Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-24
Mr.. JOHN @. ADAMS SPEECH


Mr.. JOHN @. ADAMS SPEECH
On the General Appropriation BiH.-HoUsE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, MAY l.
Mr. ADAMS said, that at the adjournment
of the House last evening, he had been DESTROYS
of saying few words in reply to the remarks
which had been made to what he had before
said. He should confine himself as much as
possible to those remarks The gentlemen who
had spoken after him yesterday, particularly
the honorable Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Relations, (Mr ARCHERY had entered
upon subjects Of an exciting nature, and which,
as they had been discussed heretofore, it was
not so necessary to bring now into debate. Mr.
"a. had had particular reasons for wishing to
avoid these TOPICS but it was no longer left to
his choice.
The true ground taken, called for the amend
ment he had offered. He had not expected
that it would call up the friends Of the Admins
traton as it had done; nor that they would have
considered it necessary to put forth their whole
strength in vindicating the course pursued.
The Chairman of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, with that high and honorable spirit
which belonged to him, had considered himself
called upon, by the place he occupied, to come
forth in support Of so much of the course of the
Administration, as he believed capable of de-
fence and its conduct had been farther and
more at large defended by another member of
the same Committee (Mr. WAYNE,) and also by
the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and
Means (Mr. PoLK) Each Of these gentlemen
| had submitted considerations peculiar to them
selves in support of the present item of appro-
priation.
Mr.. A. should confine himself in reply, to
those considerations which belong to the merits
of the question, and to the grounds on which he
should support the motion Of the gentleman
from Connecticut (Mr. FooT) to strike out the
words "Great Britain" and Russia"
He did not advocate the amendment on the
grounds assumed by the gentleman from Con-
necticut, who had moved it: and still less on
those which had been taken by the eloquent
gentleman from South Carolina (N1r. DAVIS
As to the principles laid down by the latter gen
tleman, they would have all that weight with
the House which they ought to have. Mr.. A
did not attach the same Importance to them
which that gentleman did.
AS to the honorable Chairman of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations (Mr. ARCHERY so
far as MIR. A. recollected, the principal answer
given to his previous remarks had been the eX-
preston of great surprise, on the part OF that
gentleman, that Mr. A. should underrate the
Importance of mission to Russia. He did not
underrate it. He knew its importance. There
was no gentleman in that House who knew it
so we'll He ought to know it better than others,
as his opportunities had been better. He had
been in circumstances fully to appreciate the
value of a good understanding with that Pow
err in critical circumstances of our own affairs.
There had been period, in which Mr. A, well
knew the value of maintaining diplomatic rela-
tons there; he did not attach the same import
ance to il now; but he held still to be of quite
sufficient importance for us to have Minister
of the highest grade constantly residing there.
His objection to the appropriation did not
rest on that ground at all. He objected to it,
because Congress was appropriating, year at.
ter year, for Minister to Russia, when we had
no such Minister there. The House appropriate
ed for full Minister'S salary; and the country
ought to have a Minister of that rank constant
ly on the spot. There ought not to be an inter-
val of month in which either of these import
tant missions should be vacant. The House
went on apprOpriating from year to year, and
at the end of the year they were still asked for
more. When they inquired the reason, and ad-
verted to the fact that no Minister had been sent
they were then told that the money had all
been spent; just as it would have been had
Minister of the highest grade been resident at
the Court in question during the whole year
This was Mr. AS objection.
In reference to some Of the topics which had
been touched upon by the gentleman from
Georgia. (Mr. WAYNE,) and the Chairman of
the Committee of Ways and Means, (Mr. Polk
he felt himself under a restraint which would
compel him to avoid reply, were he otherwise
situated. He had stated, when up on the pre-
vious day, that this state of things to which he
objected had happened not at the Court of Rus
STA alone. Minister would be sent, and, on
arriving at his destination, would remain but
brief space of time and then return home, to
go elsewhere. He had noticed case in which
one stald but six weeks; this, to be sure, was
the strongest instance that had occurred; but
there were others not much less exceptionable.
The CHAIRMAN of the Committee on FOREIGN |
Relations Mr. ARCHERY with that candid. omen.
manly, and magnanimous spirit, in which he
always acted, had undertaken the vindcatjon
of the case more particularly adverted to He
feelings of that gentleman: hit
the nation had agreed in the opinion he had ex'
pressed in relation to that embassy. The gen
tleman from Georgia (Mr. WAYNE) had endea- |
Yored to turn what he had said into person |