Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-21

de red it more so. 1t more than prooaOle tnat, u
the discussion went today, it would devslve on the
Chair to put end 10 IL he would therefore he placed
in an awkward predicament if he should be compelled
10 put an end to controversy in which, upon the call
of Senator, he had become, on its very threshold,
witness. He merely threw out the suggestion, oil
which he hoped the honorable Senator from missouri
(ar. Benton) would perceive the propr'ely; II Inc
memory of the presiding officer was fresh and hxed as
regarded facts Of public character there would be no
improperly in Senators calling upon him for his recol
lection Of them; but there was certainly nm improperly
pursuing such in this case, (when ms memo.
nv Of the transaction must he imperfectO which was
more of personal than public nature Inc senator
from Missouri had right TO call upon any senator 10
give 10 the Senate his recollection Of the facts but not
upon the Chair He therefore suggested to him, whe
ther his good did not perceive there was an
improperly, under the circumstances, IN calling upon
the presiding officer TO become witness lhere were
Senators who had recollection of this transaction, as
we'll as the presiding officer their memory was as per-
feet his he suggested them whether, under The CIR
cumstances Of the case, the Senator OF Missouri should
press this point
The CHAIR remarked that, if it was the sense OF
the Senate, he would state his recollection OF the trans
action His memory was full and exact as he could
desire; but having been called upon most une xPectedly
and having held no conversations upon the subject
within his recollection, he felt decacy III making
any statement.
Mr. BENTON was understood to remark that there
could be want of delicacy in the presiding ohcer
before whom the transaction occurred saling his reco
lection Of the fact
The CHAIR said he was taken by surprise, but he
would put il to the Of the Senate whether he
might be permitted to make statement. The question
was then put the Senate and decided in the negative
Mr.. BENTON then called upon the Senator from
Louisiana (hlr Barrow 10 state to tho Senate ms re
collection OF the e ,nsacon in controversy
MIR. BARROW then rose, and said that If he lad
any distinct recollection of the trnnsaciion he would
tell it to the Senate but, since the matter was
first introduced he had endeaVored, for the last two
DAYS to refresh his memory, with desire to put the
matter, SO far as he could, on proper iootng But
his recollection was so ndistnct, that he would not
undertake TO state any Thing positive. lie took very
little interest in the discussion which sprung up when
the map was presented by the Senator from Missouri.
He felt very little interest regarded these lines, and
perused the map when IN the possession OF the
Senator from Missouri, (flr Benton) nor afterwards,
when il sent to the seat OF the Senator from Viz
GINA, (Nlr Rivcs) did he attend there Tor The purpose
of examining il, as others did. lie would state the
impression made on his mind that day; promising
that he did not pretend to know any thing with Ger
taniy in reference TO the matter in dispute as to these
lines at that time. Occupying seat there [pointing
10 the seat when the debate sprung up, he pad no
particular attention 10 what was said by any Senator,
for he felt that it of importance that the dis
cussion should be interrupted. Having made up his
own mind how he should give his vote he did not feel
it incumbent him to listen His attention not
therefore attracted TO the debate, until struck with the
solemn manner in which The Senator from Virginia
had introduced The map. This was his impression
whether sufficient grounds not he would not un-
dertake to say. The map was introduced by the Sena.
tor from Missouri What lie said when he called the
attention of the Senate 10 it, and the lines upon ill., he
did not remember When the map was transferred to
the of the Senator from Virginia there was col
lection of about dozen Senators around H. lie
pretended at all 10 20 there He had no curiosity
about it. But the impression made on his mind was,
that The map introduced by the Senator from Mis-
sour to rebuff destroy the effect las he understood
it of the map of Mr. Sparks; but ha, did not sus.
tain the honorable Senator from Missouri in his posi-
ton before the examination Of the map took place al
the seat of the Senator from Virginia. That seemed
be the impression made the Senate; but whether
it was we'll grounded not, he would not undertake
to say. He repeated, that he paid particular atten.
ton TO what took place when the map was introduced
The Senator from Missouri introduced the map, he had
doubt, for the purpose he had stated; and he had
no doubt also, that he made the remarks he said he
did make when he introduced it. He entertained no
doubt on his part at ALL but he must say that his
collection not sufficiently accurate to testify 10 The
| lacis as they occurred.
| Mr. BENTON observed that il was an issue Of fact;
and that there could be mistake, he would read the
passage of the Senator'S printed speech over again:
"The Senator who produced il (the map) could see
nothing but Tie microscopic docd line running off in
Norheas:ery direction; but The moment other eyes were
applied to it, there found in bold relief, strong
red line indicating the limits of the United States nc
coding to the treaty of peace, and coincding mnuiey
and exactly with tho boundary traced the map OF Mr.
Sparks.
Here q thing was stated as fact, which he (Nlr
denied in every particular. And in conraventon oil
what is therein stated, he asserted that he did see
! somfthins besides the "microscopic dotted line; that
he not only saw the "strong red line but that he
the first to proclaim IT, to show that Mr. Sparkss dis
covery secret at all. He would now ask hi
colleague MIR. Linnl for his recollection Of what DC
cured.
| Mr.. LINN stated, that when the Senator from Vir
GINA introduced MIR. Sparkss map, the impression or
his mind was that there importance attached
to than it merted Indeed, he thought it Of so little
consequence, that he could recoect he expressed
himself to the Senator from Pennsy vana next to him
(Mr. Buchanan al the tIme-and observed to him tina
the map ought not 10 have been introduced in the de
bate, the question would not turn that point then
for it had been settled by orefahers, that the boun
Diary claimed by Maine the ntended-but i
going TO make sacrifice for the sake Of peace
we ought 10 do il frankly. While he, (Mr. l. y was
conversng this point with the Senator from Penn
syvania his colleague, (hlr Benton) rased his voice
and cried out, "Iiere the bloody lines-the ret
lines and he went on to remark that it was secre
at all, because il was in Mr. Jefersons collection o
maps and books and had been for years open TO the in
speclion of every in the library of Congress. AND
what brought it more distinctly 10 his recollec,lon was
his colleagues remark-that it came from the collec
NuH VI HIS III CoIltCtilS
keeping everything that ofnerest to his county
Mr. Jefferson. lie, (ar. had discharged his mind
of all impressions about the introduction Of Mr. Sparks
map because he attached any importance to thu
sort of evidence it could furnish-nor, indeed, 10 thu
point made upon il. And with regard TO the object To-
which his colleague introduced Mr.. Jefferson map, hi
impression was, that it was to prove there no Sc
cretbut beyond that object lie did not recolect any
other unless il TO prove that there should be M
Importance whatever attached to Mr.. Sparkss map
His impression was, indeed that his colleague had Mt
other object in view when he brought forward his map
He wished TO show, that had for years had jus
such map in our own archives, open to public inspec
lion.
Mr.. ARC HER said he earnestly hoped that the mat
ter would be allowed TO stop here. He was convinced
there had heen nothing but diversity Of sentiment
rejecting in degree either SENATOR and he could
reason, therefore, for much sensi,iveness OF
the part of the Senator from Missouri. He hoped that
in this view of The matter, which he believed was con
CURED in by Senators all Sides the subject would be
allowed to drop 1t rare, indeed, that all tht
minute transactions of but few weeks gone by were
re,a ned distinctly in The recollection of gentlemen
| This his in the present instance. lie hae