Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-16

Mr.. WIsr.-I will give my friend the point
at once, and an opportunity to answer the
point. II this amendment DC adopted, MS
understand the proposition Of the gentleman,
ne holds that after the withdrawal OF these
States, the Federal Government may hold the
forts on the main land and in the harborS,
which are now in the occupation of the troops
Of the United States; that they are only not To
be reinforced. First, that you may hold those
forts on the main land and in the harbols,
both; andsecond, you may hold and reinforce
the forts on the islands. That il the effect of
the amendment.
Mr.. SuMMrns.-l do not regard that as the
effect of the amendment at all.
Mr.. WlsE-Rcad it, sir; ! ask that i, be re-
ported.
The amendment was reported.
MIR. WlSI-The amendment proposes 70
strike out the words ''thc forts now in the pos
session of the military forces of the United
States" and when his amendment is adopted il
will read ''nur to reinforce any Of the forts
situated upon the main land, or within the lar-
borS Of any of the seeded States" lie gives
them the power to hold the forts, and only de-
priveS them Of the power to reinforce theni.--
B'le effect is, | repeat, that we may hold the
forts on the main land and in the harbors, and
that we may hold and reinforce the forts on
the islands. Sir, what will he do in the case
Of the Rips Rups-that is in no harbor, that is
on no maun land?
Mr.. SCOTT, of Fauquier-Whl the gentleman
from Princes Anne, allow Inc to make u single
observation? The resolution embraces only
the time we are engaged in attempting n set
Element. 1t does not 20 beyond that.
Mr.. WiSg--The resolution reads:
"Thv people Of Virginia will await any rea-
sonable time to obtain answers from the other
States, to these propositions, aware of the enl-
barrassments that may produce delay, but they
will expect, us an Indispensable condition., that
a pacific policy shall be adopted towards the
seeded States, and that no attenpt be made 70
subject them to the Federal authority"
Now, | ask il it is not subsection to Federal
authority to hold these fort. and to retain the
right to reinforce them ? Is that peace: Is not
that subsection to Federal authority, to conti.
nue. to hold forts now occupied by Federal
troops, in the harbors Of seeded States
and or their maia a ID? and not only 10
claim the right 10 hold those forts. but to
Reinforce those forts which are on the
islands? Does not the geutlclnun's amend
ment make the latter part Of this resolution
more inconsistent than it is already with the
first part of the resolution? say to the gVn-
tleman who sits before me, (Mr. SUMMERS 81
do not mean to hurt you; I do not mean to do
= YOU any harm; | do not mean to subject you
at all to my authority hut l happen to have
a rope round both your arms and both Your
legs; | don't mean to tie you, but if you strug-
gle, | will reserve the right to wind one or two
more turns round both; but yet | do not
rucan you any harm, ! donot mean to hurt you,
| do hot intend to subject you to my autho.
rity." %(Langhter.l
Sir, is not this a ~farcical idea Of Il peace %
Icy ? You mean peace. you uiean u peace 20.
Icy, you go further, and say you don't intend
to subject them to Federal authority, aud get
YOU take from them the right Of eminent do.
main, Of sovereignty, supremacy, the right t.
occupy their own territory, the right to occupy
their own territory with arms, the right to &c.
cupy territory that they claim for their ma.
tional Uses, as we'll as you claim yours for
your national uses.
Now, who does the territury belong to : II
which national use does TINS national territory
belong TO the nation thai OWNS the terri.
tory, or to the nation that does not own it !?
Let me state it in aaother iorm-to the nation
within whose limits the site uf the fort is, or to
The nation that must at least cuncede the fact
that it is within the limits Of the other ?
The gentleman says he is not Informed
whether the United States hold the TortugaS
by reservation OF by cessiun. | ALL not able
positively 10 inform him, but | am inclined TO
think that the forts on Key West and the
ToitugaS-espcciaily that on Key West
though | am merely guessing now, ] do
not mean to assert it as Il fact am
inclined to think, as u reasonable conjecture,
that Key West was one Of the old Spanish for
tifcations, occupied by Spain when she ceded
the jurisdiction to Us. She coded the entire
jurisdiction to us. And by.thc.by, sir, Con-
grcss, by a resolution passed in secret session in
lSi77, appropriated $3.50, 600 for the occupation
Of that fort, and our government actually did
occupy it before the treaty Of cession was
made. The secrecy imposed by Congress was
not removed until eight years afterwards, when
i subsequent edition OF the laws Of the United
States was published. | could give you II his
tory Of that transaction. 1t was one Of the
most disgraceful transactions that ever charac
teriZed the government Of the United States.
You talk about tiiibusterins. If you want 10
get an example above all other examples IF
tilibusIering, the United States Of America, iE
the Capitol st Washington, by s0lEe 0! lkc
gravest patriots of the land, were guilty Of It
in the passage Of that resolution. IL was one
Of the most arbitrary acts Of despotlsm that
was ever practiced by any government, not ex.
ccpting Turkey. Congress put into the hands
Of 4 vicc-gcrCnt Of the United States absolute
legislative, executive and judicial power, all in
orc act. And as soon ~ the treaty was made
with Spain, the treaty Of St. Ildefonso, embrac-
ing the Tortugas. they had acquired from Spain
all that part OF the Floridas called East Ftori-
da; and, whether the forts are held by reserya-
ton Or ~ccSsion, | appeal to my friend TO say
whether the United States have any mt re au-
thority over forts in new States, than over the
forts in Virginia? No, sir.
The CnAIRAAN.-The gentleIaan's time has
expired.
Mr.. SrMMgRs-l submit, Mr.. Chairman, that
the gentleman from Princess Anne has not
answered. the argument upon which the
amendment was advocated by the. I know
very we'll the power that that gentleman has,
by an array of facts and his mode Of state,
meu,, to make an imposing effect upon the
Judgment of the House. But, Mr.. Chairman,
must claim that the ground upon which this
amendment is proposed to be advocated, has
in no manner been touched by anything that
has fallen from the gentleman from Princess
Anne. lie commenced by saying that this
amendment makes the resolution to assert that
these Notifications within the harbors and on
the main land, were to be continued and fur
thcr, that it makes the resolution declare that
the forts situated beyond The main land, and
the harbors are to be reinforced. Now, | ask
this Committee to say whether any SUCH re-
suit can legitimutely follow the adoption Of
this amendment. 1t seems to he. with all due
respect to the gentleman, that he misappre-
bends not my amendment only, but the rcso-
luton itself. This is not u resolution declara.
tive Of what the Government ought to 10, and
what the Government must do under all cir
cunstances. In the preceding section you
have announced, among other things that
unless the amendments proposed to the Con.
s%titution, shall be favoratiy responded 10,
V,ro;nie &c to r.v,trn. her rio4 Of soyprrirnfr