Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-02-03
SPEECH OF MR., TOMPKINS.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MIR. sLIDRLL, &c.

X
The House being in Committee OF the
Whole on the Presidents Annual Message
Mr. ToMPKlSs, Of Mississippi, addressed
the committee. He did moi propose The said1
to answer Tue arguments OF The gentleman
who last had The floor. (AIr. McLAss. ) though
/ il would give him much pleasure 70 do so I;
and possibly in doing 4, though il might seem
arrogant, he might do some service. Neither
would he undertake to answer the gentlemen
from New Hampshire, (Mr. TucK,) who he
Thought had said some things that might inter-
est that portion OF the country to which he es-
pecially belonged; although he (Mr. ToMP-
xrss,) trusted he should never be capable OF
any action on this floor tina, did not affect and
promote il some degree the great interests OF
| of the gentleman from Maryland was an able
speech, ingeniously delivered, delivered in an
interesting manner. The gentleman threw
into il so much ofwhai was now a days called
Mesmerism, for he seemed 10 chain to his lips
The audience that surrounded him. But he
trusted that some other gentleman would take
4 him up and deal with him with more effectthan
he perhaps would be able 10 do, as he inten-
ded 10 speak on another question. -
They were IN Committee Of the WholeoH
the state Of the Union. having specially before
tneul the annual message of the President
but, as they were discussing the question o.
the war, and the objects to be accomplished by
il, and as the gentleman from Indiana yester-
day (Mr. RoHissoT) occupied the principal
portion of his time in discussing the special
message Of the President. and complinenting
/ him for his lofty independence in refusing to
give to this House, the Representatives ofthe
People, the true sovereigns Of the country, in
! formation vital 10 them, 10 that point he should
now direct his remarks Having had the
| floor on that question. and supposipg il would
come up Yesterday morning--and il seemed
! he was not alone in so supposiDg, for the Re-
porters so understood ii, and il was so pub
shed in the papers Of the ensuing morning
he should take this occasion TO give his views
in relation 10 that document sent 10 the House
last week by the President of the United States,
in which he refused accommodated the Rep
resentatves of the people any of the facts or
particulars of the arrangement by which he
restored to Mexico one of the ablest generals
Mexico could ever boast; who found the
country distracted, its armies dlsbanded. its
revenues exhausted yet, out of this chaos,
this anarchy, had organized armies. had
brought forth resources, and covered, bathed
as il were, the iiowery plateau OF Mexico with
! =.
when they asked how this occurred, they
were told il was beyond the sphere of then
duties and power; that 10 ask il was an
impudent infringement OF the Executive pre-
rogat,se. 1t seemed TO him that upon this
poin, they should not be divided inio Wings
and Democrats--ihai they ought 20 know nc
parGT but our country but II they were so d.
vIded. il must be the friends OF the constita-
ton and the people on the one hand. and the
friends of the Executive and his prerogatIve
f. on the other. And now let him examine this
question.
The House had asked not only in relation
10 the instructions gwen to our minister, Mr..
SLIpELL, but in relation to the instructions
given the commander o. our fleets in regard
10 the return of SANTA ANNA, who was then
an exile from his country in Cuba, that they
might know with what influences the people
! of this country, their resources and their blood
had been contendng and had still 10 contend.
! The Executive told them, no this thing be-
/ longs TO me in my executive capacity, and is
acquired by the strength and spendor Of my
4 Executive prerogaive The President SEEM
ed to think fhe could quote a name that is re.
vered, that dwells IN the core OF every heart OF
every citizen throughout this vast Contedera-
cy, that he would be protected against the
odum, the indignation which the sovereign.
ty Of this land would feel against him, and so
he quoted the message Of President WASH
IN0ToN. THIS thing was sprung upon gen
J teman on this side OF the House they were
/ perfectly ignorant Of the contents Of the mes
sage until it was read. although on the other
side gentlemen were informed Of ii, We're pre-
pared for the advocacy of its doctrines, by hav.
! ing authorizes TO sustain the President ready
=. tha Iaun lr
did not charge that the President furnished
them; but one thing was absolutely certain
either that information was communicated 10
them of the character of this message that
they might prepare for il, or else that Ike de
4 fence was prepared and sent 10 the advocates
of Executive prerogafive on this floor. One
of these things was certain; for Immediately
on the reading of tie message they came for
ward prepared with the documents.
MIR. HoUsroN, of Alabama, here inierposed
but
Mr.. r. did not yield. He did not mean 10
impute the gentleman any thing improper,
but he could not yield to the gentleman any Of
the short time allotted to him. The gentle
man, he hoped, would not consider him dis
courteous; for he (Mr. HoUsToN) had very
able argument and had the authorities nicely
/ furnished him and we on this side (said Mr..
/ ID had no such authorities.
| MIR. HousroN again addressed the Chair,
and was proceeding to speak bur
| Mr. T. continued. Therefore he must ex
cuse him Tor not yielding the floor on this oc-
casion... He intended no disrespect, nor did he
intend TO impule any thing improper TO the
gentleman. The precedenls cited BY the Elk
ecutive we've not such precedents as suited the
case before them.
Mr.. HousroS again wishing the floor, and
Mr. L. declining 10 yield
! The CHAIRMAN remarked that upon this
subject the range Of debate was necessarily ex-
tensive; the Chair, nevertheless, should feel
It TO be his duty TO arrest remarks Of a person
al character, though he did not consider those
of the gentleman from Mississippi to be such.
Mr.. ToMPKISs, continuing. | avow no in
tent of that kind. The gentleman showed an
ability IN the advocacy Of principle which
he deemed a very dangerous principle in
Republic, and which he was sorry, very sor-
ry, to behold, A laugh. He meant moth.
ing improper.
What were the precedents2 The Execn-
tive stated but one single one; yet the gentle
man, either in the preparation made for HIM,
or which he had made himself, from beng
previously informed Of the contents OF the
message--for he could not have made II after
it was announced from the Clerks table, be-
cause il was not one hour after that the author
tiles Were read by the gentleman; SO that he
-. A.. xnf.taad no.,neal &c tho Evao,.