Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-18
CONGRESSIONAL Dcbelc on Ne .Mssion 70 Russia.

House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, Fen. 3, 1881.
The motion to strike out the appropriation for the
salary of Minister to Russia being under cunsid-
Grafton. Mr.. burgess, of Rhode Island address,
cd the House as follows:
mr.. SPEAKER: Permit me to Justify myself under
all which has been SAID both against me- and against
whatever has been advanced by me in support of
the motion made by the gentleman from Ohio. With
the indulgence OF the House, 1t may be we'll look
BACK to the question made by this motion; for, gen.
tenen IN their zeal eulogize the Minister or 20
abuse those who doubt the of his appoint
men, have departed almost entirely from the matter
IN issue before
The objection to the appropriation, and the motion
to strike from this bill, have been made because
Is proposed for payment of salary to foreign Min
lister, who, by his commission of Legation, by GER
tain secret articles given him. authorized to ieave
the Court TO which he is sent go to any other
country, ,cheneuer, his opinion, his health NAV
require 1T aud not to return to that Court so long
as, according to the same opinion, it may be Injurious
To his health to do We deny such mission TO be
legal one we deny that the salary provided iy law
tor foreign Ministers. IS, or be due 10 any
man sent abroad under such credentials; with such
privileges reserucd, and such powers granted to him
not To the public, but to his use The objection
to this appropriation has, therefore. not been made
because the gentleman wasSwhen sent abroad, and
had long been, vaetuGinarian or because if then
III health, that health, exhausted by the tolls of dplo
MACY, might require refreshinert by relaxation and
relief from public service No, sir-nor because that
refreshment might not be found unless under milder
SKY, and by removing to Il more genial climate than
that of Russia Such things may excite as they
certainly have excited, the special wonder of the Ma
ton; and they arc, and Will be very proper topics of
debate when considering the stutc purpose" of this
mission; but they have not been, will they be
made the grounds OF oh lection to tic appropriation of
this item in the BILL
We object to this salary OH account of the ILLEGAL
ity of this Mission, and because the Secretary of
State, knowing the entecbled health of Mr. Ran
dolph-knowiEg his inability to attend To the labori.
details of that public scrvice-knowino tina, his
~,
Summer climate of Russn, did Invent this mission
and did advise the President send out this gentle
man with credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipoentiary of the United States nj The
Court of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Rus
STA and at the same time to give him commission
no mater for what cause, to reside as such Minister
IL sDh1tecer country he might choose to reside Such
a mission cannot be tormed-such q Minister cannot
be sent abroad, either under our laws or our consi
tuition, or under he usages and laws of Nations ask
the attention Of the House, therefore, to the enourv
whether this salary can be due for illegal and rod
MISSION! whether 1t can be due quantum ,neruit
or as pro rata compensation for the services which
were rendered at the Court of Russia or last Of an
whether 1t Gun be due because this mission NAV s,;b
sefre certain purposes highly usuI 10 the Secretary
OF State! Before these enquiries cun to the best
purpose. be made, it proper give some repIv tn
what has been offered by several gentlemen agsins,
TINS motion These gentlemen bave said less to SUD-
port this appropriation, than to impugn the motives
OF those who oppose il. With my motives the GEN
tle!iien are welcome to themselves The siorn,
OF their abuse past over me, as the winter storms of
my native New England have often passed over tho
humble dwelling OF my boyhood, without SHAKING n
stone from tic chimney, starting single On The
roof have too much respect for myself to believe
that they have abused ME from the wantonness Of
malice but do believe it was done simplv hecause
they could lind nothing to say more appropriate 10
the question.
This motion has been made to protect the rights
Oh the Nation against the entertainments of power.
Those who resist such encroa chments and assaults
funG n nnpt g.
Gus, If not infatuated adversarIes. have not enter
ed this warfare without counting the cost" A
school OF high authority taught m. that in a war Of
aggression, He who axes The sword shall pcrsh h.,
the sworL'-5ut Ill of defence " let him who
has no sword sell his coat and buy one"
How !hen has our defence been m It and answer
ed! How by the gentleman from Virginia? rMr
BARBOUR First of all, am accused OF obieciing
to this appropriation, because it is for The use of
Virgnian In this the gentleman is utterly mista
ken. informed him of this error in few moments
after he had taken his seat lie has, notwithstan-
dang, chosen to put this error in print. Suffer me
sir, Ill my place, and before this House. to protest
aTalnst this procedure The gentlemen who heard
mo thon, and who do me the honor to hear me now,
call to witness, that l said such thing; and I
should have nothing to regret, could my protesta-
ton be made the printed companion ofthe penemans
allegation against me, and travel side by side whit
under the eye OF the natioB.-This, know canno,
be done; and must suffer the imputatlon wherever
his speech is read, without my correction of its or
rors. Be il SO; but believe there is too much rood
sense, and TOO much moral sentiment in Virginia to
set down of their fellow men Us quite so stuniJ,
or quite nasyolent.
The gentleman alleges that | considered this NJ is-
sion as n bIibe offered to Virginia This mirht have
been said by me, because | believed it TO be trne
If said, was it said, could be Intended in dero
CATION of Virginia? Is Virginia dishonored BY this
attempt Of the willy Secretary? l did not and no
man will intimate that Virginia had even looked with
a favorable eye this bribe this splendid bestow
ment' Not those who hear, but those who listen 10
the song OF the syrcn, and aIlurcd by the en- !
chantment, become debased by the temptation Sir
temptations arc spread over the whole oath Of our
ives from tie cradle 20 the grave. Tic entIce-
ents Oh pleasure bcsct our youth the tolls of aIDb
ton are spread for vigorous manhood and old
age; the honest amor habendi when MI other lovcs
are frozen III the heart alGrcs the din eve 10 naZe
OF, and the surd ear to listen to- the gIterinr beau
lies and golden melodies ofayarice. Are we digho !
nored because III the language Of Sir William Jones'
vice Is permitted to spread her snores around ne
mat the triumph OF virtue may be more coDsoicu |
ous: The errnlne Of ;hc Judge is not furnished be-
cause some unpTIncipled tigaD has crafty preferred
BRIDE to the court. The name of TIC nsulted In.
fretla has arrived 10 after Journey Of 1000 venrs
- solled by line, by The breath of any one oe