The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-21

ABOUT TINS ana tnAi tnis fessot
there for the purposes Of hostility against the Ca
madam Government say, therefore, that we struck
the first blow and H. instead Of pressing thus mattei
TO war TO refer II TO third Power, even u
il should be to European Republic, ii any such thing
is remaining and should say there had been an nva-
sion Of our territory they would ask US a question
something like that which put TO character IN
play of Moere--Qus diabie allah IL faire dams eeis
gaiere w hat the d. had he TO do IN that galley
Great laughter
d. had YOU to do with that steamboat" They
would say that we struck the first blow Now, admit
that-anJ none of your State rights mcn can deny II
admit that and all the rest follows OF course hey
| will say it was overwhelmingly u you please
Taking Of distractions, 1t was wrong Tor an expedi.
ton TO come over and burn the steamboat, and send
her over the falls. But what was your steamboat
about, VIVA, had she been doing3 What was she to
| do the next morningl And what ought you to do
You have reparaiion 10 make for all the men and Tor
all the arms and implements Of war which we were
transporting and going TO transport TO the other SIDE
10 fomsnt and nstigate rebellion In Canada That
| is what the third party would say 10 us. And II
would come in the end after all the blood and rea-
sure had been wasted by between the two coun-
tries, to this that we must shake hands and drink
champagne together, after having made mutual
| apology for mutual transgression. That Is the way
things settled between individuals II you said
So why, said so !" and thus the dispute is amcably
settled So should have to do with tins national
matter for there is not any great difference, in the
essentials OF quarreing and making up between ma
tons and individuals. See fight in the street be-
tween two boys, who give each other bloody noses
and when the question comes TO be settled between
them the basis of the settlement is who gave the first
blowl And the award Of any honest umpire is, at
ter suffering the parties TO fight out that he who
struck the first blow in the wrong. And so It Is
with nations. Why, then, are you talking of State
| rights and of Independence in connection with this
| question II has nothing to do with it.
There Is, sir, another point of view in which l OBJ
ject to this resolution have here, in another
part Of this building, to which il would not be in or
der refer except indirectly although did hear the
other day. such dressing Of this House in that body
that thought almost had right get up and pro-
test against it. But will refer to the matter
cep in terms which within the rules of order.
have heard there and the newspapers out OF
doors, prodigious affair made of this matter, as II
the Government Of the United States had outraged
the State of New York-because the great Empire
State Of New York had undertaken TO say that she
would hang Mcleod, whatever Great Britain or the
General Government might do. Yes whatever they
might do, the great Empire State of New York would
hang Mcleod That was the language. What, sir,
ask, is the object Of this resoutionl To inquire Of
the President of the United States whether any officer
Of the Army, or the Attorney General Of the United
States since the 4th of March last, has visited the
State Of New York for any purpose connected with
the trial of Alexander McLeod2
Ibeeve that question was answered before il was
asked think the information was contained IN
0Ocu pent communicated Dy the Fresiuent OF tue On-
ted States which stated not only that General was
sent but that instructions given to the Attorney
General and the instructions themselves were com
municated TO Congress, with the Presidents message
at the very commencement of the session.
Why, then, should this House be occupied hour at
Ter hour in discussing whether the Attorney General
sent TO New York. and what he was about there
when the President himself has told you he sent
and the object Of his mission.
Every body knew il before the question was asked
hat thap1 UInx not tha Mt n oh tn apu
the Attorney General to New York on that or any
other subject Where is the constitutional provision
prohibiting him from sending the Attorney General
to New York on that any other of the subjects
which before the judicial courts of that State2-
Yes the Attorney General has been sent there and
we have his instructions. And have heard here, on
the part of some Of my forty friends from New York.
great deal about the conscious dignity and honor OF
the Empire STATE of New York. Now, not
very fond Of that term Empire State in the language
of this Union; and say that if there is Empire
State in this Union it is Delaware To be mag
noquent and talk about the Empire State may
well become the forty gentlemen who represent the
State this floor, having reference to their
befs and the numbers OF their constituents or to the
extent fertility and beauty of her soil yet this dis
nction not recognised in the Constitution of the Uni
ted States- They all, members Of this u non,
equal and the State of Delaware has as good right
to be called the Empire State" New York. Now,
if my forty friends from New York choose to call il
the Empire State will not quarrel with them. 1t is
only to consequences that enter my caveat against
the too frequent of those terms this floor; for
there is meaning in those words Empire State,
when used among estates, more than meets the
Suppose it was in Delaware that such event had
occurred do you suppose my friend here Mr. Rodney
from Delaware would have offered such a resolution
thisl And, by the terms Of the resolution, should
presume that my friends from New York think there is
little more dignity and power in having forty Repre-
sentatives than only one.
But there is another point of view in which ask
the attention of the House to this resolution At the
very time when have this great issue upon another
point with the British nation, and when this resolu
ton, and every thing connected with it, is blowing
the Goals to make another issue, there is behind It
other effort to make YET another issue between this
Government and the State Of New York. What is I
the object of that Are you going to war with TO
reign nation2 And is that time to split hairs in
questions Of jurisdiction between the Government of
the United States and that of one of the separate
Sates3 And are you going TO bring up the question
hich of the two has the right, the precious right
to hang Mcleod 2" Are you going to make as issue
between the State Of New York and the Government
Of the United States upon such exercise of power
as that Arc you going to show your loeakness at
the very moment when you are boarding the lion in
his den Is that the time TO make issue between
the Government, which represents the whole country,
and State as TO its powerl God forbid that should
question It's power but inquire is it polite or wise
to make quarrel between that Government and this,
about the most insignificant of all questions, a. to
which Of you shall release McLeod7 For, while |
gentlemen talk about hanging Mcleod, others,
mcrcul, tell that if il should turn out that
his man concerned in the affair Of the Caroline,
yet that there was power in the State of New York
that might prevent his execution-that the Executive
of New York had the power Of pardoning well as
the General Government and that the attribute of
mercy would be exercised with much discretion by
the Governor Of New York would be by the Presi
dent of the U. States. But see nothing in the
respondencc which has been laid before that would
lead to the conclusion that the Of the law in
New York would not be carried out, according TO all
its rights and all its dignitie and the be released
without the necessity Of resort TO the authority of
the General Government.
am perfectly satisfied for my part, II il should