Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-02-17
Congregational Debate on The Mission TO Russia.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIONS, Fen. 5, 1891.
The motion To s,nka out The appropriation for the
salary Of a Minister to Russia being under consid-
GRAFTON. Mr.. burgess, of Rhode Island, address
cd the House as follows:
Mr.. SpEAKER: Permit inc 10 Justify myself, 1ndcr
all which has been said. both against me-, apd against
whatever has been advanced by me in support oil
the me'ion made by the gentleman from Ohio. with
the indulgence of the House, II may be well TO look
back TO the question made by this motion; Tor, gem
tlemen in their zeal to eulog'ze the Munster, or 20
abuse those who doubt the correctness OF his appoint
ment, have departed almost entirely from the matter
IN issue before us.
The objection to the appropriations and the motion
to strike II from this bill, have been made, because it
is proposed for payment of a salary to 4 foreign Min
lister, who, by his commission Of Legation or by Ger
tain secret articles given to him, is authorized to icare
the Court to which he Is sent, to 60 to any other
country, ,h enercr, IN mis- orn op: Mon, his health may
require 1t; and not to return to that Court so long
as, according to the same opinion, 1t may be Injurious
to hts health to do SO We deny such mission to he
q legal one; we deny that the salary provided by law
for foreign Ministers. is, or ever Gun be due 10 any
man sent abroad under such credentials; with such
privileges reserred, and such powers granted to him,
not to the public, but to his oton use. The objection
to this appropriation has, therefore. not been made
because the gentleman was, when sent abroad, and
had long been, a Valetudinarian, or because, If then
IN health, that health, exhausted by the tolls of dipio-
macy, might require refreshment by relaxation and
relief from public service: No, sir-nor because that
refrcshmeut might not be found unless under n mildcr
sky, and by removing to a more genial climate than
that OF Russia. Such things may excite, rs they
certainly have excited, th" special wonder Of the Ma
ton; and they are, and will be very proper topics of
debate, when considering the - state purpose of this
mission but they have not been, nor will they be
made the grounds of objection 10 the appropriation of
this item IN the bill.
We object to this salary on account of the Illegal
itv OF this Mission, and because the Secretary of
State, knowing the enfrchled health OF Mr. Ran
dolph-kncwiDg his inability TO attend to the labori-
Gus details OF that public service knowing that his
constitution could not endure either the ,rinter or
Summer climate of Russi1, did Invent this mission.
and did advise the Pies dent to send out this gentle
-muD with credentials as, Envoy extraordinary and
Minister P!eDIpotcntiary of the United States at the
Ccus; of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Rus
sta ana a. the same tam" to give hlm i C mniissiun,
nJ mater Tor what cause, to reside as such Minister,
n 5s9fiecer country he might choose To reside. Such
4 GlisSlc0 csnnDt be formeG-such a Minister canno,
be sent abroad, either under our laws or our cons,i-
union, or under hs usages and laws of Nations. | ask
the attention OF The House, therefore. to The enquiry.
whether this salary can be due for an illegal and roid
Mission? whether it can be due as a 7uantugl msruIt.
or as q pro rata compensation for the services which
were rendered nj the Court OF Russia or, last of all,
whether l. can be due, because this mission may sub.
serve certain purposes, highly us5uk to the Secretary
oil set! Before these enquiries can, to the hes,
phrpose- DC made, II rs proper IL give some rsplv IN
what hns-becn offered by several gentlemen arsins,
this notion, These gentlemen bavo said less 10 su,-
port lhS appropriation, han to impdgn The motives
oFthoSc who oppose it. With my motives the zen.
t!enien are welcome t. amise themselves. The siorn,
o! their abuse past over me, rs The winter storms NJ
my native NV EHgiand have Of en- passed over In.
hnma 9 dwelling OF my boyhuUd, without SHAKING p
some rom t1e chimney or starting a single on the
root. i have too much respect for myself to believe
tnet they liiVc abused me from the wantunne.s q
malice, but do believe it wuJ cone simply bcca,s,
tney co'ld ind no. hing to say more appropriate {,
the question.
Tnls motion has been made 10 protsc. .ba ,;r,,,
OF the Nation against the entertainments of notsst
Ehose VINO resist such encroGchments, and assaults
OF power, must always expect to encounter yocifcr
GUS, II not Infatuated adyersares. have not cn,er-
ed this warfare without 'sco.nt;ng he roI - .
school of high authority taught m, That, in n wor NJ
aggression, " lie who takes the sword shall perish by
the sword'-but in a war Of defence, "lrt him who
has no sword sell his coat and buy one"
How hen has our defence been m It and ans,vsr.
Gu! how by the gentleman from Virginia, rATr
BARBOUR First of all, ! am accused OF obioci;ng
TO tins appropriations, because il Is for The use of \
VHgnLan. In this the gentleman IS utterly mista
ken. Informed him Of this error in a lew moment
alter he had taken his seat. He has, notwithstan.
ding, Oh sen to put this error IN print. Suffer me
sr'm my place. and before this House, to protest
aga nst TINS procedure. The gentlemen who hear,
N then, and who do me the honor e. hear me NV
ean to wiLness, that | said no such thing; and
s1 a"UD h.. made the priate dP c5 5&:gF5e., could my pro,esta-
a. gation against me, and travel side A BY Tsai99tsleman's
under re eye Of the nation. This, / know, cannoo,,
os nunc; al5 | must suffer the imputatiun, whereyo,
HIS speech is read, without my correction of ito or.
rors. BE II so; but ' believe there is too much oond
ANNiILD IIlDl
SENSE, and TOO mech moral sentimen in Virg,n;ds -
SCI down oneI their feIlow mon as quite so stupld,
or quite 81 fDa!cvOlent. P'
Ihegenlleman alleges that | considered This mis-
Sion US a o'ioe offered to Virginia. This mioht have
Gech SAID by me, because | believed il w h, ,,no
IL saia' was 1T said, or couIdit be intended. in dcro
ga'lon OF Virginia? Is Virginia dishonorcd b- ,iWs
attempt Of the willy Secretary, did ~, " , tnS
man VIII intimate that Virginia had even ion Ji arc u 10
a favorable eye ON this bribc, this splendid bes,oy,.
nnc"'' TOT those who hear, but those who Ijstsn 70
me song OF the syrcn, and are allured bv ,ho -
cnantInert' become debased by tie temptation 81
competitions are spread nver the who'll no,b If ~
IVES rom the cradle TO the grnvo. Tho cn,,co
mems OF pleasure besct our you II tho toll, rs n"nL:
sion are spread Tor our vigorous manhood; md od
20 ."u m3I'sL amor hdbsadi, when MI OTHER lovos
are frozen W the heart, alIures The. dim = 80 ' w..
-, unu 'no s"fd ear to listen to, the glrterir9 bseon-
IVES ana golden melodies ofavaricc. Arc we let
mn,co orcau,e IN the language of Sir William Joncs
we is .P,ronttcd to spread her snorns a,o,,nJ 20
em", s"e Triumph OF virtue may bo more con.n;cn'
ousYo The ermine Of The Judge is moi t,IpishoS Sa
cause some unprincIpled Iiugant has crof iy n. 'v I
u pride 10 the court. The name of the j9nsrri,od :
EHnNN In hNHsNNNII ILIa