The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-01-25
RETURN OF SANTA ANNA.

In the House Of Representatives, on Thurs
day, message was received from the Presi-
dent declining to give certain information as
ked for by resolution of the House, with re-
gard to the return of Santa Anna to Mexico.
also, in reference to the in>t,uctioas given TO
Mr.. Slidell. Mr.. Truman Smith moved that
it be referred to the Committee on FOREIGN
Affairs and printed, when Mr.J. Q. Adams
spokel briefly as follows
Mr.. Speaker,-Thc state ofmy voice IS sucb
that 1t is not in my power to make to this House
the observations which | should otherwise have
felt IT my duty to make upon shis ease. will
state, sir, that the reason why Ibaye felt it nv
duty to take tins course is, that consider It a
novel thing, and thing affecting the rights Of
this House, and Of the constituency Of this
House-the people of the United States. II
denies, sir, as | understand it, the power, the
constitutional power ofthis House to call for
that information. believe it is the frs, time
in the history of this Union that it has been
denied. In the case to which the President re-
fers, when a call was made upon President
Washington, there was (Which the message O.
mits to state) an exception for cases which h.
might think not proper to be inquired into at
the time.
Z. Now, SIR, the President has not added what
was the action Of the House upon that; and the
action of the House was in direct opposition to
the resistance Of President Washington 10 their
call. The House formally declared-and /
wish the journal might be looked to to see
the House formally declared against President
Washington their right to call for such infor-
nation. That was their action; and, so far as ]
| know-although the very memory Of Washing
ton, by every body in this country, at this
time, (and by none more than myselG) is rev.
erenced next to worship-the President wa:
wrong in that particular instance, and went toe
| far to deny the power of the House; and as t.
his reasons, never thought they were sniff
cient in that case. And have always been O
the opinion, and most assIIredly that has been
the opinion Of the Democratic party, to wh;cl
do not profess to belong, Ia laugh, they have
unanimously disapproved ofthat act of Presi
dent Washington, as interfering with the right.
of this House, and Of their constituents, the
people of the United States.
say | cannot enter into into an argument
upon this subject; but consider it of such i'm
portance that | am certainly indisposed to lay
this message upon the table. l desire it may
be printed, that it may 90 to the whole coun-
try, that it may be decided upon by the peo-
pie as well as the House. think this House
ought to sustain, in the strongest manner, their
right to call for information upon questions in
in which war and peace are concerned. They
ought to maintain their right, and maintain it in
a very distinct manner, against this assertion
on the part Of the President Of the United
States. Now, should be perfectly satisfied to
refer the message TO the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, whatever may be my feelings IN re-
gard to their frmness in resisting this claim
set up on the part OF the President of the Uni
ted States. In the Committee Of Foreign AZ
fairs will take it, and viii examine the Con-
stituiion Of the United States, It's principles,
the history of the administration the govern
ment fiom that time to the present, and will
make report upon it, shall be satisfied. As
to select committee, shall be perfectly sat
isfed that a select committee should be APP
pointed by the Speaker, instead Of referring
it to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. And,
as 4 mark of respect TO tho President Of the
United States, ! should 20 for a select COM
mittee, provided am not TO be member of it
myself
], therefore, myself in the first place hope
that select committee, of which shall not be
a member, will be appointed and if that is not
in conformity with the opinion Of a>majority of
this House, that It shall be referred TO the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs. All the messages
of the President are usually rcfeEed.
| should say much moro, sir, if / had the
power.