Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-17

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the publication of any par, could take place. with
out conveying an erroneous impression Of tho
facts. He had no objection 10 the publication "a
every thing connected with the Panama Mission.
teeing, as he did, the perfect assurance that the
more the subject discussed and examined.
the more clearly il would appear that il was a
wild, visionary, or dangerous project. But TWAS
obvious that the resolution now before the Senate
restricted as 1t is, puts every thing in the power
OF the President and leaves it TO his discretion &,
bring the subject before the world any way ho
may think proper To this from the experieriro
OF the Senate on this sobject, he for one WIS not
Wiling to give his assent. For the purpose, there
lore, Of enabling the Senator from Massachusetts
70 bring this motion before the Senate when ACT
ing In its Executive character, thereby to cnahi-
us to receive all the documents connected witt,
the subject, in order that we may exercise our owl,
discretion In making the whole or any part OF Il
public, he would now move 20 lay the resolution
on the table.
This motion was Withdrawn at the request cs
Mr.. Webster. He said it was unne cessary 10 re
peat the object he had in view In intro.,ucine
this resolution he had already stated his mo
tives, and he had not niicipated the least obicc-
ton TO its passage. While the subject OF the pa
mama Mission was before Congress, great aIarp,
had been spread through the country in relation
TO Great fears were either felt or feigned, both
IN and out OF Congress, that The objects oC The.
Executive were not correct, that the measure was
unconstitutional, and the Ministers appointed
might compromit Che honor Of the country. III,
tined; he cared not in what form the information
was onta:ned: this was a common, and n convent
ent one. Gentlemen who had expressed thei.
views and aPprehensions, would not, surely, now
mat their Tears had gone forth to the werli unde
the sanction OF their own names, now that the
measure had produced ali the effects IL could rro-
duce upon The public, prevent those who though,
differently from giving their views. While their
FEARS m relation TO these instructions had beer,
published, gentlemen could not in Justice keep tn.
facts, the real instructions, locked up. He carc,f
not tor the time when the call was made; he hopct
It would be made as might be, and il gen
tlemen objected to the manner Of the call, he was
willing TO meet all their views, if il was nossbIe.
he was willing the instructions should be teauir
ed confdentaliy, and that the whole should be
required: he, therefore, moved a modification o,
the resolution, by inserting "confiientalIy,' and
striking out the last clause.
MIR. Hayne said he preferred proceeding in (he
usual course. 1t was altogether an Executive
matter, and should he made and received inthei.
Executive character.
Mr. Webster was willing 70. ami did modify the
resolution still iartherby the insertion OF the words
Gin its executive character
Mr. Hayne said, he would still prefer the ord
nary course He renewed his motion 10 Law the re.
solution on the table, but withdrew il at the request
OF Mr.. Benton.
Mr.. Benton sail, he could conceive of No diff
entity which would arise from the form OF the cali
The documents would be marked confidential and
would be open in secret session.
glnai defect oil the resolution could not he renloy-
ed. lie cared not in what form, or when IL was
moved, he would oppose il. The reason for the
call was avowed TO be to give the Executive. an
opportunity 10 publish its views on matter which,
mas been discussed and was at an end. If ,he
President wishes 10 make his views public LEI
INN 10 1T. III lie wishes to publish the documents
let him doit. IL would be necessary for VS. to pass
his resolution il we wished 10 force from him doc
uments which would ncuIpate him, and which he
chose 10 T,r
10 pass resolution Tor the purpose OF enabling
him TO publish documents which Inc might wish 10
publish. The object is. to ease the President bv
the interposition OF this body. The President bav
ing but two or three days of Office, will feel bus
little responsibility for the cfie t of the publica
ton; but shall we assist him TO do il, who have
six years OF responsibility But, if all this be
done, what is TO be the result, Are you 10 take
up this business again, and follow il through all
the mutations OF the Executive will: Are tbe
% fears felt or feigned, by those who opposed the
Panama Mission, 10 be pronounced unfounded be-
cause they are not justified by the instructions gil
ven alter those fears, felt feigned," were ex-
pressed Are those instructions TO be given to tbe
public now, to expoUnd what occurred six months
Ueiore the instructions were written? I cannot
sdeak intellieibly to the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts fie was not in this body at fhe time
alluded TO. But my brethren, said Mr. T on
my right and left, saw the Inonstrous project az
it was fret brought before us.
Here, when the doors were closed the P,eei-
ieni presented the project in one light, and sub
modified IL; and laid il before the Uone
81 Representatives., in another light. In an eIaha.
rate argument before the House of Representa-
ives, he attempted TO avoid The objections which,
he project had met with in this BODY The in
'truciions, framed with full knowledge Of ail
ne objections urged against the original project
ire now proposed to be published for the purpose
D enlightening the public as TO the real views OF
ne executive. But will you get all the instrucv
ions! Shall we, with our eyes closed, ask for AN
he documents affecting the Panama missions He
presumed that tue Senator IRON Massachusetts
knew no more than he TO the character OF ali
'hese documents How, then, will he venture 10
open the bureau the Secretary of State and give
publicity TO its whole contents2 In doing tfis
lsaid MIR. IT. we would sea an example wbici,
would be productive Of infinite mischief hereafter
We were here arrayed in majority and u,innritv
ne administration supported by this minority was
about 10 go out; The minority calls for fuel to
Seep awe we name which party differences have
excited care not, said Mr.. r. how long The
controversy Is continued, nor how long the acr.
inonious feeling which il produced, and which M,
had hoped was subsidized, shall, prevail But lie
opposed the resolution account of The ii,irrv
mmcn u would produce in orr foreign concerns.
ne senator from Massachusetts must see that no
goou end can be attained by looking into the cha
racter OF the Congress OF Panama. He might AZ
well propose to obtain the views Of the PTesident
as 10 the character Of some other bodies AZ oiter
times. The President had found no di(IjcuIiv i'm
tearing away the veil from some secret trans,c
uons, and he presumed that, when IL should suii
his purposes, he would find as little difficulty in
bringing TO The public view, without the aid ~
the Senate, az much of the Pananfa project as he
might see 81 10 publish.
Mr.. Webster said, that nothing was f,ftfe-
rom his expectation than that resolution calm
or 'nIorinauon' a motion 50 constitutional, -
roniorm1hie 10 the practice of both Uoil.es
, t..o