Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-18

body was formed, Counting IL " s'.'"'' nv" -
of members. To admit, then, a lisn' ID '', ~
Rouse of Representatives 10 demand, ana 10
nave, as a mater OF course all The papers res,
pecins regotiaiou with foreign power, YOU'D
be TO establish dangerous precedent In lna'
case. the instructions and d"cumenis called loI,
.elsled to 'realy which had been concluded anu
ratified by the President and Senate, ana Inc
negotiations in relation 10 il had been terminated
There was an express reservation, TOO, except
ing" from The call all such papers as Ielaled 10
"anv existing negotiations" which II might be
inprcper 10 disclose In that case, President
Washington deemed il 10 be VIOLATION VI "n
i'm portant principle the establishment o' ud ,.
gerous precedent" aud prrjuticia 10 Inc puollc
interests, 10 comply with The call oil Inc HOUSE
Without deeming it 10 be necessary On .ne pre-
CON, occasion 10 examine or decide upon the 9th.
or reasons assigned by him Tor his feiuSal 70
communicate the Information requested by The
Uouse the one which is herein reci,ed is, in my
Indictment. conclusive in TIE case under conside-
ration. ., 49,
Indeed, The objections 10 complying with the
request Of the House, contained in The resolution
before me, are much stronger than lnoSe WITCH
existed in the case OF The resolution IN li9o.-
This resolution calls for the instructions and Of
ders" to the minister OF the United States 10 Mex
leo, which rc!ale 10 negotiations whlch nave mol
been terminated, and which may De resumed
The Information called for, respects negotiations
which the United States offered 10 open win
Mexico Immediately preceding Inc commence
ment OF The existing war ne INSTRUCTIONS 81
ven 10 the minister of the United STATES reiale 10
the differences between The Two countries out oil
which The war grew, and the terms of adjustment
which we were prepared 10 offer to Mexico in
our anxiety to prevent Inc war. These difleren-
ces still remain unsettled; and 10 comply with The
call Of the House, would be to make public, thro'
that channel. and 10 accommodate 10 Mexico, now
n public enemy engaged in war; information
which could not fail 10 produce serious emoar-
rassment in any future negotiation between The
two countries.
| have heretofore communicated TO Congress
all the correspondence OF the minister OF the U.
States 10 Mexico, which, in the existing state OF
our relations with that republic, can, in my judy
ment, be al this time communicated without Sc
rious injury 10 the public interest.
Entertaining This conviction, and with SIN
cere desire 10 furnish any Information which may
be in the possession OF the Executive Department,
and which either house OF Congress may al any
time request, | regard it 10 be my constitutional
right, and my solemn duty, under The clrcum.
stances of This case TO decline compliance with
the request OF the House contained in their reso-
LUTON. JAMES r.. POAh.
WASHINGTON, Jan. II. lS4S.
Mr.. Gcssin moved that the message be laid on
the table, and printed; bat Withdrew the motion al
the request OF
Mr.. Truman Smith, who moved its reference
TO the Committee OF Foreign Affairs
MIR. Geo. S. Houston renewed the motion 10
lay on the table and print.
MIR. Stewart of Pennsylvania asked division
of the question, which was ordered; and, The ques
lion being then first on laying upon the liable,
MIR. Adams hoped The mo ion TO lie on the ia
bic would no; prevail. II nc understood the mes
sage, i, denied Ibe rshI Of the House TO call for
the information in question. The state OF his
voice was such as TO put il Beyond his power 10
extend his remarks as he otherwise would on this
occa sion. IL was novel Thing, il mus, &c CEN
ies.ed Tor The Psesi lenl 10 deny The power 10
ercise this right by the peoples representatives.
II had never been done before, bu in single
case during the administration OF Washington
He never thought there was sufficient reason si-
ven 10 Justify this course OF President Washing
ION: and all the Democratic party OF that day (to
which party he never pr0leSsed IL belone) unan.
jmously disappruved Of This act OF Washington
Mr.. A. thought the House ough, no. 10 assert, in
the strongest manner, this right TO call for n,or-
nation; and especially in such cases as those
where questions OF war and peace are depending,
he right should always be maintained in very
iisiinc, manner. He fell iha, he could he salts
fed that the message should go to the Committee
IN Foreign Affairs. in view Of the known il ELI
yence and firmness OF thai committee in resisting
ANYTHING like an encroachment by The President
IN the rights of the House. II that committee
would take up the subject, and examine il in the
gnt oil its whole history and The constitutional
affecting it, and make report on the
.ase. he said he weult be satisfied and contenred
O receive it. But, as matter Of respect which
vas due 10 the President Of The United States, he
would prefer that The message might 90 before
select committee, provided he We're not made
member Of it himself
MIR. T. B. King hoped The suggestion OF the
gentleman from Massachusetts would be acted
lpon, that a select coIc mt,ee would be appointed
or this reference and that the honorable gen'le-
nan from Massachusetts be constituted It's Chair
nan. II tina, gentleman had not made such
notion, he would now make ii.
Mir. l. E Holmes had no objection TO give
his message 20 either committee suggested; hu;
ne had very grave objections, after The remarks
made BY The honorable gentleman from Massa-
,husetlS, that il should go 20 any committee pre-
judged. The gentleman from Massachusetts had
said that The position of the President was no more
liam the ground taken by General Washington;
and il the name OF Washing on, with all The
mighty associations OF influence connected with
it, was insuiiicicn, los'and IN defence OF this Ike
cutive preroga,ve, IRON the attacks Of those who
would have all the secret correspondence OF the
Jaw Ire "; and, il Washington himself had 10
resort to his firmness to save The country from the
then impending peril, might we not be apprehen-
sive tor The question now, when The President has
been made the subject OF the most Overwhelming
current of sentiment which was ever poured out
! ID k,J
revealed 10 this House now, while war existed
between the two nations, all the correspondence
called iot-wheher he would have acted right or
wrong in this. was rot the qneslion-bui, in so
doing, he woult have given up The power with
which the Constitution has invested him. by with
drawing, perhaps, at the same time the suTest
means Of securing peace. While it was well
;nown tha, he was no great admirer Of the Pres.
dent. he protested now his unqualified admiration
of the stand taken in this message in the defence
OF q constitutional prerccaive; for there was
SEPARATE constitutional! pferogative OF action on
the part OF the House, as we'll as that Of The Exc
culive-each operating against The Other and
supporting harmony ~ their very antasoOism.
On this occasion, II on no other, he would award
to The President the need of his admiration.
Mr.. Schenck The President calls on US TO
support his conduct OF the war, and yet refuses
to respond 10 our call for his correspondence in
relation thereto. MIR. S. called for the reading
of The rule; and stated that he might have made
his communication confidential instead OF telling
The House as he ha now done in effect, tina, it is
no, worthy To lee ;u ied with his secret executive
acts. Shonli ii 60 aGIoad hat all The power we
have here, as The peoples representatives., is to
record the ctic,s ct maser2 Had il really
come to pass, hat We mus; thus go it blind, and
leave with the Executive the exercise of all mat
,eIs OF Judgment, III relation 10 these affairs oil
the most serious national Importance Ii Twas an
evasion OF the question 10 resort Tor precedent
TO the case of Washington. He hoped the re-
ference OF the subject 10 any standing committee
would fail, and That it might 60 10 select COM
miitee.
Mr.. G. S. Houston desired to reply briefly TO
some OF the remarks by the honorable gentleman
from Massachusetts. Bu, first he would offer a
word in reply 10 The gentleman from Ohio, who
says tha, while we are called upon 10 vote men
and money 10 prosecute The war, he desires TO
know The character OF The war, and 10 have all