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it tii mwir: SOUTHERN RECORDER. ■} m $ > •Y GHANTLANU & ORME. MILEEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY MARCH 28, 1820. No. 9 or Vol. X. riic BrcoHPEH is published weekly, 011 Hnn- 1 . i.ctwccn Wnvilo ami Jcffmnop, ut Three r annum, pnvnblc in advance, or Tour Ool- ifnnt. ivKltris*** Tlic •celt , , nor annum, payable • i K »|oro the end of the yenr, io».-kn rVeonupicuouslv inserted nt tlieusH- Thosc sent without.a specification of the y . } n scrli°n«» will he published until ordered ,,l clmrgc.1 accordingly. " f |„ U J and negroes, by AdimniBtrators, Exo- „ r (iuarilians, nrc required by law to be held lintl Tuesday in the month, between the horn s of c f„rcnoon and three. in the afternoon, at the of tiic county in which the property I* si- —Notices of the Bitlo of land must be given in n ."gaictte «UTV days, and of ncgrotn ruirrv dnyn, to the day of eala. , k n ,: cc a of the sale of personal property nu|»t lie like manner, rourvil ns prove i|,j, notice to the debtors and moot l>o pnbliBhcd lor ► uRTV d n*. nro ilitit applied'! m will bo made to tin- Court of iv for leave to fell land, must b.: published for MONTHS. Im.InrsB in the line of Printin ’, will meet with m pt attention at the Kiecomusn Orrirt. liras (on hnsinessj must bo post paid. to the dav of liters of tin SJ&XVZXTiZ COKOiLESg, SI-CONI) SKSSIO.N. JN SEN AT E. Mo\dat, 2d Murph. \TEOXTHR PANAMA DOCUMENTS, lie Message of tho President of tint t,.,l Stales, transmitting to Congress Instructions furnished to the Minister tain our ngency in it—that our conocrn was to take enre of ourselves, and as we did not move in this matter ns the repre sentatives of the executive, so it was not proper to leave us to the gratuitous inter position ot the executive for facts neces sary to a just judgment upon oiir conduct, & with which the American public ought to be acquainted. We were still referred to the authority of the Executive to do in this case what it was said tkov had done before, to publish .without a call, and that. \vn had no claim upon the members oppos ed to us, and who now compose the ma jo rity, to nsk their aid in procuring them by a resolution of the Senate. Well, sir, the President bits published. By sending the papers to the two houses of Congress lie has done what gentlemen said “ he can do” nnd “ let him do,” ami what bis power to do was made the ground of opposition and defeat to the resolution. And what now do we hear? Whv, thnt the Senate most step between the Execu tive nnd the public and arrest the informa tion. Those who said a day or two ago the President can assume the respson- iice to oat the Committee on Foreign Re- e reference was ordered without a di- Mr. Chambers moved that the message documents he printed, public eye, and that the President is un der no responsibility for the effects of the publication. If by this it he intended that the publication will not advance or retard the future elevation of the present Chief Magistrate to n political office, hcconcnr- Mr. Tazewell, in opposition to the mo- red with the Senator who had again , asked if the Senate 'fas willing to ithout previous exanii- to the ?crct instructions of the Go ament. This proposition was made ■e it few days ago by a Senator from issnchnsctts, in a resolution. It was seated hv the Senator from South Cn- llina, that the documents should come to Semite confidentially, & in secret ses- n. The mover himself became satisfi- of the impropriety of receiving them any other way than with closed doors, 1 lm modified his resolution nccording- peated the remark; but tho true responsi bility of tt public functionary was to be found iu the odium to which they exposed themselves by unwise, injurious and crimi nal measures, the disgust nnd contempt which pursued them into retirement, and fastened upon.their name and reputation. Erwin this responsibility an officer found no relief by the expiration of his term of office; he could look to none, even with the termination of his life. The Senate, Mr.C. continued, hud no right to this pa per, no exclusive right. It belongs in Wlint then ? Tito Senate deterniiu-1 common with us to the House of Rcpre- nytto make a call for documents on ti jsentatives nnd to the people. 'resident having hut three days to live, j The President was at this moment, and ml the resolution was laid on the table, j to tie last hour of the Inst day of his offi- Ithough tijc mover declared that he Itud i i-jal existence would he invested with the knowledge of the President’s intentions i constitutional powers and duties which be wishes in regard to tiie publication ol longed to the station. •Amongst those du licsc papers, yet, the resolution having i ties was that of transmitting information )een rejected, tho President, uncalled, oh- ; and advice to both house.- of Congress.— l^gs tile secret documents on the Senate; j JJy an arrest of communications in I Heir Iter these documents had been referred to transit to the House from the Executive, Committee, to be examined, rad to he do you not usurp control over both these lublished or withheld at their discretion, co-ordinate branches! By what uuthori- Senator from Maryland, though lie tv can you say to the President that he shall not communicate to the House?— nows nothing of their contents, proposes publish them to the world. Mr. T. imped the Semite would examine before hev promulgated documents sent Either i] the last moment of the expiring poli'i- i! life of the President. Mr. Chambers said he was.greatly sur prised at the dpposition nmdo to the mo an to print. He regretted the absence From his chair of his friend from Mnssa- Imsetts,* (Mr. Webster) who had intro- Inced the resolution referred to by the Se nator from Virginia, because he did not And by what authority can you say lo the House, you shall not receive n communi cation addressed to you ? Tho law of force may justify it, hut none other. It has been said the President litis ob truded papers on the Senate containing secrets of the Government. What justi fies this remark? Hoe? the Senator know the contents of the papers, ttpd from such knowledge assert their character? Hoes he not assume nn appellate power over tho opinion of the Executive? Hoes he could not furnish a copy of them. But one set wns furnished, which we were re quired to send to the House of Represen tatives. Is this usual? The President should have put both Houses in possession of the document, nnd lie cannot make us his agents in their communication to the other House. But is there «ny thing un usual in resisting the proposition to print the papers ? Only one copy was sent, and was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Was there any proof that we wore disposed to withhold the documents from publication ? Why were they not printed ? Bccnnso they should first he ex amined by the Committee, and should go to the public accompanied by n report from the Committee. The hnne nnd the antidote should he administered together. But lie would ask if the President would not lay these documents before the public. It was in bis power to do whatever be wish ed with lliem ; nor would it ho a new case, should he open the secret drawers of the .Stale Department to make public such of their contents ns lie thought proper. The instructions to Mr. Cool; were giv en to the public by the President after they had been refused to the House of Repre sentatives. With my assent, no net of ours shall sanction the publication of these papers. They were in a condition to get before tho public without our agency. He would not consent to be made the agent in drawing from the Di pertinent of State, arid iu publishing the history of tin ill-fa ted measure which had long distracted the American People, and which was only cal of a minority, would be denied. A mo-j revive a subject which Ims been forgotten j When the President first submitted the lion to print a paper, communicated from by the People, and in relation to which j project of tlmt Mission to the Benate^lf the Executive or any of the Departments | nothing new remains to be done, either by | was expressly stated, that one of its ob- was almost, if not altogether, “ matter of course.” Hu bad no recollection at the moment of its being refused or resisted, lie might, lie knew, avail himself of his possession of the lloor to express his views, hut it would he irregular to do so on u mo tion for consideration, and he did not choose to be driven to an indirect course. it it was intended to deny to the minority tile usual courtesies belonging to Legisla tive bodies, and this denial was to lie put in its worst form lo preclude even the pow er of debate or complaint, let it he so, and let the fearful responsibility of this course rest on those who adopt it. He moved that tho motion to print ho now token up. Mr. Holmes having desired the ayes mid lines oil the qu('sHon r t!iey were ordered, Mr. licrricn did not rise, lie said, to op pose the motion, for he was ready to meet the question of printing directly., lie rose to reply to a remark which fell from the Senatnf from Maryland, regarding the res pect duo to “the remnant of the rights of the minority.” It struck hint that there* mark came with ill grace from n Senator who, the other day, opposed n will for in formation on a subject highly important, and involving much detail. Having nu acknowledged right to information on that occasion, I asked it from the honorable the Executive or the Legislature? Tho Congress of Panama, though sought for with nil due diligence by tho Minister of the Executive, wits never found. The re turn of non rst inventus has been endors ed upon the records of the country. The expenses have been all paid, the accounts closed, and the whole utfair consigned to “the tomb of the Cnpulcts.” Under these circumstances, no gentle man w ill deny that we are at. leust entitled to know why it is, that the subject has now been brought before us ? This is a ques tion to winch we have a right, to a direct nnd explicit answer. The Senator from Maine [Mr. IIoumiis] lias attempted to gite us thnt answer, nnd wlint is it? Why, that the President, iu sending ns this message, is fulfilling a high constitutional obligation, which lie is not ut liberty to disregard.— Tim honorable geiitlcpiun tells ns thnt the third section of the second nrticle of the Constitution, expressly declines, tlmt the President “shall,” (not way) “from time to time, give to Congress information of jects was to instruct the People of SoutAt America in the principles of religious free dom ; another object, very distinctly indi cated, was, the formation, this side of th* Aliunde, of “nn Alltnnce of free Stales,’* as ncounterpoise to “the Holy Alliance** of Europe, and another wns, the redeiup- linn of Mr. Monroe’s celebrated pledge on. tlmt subject. A new code of national, law was to be introduced, and, in shorty matters deeply iuvclving the neutral rela tions, and future pblicy of this country, were to be discussed and settled. But, sir, when the impolicy nnd datiger of such a Mission hud been demonstrated by thoea with whom I hud the honor to act on tha% memorable occasion, the President ebangs ed liis ground entirely. Insteud of intros <lncing the principles of religious free* dom, “the right of burial,” wii merely to be secured to Americun citizens, nnd, in, short, t he whole character of the Mission was so completely changed, that, in itfi new dress, it could hardly be recognized by friends or foes. Three different tnctn* the state of the Union, and recommend | morpbosrs did the Panama Mission une “to their consideration such measures ns dergo, before it wns suffered to appear bo»' “ he shall judge necessary and expedient.” * nre the public; dangerous, ns it nssured- llcrc, exclaims the gcnilcmtui, triumph- b’ wng i '•> its original design, it was final* ontly, the President is commanded to give b reduced to a mere empty pageant bos ns this information—lie has no discretion Senator, hut did not receive it. Another whatever, and the true object of the mes- memher of the Committee rose to g.veit: sage is merely to comply with the high con- ** ‘ ‘ stitutioual obligation thus imposed upon hut, on the motion of the Senator from Maryland, the reading of the papers wa led for with a view to rerive nnd continue dispensed with. I did not admire tlmt tiiose distractions. Mr. Holmes of Maine: I was opposed to the Panama mission; I suspected it would conic to no good, and I feared it might produce mischief. My maxims are to ‘‘let well enough alone,” and “if you cannot sec where to go, nor what to do, it is safest to stand still and do nothing.”— But others thought well of it; public opin ion was divided, mid the mission being es tablished and the Ministers appointed, 1 could not withhold the. appropriation for their compensation. The President Ims communicated to us the instructions to those Ministers, and the projiositiomis to print the documents for the use of the Se nate, confidentially. The whole affair is over and finished, antUwe not only refuse,' course then, and I shall not imitate it now. Mr. B. said, lie should vote in favor of Inking up the motion, and should then op pose it on the grounds he had before men tioned. The motion to print was then taken up by the following vote: YEAS—Messrs. Barton, Berrien, Bou- ligny, Burnet, Chambers, Chandler, Chaso, Dickerson, Eaton, Foot, Hnyne, Hen dricks, Holmes, Iredell, Johnson, of Ken tucky, Kane, King, Knight, M’Kinley, Marks, Noble, Ilidgely, Robbins, Rowan, Ruggles, Sanford, Seymour, Smith, of Maryland,’ Smith, of S. C. Tazewell, Ty ler. White, Willey, Williams, Woodbury, —dil. NAYS Messrs. Barnard, Benton, the public the information, but we tire a-1 Branch, Dudley, Prince fra id to trust ourselves. Sir, it is a grave question, whether we; Mr. llayne rose in reply to Mr. Cham bers and Mr. Doumf.s, nnd said, that if h . * • i duiwo niiu mu iuMj.Htin. iu:u nuiiii tuui it ave the power to arrest here a communion-| the p reiident [lesir(;l , to ive tothe worM tutu emit tn Mir» I lntu:ii nr Iconrounnlntitriia ... lunlcrstsind the motives or the objects, ol ( n()t rc f use t| ]e President the exercise of Pli.at resolution to have been those tv, Ithat Senator now expressed them to be.-'— Be laid not understand the mover of the Ircsohttioti to intimate, mid certainly in the remarks which he himself had made in I concurrent and co-ordinate pow er vested I by tin? Constitution ? The Executive lias the right to make public his official acts. i By sending his communication to Cou- | gross, lie does publish to them nnd to the ■support of tlipt resolution, he had not m-! world, mid this body bus no right to la_. [Uirintcd, his motive uud.object to he to pu- | hands on offieiul papers in transitu, and the present executive, or to rekindle i outlier them by sending them to a Com- ine ilnmcs ot party animosity. \> lien that i m jttee room, and refusing to print them. Resolution was introduced, it wns objected | Ml . f jj m : cn had no wish, lie said, to I’Y the Senator front tsouth-Cnrolina, (Mr. I inquire into the motives of the President » ay tie) that the intortnat'.on asked lorj oro f individuals in regard to this subject; ,' ou ! 10 *° 'he faennte in secret scs- j hut this last motion forcibly reminds us of pma, m executive session, and other ex- , t h e circumstances under which the origin- w.ptions were taken to its language. I he j u | motion was introduced. The question imer.ot the resolution acquiesced in aU.upon tho resolution wns not whether the no suggestions ol amendment, and mod,- documents should he published, but wheth- BiimI lus proposition accordingly. It was) cr WQ Rhould, gratuitously, invoke them Iter the avowed purpose ot conciliating the feom the President, and give them publi- I’lcws and subduing opposition, that the ; c j t y < The same argument which lie op- laioUiricatioas were adopted, and not as the j, usc( i to the call for the papers he would Senator from Virginia suggests, because (llOW ol>poso t0 t [ 10 motion to print them. |me mover of the resolution deemed it pro-,|j e WO uld exclude nil consideration of the 1*. er t, ‘ lwvc "«c Senate in executive ses-, motives,)!' these motions, but look at their sion to receive the communication. Hol e ft’ ectg> Tlio effect of both motions was i>au admired, although he believed ' to tl ra \ V UiKlinctly tho liueB ofiiartics. G?en- ®°uld not have imitated, the conciliatory i t j CJ1Jpn HV1 ,ii themselves of the very few frtuper of his honorable friend who had 'moments in which they can have access moved the resolution, in yielding to the . t „ the public armory, to arm themselves •modifications [imposed when lie was )'ct j f l)r another contest. lie did not fear their convinced that,in its original form thei we npojis. They had been found power- proposition might not to hnvoTCceived op- | esg f 01 . defence; they would bo found position. Yet what was the event? A j equally so for offence, Tho object of the strong and animated appeal wns made by j mo tion „/hdc. the other dav was declared me Senators from Virginia, Sonth-Cnroli- 1 1() i )(?i ,\ ot the justification of the President, mi, and Georgia, and ultimately the reso- ! ; ,it< 1U gh tlmt, it wns said, would be jtseffect, mtion was defeated liy a vote to lay it on | mt tp justify to gentlemen their own course. 1 m table. ! r p| t(; rci) | object which gentlemen had in The main argument then urged was, reviving the discussion of the merits of die power of the president to cuimmim-1 this contemned nnd exploded political sp_c- ontethc document upon his own respon- culutiou, was to enable them, iu their re- sibility,ond the absence of nil necessity j tireiuent, or in legislative halls, to renew *° r the call. It was in vnin we urged (the political conflict in which they had so “mat these instructions concluded aitffr.on-1 Intelv been defeated. But this weapon suinninted a transaction, all other parts whereof were published to the world, tljat -*hey were necessary to a correct and in- telligrnt view of the subject, and proper to vindicate the course we hud pursued ill m oid’d not aid them. Sir, said Mr. ,’L it is not for me to distrust the declarations of gentlemen. I am not disposed, on this occasion, to urge the argument of “post line ergo propier hoc;" hut how soon had reference to the mission—that the power those several nets, tending to the same ob- °f the President to publish and tiicreby |jpct, followed each other. In the earliest sustain his ngency in the measure did not possible moment after the rejection of the take away or lessen our light to obtain original proposition, this message was re- mid use the menus in our control to sus- ceived, and it wns immediately followed ~~~— ,|>v a motion of extraordinary character.— i Messrs. Webster, Johnston ot Louisiana V 8W*“ The President, in the exercise of a pow- ^r^nUeuJin.tUo funeral of Sin. Par- , denied to him. has sent to us the asid.n, p„u t)Parers , ( ,jj not relum UIllil aub0 et not denied to n in, > «■ moment of taking the dual vote. documents IH SUcll boste, that the Gltrks lion sent to the House of Representatives through its. The President Ims sent in- forination to both Houses, requesting us to transmit it to the House. It is u usual coarse, and when the documents nre vo luminous, it is almost always done. It has been admitted that the President has, himself, the right to make public the whole transaction—and yet we nre so fastidious, that we apprehended danger, even to trust ourselves with rending the communica tion. They tire to he locked up in the Bureau of the Committee of Foreign Re lations, mid until these confidential gen tlemen have examined them, wc arc not to have a sight of them. The result is, that we nre to interpose to shut out from the public that information which the Presi dent himself, on his own responsibility, has n right to give. Sir, 1 on his instructions to the Ministers to the Con gress of Panama, on his own responsibility, he, ns a member of the Senate, could have no objection to his doing so, be the Presi dent influenced by wlint motives he may. But, when the nttempf was made to con vert this House into ihc mere instrument for the accomplishment of such a purpose, he felt disposed to pause nnd inquire into the object intended to be accomplished hy the proceeding. If the President desired to shift the responsibility of laying before the world documents, which, hy the prac tice of nil Governments, nre usually lock ed up in the archives of the country, it was nt least necessary that the Sennto should know precisely the character of the pa pers which they were called upon to print, iu order that they might judge Itmv far it . . , .... . , poseil tin wns proper for them to assume the res- uiiMion.and st.lll lie .eve I was right, hut' Shil.tytlmsnttenipted to be thrown up- i ns tend ot ret.,sing, 1 will facilitate every them / Tlre n ,„i p r „p P r mode of thing winch may go to shew me >•> the, e(]i /^hut had been wrong. I am not afraid nor ashamed to t, o ,, 0 jn ,. ajS(l) to the message and hear and publish any man s doctrines >» ,|«, IItIlcntj , c«. tl.« Committee ou Foreign ipposit.on to mv own. H is, moreover, Ul>ll , tjon8 for „ n , nmntion , m „| if after mndcrtlie duty ot the President, by _thf...y^^Umveheei,examined Atsho.dd np- Gonstitution, to make this com,numcatton. j ^ (|mt , hey c0||f „ i|( nothin „ wllicll ( ./, n I eompromit the clmrarter, or iiflcet the fu- countrv, be, for cue “IIe shall, from time to time,” that is, wliefl on his own responsibility, lie deems tnre po | icy of tl|i it expedient, “commuiiiefite to Congress the state of the Union.” A transaction affecting essentially the state of the Union is communicated, nnd we the Senate, even with closed doors, arc neither permitted to hear or see it. Is it mnterial that the committee shall detnin these documents, that their answer shall go out simultaneous lyl Public opinion is not to he forestal led, for the people of these United .States will hear the whole before they decide.— But if wc nre, indeed, afraid to trust them, it is n little singular that we should be afraid to trust ourselves. Mr. Woodbury explained thnt lie did not move to withdraw the ayes nnd nocs under the supposition thnt nil objections turn. But, will that gentleman be so kind us to inform us, how it has happened (if the,President is under a constitutional ob ligation to send us these documents) that lie has for so long a period neglected to perform hi* duty ? If the President is hound to send us these papers now, was lie not equally hound to do so two years ago? With the command contained in the clause of the Constitution quoted by the gentle man, staring him in the fnee, how could the President have dared so long to neg lect an important duty, which, according to tho views of the Senator, lie was under the obligation even of nn oath to perform? Sir, it is impossible that the President can escape from the dilemma ill which tho Senator from Maine has thus placed him. But the Scnntor has misconstrued tho Constitution. In omitting to make this communication sooner, the President has neglected no duty, and in making it now, he lins performed mi at t altogether gratuitous. The information which the President is commanded bv the Constitu tion to give to Congress is thnt which shall concent the “ Stale of the Union.” He is to give information as to the condition of the country, aud.to recommend mea sures proper to he adopted by the Legis lature. The mcssng> before us relates neither to one nor the other of these sub jects, nnd it necessarily follows that in sending it to ns, iho President must have some other object ill view, than to fulfil the obligations imposed hy the third sec tion of the second article of the Consti tution. I repent the inquiry, therefore, what is that object? The Senator from Massachusetts, iu tb'fe remarks on the re solution submitted hy him on the same subject two days ago, gave the true an swer to this inquiry. These documents arc intended to vindicate the course of Mr. Adams and his friends in* relation to the Panama mission. They are intended to shew that tho fears “ felt or feigned” in respect to that measure, were unfounded They nre intended to revive the question on which trrent parties in the country have been divided, nnd to convince the people that the minority was right nnd the majo rity wrong. Now, sir, if the President and his friends can accomplish this, even at would have no objection to print, nndcir-!^ ,e c’xpcnse °t reviving those party feel culate litem as widely as the President or' j"R s which were so strongly excited in re- liis friends could clcairo. Thopc Senators! ^ atlon to the Panama mission, they nre who had oppose I the Panama Mission i c °rtainfy nt liberty to do so. But, it they from the beginning, could have no posse | propose to do it with our assistance, we hie objection to the publication of every must t *' least require that the means, to thing calculated tontlord correct informa tion concerning that wild mid visionary project. Blit at the same time, it is due which we nre called upon to give our sane tion, must he wholly unexceptionable. If we are to relinquish the victory and fight [said Mr. 11.1 to ourselves nnd to the coun- !l "-; battle over again, wc must at least sti trv, that we .should clearly understand the J l mlalc for tb ? USt: 0,ll y of , luw f ul weapons, true character of these documents, before ! , t l, ° . ob J ect 18 to P 1 ™ 6 ,bat 1 wc take upon ourselves the task of usher- M' SSion ) as projected hy Mr. Adams at the ing them before the world on our responsi- domiiiencement ot lus Administration, «, bility. The President might Imve caused them to ho printed and circulated without to the resolution hud been removed hy the: , ulnC( | t() send them sending than here; hut, ns be is detcr- wliicli we then denounced ns dangerous to the pence and safety of this country, was a wise nnd prudent measure. And modifications which it had undergone. It j ty 0 f the Senate, it-is proper that we should had never entered his mind that the docu-| resort to thomsunl means for obtaining ail ments should go belore the world, pro-; tbcnlic information as to the true churac- miscuously und without examination. j (,. r 0 f the documents, in orderjo determine On motion of Mr. Smith, ofJMarvland, | the course proper to l>c pursued in relation the motion was laid on the tiilde, in order j to them. Having referred the message that the Senate might receive a message therefore to the Committee on Foreign from the House of Representatives. Some [ Relations, to whom f!:o subject appropri- otlier business having been transacted, ntcly belonged, it would he entirely out of Mr. Chambers said, liis colleague had I 'he usual course, end tts it appears to me, declined, upon request, to withdraw the I highly iinpropcrtoordertheiutobe printed, motion to lay upon the table his proposi-i r,r adopt any other measure in relation ler the authori- ' ,nw ' 6 11 proposed to prove this 1 By the .Message and documents submitted to the Senate nt the time when we were called upon to give our advice nnd consent to the Mission ? No, Sir, but by the instructions subsequently given to his Ministers by the 1’rcsident, after be lind probably been dri ven bv the discussions here, and the force of public opinion, to abandon his original plan entirely'- In other •words—it is pro posed to shew the true objects of the mis' sion, at its inception, not from the express declarations of the Executive made to us tion to print the Panama instructions When gentlemen staled on this floor, the existence of majorities nnd minorities, lie had hoped it would not he forgotten that minorities Imd rights ; lie laid also hoped ibut these conceded rights would be res pected. A proposition to rend n message Imd been rejected, another to print it had been laid on the table, whether permanent ly, or for the purpose of transacting the business now ended, wns to he seen. He had intended to inquire IT liw colleague had withdrawn his motion. He was now n- bout to move to take up the subject, nnd it would be discovered whether the right of being heard, the last remnant of the right)* to them, until wc should have the result ofW ^ ia -l time, but from the secret instiuc- tho examination to which they would he subjected hy that Committee* But, there is another view of thi? sub ject, which l confess has excited in nty mind no inconsiderable distrust as tothe object sought to be attained by the publica tion of these documents. The question naturally presents itself, why should the President send such a message at this time ? AVhy has the Panama Mission been due; up from the grave In which it has quietly re|K»sed fiir two vears past, nnd be now thrown into this House, to disturb our de liberations, hy reviving feelings and re collection* which hayo passed away ? Why lions prepnred nt a subsequent period, nei ther submitted to us nor to the world, nnd doubtless so modified as to remove moat of the objections urged liere ngainst lbe mea sure. We. nre to he brought up for trial before the public, under nil ex post facto Jaw, prepared expressly for the case, und tli is when till the circumstances are almost forgotten. The instructions to the Ministers ot the Congress of Panama, not only can ojjjprd no standard by which to determine the true character of the mission originally, but must necessarily mislead all'who look t# them fer information on that subject.— fore it received the sanction of Congress, nnd no one has ever doubted, that tht* in* Mructions subsequently given, must have been made to conform with the new cha racter it Imd assumed. These documents,, it is naturally to be presumed, afford very sufficient evidence, that the President, in. preparing instructions for his Plenipoten tiaries, was not unmindful »f those be find himself received from the Representative* of the People in this and the other branch.’ of the National Legislature. It is hardly- ndeed to be supposed, thnt the American Plenipotentiaries were authorized to enter into any arrangements flint could com- promit our neutrality after the House of Representatives had, by an express rcso* lution, positively declared that it wns nob their intention to sanction any such pro ceeding. If, sir, the object of the Presi dent he, as has been avowed, to give to the American People full nnd correct in formation ns to the trite character of the Pannnin Mission, thnt object has already been fully accomplished/ The three sets of doenment* ^Aitiniiini-' cutcdto the Senate and House of R< pre- sentntives have all been published, ucr.om- pnnied by the explanatory messages of tho President, and the arguments of nil those) who took the different sides of the ques tion. The public mind lias been mode up with nil the lights that the facts of the caso nnd the most elaborate arguments could afford. The instructions, if intended to' bear at all an the question of the true character of the Mission, as originally projected, can have none hilt u delusive ef fect, nnd, therefore, the President has no claim that we should lend our aid to their publication. 1 think it proper, however, to ndd, that, if it shall appear on exami nation, that these documents, contain no thing which th6 interests of the country require to be kept secret, I shall have no objection to their publication. The most that I should, in that event, require, would he, that these papers should be printed ia connexion with the others, so ns to present., in one view, the originnl plan of the Pa- naina Mission, nnd the modifications it- has subsequently undergone. Such n jmb- lication, in bringing the whole case before the public, would enable them to award the meed of praise or of censure to those who have taken part in this great contro versy. But, until wc shall have the report of tlie Committee of Foreign Relation* upon these papers, we ought not to tnko another step iu the business. This pro ceeding on the part of the President, ia throwing these papers into the Senate, at the very close of liis political life, uppeanh to me so extraordinary, that I do not feel disposed to act without the utmost cautiou and deliberation; and, under all the cu^ eumstnnces of the case, I muet acknow ledge that I do not feel the force of the ap peals made on this oocasion to our justice nnd liberality. Air. Chambers e aid he was unable to di a* cover the force of the objection urged by the HenafOv from South-Carolinn. A per vading error ran through the whole argu ment, The Senator assumes the contents of the paper to be such as to rentier their publication improper. The obvious answer, to this was, that tho Constitution had msdn the President the judge of that matter, it? gnve to him the power to divulge to Con* grt'ss, nnd to the public what, on hie res* ponsihility, he tnight.think it safe and'prop er to communicate. It did not give to the Senate an nppellate powerover his judgment The Senate wns no more the constitutional guardian of the President than Of the House- of Represent stives. But this doctrine, prac tically carried oat, would make it the guar dian of both. Whan the President (tends a message to the House, we are first to exam ine whether it is discreet in him to send it; and this kindly office being, performed to him, we are then to ascertain whether it ie. discreet to allow tho House to receive his messnoe. Sir, if such powers be assumed hy the Senate, who ie reassign limit to them.' What becomes of the co-ordinate h#ancb»a of your Government ? What becomes of tho Constitution ? The Senate will be your Government, and all other deportments its dependents. •• ‘i. These documents do not belong to you a* lone. They are equally the property of the other House; and they ere how medo pub lic; and, therefore their contests’ ore thu property of tho public. Has not toy mem ber, nt this instant, the right to go to year file, transcribe any port, «r the whole