Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-29
VOL. XIV. mo. SO.

And yet, sir, OF this time, in the discussion Of
cain much more clearly maintanable, upon the
very Same principle he deems il a Mt occasion to
oring 10 the view Of the committee, in artful con.
iieNion with the irnpressment in question all that
Is odious IN the military usurpatons of antio,,ity
ana IN the civil despotism ofmodern times What
possible bearing these references have mon
we merits OF tins cIaim Why is the Dictatorship
/ OF fo1pey and the imperial dictatorship of the 81
cond Cesar, dragged into discussion with vvbt,l,
tney have no Legitimate connection? Is it because
Seheral Jackson was the officer within whose corr.
i', ~ uS iInpressment was made, and the defence
u view orleans the purpose TO which his
hllltary usurpaton was consecrated! Is in I'M
press upon the nation the danger Of entrusting ia
me, 1es' IN any degree, to the guard 9,.ss,ip of
g Military Cheltain?'
Mr.. Chairman, had INDUCED ar, earnest bo,..
that The appropriate legislative business OF CONGRESS
would not be embarrassed and DELAYED by the in
PRODUCTION OF any illusions, whether open or dis
gused, 10 the great and agitating Question ,,}ih
now enSrosSes The attention OF the PEOPLE OF This
country or my own part, had resolved to s1lr
press any remark, however applicable 10 fhe r,,rs-
uon, which might be discussed here which Could
give rise to any thing like party excitement RI
sir, when hear a strain of declornaton b.,.;r1.'
possible bearing upon the question under disc,,e
SION, and OF which the evident scope and tende,,y
Is 70 produce political effect both here and ase
where, am constrained to ask the gentlemen fo,,,
New York, why il is, that the shock which civil IL
perty would sustain, and the countenance vhicl,
military usurpaton would derive from the recoeni-
non oil claims similar to the present. did not occur
10 nm, when the conduct ofother officers vas in
VOWED, and how it happens that this Sudden borro-
AZ me ldea OF military impressment has seized
hlm, when the conduc; of General jackson 10 i,,,;
dcntally involved?
Having briefly shown the tendency of ,ba 70
marks OF the gentleman from New York IIroya -
10 TINS Committee, and to the country To determine
what was their design.
amongst the admirable and appropriate histori
cal analoges with which we have heen f,vord
we nave been told by the gentleman from, NJ
iOtA lhat the impreSsment of property under Inc
emergencies OF the military service in fin. ~
"ar-eineT Sencies no less imperious than the obi
CATION to defend and save the Republic-is ,o,,cr
more incompatible with civil liberty than tbe IN,
less eNactlon of ship-monev, which marked tle e..
Tanny OF the English Stuart: for. in maj case :,
seem, The People had the consolation of refiectin.
uIdt lney were plundered by the hand of civil n.y.,
er Is It true, sir, that there is any thing in No
nature oil civil power, that can either consecrate
Ci'h despohsm, or console its victims Ana .ra
we 20 De seriously told, that the most infamous ana
poIiSate civil dynasty that ever syvaved tho erer
IRE OF despotc authority, is preferable TO svefe,
q HDclty which recognizes no power but mar ~;
li4e ia''ss except on these mere occasions Nvheo
INC eNt'eule necessities OF war demand tIlat these
laws shonld be partially and temporarily s,,sn,r,
ga, is the only means of efecting the nublic 60
loes inc gentleman not know that under
10y IOIth Oh government, and in every country
% ""'Cii history mas Kept record, this power has
.Ceh creased by the military defenders of no ~,
tion and that in the very nature of thinrs !, ~ !,
De exercised ny every Government CHARGED ,,;tI,
me duly, the sacred duty, of naintaininsr ,J, a.,
t''5.ice ana preserving the existence of fiia
uoHN ICluc And vet, the oentiernor ~ ,,ch :,
ms estimate Of civil lberty-yyould meter 49,. -.
I'lloH OF me hereditary monarch exercising tha
Pc"e OI unlimited taxation in peace and in W.
-' any iitalion either as 10 time or cifcIlrn-
9'"iOvs' ana without consulting the Rrureennfa
uHcS OF the People, 10 the freedom we onio,r 49,
Jus government, and under the military isaoes
"hIch nave been habtually recornized and So
W. ~ 'l'i- "hoie People, and by all their pull
nc Iu"cLonMlts. Sir, il this be the ouinion ,,biE
I'at gentleman cnterains Of civil liberty T DO 49,
envy him the exclusive enjoyment of H.
'o"' s'r' put 1t to the gentleman 10 state W..
; ne means to draw in reference TO the
"'IItS OF this claim, from his ARGUMENT or ,cD-
properly, las defamation on the eubiac, 81 a.
l,'-"''Iy power. lie saysitis q power extrorocT,
dangerous grant that, in the fullest cy,er, =
~. 'S "a" gentleman has been constrained To a,,
ANA 'i' :, IS power that must be exercised j., 80
Sc" OF extreme emergency and has NOT ,,rs,s,ts
~ "'"s Nls existence OF such emergency in the
case we ere considering, how is m. cIoi,o ~ ~;
".'l W,h suHerer inyaidated by tie fact that III.
INJURY ne sustained was inflicted in the everc;eos
a delicate and dangerous power2 Surnoso -; -
'' granted mat the impressmcnt was strirtlI,
gar, (and am not disposed TO DISPUTE about Terms
~ =. ne seriously believed that the right of tn,
H'"i'iuuaI 10 lndemnifcatiOu riybf ovn~o--l,,
guaranteed by the Constitution-can he i,1ro;'r
~ me admission Is he TO be graveIv toId H.
ms government, "true, sir, Your Dronarf,. ~.
D4~,,i' ana converted t1 the military t,xc 4, <
'he republic, but as it was Illegally taken. vo,,
must pocket The injury and rest satisfied with tT
OO,i7o'uls reflection, that the Government boI -, h.
gar right to take :" am agfonisbed 10 Ll.a-t
'o'S"H Ihockery OF argument advanced oy in ans, ~
gree countcnanced on this floor Ii bas bsn,,,,y,,
!Hletd' mat The refusal 90 indemnify tho sr0s,rc-
j. me rue ioOde Of securing the rigbts of sI,.,
h'iari' from similar inyasiony i'm future ~ H.
iiSh' OH property. II would be- lust as r. ae,,,,Ir
"say udt tie best mode of suuprcgeiuo, b;.,i,,.,.
t".u''Y Fon'd te to punish a declaration tbst rof
.sheI 'o' ""u'' not he prn,
be improvement 10 question was made r,+.
'tt"h t'nccF which furnished the strouOoei No..
''.' iVrnH'a.ion OF The officer IL wos esse,t;,f
i' @. i'H iinfr pii9rc and deeoI3Gon % cif,, -.
u ut' Key 10 ohc-third part Of this Union. and
hho'i' regard u as disgrace 10 the Covet,,,,t -
% were TO refuse ifs sanction TO mia -
case. ni similar nature and 4, ,uo. V.'it
paying iHe CLAIM ot the petitioner 1,,- 10 az,
pie sl5,frpgc Of thc technical iilce,Ii, ~ ~
imrrcssmcut iieba''y OF TIE
Having. exposed ibc drift md inconqiefencv of
t ,'hs 9i the gentleman from New York tbe
20 "'I ln view On rising i3 Accomplished
"' l'' intend, when rose, 20 utter word on a.
morris Oh fliis claim. but 70 limit myself \, ~
-t'N OF proving chat the speech of The senfler,.,
Ioh view oIk was neither consistent with itsoir
nor with bis general course 10 tc'a iion In emil
c't'i'3. 90 ne intrinsic merits Of the ciairo
iil"t ~ would Doe difficult io suc7k rers;,.,.t
thc cue don more than fifteen rnin,,fes 70
liAi 9l. Wili submit word or two confr,-,, -,
my intention when rose--upon ~, 'i..a'y ~
"h'cl ought 900 10Y opinion, 10 govern ~. So
sion OF the Committee o'H "iV dt u
hyeiy Gentleman who has paricioaiel +, o.,,
Hel fio- ih'fc may be possibly s.,,,lt, e. ~.