Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-04-12
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rwENrY-FIRsr coNGRrss-srcoNp SESSION.


SHEECH
Of Mr. 7asetceii in the Senate The United State,
or me monon to amend the General .Appropriatia,
| Bi", 6y striking Om so much thereof as ,rent Z
Proeide J9r ne payment Of certain Commissioner
i appointed oy the President 10 negotiate a Treat,
'o"h the Porte Deferred 22d FED, uary, 1881
| IN SENATE, FEB. %, 1881
on .ne mo.ion oil Mr.. Smith OF Maryland, the gene
RAJ appropriation bill ior the support of
was again taken up for consideration. The question de
pending before the Senate, was the motion ,na,e h,
VII. iazewei 10 amend the amendment thereto pro-
Poseu ny 'he committee TO whom this bill had beer re.
erred by striking out Of this amendment all from the
Hoh 10 'he 0o,h lines, inclusive. These words were
| :; or compensation TO the Commissioners employed
IN In hegouSung Treaty with the Sublime Porte. To
Snaries hhhd, an outfit of $4,000, deductng there
rom whatever sum may have been paid 10 him for his
personal expenses: To Charles Rhind, David Ohley.
ana James Bidde, at the rate of 81 500 per annum
Tor the time that each of them was engaged i'm the said
negotiation" - ''o ''''
"For compensation 10 the Commissioners cmploved
on FORMER OCCASION for similar ptrpose 10 William,
NJ Crane and David Ofley, at the rate of 81 500 ner
ahnu Tor the time that each of them was engaged in
the said negotiation" "
This question being announced bv tho prosi5or, nj.
IaZewell rose, and said
MIR. PRESIDENT: 1t had consulted nv feelings
rainier "an my sense OF duty, certainly should not
nave made the motion did few DAVIS since nv which
the discussion then commenced has been nro,,uceJ In
'hs discussion the nfrmity under which labour pre
vented me al that time, and fear, will still disable me
rom DONG justice to the subject But as have com
menced the task however laborous and even nainG 4,
must be In my present sua,ion) will now cndeavor to
complete II; conhding in the Senate, who web know
now am connected with this matter and who witness
my present condition. to pardon this ungrateG,I oh,rn
sion upon their attention
In moving TO expunge that portion of the amendment
proposed oy the Committees which goes TO provide for
the payment OF can outfit and saaries TO "tbe Com
nissloners' appointed well by the late as by the
p,ese"t PRESIDENT "to negotiate Treaty with the SUI
blime Porte, stated most explicitly that II was No,
my purpose to deny TO these persons the money which
tne committee proposed TO award as CONDENSATION for
ne services they were supposed 10 have rendered.
Dut nat my Object was, TO express i'm this manner nv
own decided disapprobation OF what had been done j.;
TINS behalf as well as of the mode in which This re-
was now proposed TO be awarded TO them
sad that II Bill having for its object the comnans,
oh OF these persons, should be introduced into the
other House, where it ought TO originate and should
receive 'hc sanction OF that body such a bill would
ee' my cordial support here, if should bestow
upon these individuals, than the Committee pro
pose 10 allow them by their amendment This xpIicit
declaration, repeated more than once had supposed
wou,u nave projected me against the mpualion OF the
Senator from New York, (Mr. SanfordD which was !
strongly implied in the question he propounded when
he so emphatcally asked, if meant to claim tor the
o., me i9il oeneht oil the labour and time of these
persons ana 10 deny TO them any equivalent therefor,
To this question, thus asked, will again answer with
equal emphasis, No. 1t is not my wish to refuse n
these men one single cent. So far from IL nconsdo
able, nay doubtful, as 1 believe the benefits ~ he
which they are supposed TO have rendered vet Twill
90 hand In hand with the Senator from New York or
any other, In awarding for their service not ~ mere
Ytontttm meruit but liberal and ample sllo,vanca o.
all their time and all their labour, nav even for ,be
honest, though mistaken efforts In this regard.
Having said thus much, must take the liberty ot
'ignitying TO the honorable Senator from New vi
The very wide distinction (Which to nv own nid =; |
quite obviously between such voluntary award NJ Go
pensation, TO those who intended well and acted bona
~, ara votlng an appropriation of money! upon ,I o.
phcaon of the Executive, in redempton of The fa;,h
the State, said 10 be pledged, by those who canno.
agree had any authority so TO commit IT, One wonJ |
be the acknowledgment Of. debt, OF demand or sn,
JUSTICE which, although Congress NAV have tt IL;
cal power, they have not the moral right to refpse
The other Is mere application to our eouitv mo, ad
dressing Itself In any way to our pgbted faith o.
is common exercise of our power of anpronr;,,;
connected with nothing but the special merits Of ,hn
particular case, and constituting obligatory precedent
rect sanction OF what believe TO be an uncons,ution-
al act OF the Executive, and voluntary abandonon
on the part OF the Senate OF its rights and prviegns
One mode OF proceeding, would furnish 10 ,bae ~.
House, all the facts existing in the case and
ry to correct exercise OF their discretion over II
ne oher' Is well calculated TO msead that body bv
outline ldea, mat the appointment of the per-
sons Tor whom compensation is thus provided has re-
celved the confirmation of the Senate; and that tho
pubic faith is thereby pledged, award TO them th
allowance customary upon such occasions ~
The Senate cannot fail TO understood the broad d;9r
ence between the two cases; and whatever NAV ho
their opinion of the of the princines y
winch TINS distinction depends, they will nevertheless
see In the stinc ton ITSELF the reasons for the or
am disposed to pursue. This course will lead me- n
cooperate willingly with the most liberal in award
ing compensation TO these individuals for what tbev
whenever hdt SuuJect snail be brOuphf
perry before me, but will not permit me to vote one
cent, in the mode now here proposed.
III any Senator shall with me- in the oninion
nave mus expressed, that the power which has been
exercised by the President upon this occasion ia moi
granted but forbidden to him by the Constitution and
that its exercise has been in fragrant violation o The
rights and privileges of this body conferred upon il for
the wsest purposes, then know that NV motion viii
receive support But if majority of the Senate shall
dIher with me in this opinion il will be rejected "a
ought TO be- In any event however, shall have the
satisfaction OF bringing this much vexed question IN
conclusion Presented il now is il must he decided
one way or The other There exists no mode of eud.
ing IT. Ii is the conviction of this which gives IN the
present discussion all the interest il has for me- and
when alone could have induced me TO trespass upon
the attention OF the Senate, at this time
Mf. President, 1t has been so long since + nrs
sented to the Senate statement of the facts ex.,io
Ut 'his cse OUT OF which the questions me an TO die
eus' arse that IT seems necessary 10 preface what
nave 10 soy by bfie recital Of them ae ain that none
may suppose am about TO waste your time nv an idle
uls eriau9n upon some abstract proposition which
whehef rue or false, is OF little 10 The
country hope, therefore, that the Senate will favor
ine WIN 'ne'r attention. while repeat the statement
formerly given.
Between the Ottoman Empire and the United ates
20 Pei ucdl connexioo, diplomatic r. laon of apv
Emo ever exsed lr5m the hour which gave birth TO
this Hel ubc as an Independent sovereignty until # >
year ieZ9 IL Is trur Intellectual attempts were made
10 establish such relations and come xiong by both he
Adamsss, while they presided in our government, But
me eiIjrt OF the elder ADAM, although approved bv
VA senate, iel, by OF thu refu al of the mi
mister appointed by him to accept b. sppsinimsnf amt
me subst quent abandonment of fhs AZ N mo b.,