Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-04-15
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mcnt and the mer. agents vi its officers which |
constitutes the striking difference between the cases
ss.erred by the Senator from Illinois, and that
now before In this these Commissioners |
officers of the United States-commissoned as
such-authorized by that commission to pledge our
faith and ho,our-cntted, the bearcis OF our great
seal, TO be rega rded every where the representa-
ivos Of the sovereignty whose emblem it s-and to
clam ali immunites accorded by the public law, to
such representatives Of any power On earth Where
us, your secret agents IN South America. your bear
of dispatches newspapers, ct III op,ni genus.
never had any commlsson-had authority TO
pledge your faith-wcre never trusted with your
great sea--and had not snglc privilege where,
which any other individual citizen might equally
well claim In short, they officers OF the
United ) but the messengers (c'rher special
gencra of their officers Sir mortifies me, hear
the high tunc;ionai o: the Nation degraded by
comparison with such gentry these; and their
ctet commissions. assimia'ed to the warrants of
me sscngers the secret letters TO spies. l know
but nf these Commissioners personally but of him
Will say, that the eamr lofty spirit which refused
20 bring his ship To Constantin"pl". unless with her
ports iriccd up, her guns shown, and her Gag and
pcnnants all abroad, would have nude him cast your
parchment from him with scorn, If IL had been
limited that IT intended 10 constitute him any
other than public minister of hrs country, whose
hnn,r and whose interest he has proudly sustained
Bat, Mr.. President the question not whether
these commissioners were what the Senator from
Illinois calls public ministers, but whether they We're
officers Of Me United States; for the President NAV
not make orig inat appointment of any such Off
GERS without the advice and OF the Senate.
To determine hi question, You must look to their
commission. This You find in the same form with
every other aud If you will but consider its effects
and consequences, none can doubt that II constituted
them officers of the United States Suppose tina,
tho G and Sgnor. after sccredt.. these Commission
had nj them to the Seven Tow ers, must every
body admit. that the homo. of this nation wonld have
Obliged 1t to resent the insult offered to itself by such
an ndgny to IFS representatives.. protected they
would have b. en- by the public law: Or suppose that
q utpn Ihpl had
bren guilty of any other high crime, against thor
faith and the duty confded them. Does any one
doubt, that they might have been lmpcached? And
yet, forsoo,h, they not officers of the United
States but secret agents, like the bearers of
dispatches or newspapers, who We all know. re-
ceve "a little consideration home they are en-
titled to expect abroad
The honorable Senator from MARYLAND, uotw;thstan.
ding he affirms this exactly like tue Panama
case, and therefore clear, yet endeavors dstin.
Euish ttle IN order to make it clearer than that
If possible. He tells u.s. that of these Comruis.
soners, Mr. Rhind. was regularly appointed Consul
at Odessa by the President, acting with the atyic
and consent OF the Senate given last session.
That he being thus officer Of the United States
the President might charge him with whatever In.
sicucti ms might seem necessary, TO negotiate
Trestv with Turkey. II is so common IN this
country, where thu thirst for Office nsati1bIe)
Tn continue the titles of Governors of States and mill
tia officers to those VII have filed such places
IT 1t only wherever they may be but long they
live, that not surpiized the Senator from Mary
land should feel disposed to enlarge this custom Tit
lie, especially when a barren name may be made the
fruitful parent Of much executive power he thus
claims for II. Henceforward, we must not only say,
suppose, that once Consul add always Con-
sui, but also, that Consul any whete
and always Counsul every where. Nay, if i, be
true that this Consul the Russian port of Odessa
map. virtute offfc, be metamorphused by the mere
Instructions of the PRESIDENT rather Of the Secre-
'ry Of State into negociator at CoTstantfDpe of
Treaty with the Ottoman empire, il viii be very
difficult to find limit to consular functions thus
chat thing called Consul, the Lowest in the pio ma.
TIC scale, without pay, power, or privilege, may be
cpnverted into the must important fnctionary the
United States can have abroad. Sfr, il would have
been subject worthy Of Hogar,hs pencil imagine,
TO have represented the interview bev NJ Rbind
md the REFS Eend, the proud representative Of his
lIauBhfy sovereign, IT, when they first met to exchange
their powers. the "chrstian dog" had presented to
lin consular diploma to Odessa, the equivalent
az his full powers. 1t would crafty me much 10 hear
from any body what wond have been the state Of the
negotiation #, pendente lite, the Russian Autocrst
liar revoke Mr. Rhinds exequatur, end SO term. |
hattu hs functions at Odessa But suppose we !
might thus Justify MIR Minds appointment what is
u be sad for B,dde? lie no Consul to Odessa
any where else, did he bear any tiplora,ic
authority, save what this commsson conferred upnn
him II ~ true that he bore, and calamity bore Che
commission OF Post Captain in the navy f the UNI
ted States; but surely it will not be contended that
naval DIR military officer may, virtue ofic, be trans
idrTred into diplomatic ffnctonary Of the Highest
grade, by the mere Instructions of a Secretary of
State or simple rider of the President alone The
oftscer, am sure ought to object this, for it so
ine Hon'd be requisite its converse; ind when ma
val officers may, ~ word from the President lis
Secretares' be converted into public ministers ne
rntiate Treaties the latter by process equally sum-
mary may De made the commanders of fleets and !
p~mies-
But the President himself has answered ry argument, He
asa moi suppose that orders Instruction, alone would
nnnz"t Consus Posi- Captains, any hody else TO make
ea'es' he knew WELL that Plcupoenary commission was
y": ADD therefore, these "IelteT patent" for that
T. r1m'e Nor will ne, should think, feel much obfped
- The honorable Senator from Maryland for mnna,ion ne
"'r'y IMPLIED IN tins argument the substance nf
" y ~ mat meaning 10 negotiate a Treaty with Turkey
and to cDneea this his object from Senate the President
nominated To them as Consul Odessa hun whom ne
"'h appointed Minister Pirnipo'entafy for that purpose
hr f'esI1en', there . argument which see
nave 10 answer and then will have done with this aft Of
tt get The honorable Senator Illinois fNr ,yrl
I's ms That come too late mai Srapr have already
sUard I've Ta'hcauon Of tie Treaty; 10y 50 dong have
W proved the appointment OF the Minister'S who nego,,s,ed ~
ineole am no" esopped 20 urge any objer6on ,hsse
appointments OF my particular ipatnn from tins sub
posed eoPrel appeal the knowledge of all nv brethren
81 h' senate who have heard my poesatons and Witnessed
Iy continual calm 10 the Tghi which now sought IN Inc
''rHd 10y this strange limitation Nor car pem ,hs