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

ronfederates: for by reference to the journals,
i will be seen, that from the very commence
ment of the debate to the time his speech was
delivered, (Which nearly, or quite the lastJ
he voted uniformly whit the Opposition, IN ev-
cry question, including Mr. Van Buren's reso-
luton asking the opinion Of the President about
the publication Of documents. The conclusion
IS therefore, inevitable, that the decided change
was not wrought in his mind by slime and re-
flection;" and, Notwithstanding his pretence,
that il was the committees report which "hrst
sci him thinking" he appears to have been as
ready to vote against the mission, before the
commencement, as after the close, oithe debate.
The diplomatic character Of the assembly is
denied, although in the ,realies9t is de, Jared 10
be an assembly Of plenipotenticres, which the ora
tor admits TO be the very definition OF dplo-
matte congress, and even maintains that repub-
lies are incompetent 10 create any other. lie
insists, that the treignty Of the nations to be
represented will not be present at Panama, Tor
thes Sc states are republican, and republics are
incapable of exercising the rights OF sovereign
ty er ter7Horiahty"t The committee hold a
different opinion. They say, that, in certain
event 'slhe United States will be the first TO So
licit the assembling OF a congress OF American
States" and the gentleman himself says, "mln-
listers known 10 the law OF nations can repre-
sen: the sovereignty OF their nations at any
point upon the globe. They may come from
the four quarters Of the globe, and form dl-
plomatic assembly" He enumerates the difte-
rent grades Of "ministers known to the law OF
nations" among which are plealpotenltafleS, and
says, s!the essential character OF each, and the
rights of all, are equal" yet contends, that the
assembly Of Panama will be OF unequal grades,
although ii is to BE- composed OF two pfsnpoten'
hnries for each party, appointed with the same
iormaIties, and commissioned IN the same
form and manner, as are required by established
usages in the commission OF ministers OF eqnal
character (grade) among other nations.t He
apprehends, that enlangling alliances Will be
entered INFO, yet denies the possibility that any
treaty whatever can be formed by the assembly
at Panama. He maintains, that "the advising
power is high one, and little less than a
power to control and govern the EVENT. and,
therefore, is unwilling to advise the appoint
mcnt of plenipotentaries, unless the Senate are
permitted to 'conlro) and govern" their lnsruc-
lions, by way Of guarding in advance against
being deludei into the ratification OF some dis
as,rous treaty, and TO establish the principle OF
controlling the Executive in the exercise OF
this part of his constitutional functions. But,
it seems, he would be wiling now to advise &
consent "that an agent, or commissioner, De
sen, TO Panama, without diplomatic character
or privilege in the active, subtle and penetra-
ting form of an unofficial agent, speaking the
language of the country, and establishing HIM
self. on the basis Of social intercourse, in every
minister's Gn,ily''-a kind of lobby minister
or licensed spy to chang about" the assembly,
"talk" with the ministers, and "send home re-
ports Of all he saw and did.!!'-Such are the
absurtlities and contradictions I'D which gentle
men involve themselves, who prepare TO speak
ON one side Of a question, and by some unto
ward circumstance. (such as the controlling IN
fluence and authority of an aexorable dictator,)
are forced to argue on the other.
Notwithstanding Col. Benton's anxiety TO
keep out Of view the real causes which produ-
ed "the decided change in his mind, the no.
minaton of Mr.. Sergeant evidently contributed,
in some degree. TO produce this result he
preference Of Mr.. Sergeant to himself, as one
Of the plenipolentlarles, seems TO have been
| considered as an objectionable private injury;
and has brought upon the "nominee" two octa-
vo pages Of violent invectve and incorporate
denuncia,ion, altogether gratuitous, or Tor the
mere qualification Of revenge Cor defeated hopes,
as the ratification Of the nomination was not
then before the Senate, nor the remarks
SuSScSttu Oy3 VI III any Ni9S oPpo"AeN - W.
question pending. That it was so considered
by the Senate, is demonstrated by the fact, that
sthe vote on Mr.. Anderson's nomination was
(only) one more in his favor than there was in
favor Of Mr. Sergeant" and that one was MIR.
Benton's, the rest of the confeterates making
no difference between the "nominees.'
Another instance Of the artihoe and strata
gem, as we'll as the consistency, Of our Senator,
will be found iE the fact, that the body Of the
printed speech contains more than one page
devoted to the consideration Of the expense OF
| the mission; Ga topic" which he coufesses in
a note, "was altogether pretermited in the spok-
| en- speech - as delivered in the Senate. Before
the people, the expense is made one OF the prin-
| cipsl objections the mission-a consdera-
| ton which he was ashamed to urge before the
| Senators, for whose ediGoation the speech was
professedly delivered. After exhibiting state
men, of the whole expense of our diplomatic
intercourse with all the Spanish American
States, including the Panama mission, he says,
"if this is economy, know not the meaning OF
the word'' Thus, by interpolating in "speecA''
delivered in the Senate, that which was not "spok-
| ,, 10 la,>,c 20 ,rrnire he name Of an pcOnO-