Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-04


spent than in reading The Documents piled mp
fe', an the report of that debate, was represent
ed as saying, n I, ike the gentleman from New
YORK, / did no,-wha,! pronounce 4 palinodis
NO, sir, not at all-but HAT, ike him. I; did no
S read The Documents. Nobody reads the Docu
ments-ior thus plain reason, that no man can reat
them, anu ii he could, he could hardly be wors,
employed. Sir, with few exceptions the Docu
nents are printed that they may be printed, no
that they may be read.
and now, sir, comes another charge, about the
miserable, oppressed Inhabitants of ireland. Th
subject has been mentioned 10 me- by no gentle
man on the other side, except member from Ma.
ryiand-irom the Eastern Shore of Maryland Mr.
kerr,I who Is, not only by the courtesy of this
House but tin fact gentleman. He, in Committee
on the Rules and Orders OF the House. expressed to
me his aStonshment, that what said on that occa-
SION, could have been nnch misunderstood and
insfepresented-that ho heard me most distinctly.
now call on any member who understood me
iiierenty at the time 10 rise in his place s. say
Lifere Mr.. r. paused for reply. None being Civ
en-, and some friends having said across the seats
mat no member could would say hat he had
understood Mr.. r. rs he had been misrepresentation
var. IL went on. Without meaning 10 plead 10
That Is, without meaning TO admit the urisdic-
tNn o. the press, in The extent which it arrogates
10 ITSELF am perfectly sensible that no man is
a'ove pub!'ck opinion. God forbid that any man
IN ms country shall ever be able brave it. This
Is what our great adversary has, with characte-
ristlck audacity, attempted DO sorely 10 his cost
!; that OF his less bold compeer 1 re greet that an
one should have supposed me capable Of uttering
such sentiments. 80 far from il, have been the
STEADY, hrm, constant & strenuous advocate, TO the
best CT my poor ability, of the oppressed People nf
ireland. And why! Fer the reason stated ON for
nner occasion: They fought our battles, Sir.
nave known and esteemed many of them Some OF
THEM have beeD-they are dead-anl others are
living, among my warmeSt friends and best neigh
oours. in the course Of not uneyentful life,
have seen many things but have yet 10 see that
Tnra Gpis 'n ferris, q have black SWAMI
| an Irish Tory. have known fories of every des-
cription. Yes, Sir, and some even in Virginia
even we had few of them during the Reyolu-
ION, but loo few 10 give any trouble or alarm
but l never have yet an Irish Tory or
the man who had seen one. Sir, don't read the
newspapers-I don't read gentlemen's speeches;
and then come here 10 answer them. But | am
extremely pleased, nay tlattered, III the highest
degree, at being told by my friends, that the gen
tIetnan from Ohio, attributed, in his speech,
so much Ia my efforts in bringing the Adminisira-
ton to its present lsnk and lean condition. The
gentleman could not have pleased me better-I on
~ fear that, with all his biuntness and frankness:
the gentleman was not quite sincere, and was on
ly adormng me with GlIets and garlands like the
priests o; the sacrifice OF yore, previous 10 knock
ing me, and with me, the party whom he strives
10 wound through my sides, on the head. He was
pleased 10 place AT the head, ofvhat has been
denomnated the Opposition party in this House; but
at Its head that OF any other party in this louise
he will never find rue, for reasons which l could
state bntwhich are wholly unnecessary. Times
are indeed changed with the gentleman and his
friends, when they hold this language concerning
| Inc. But little while ago, and friends of the Al
rnInlstration, nay, the members OF The Adnnstra-
ton, affected 10 consider of their irmesi
props. They could not, indeed, vote for LIe-tbey
were men too nice in their principles for that but
considering the great benefit whirh they derived
from my opposition they could not Except for the
honour OF the country,) regFct my reduction
Amiabie and excellent mcnl But they now sing TO
very different gamut. If any gentleman will
brlng against me any allegation, from clean and
respectable source, will do one of two things
will ever either deny it, or admit and defend it
upon my views and principles. Sir, if seems
committed great offence in not voting for
the admission of the new States into the u
mon, and especially Of Ohio. Yet, if the thing
We're TO do over again, / should precisely
IN the same manner, and past experience would
| teach me | was right. What were the new
| States! Vast deserts OF woods, inhabited by the
AborlSInes, to whom, ii we conls TO the question
| oil right, they did OF right belong; and il was 4
question, whether sound policy would dictate that
! We ought, by creating these States, 10 encourage
/ sparse settlements, and thereby TO weaken our
! frontier. thought this was bad policy Not
! that am 10 favour oe q very dense population I
am against the rabhle of your great cities, but !
am equally opposed to having land without in
habltants. But, Sir, had other reasons--gJHuiO-
"a nlTnent-Does The gentleman from Ohio, with
| hrs laudable prejudice and partially toward his
least equal prejudice and pariiality 10 my native
land with that which he feels for his Stale, would
lend my sanction to an act OH the part OF Virgil
MIA, which beggars every instance Of faulty and
folly extaIt in the history Of natibns' Why, Sir
the Knight of La Afancha himself, or poor old Lear
in the play, never was guilty ota lTosser act oil
faulty than was the State Of Virginia when she
committed that suicidal deed-the surrenderir,e oil
her immense territory beyond the river Ohio, up
on tIe express condition of excluding her own ci.
tiZcns from its benefit, when the country (yiehled
for the common good Of the cOnisderacy) should
come to he settled. Yes Sir, il was an act of suicide
oil political suicidethe effects of which she has
felt, and will continue 90 feel, 80 long rs she has
any political existence az all This was one Of
these amiabie and phillnthopc acts Of legislation
which, however good IN pOiUt of Intention eai e
the most disastrous and ruinous cOnscuuc nccs-
Can the gentleman from Ohio conceive that T.
Vrginian, could further this cut throat policy?
thought the Ohio wel'-dc,ined natural boundary
and that ought not to weaken by extendinf
, our frontier. The late verified my foresight
Whom have injured? The native savagcs and tn,
trees, or the States that have been drained Of tIie
population to I'LL out Ohio? ! offered ~ wrong 4
I the People of Ohio; FOR there we're then non,
70 inlurc. They have gone there, or have beeI
born since. This was the head and front OF III,
F. offending" and, If the gentleman has his appa
rdtus ready am prepared % undergo any form o
executioD which his humanity will allow him Il
! nhct, or which even his justice may award
SmartIng under the injurious election OF a Pre-
sidcnt against The will Of the people by the vote
of Louisiana and Missouri balancing those of Penn
sylvanid aud Virginia in this House, spoke oil
ourselves as tlie only people ovcTwisc as 4
acquire provinces, not that we might govern them
{ but that they might give law 70 u.
And, Sir, have always held and shall for owe
hold il to be thc height Of Injustice land Of foil,
too, on the part Of the old Siaes,) thst 30 or 40