Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-02-07

fnoncy, which described yesterday, when eyerN .
thing brought ten prices, and il has remained not
unsettled. No, sir: tor it has been regularly set
tied and paid yer since. 1t has remained from
that time 10 this, at the same rate-though one
dollar now viii buy much of land, slaves every
article from which We draw subsistence, as four
dollars would buy then. To illustrate this will
state fact. gentleman, owning fertile,
but, as he thought, an unhealthy tract Of laud on
the Roanoke, ami purchased a small tract near it.
on which no built house that cost him five thou
sand dollars; and that sum will build what is con-
s,dcrcd a first rate house in my part of the coun-
try. The land itself was not good nor was il bad
IL was what is called fair ktild. The state of his
a'airs, like that Of many of his nciyhbors soon o.
biiSed him 10 sell, and he sold the land, without
any allowance for the improv enen.s for three dol
lars an acre An acquaintance OF mine was tempt
ed, by the lowneSS OF price, TO purchase the land
mus verifying the maxim Of Poor Richard--that
he who buys whathe does not want ALWAYS buys
II dear: and 50 il turned out in this case. If he
wished to sell tnow, am informed that he could
not get his money back. This single fact was " ortI
all the defamation in the world. la the same
quarter OF the country, land (some OF it good wood
lantt) has sold for one dollar per acre
or nave not yet done with this subject of the
pubic printing, and the price paid for it. do not
mean TO worry the House. Ii is well known to-
the members of this House, (and | hope what |
nov say will be taken down verbatim, ifpossible)
that the pnblIc printers of this House are also
the editors OF the most cXtensiye-I mean in point
OF superficial content-the most extensive journal
IN the United States, and one which from hayinr
oeen hitherto considered possessing sort of al
least demi- official charactcr-somethinr like the
Nioniteur, IN Paris, but not cxaotly-and from OBJ
serving, or rather protesting TO observe a strict
neutrality, had obtained most extensive circtIa-
tioa at home, and by far the most extensive A.
broad, Of any paper in this country Now, Sir
we also know, that this journal is our main stay
anu reliance Tor the reports of our debates, and the
proceedings ofthis House. Sir, make no infer
encc farther than 70 sayI do not say that the no
uttcdt existence OF these people hangs upon the
event oil the next eiectioa-the thread of their ex-
,S'ehce' IKE that OF the gentleman from Indiana,
Is connected with that eection-they sink with the
Administration, having abandoned their professed
heuuahty II 1t sinks; and, il IL does not, they
VIII certainty swim. make no more imputations
| On them than that they have $4,000 per annum
Staked on the event-on a single card.
IL the amendment of the gentleman from Soutb
carolina shall prevail, if understand the matter
on II, this item of expenditure ought TO be ipcIud
ed, as one over which we have complete control
peg pardon, should have suggested this before,
put knew that there 4 committee of the
House whose duty it was to audit its accounts
ana 10 see that no improper items are admitted /
nave pointed out one abuse, and have done IL
where IL was proper 10 point it out, at home Sir
nave known OF the existence of these evils for a
ioh9 uine. ihey were no secret 20 me, nor did |
make secret OF them 10 any body; but do know
mat man might calculate on as much success in
going ultlng-not at shadows. as the gentleman
rom oouth Carolina says-not like the Knight of
La VI ancha at sheep and wind-mills but rather at
herd OF mad cattle, pent up in narrow lane 40
10 attemptto ferret out these abuses without hav
ing the cordial cooperation of those who are at the
mead OF the Departments, and that CO operation il
Houiu DC worse than folly TO pretend to look for
Oh that SUBJECT, Sir, declare the pleasure that il
gives me to bear my testimony such as il is aIonp
with the gentleman from South Carolina to the NUN
lie services, the intelligence, the integrity and the
OF the officer who is at the head of
nat ffYnn
creasfng his saary) Ii is the only ONE of te ne
plrtments which have lately had any thine TO do
with, and whenever had occasion to go there I
nave always found him i'll his office and at his b,,
sreSs; Of there was a time when / often had TO
VISIT the Departments, (Which does not however
AFFECT the present Administrations and then I sol
dom mad tue honor to end any of their high niohti
nesscS at home-l mean, in their Offices sir we
cannot expect the cordial co-operation of the
Heads OF Departments in such an inquiry az is
now propofcd. They are pleading before the beT
OF pubic opinion foT their !:;cs with zeal propor
TONED 10 the strong evite.ice before the Jury of
their guilt. 49, -
shall vote, however, for the amendment moved
oy the gentleman from South Carolina, and, if il
prevails, l shall against the resolution "a 60
amended. And let me, before | sit down rive one
warning to all concerned. This country as Voc
all know IS divided into two adversary parties;
ana we must smut our eyes to the fact, if we do
not Know that this House Is nearly or quite equal
~ dlVlded between them. Fast est G5 hosfe do
oTi: see one OF these parties, perfectly willi;rs
40 uouot, with the very great man to whom have
ceiore aluced TO throw upon us the responsibility
'or Whatever IS done here sitting perfectly still
Steadfast, silent, and Observation-Disclosures forward M
proposition whatever i see the other party throw
ing out proposition after proposition The opposite
S1arty never commits itself until after niobts re-
lecuon. And what is the consequences, Tboug[
oeHeVe, a minority, they so manage matters as
on every question TO constitute an effective MAORI
~ on TINS House, and then throw on us the respon-
slDii'ty On their own measures. Sir, this is new
sort OF political justice.
AGAIN. see most plainly, with the gentleman
from South Carolina, that this inquiry will end in
sinoAe-and am NOT one who will light the fire
OF help 10 raise smoke, by which retreafing adj
FSiSIry may cover and protect his retreat | will
ahord then no facilities towards victory I stand
mere pledged as their adversary, q1toad hoe. and
VIII add another pledge to oppose any and every
party WHO would impose on this country any man
as It's Chief Magistrate, besides him who receives
the greatest number OF its votes Sir if we must
amend the Constitution, ] shall not vote for he
reuitary Chel MagistTate-I do not belong In tl,a
class--the President of ,ni9ori,,, :;
hardly less odiOus than King-but | warn the
Iiousc against any attempt at reform while the
PRESIDENT IS not with In the Seventh Con
srcss, III spite Of all Mr. Jefferson did his me,-
sufeS would have been thwarted althour', we had
decided majority and were employed in relic,,ir,,
lne burthens and redressing the grievances of the
people, by the actous opposition Of Disciplined
HliiosIty' and when was IN Administration sirono,
err hen, with House Of REPRESENTATIVES. "a
qua!iy balanced this, (anJ I tlke the vote 70,
tne election Of Speaker the Indication Of its stst
WIN t!le scale vibrating, nearly in cgUjE6yjO il
almost impossible 70 be certain OF a majority Ia4
our measures be ever well concerted How
co1id we get along, even IL tho Executive was on
our sac, acting against q solid phaanx who boti
toseth ir-So perfectly united that we cannot c.f