The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL rEoclEDINGs-.uM

10y ~ DdiihIiDt Dill
has, tfe second fine, received its dcatl-blow, by a
vote of27 to p, every member ofthe Senate be.
ing present. This decisive expression of onin-
ion in that House, where such decisions arc more
important, because. from the nature of The office
they are less liable to frequent and sudden chan.
ges. may be considered as having settled the
question for several years TO come.
The bill to provide for the adjustment Of
claims against the British government. under the
ist article Of the Treaty of Client, has been re-
committed for further amendment.
The debate OH the Presidents Message. rela.
ting to Indian affairs, DC. will be found IN a pre-.
ceding column.
House Of RepreseptGtiues-Mr Saunders re-
solution about the publishers OF jhe law. is sill
undergoing a discussion, watch takes a wide
range, and is often wholly irfelavent to the sub
ject matter in dispute. In addition to those who
had spoken ON it, at the last dates, we may nov
enumerate MIR Hamilton Of S. c. and Mr. Polk
of Tennessee, in favor, and Mr.. Wright of Ohio.
and MIR. Dorsey of Maryland against il. All the
time consumed in this discussion is absolutely
thrown away, and is productive of nothing but a
waste ofpublic funds without the possibility of
any correspondent advantage No legislative
act can grow out of the resolution, as we have
before had occasion 10 remark, even if Mr.. Clay
should NOT treat its demands with perfect indif-
ference. We do not believe, however, that il
can possibly pass the House, astherc is certain
ly too much good senscin that body to be sway
ed by the ingenious devices of factious p~artizans
beyond the strict line of duties which devolve ON
members of "A legislative body. Tins debate at.
fords a wide theme, however, for defamation.
The enemies of Mr.. Clay may here with safety
substitute fancy for fact, and embellish the
rude suggestions of their morbid imaginations
with all the enchanting beauties of rhetoric;
while, at the same time, they may robe the hero
of Orleans in the brightest colors which the
most devoted panegyris can employ. They
may even, Gas one honorable member did at
tempt TO smother all reference to the Generals
celebrated constrnctiou Of the 2Id article Of the
Rules and Regulations for the government of
INT AMY. hlcl tlN ne converted EDniGttf fEf-
tionistsinto foreign spies. This, as well as the
hundred other attempts which have been made
to force uponthe American people a conviction
of the Generals great talents as alegisiator, a
lnrist and a statesman, is only of a piece with
tue same sort of arrogance which attribntes the
safety al New Orleans to his single arm. But,
we are almost as much out oforder'' in this
DEPRESSION, as were the Hon. members who made
the same allusion, and VIC shall therefore hush the
theme. We cannot forbcar saying, that, view
ed in any light, this is a iiHle business. Every
thing which has been said, in relation to it, tend
ing TO implicate Mr.. Clay's motives in making the
changes OF publishers, which hus SO much excited
the Indignation of Messrs. Saunders, & Co. NAV
be answered by a single remark. Do they be-
lieve, or does any man of common sense believe,
that the sum paid for the publication OF the laws,
to d single printer, IS of sufficient magnitude to
induce the Editors of a print of the smallest in
iluence TO put on a muzzle If This question be
answered in the negative, as it must be BY all
who are disposed to tcllthe truth, il necessarily
follows that Mr.. Clay could not have expected
to derive any advantage, personal or political.
from the changes which he has made. The
which are now in existence, both
those which are friendly to him, and chose of
the adverse party were in existence before the
changes were made, and would have been, though
they had not, been made the one upholding as n the
present case, x the other abusing the measures of
the administration The publication of the laws
tends TO no increase of the subscription list Of
the one nor, does a failure to do 20 that Of decrease
the otber-and il therefore follows, that each
viii go on now, as it did before-in its respective
influencing, il NAV be, their respective
by the manner in which they state, with
hold or color facts.-Wbdt power, then, are the
oppositionists shorn of by the changes com.
planned Of What advantage has the admins
%tfation gained? Not the slightest. II, indeed,
the supposition had ever entered into the con
temptation of the Secretary of State ,tbatan Edi-
tors opinions would he chained within his own
breast, or be made to receive an opposite tenden
cy by the potent d0uceur of 50 on 100 dollar
per AMMAN, we think he would have been more
politic 10 have permitted those who had already
shown their friendly feelings towards him TO
nave gone on, without this immcuse sum being
given them. They were already committed,
and would not have risked their regulations by |
a sudden con, ersion against him. Whereas, his
Judging by what their friends say, APP |
pear TO have needed this mighty sum TO keep
hem silent, or AT leas, TO make them modest
And the fact is, the passion which they have ek-
at the loss oft, almost induces us to be-
ieve, that, however false the assertion may be,
IN the general, thatthc by Authority'' presses
are Influenced by this miserable pittance, yet
hose winch have recently lost it did permit
I to control their vindicti, eness, lift did not ex-
cite their love for the giver,
But, while all this sympathy is manifested for
these unfortunate rictins Of ofitioi persecution,
,hnyo yyborn Mr. Polk of Tennessee chooses I