Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-02

Adams.
opposition to federal men or federal peaGuIes was
net only called factous, but punished sed,ous-
and it might again occur aId he might be subject to
similar pun shnent But fear Of that sort should
deter him at any time from doing what he csnsi-
dered his duty. The present was question which
had excited more interest than any other; and il
had been discussed in every corner of the country.
He thought it strange that further time should be
wanted to consider it,.
Mr.. Moore, who had called for the ayes and
noes on the motion, withdrew the call, to save
the time Of the House; but the call was renewed
by Mr.. Baber.
Mr.. Hungerford observed that he was mem
Der Of that House in 49, and had voted for the
buttons of that period that % years experience had
convinced him of the propriety Of the vote. He
should: now vote for taking up, and then vote for
the resolutions; considering the same principles in
volved now as then.
Mr. Morton said he should vote against the mo-
ton; but that vote would be neither asserting to
nor denying the propositions contained in the re-
solutions. He was not prepared to concur with
the declarations of the committee in the preamble,
that the principles of the report of 99 were equally
applicable to the present questions as 10 the Alien
and Sedition Laws.
Mr.. NC Kinley of Ohio had voted for the reso-
lutions of 80; but he did not consider the princ
Piles then involved as connected with the present
resolutions.
Mr.. Loyal said that the House had decided
when they referred the subject a comHttee. that
il was proper to act. If taken up, the preamble
and resolutions will all be open TO amendment. Ii
it should be thought that the doctrines OF '9s were
not involved, they could reject the preamble.
Mr. Garland had voted for Madisons report
in 'g9, and had ever since approved Of it's prnci-
PIES But he should vote against taking up the
resolutions. The propriety Of declaration of
opinions by that House would always depend on
the occasion 1t is not every occasion that will
Justify il. II must be extraordinary case that
would justify this legislation State and federal
legislation were different things. The people in vot
ing for the members of that House had no idea that
they were to act for the U. s. ell the state.
The times of 9S were truly alarming. We had
alien and sedition lava standing army was,
in time peace, quarteTed about among the people
taxes, taxsatherers and officers were multiplied
60 an alarming extent, and 1t became the duty of
every man to endeavor to arrest the evils which
threatened the country This not the
now. The alarm at the present moment proceed
ed from MIR. Adsms's having said to Congress,
that if they believed they bad the constitutional
power to make internal improvements, the subject
was worthy of their most serious consideration.
But If they did not think SO, they ought not to
move in the matter. Why, he asked, was not this
alarm taken when Jefferson and Madison brought
che came subject before Congress-? He did not
think it proper 10 act on the subject at all.
The question was then taken and the resolutions
were taken up by vote OF IL to g.
The question being then on the first resolution,
Mr.. Dromgoole called for the ayes and noes,
and hoped they would be taken on all the resolu-
lions separately.
Mr.. Garland then offered the following as
substitute TO the frst resolution with the inten-
tion of disposing of the whole subject:
Resoiued, That it is ineKpedient TO act on the
above preamble at this time.
Jnr. Garland said he had voted for the resolu-
r. n. a.. IL.
the Missouri question. These the only two
occasions which he had known that justified an
interference of that House in the course of the
federal government. by travelling out of its ord-
nary legislation. The present he did not deem an
occasion similar to either of those. He again
described the condition of things in '9S and the
necessity which then existed for action. That
was an awful crisis. When the Missouri question
occurred, principles advanced, from which
consequences would result that Virginia could not
contemplate without the most extreme solicitude.
But there nothing E the present state of things
that bore any smilitude TO either of these. AS to
the tariff, there was man more opposed il than
he was. The subject OF roads did not present TO his
mind such alarms TO require the interference Of the
House. however much they might doubt the power
70 construct them. Messrs. Jefferson and Madison
had recommended the same measures In the strong
est terms. MIR. Monroe had done the same thing
20 a certain extent When these gentlemen took
this course, Virginia remained silent. Was there
any thing more alarming in the Recommendation OF
MIR. Adams Was it certain that Congress
would pass any law in pursuance Of that recon-
Snendation Could not the House have confidence
in our representatives at Washington /? Or were
the members here better informed than they were,
and must therefore take the lead !? Mr.. Adams
was not his choice for the presidency but he saw
nothing in his message TO excite his alarm, msre
than there in the recommendations Of two Vir-
yinia Presidents. HIS would be not 10 le-
gislate on men, but on principles. So long as
MIR. AS. course was in accordance with the inter-
est of the country, it worthy of respectful
alteration 1t was MIR. Adams's duty to make the
recommendation he did about internal impr Owe
inent for the subject had been previously acted
on by Congress. The committee said in the Or e.
ambe TO the resolutions, that this House had care
fully reviewed the doctrines Of '99, &C. How ma
ny members of the House had made this examina-
ton and comparison For his part, he could not
take things trust He wanted time TO compare
the principles ofthat day with the doctrines of
the present, to see how far they tailed and i,
was, therefore, that he had submitted his resolu-
ton. He. commended that by so frequently acting
on these subjects, when their importance was not
seen by the country, the force of what might be
done when the occasion should require action
would be lessened 1t had become a common say
ing in Virginia and elsewhere, that Virginia was
always looking more TO subjects beyond her less-
lative power, than TO her affairs. Our silence
under other administrations would not now give
additional weightto what we might do The res
,Clulions, he appzehended, would be regarded rather
as an attempts get up personal opposition to
the Administration, than attempt TO ward of
any evils. He concluded by calling for the ayes
and noes on his proposition.
Mr.. Dromgoole said that what he had anticipa-
ted had occurred. The battle fought in '9s, in