Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-01-16

MT Brent rose merely 10 remark 10 the gentle
man from Pennsylvania. that the amendment TO
which he referred did not at all alter the character
of the resolution, but merely went to cover more
ground. and to bring before the House all the in
formation bearing upon the subject.
Mr.. Everett said that one remark of the gentle
man from Pennsylvania was, that the ame"dmen,
which has been adopted would have the effec, to
smother the object of the mover. Whatever may
be The effect Of il, (said Mr. e. such was not my
: design in moving it,
Mr. Buchanan explained The gentleman from
Massachusetts, he said, one of the last gentle-
ia this House to WHOM he should ever think
ofimpu'ns ala intention to DO any thing unfair.
Mr.. Everett said. if the resolution bad passed
without this amendment, some gentleman would
no doubt have risen and moved another resolution
calling Tor Information shew what the practice
OF the Government has been. Suppose the infor-
nation called Tor by the original resolution to be OBJ
tanned: was there any member OF this House who
would make up his MUD the correctness OF what
had been done, without knowing what had been
the usage of the Government under similar circum-
sance,! For one, MIR. E. said he should not be
abe. from isolated fact, thus elected, to deter
mine what had been the practice in Government
as long established, and with as extensive foreign
intercourse, as this.
Mr. Forsyth said he wished 10 be understood not
70 have spoken. when he before addressed the
House, of the amount of csnpensstion to persons
ment! On this point, he was entirely uniformed.
That allowances had been made, he knew: but he
did not know, nor had be ever supposed, that out
Its had boon allowed in such cases. Such allow
ances would be in many cases extremely unjust to
the public Treasury He could not suppose il
possible that person, when charged with the af-
fair. of the Gov erument, for montb or six weeks
should have received years salary az outfit
The fact might be SO, and if II was, should be I'M
derstood. He rose, however, principally, ac
count of the observations OF the gentleman from
Mass. (Mr. Webs,er.) The gentleman consider.
II great error to suppose that the power of ap-
poiniment TO any foreign agent was dependent on
any thing but the Constitution of the u. States.
This doctrine, MIR. F. solemnly denied. If this
House have no power over this subject, grea,
error has been committed and persisted in, since the
foundation OF the Go, eminent. When the frs,
act was passed under which the foreign diplomatic
intercourse had been regulated, it was distinctly
announced, if Mr.. F. did not strangely forget the
transactions of that day, the opinion Of the
Representatives of the People, that they ha,! the
right to regulate the grade Of the Ministers 10 be
employed, as well as the compensation to be al.
lowed, and TO specify TO what foreign countries
Ministers Of the grades established should be sent.
NO attempt was made 10 lesislate specifically on
these points, because il was admitted ,ha, the
House had not the information necessary 10 enabe
II TO legissie specifically. The matter was, there
tore, left at large, subject to the discretion of the
Executive. Mr.. F. hoped that the error. as the
gentleman was pleased to call it. yet prevailed ex
tensively through this House, as the doctrines of
the gentleman would, il admitted TO be true dr.
Priye the People OF the great check given TO their
Representatives over the power OF the Pres,den,
and Senate, In relation 10 the intercourse with TO-.
reign nations.
Mr.. Webster said, nowts' landing Tie solemn
denal OF the gentleman from Georgia /, is as true.
as II was beiore he rose, that there is no statute
or law OF Congress prescribing what number OF
Public Ministers or her Diplomatic AGENTS.
should be appropriated, or TO shat Courts, or on
what occasions they should be sent He, (Mr. W. \
had said, and now REPEATED, that Minister was a
National func;ionary, known 10 the law of nations,
The ONCE had Its origin, and derived its character
from that law. The Constitution recoenized tho
Office, as existing in the intercourse of nations.
and vested the appointment of the officer in the
President and Senate. 1t belonged to the Execp.
tive To decide on what occasions Public Ministers
should be appointed, and 10 what Courts. and IN
decide on their number. He did not saw now
whether all this might, or might no. be reaa,a, ed
by law. He spoke only TO the fast II was no,
so regulated, nor ever had been. The only law ON
the subject was that which limited the power of
me President as 10 The amount of salary allow ed
to these officers Here Congress lad set bou,Je
In all oihe. respects the subject rested in Executive
discretion. lie was at issue with the gentleman
from Georgia on plain matter OF fact, an inquiry
as to VIVA. The statue contained. He had said
and he repeated, that there was no other statute
provision except that which limited the conne,s,
lion. If there were any other, the gentleman
from Georgia could easily 10 it; aad he par,ic-
ulsrly invited him 10 point il out. IF he should
not do So his solemn denial OF VIA, he had said
that was, that no particular mission, or ministerial
appointment was made in pursuance OF any statute.
would sill not shake the truth of that proposi,iou
Mr.. Forsyth said there was no difference be-
tween himself and the gentleman as 10 the fact
MIR. b. did not assert that there was apeci6c jeejs
'lation: he had explained why the Legislation was
not specific: he asserted that, when the ac, passed
the opinion which the gentleman had condemned
was distinctly expressed in debate. and had ever
since been admitted TO be sound. But there was
SIGH an act, regulating the appointment and king
the salaries OF public Minister'S and under thai
law the appointment Of them wa, made by the
President.
Mr.. Webster asked, ifthe gentleman from Geor.
sia would turn TO the Statute TO which he had ref
erence'
Mr.. Forsyth. Certainly, Sir.
Before the debate Finished Mr. +. sent Mr.. w.
= volume of the laws, which we are informed con
tanned the act Of 1910, " fixing the compensation
OF public Ministers and of Consuls residing ON
the Coast Of Barblry, aud for other purposes, -
which act is to be found in 18th vol page 500, Of
Boren and Duane's edition of the Laws.I
Mr.. Verplanck rose to move an amendment. The
ohiect Of the being to inquire into on alleg
ed abuse in allowing outfits to Charge des Affsjres
as the law authorizing outfits, was passed only in
I5lO seemed to be unnecessary TO 20 back be yond
that date. He, therefore, moved 10 strike out the
9TH OF March, 1850, as it now stands, and in lieu
thereof to insert the LIST OF May, 1910. which is