Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-19

IL
co any action on the part OF this House as mprope
- 'ons rs negotiations were pendns; and hone
: ,hat the report woald be recomui;ted TO the con
|, n ee wah instructions TO report something Of N
u following character.
y u appearing that The reciI roca complaints r,
: 'e'reo 70 IN the correspondence submitted on IN
y subjects OF diplomatic discussion between the &C
vetnmen's OF the two countries, the committee hav
ing enute Confidence that the rights and honor OF IN
i onred States will be sus aned by the Exccutiv,
: and entertaining the hope that the controversy wi
oe brought TO a satisfactory termination, are OF III
:. opinion that no action OF this House is at this tint
7, necessary. They therefore ask TO be discharges
1 rom The further consideration OF the subjeci.n
Mr. FlLLMORE rose and said that, in th
course OF the debate, he had been anticipated h,
oiher gentlemen in much that he intended to say.
The question was of rs much, II not more. i'm
porance 10 his section of country than any other
and he desired TO express his opinion in relation 4
the vote he had Just given in favor Of the motion Il
lay on the table, coupled with motion to print
may Continued MIR +. have mistaken the pur
port OF this report; have only heard il read once
at the Cesk's table, and have had no opportunit,
; To examine its contents. The gentleman from S
Sarohna says II IS conclliatory; that IL will ado
hotning to the exasperaed feeling already existing
) on the frontier. believe that he thinks his report
VIII have that tfiect but much fear, from what
/ other gentlemen Of the committee say. that he i.
mistaken. | voted in favor of laying the motion ,c
print on the table because thought the effect would
not be such as the gentleman anticipated, aud
L
nave time TO look into IT, and see II my original i'm.
presslons should be confirmed. II, upon examina.
ton, had found that IL was not calculated TO pro.
duee the results apprehended, man would vote
ior It's printing more freely than | would. The
House, however, has refus cd to lay the motion TO
print the table, and has thought proper 10 6ec de
that the report shall be published.
| Having, as have stated, only heard the report
once read, and Judging from what Others say of IL
concur IN the opinion OF the gentleman from Mas.
/ Mr. "A.
reeommiited to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
had hoped from the committee n calm, deliber.
ate, and dlgnhed report in the case of the burning
OF the Caroline" and the arrest of Mcleod; that
II would have been limited 10 that matter alone lin
stead OF embracing, rs 1t apparently does all our
SUBJECTS OF controversy with Great Brittany and
That would have set the country right with refer.
ence to the facts IN that case. | may be mistaken
as regards some OF those facts; and upon a careful
examination of the testimony, subsequent 10 the
Tune when last submitted few remarks on this
case, observe icaJ mistaken in some of the facts
connected with that transaction. AS was not pre-
sent on the occasion, all the knowledge have de-
rive from the newspapers ard from public docu-
ments, as others may, and probably DO. But up |
on this question, which, as have said, is one of
vital Importance 10 that part of the country where
reside, we must reeocci, IN The first place. that |
there Is judicial question depending. And | was
IN hopes that IN this report, exciting and inhama.
tory IN It's character as | now think il is nothing |
would have been said, and that so far rs this |
House was concerned, nothing would have been |
done, calculated TO increase the excitement which
already exists. | confess have heard with regret
and shame The repous from that part of the country
IN regard to the treatment of tn individual, who
IS 50 soon 10 be put upon his trial for murder |
cannot Tor any consideration countenance for a |
moment the idea that the laws of this country are
to be basely tramp ed on by any authority what
Soever' cannot eoun,enance the idea that the |
judiciary OF the country shall for n moment he
OYcraWeu. directed. cd htr oh.
authority than that of the laws themselves And
"hlst say this, am also unwilling TO Countenance
any Ih'ng there, or TO DO any thing here, which |
may TEND TO such results, hope that we may have
oeen mSlniotmed as TO the nature of the proceed |
inss there's am unwilling to believe that, in
community Of citizens such that, and with many
OF whom am well acquainted and who are hish.
ly respectable and intelligent, such things have oe-
Cured. say hope we have ceen misiuormed
trust we have. | have seen different statements
OF those transactions, and some Of them have been
OF an exculpatGry character. But one thing at all
events should be borne in mind by all whose duty
requires them 10 act on this subject here There
great state of excitement on that frontier which
might by possibility lead 10 outbreak NV obiec-
ton to the printing of the report was, that II was
calculated TO inhame the public mind; end was
governed IN that vote by three reasons In the first
plaee, did not wish that any thing should be done
here which might have a tendency do injustice TO
the individual who is soon 10 be tried by The laws
should have It's free action; that no excitement
should be raised against Mcleod which might pre-
vent fair and impartial trial. In the second
place, do rot desire that any action on the mart of
TINS House should compromise or control the Exc |
cuuEe OF this nation IN the negotiations now pend-
ing between the Government OF the United STATES
and the Government of Great Britain. | have all |
confidence IN the incoming Administration. II this
controversy can be smciby and honorable settle ed
between the two Governments | desire that il |
Ruff hare e n harN. .r,l,
IN my mind against any thing being done TO exas-
parate the public mind on the subject Of war with
Great Britain. lis Ihisi for three or four wears
have used all the eKertions IN my power 10 induce
lhs Administration, which is responsible to the |
country, 10 provide some OF defence on our
Northern frontier. But all my efforts were IN |
VAIN. And yet he gentleman from South Carroll |
ma (Mr. Pickensl now tells US that the course 10 /
lie pursued TO avoid war with Great Britain s /
10 stand up to her-to threaten her-to take high
stand and that, he says, will ayerta war | NAV
have been mistaken in the meaning. know that
those were not his words. But | would submit
to him that the best way to avoid a war with G. |
Brian IS 10 show that we are prepared 10 meet her
'hetes 10 he war because reasonable prepara. /
tons for defence are better than gasconading
Mr. FILLMORE then alluded to the dsfencsl.,s
condition Of the Northern frontier. He desired. |
and believed the whole country desired, that we
should yield nothing 10 the demands OF Great Bri
tan, 10 which she was not fairly entitled But, AT
Il "A M In
mhdman 10 precpitate the country into A war be. |
fore she was prepared for j., than the actkf s.aes
man. In his section Of country the people ,yould
yield nothing to Great Bfitan. TO which she ,ros
not Justly entitled; or they would Weld il only |
with the lass drop OF their blood. But he did moi
wish prematurely TO be drawn into war. he did NOT
wish 10 invite Great Britain TO invade our defence
less coast. The true plan was to prepare for var
u we had yet 70 come 70 IT, but to do nothing in the
way Of Dragging II Il did come, gentlemen would
not ind his (Mr F.'sl people shrinking from their
just share Of responsibility. All they bad-tbeir /
properly, their lives, every th.ng-they were vii I
ling 10 devote, II need he, 10 the service and homo,
Of their country But, was il not the p,tt nj vie
dom and prudence, before we made deelpr,tion |
Of war 10 ~ pare for IN This wss all he desired.
and II this report was calculated TO srr up a war
feeling, without corresponding preparation being
made 10 meet The consequences, he for one vas |
opposed TO IT, Tie did not wish the country 10 he |
disgraced by defeat When she must go 10 war.
he desired TO see her prepared Tor II; he desired TO
see her placed IN a situation which would enable |
her to bid defiance TO the power Of any Govern.
ment on earth.
Mr. +. then alluded 10 the Fertilization bill re-.
ported from the Commit.ee Of Ways and Means the
other day by 10 chairman, Mr. Jonesf That bill
contained appropriations 70 the amount Of nearly
half million oi dollars, Though that he believed
was only about half Of the amount usually anp,o'
pri'ied for such purposes;) and yetIhefe was not
solitary fouhcaunn on the Northern frontier 10
winch any paTi Of that money was a. ne applied
Was this the way IN which we should prsnaTe for
waH Did The gentleman from South Carolioo
(mr Pckens,l who presented the rep u, desire 10
declare war against England before the new Admin.
istraiOn came into pOwef7 iii 50. he (Mf vyouid