Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-01-06

l,borns to obtain the adoption Of general system
for the country at large. He concluded by giving
notice that he should move the consideration Of this
bill on Wednesday the 18th inst.
ADJUDICATION OF CLAIMS.
On motion of Mr.. Powell, it was
Resolved, That the Committee ON the Judiciary
be instructed 10 inquire into the expsdiency OF es-
tablishing, by law. Judicial Tribunal, with power
investigate. adjuJge, and settle, all private claims
agains, tie Government OF tue U. 3.
SUFFERING GREEKS.
Dfr Livingston moved the following resolution:
Resoived, That the Committee OF Ways and
Means be Instructed to prepare and bring in bill
making appropriation of $50 900, to be ex-
pended under the direction of the President, in the
purchase and transportation Of provisions for the
suffering inhabitants of Greece.
Mr.. Livingston, in introducing the above resolu-
ton, spoke TO the following effect Having pass
ed the first day OF the year 10 the festivities analo-
gous to the season, in the enjoyment of present
happiness, the retrospect Of past prosperity, and
the pleasing anticipation Of q continuance of the
blessings of peace and plenty, let US dedicate the
second to an act Of general charity-no, forbidden
by our Constitution infringing the rights of no
| other nation, and highly honorable to our own.
have before ME a letter, written by an honor
able Member Of this House, containing picture
of distress that fail TO touch the heart Of
| any one who reads it. The evidence it contains
comes from Greek high in Office and reputation
| He endeavors to give idea of the poverty and
destitute state of his nation, " to whom" he says,
" the foe has left agriculture, no commerce, no
arts."-C Cut off from all the usual means of sub
sisence. to the horrors OF war, are added the de-
ISOLATION OF famine; war, in its most savage, re-
mosseless shape; famine. with the expectation of
pestilence, it's ususl atteRdsnt--they are suffering
this in tie: hottest of causes. and doing honor TO
the cause, by the courage, consancy. and unyield-
! ing spirit, with which they support it.
1t the stern dictates of national duty preyent
| our aHording more elfectual assistance, we have
the satisfaction OF knowing that, in this, at least
no civilized nation can. with justice, tax US with
breach :of neutrality. II il not proposed TO give
, a subsidy to the nation, or to supply them with
the means of carrying on the war, bu, to clo,he
| the naked, to feed the hungry, to comfort the
desparins-to do HAT which civilized enemy
would himself TO. Women and children are the
objects Of this relief. The commerce in provisions
is not con,raband our citizens may supply them.
and why not the Government? and we are no,
without precedent to support it. The inhabitan,,
! oil 81. Domingo. driven from their country by a
destructive insurrection, took refuge here, were
hospitality received by citizens, and eener Gus
| ly supported from the National Treasury. A
similar provision was made for the exiles from
Cuba. These cases settle the Constitutional cues.
4
conclusive, but applies particularly to she,y that
we have not thought the duties of humanity. in a
similar Instance, Inconsistent with those of neu
| traliiy. In the year 1872, dreadful calamity &C.
Cured In the province of Venezuela; then at war
with Spain, or, as that Power called it, in rebel
!ion-the. principal city of the province was over
! whemedby an earthquake. The United States
immediately directed the very sum proposed By
this resolution to be laid out in supplies and sen,
to the-e sufferers; yet Spain never complained
That this was breach Of neutrality; the nations
OF Europe never considered il a. an act inconsis
tent with the laws Of na,ions-and SO far from 10.
| sing, we certainly acquired national reputation.
Now, sir, compare these cases with that under
consideration. In the St. Domingo aad Cuba ca
ses. the sufferers belonged TO rich ard powerful
nation, whose duties for their relief might seem 10
surer.ede our interference. In that of Venezuela
| the destruction was principally that of the build
i.Ss IN the Cities the Country, its agriculture il,
ait-, lis resources, remained untouched
In Greece, on the contrary, we have one general
picture OF horror and observation-disclosures il the re
verse OF our happy State their ploughsharcs .r.
turned into swords-ibeir pruning hooks into
| spears. The Olives OF Atiica are rooted IN the
barvests 1.-THE Peloponnesus laid waste. the vine.
OF Samos are destroyed, their commerce and arts
are annihated, and one circumstance that tbe
strongest imagination could create is wanting 10
| complete the picture OF their misery. Is il posi-
BILE that any but the strongest, the most insurmount
able obstacles can prevent our relieving such dis
tress when we have the means? think il has been
shewn that neither our Constitution nor our neu-
trality stand in our way. Will orr constituents
disavow Us! we should insult them by the doubt.
Will they who use the superfluous wealth with
which they are blessed in the doubtful enterprise OF
converting the Heather OF the East and West To
the truths OF Christianity, object TO the certain re-
lief OF thousands Of their Christian brethren from
pes'ilence and famine? The preservation of Chris
tians IS surely as mertoiious it can be 10 multi
ply them by conversion.
do not appeal to the sympathies Of the House
for the in which all these mseries are sufFer
ed. 1t is not necessary, for l am persuaded that
no man who hears me, feels differently from NY
self and, u Il, were necessary, have not talents
for the task; but there are men in this assembly
(and imp!ore the aid Of their talents and eIo-
quence,) who, in such cause would carry the
minds OF all who heard them, 10 the conclusions
favorable to the great cause Of humanity and ma
tional honor which plead. For myself, without
the talent to persuade trust to the simple state
ment that here is a whole nation, protesting the
faith in which we believe, asserting the liberty for
which we have contended, and which we enjoy:
contending for them against merciless and pow.
er!ul enemy, with courage not equsiled, GER
tainly not surpassed, in the heroic ages oil their an
cestors: that they suffering not only the evils
OF the mos, savage warfare but nakedness, famine
and want OF every description; that they call upon
US Tor aid, and that we have the means TO afford
1t. The viii, trust, is not wanting 1 shall
not waste the time Of the House by anticipatiop
objections: should any be offered, will endeayoI
to answer them.
MIR. McDuHie said, he hoped that the House.
before il agreed TO the resolution just offered for
its adoption, would first satisfy itself as 10 the eff
faot hich fbo