Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-18
TIFF, ENQUIRER.
,3oaday Morning, January IT, ls4s.
THE DESPERATION OF TIE WIG
LEADERS!
RICHMOND,VA


LEADERS!
We trust that our readers have carefully read
the proceedings in the House OF Representatives
touching the Message Of the President giving MS
reasons for declining the information demanded oy
that body.
1t will be seen that the broad shield OF the inl'
mortal Washington was not strong enough 10
nrotect the line OF conduc, by which our very able
and truly faithful President saw fit to be governed.
We extract from the Message OF the President
that par, Of i, which shows that his course is IN
entire accordance with that Of General Washing
ton. President Polk says:
aThe resolution calls for the instructions and
orders issued 10 Mr.. Slidell, a, any time prior or
subsequent to his departure for Mexico, as Minis
fer PIepipoepriary of the United States 10 that
Republic'' The customary and usual reservation,
contained in calls OF either House OF Congress-
upon the Executive for information relating 10 our
intercourse with foreign nations, has been omitted
in the resolution before me. Inc eau OF inc
House is unconditional Ii is, that the iniorma.
ton requested be communicated, and thereby be
made public, whether in the opinion OF the Exc
cuiye, who is charged by the Constitution with
the duly of conducting negotiations with iore'gn
powers. such information, when disclosed, would
be prejadcial TO the public Interests or not. IL
has been subject OF serious elaboration wi
me whether could consistently with my consii.
tu,ionai cuy and nv sense of the public interests
involved and 10 be affected by it, violate an impor-
tanl principle, always heretofore held sacred by
my predecessors, as should do by compliance
with The request oil The House.
president Washington, in message TO the
House of Representatives of the Both OF March,
1896 declined TO comply with request Contain
ed in resolution OF that body, to lay before them
"a copy of The instructions 10 the minister OF the
United States who negotiated the treaty with the
King OF Great Brain"-lOgeiher with The cor.
respopdence and other documents relative 10 the
said treaty, excepting such OF The said papers as
any existing negotiations may render improperio
be disclosed la assigning his reasons Tor de-
clning TO comply with the call, he declared that
'lhe nature OF foreign negotiations requires eau
ton, and their success must often depend on Sc
crecy; and even when brought 10 conclusion,
full disclosure of all the measures, demands, and
eventual concessions, which may have been pro-
posed or contemplated, would be extremely I'M
polite; for this might have pernicious influence
on iulure negotiations or produce immediate in
conveniences, perhaps tanser and mischief, in
relation 10 other powers The necessity oil such
caution and secrecy was one cogent reason for
vesting the power OF making treaties in the Pre-
sident with the advice and consent OF the Senate;
the principle on which that body was formed,
con6nins il 10 small number OF members. To
admit, then, right in the House OF Representa-
tives 10 demand, and TO have, as matter OF
course, all the papers respecting negotiation
with foreign power, would be 10 establish dan
eerous precedent" 10 that case, the instructions
and documents called for, related 10 treaty !
which had been concluded and ratified BY the Pre-
sident and Senate, and The negotiations IN rea- |
lion to it had been terminated. There was an |
express reservation, too, Excepting" from the |
call all such papers as related 10 "any existing ne
eoiialions" which it might be improper to dis
close. In that case, President Washington |
deemed it 10 be violation Of an important prin-
cple, the establishment OF dangerous prece-
dent" and prejudicial 10 The public interests, TO
comply with the call OF the House"
In tho debate which G-ii----i - ---i -
y. p,e.;dents message, we find Mr.. Adams
using the following language:
"Mr. Adams hoped the motion 10 lie on .ue
table would no. prevail. Ii ne unqeIs'oou ~.
MESSAGE il denied the right OF the House 10 eau
tor,be information in question. The state OF bus
voice was such as 10 put it beyond his power 10
s,,end his remarks as he Otherwise wouio on
this occasion. II was novel Thing, II must oe
confessed, for the President TO deny the power 10
exercise this right by The peoples representa-
lives II had never been done before, gu! III
single case during the administration OF " cSn
ipp,on. He never thought there was splle,en.
reason given 10 justify this course OF rIesiueu,
Washington; and all the Democratic parry OF ina.
day ITO which parry he never proessed 10 oe!onS)
unanimously dsapproved Of this act OF "a'h'
ingtoD."
Now we would ask concediHg Mr.. Adams po-
s;tion 10 be correct in regard to The action oil the
Democratic parry Of that Jay, Ga patty 10 ~nicn
he never protested 10 b.ong,") what must be
thought OF him and his desperate associates, when
they are found, in their efforts TO strike down the
President coniemning the conduct OF The Fa-
,ber of hi. coupry, for the very act that was
sustained, as Mr. Adams admits, by the oppo-
size party otihat day. II was right in the Fe.
dera pariS 10 sustain Genl Washington, it GER
tainly should now be the duty Of the Wing par
~ TO Sustain the conduct Of President Polk; as it
mu. be admitted that The necessity of The case is
much greater now than il was then-yet so far
fom sustaining it, We find the Wing leaders
warning upon Gen'l. WashiDg,on's conduc, in
order 10 justify their abuse Of President Polk.
We would here ask, could the madness and des-
peraon of the Wing trading politicians go any
farher7 We think no and we must think our
opinion will be sustained by many reasona-
bic Wings, whose confidence in the judgment, |
and whose gratitude towards The father of our |
country, have mol become so scared by The bitter
ness OF party prejudice, as 10 cause them 10 re-
spond TO The reckless action OF their leaders.
The following we take from the Wing of Sat |
urday last:
"MR. Polk AND SANTA ANNA-Mr. Polk refu-
1nt kntN ~ lnd
Tor by Mr.. Goggin's resolution, in relation to The
return Of Sania Anna 10 Mexico, by his permits
sion, on The convenient plea that the public inte-
resls require that The veil secresy shall not be re
moved from them. The PRESIDENT shelters him.
sell behind the broad mantle Of General Wash
inston- there is, we suppose, no Js6sr,onicn pre-.
cedent for like refusai-who, it seems, declined
10 lay before Congress- for similar reason, GER
tain documents called for by that body. Mr.. Folks
refusal, however, is antamounl to confession,
and it will be so regarded by the country, that, as
We have always suspected, there is something in
\ he connection between himself and Santa Anna
i'ha. be is afraid 10 lay before the people.
I'VE have not YET seen the Presidents Mes
SAGE, our latest newspaper date from Washing
tou being Wednesday last. We may perhap, re-
ceive it to-morrow-in which event, we shall pub
lish it on Monday"
BY parity of reasoning the Wing nigh, satisfy
itself that there was something connected with
MIR. jays treaty which would have reflected no
honor on General Washington; and yet we trust
there is not an American heart so cold and cor.
rupt as to think that NE could have done any
thing which was contrary 10 the honor and glory
Of his child-our beloved country.
We think the remark Of the Wing abou, there
being "no L6e,sontan precedent for like refu.
sal" is, to say the least OF ii, in very bad tase.-
would be no forced construction OF II, bu, one
which, we think, the Wing could no, have in
tended, 10 say, that "Jefrsonian precedent
would have been held of mere force than ha,
of Gen. Washington. The sheer of The Viii.