Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-13

miles Of estimated distance, BY the most usual
road" between their place OF residence TO
Washington, going and returning. Il seems,
that the members Of Congress nave construed
this act to allow a computation of distance oy
the course OF the most crooked navigable rsUer;
and, under this construction, some, at least, OF
the members of Congress from Illinois and
Missouri, (among them Col. Benton,) ascertain
the distance between ST. Louis and Washing
ton, to be about fifteen hundred miles, making
the Hsuai road follow the meanders of the Mis-
sissippi and Ohio to Wheeling; and according
to this computation, they charge and receive
pay-while the real distance between the two
places, estimated by what the people would un-
derstand 10 be the "usuaI road," does not ex-
coed eigh, hundred miles. 1t is probable, that
the compensation allowed by the plain import
of the act is not sufficient; but the people have
right 10 be informed, by the language OF the
law, what they are TO pay, and certainly, an eco
nomist ought not 10 connve at the continuance,
much less participate in the benefits, oil this
lefl-hand mode of increasing compensation
The intolerant zeal With which Col Benton
| commenced and prosecuted his hostility to the
mission, is betrayed in his note, prefixed to the
published speech. 1t seems, that suspicion
Every unnatural TO mere enquirer after trath,}
was excited in his mind against his relation,
Mr.. Clay, by whom TRANSACTIONS Of the treaties
were furnished to be sent to the Senate: "sas-
pecting these transIations 10 be loose and mac
cura,e," he applied to the Colombian Minister
for, and obtained, copy Of the treaty between
Colombia and Guatemala, in the original Ian
guage, by which, he says, he "discovered err
rors far more material TO the character and
power Of the assembly than he had supposed, T
"'ro expose these" (and of course the nrhfce
o. his relniion,) he preExes to his speech i've
| articles Of the treaty, arranging the original,
the translation sent TO the Senate, and his own,
in separate columns. Which of these t.ansla-
tons is the best, it is unnecessary TO inquire,
since i; will appear, that the two tirst treaties,
in point Of tence and as arranged among The do
cuments sent to, and published by the Senate,
| are correctly translated, according to his own
| opinion, which excludes the idea OF any design
$50 lead the Senate" Gas is alledged,) "to an
! idea essentially erroneous upon the character
of the assembly," The word assembly is en-
ployed in the translation OF the two first, and
| Congress in the Two last, of the treaties; the
former Col. Benton contends, "has no dIplo-
matte sense;'' but the latter "signifes an assem-
blu of 12lenipofentiaries Unuckily for this dis
play of erudition, the contemplated assembly
is called, in Two Of the transations, "a general
assembly," and in the other TWO, ga general Con-
gress Of American states, composed OF their
Observation-Disclosures '--terms, evidently synonymous,
both Indicating the diplomatic character OF the
assembly, in language not to be misunderstood,
| nor perverted by hyper-crliclsm. The aztec
taton of learning, exhibited in the predatory
note, might be pardoned, but the wilful sup
preston of facts, for the purpose Of criminal
ing an honorable man, and that man relation,
cannot be excused or paliated.
Such is the spirit which animates the whole
coalition; and such the means they employ to
sustain themselves, and overthrow the men they
hate Some Of them certainly possess, in an
eminent degree, that species of courage which
scorns to recoi from shame, and have perse-
vered TO the dishonor of the principles, on
which they formerly assumed to ac:, until they
have been brought to the shameless avowal OF
determination to oppose every measure pro-
posed by the Administration, no matter how
direct and obvious lis tendency 10 the public
good -and all Of them are "Prophets of evil,
they fore,ell no good, but the JOY OF their hearts,
is TO predict misforlunes;" and TO realize their
predictions, they use all implements which
come to their hands, and neglect no means
which promise success. CURllUS.
tlhc errors complained Of calculated to lead the
Senate to ideas upon the character of the
senbly are that the TRANSACTIONS Congress is twice
used instead of assembly, and the words 'heir and
'then entirely omitted-that arbitrator is used,
instead of judge arbitrator 'none of which supposed er
exist in the first Transitions sent to the Senate
Jsez .4r6itro is indeed rendered umpire, which is at
least as correct as judge arbitrator.
4See McDuffe's speech on the Panama Mission, and
another on the amendment of the Constitution
From The Ne,U- York american.
Most OF our readers, conversant with English
news, have heard of the Rev. Edward Irving,
Of the Hatton Garden Caiedonan Chapel,
who within few years has burst upon the
theological " ORD in blaze of evangelical
EAL. and NJ q no lime dire w Eli nndnn 10 hear