorry should this claim not be treated
in manner different from common claims.
What, asked Mr. VI. is hc object to be accom-
Plshed by the proposed Investigations Is if to re-
pei caluGnnY' He had been 10 the habit of con
sidering the character o that individual. as too
high for the breath Of SANDER 10 reach il. Mr.
NJ. asked whether it was consistent With the dior
nity of this House to undertake the defence of q
public officer, however indignant they ynioh,
feel at charges Sal1eiY preferred against him,
az II consistent with their duty a LEGISLATORS
t. constitute themselves into what the gentleman
from Tennessee Mr. Reynolds) had very pro
P'"if called body of Compurgatorss Was this
House 10 b. erected into tribunal for the trial
o. questions OF honor' fc hoped not It was
w'ih pleasure he believed that tbs Investigation
was utterly unnecessary 10 repeI aspersion5. or
ward M attacks upon the Cuief Magistrate. |
fir long life, spent "a the service Ot In, country
spoke tor itself. And. though his character
like the sun, might not be yithOu! SPOTS Mr. NJ
said II was not M Office 10 point them ont, nm
less ili iuty compelled hin. to thought that
tho app ntrnent Of tins cDmuite woull not
m"relv Je descending far beneath the duty of
the members Of tbs HJnse, as Legislators. but