Macon Georgia telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 1836-1844, March 03, 1836, Image 2

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JM % C O N Cl E O M C 1 1 T E E E C-JR A P II Legislature mid the Pre»idnt. 3'te epprop*' iatioj? ol mite millions ol dollais for the defence oi ilie country was inserted in the general lortilicutieh bill, bj nnicne.- inent, proposed by the gentleman from New \ ork, (Mr. Ciiinbreleng.) ill consequence of a resolution which had passed, unanimously in ihe House, «ud by OA? .Hit. JJDAiUKt OF MASS. thuisi isolation for the appoint.next of a select Comma fee, to iny.i.rt into the camocs cj the failure of the iW- JiJ. caium bill, at tl* last session of Vongrtss^ ddiccrui v •Jan, 4 J2 9 l&G. - Jtlr. LunBura rose and laid, Mr. Speaker, I which unanimous vqtc the House declared that the ex- m'l'lask the iinl.iigenceoi'tlieHoasoforoiie moment, ; edition of the trralv of the -4th ol July, 1831, with ■fo notice an attack made on uia m otic of tin: tuornihg France, should be insisted on. It was well known to .pip.’isiil tins city, to-day. every member ol the House, and Jil believed to every i. i Iw Ctram said it couid only he done by the unun- j person out of the Home, that the appropriation of .imutu consent oi Uie House.. j three millions was introduced in consequence ol that .No ubjecu >iv*va» niaue; and i vote on that resolution the night before. It was well Mr. ( .tiiSit£t.i:.NO proceeded: Mr. Speaker, the at- ! known that tho resolution which finally paesed by the Jich i would UiM notice, weic it not, sir, Unit it is uu I vote, had been contested by a debate of several days attacK also iiptui this House, and invoices tho q:tea-J immediately before its passage,upon grounds that such Aton now before llie Senate ol ill United Slates.— [a resolution would occasion war. If you look, said lie, i'h it attack is. timt Ute rmnarha 1 uiudu upon toe tlireo j to the journals of the House lor the resolution which tuiiiioti appropriation bUL at tiia lust session, were not I passed, nnd to the several resolutions proposed as suh- puUlislieit, until alter tec adjournment of Congress, j stitntes for it. you will see that it was admitted with tulloiving it Op vvjdi tue ui-m t iuou mat those remarks j extreme reluctance by mum members ol the House, never were made, it is not my purpose, sir, on a J that it was question like this, when i nave so much higher game, 1 upon ground ticuatc for Itis judges, a majority of whom were surely uot of liis friends; uot oue dollar of it could he have expeuded without giving a public account of it to tho Representatives of the peo ple anil the natiou. Nor w as this nil. Thuscou- lined to specific objects, it was to be expended, not unconditionally, but only in the event that it should be reudered uecessary for the defence of the country, prior to the theu next session oi Con gress, an mterval of nine mouths, daring which no oilier provision could have been made to do- fend your soil from a sudden invasion, or to pro tect your commerce Uoatiug upon every sea, from a sweep of a possible royal ordiauce of France. Ami this is uic appiopriation following close upon that unanimous vote of two hundred ud seventeen members of the House, that the execu tion of the treaty of 1831, should bo maintained aMeniiy and' pwevcriii-ly contested, and and iusisted on- This is the appropriation so ,„| s ii would occasion,n war. Under tainted with man-worship, so corrupt, so Uiicou- these circumstances, although the House were not of opinion that it would give just cause for war,still, how was it possible for u statesman, looking to the interests of onr common country, not to sec that these reasons so pressed upuntlie consideration of the House, and, looking to the action of another Government, might have that tendency. The conduct of a foreign Gov ernment, to be predicated upon this act <*t onr own, was matter of furcsijlit and conjecture, 'liter© was i misunderstanding and irritation between oui Govetn- j uieiiUunl doit of France. The no others of the House w ho resisted the passage of the resolution lutelligeiit lo run a tilt with tho editor .of the United Tel egraph; 1 merely notice it to pronounce the statement nnd insinuation until I'.tDti, ami io slate, timt when the opportunity does arrive to discuss ttiis question, there would not only bo loti ml one, but uioro tluiu one mom- bar of tins House, who wilt vindicate tin.* proceedings uf this House i:i relation to that bill, lrom die attacks of the oilier body. The 8rE.tKkK said it was uot in order to allude to tho other body. Mr. Adams asked the consent of tho House to sub- mh a resolution ju connection widi the subject. - ~ , — . . - , The resolution was road fortl'.o iiilbniiuUOIl of die ' and patiiotie men, had urged the House against if, nun House, as foiiotvs; j all the tender sympathies of our nature and all the sen- itesuteed, That so much of the message of the I‘ie-1 limenLs of humanity in our boronis, had been aopeal- s'.deni of the 1 1 mted States to Congress, at the com- j ed to, as warnings against that resolution. ‘I -i image uiuacgmcui oi' tho ine&eiit *e»:uoii, n* luJates to the ! of tr/ir, in nil its tfirors, am! with ul! calamities, failure, at die hist session of Congress, of tho bill coil- ! had been held lip to deter tlic House 'rout dm asser- taining *bo ordinary appropriation lor fortifications, be ! tioti of the nation’s rights, and ol the nation s honor, referred to a seloot coin mince, wilt) iu-tructious to in-j contained m that resolution. < onscious that the re quire into, and rojmrt to the House, the causes and cir-1 solution could not give any just cause of o. ence, the lumstanccs of the litiittre of that bill. j House did net believe that it would ofienc. or endanger objection being made, Mr. iMn t.nR moved to sus- j the peace of die country; yet. in deferenc.,to the fears pond the rulu < f Hie House to enable die gentieman ' of the minority, and as an earnest of their sincerity in from Massachusetts to odor hi* resolution ’, which-mo- the determination to resist upon die execution of the tioif prevailed—yeas I'dll, nays GO. treaty, it was deemed tinting that the Government •Mr. Adams theu siiiuuitlcd the foregoing resolution, j should put itself in nil attitude of defence to meet the Mr. Wii.i.ixms, of .North Carolina, moved to aineud worst possible contingency, anil to sustain that resoIn die resolution, by giving the select committee power to j don which they unanimously passed. These v ere the send for persons and papers. I grounds upon which that item was introduced on the Mr. J. If. Adams said, dial die portion of die Pro-J last day of die session. And why on the last day/ sideut’s message wliich referred to this subject v> as in j IJecause it was ouly on die night before that the iinun- these words : ~ ' imons vote had passed. “Muck loss and inconvenience have, been ex peri - j In all the debate it - I encod in consequence of the failure of the biU contain-1 which he had referred. tlienB w-as “*°^ e *? r ace of such L t b e r esoluUon of the House had beeu pass- I SESST ed hut the day before 1 That resolution wL it last session, but was lost in the odier. J Ins failure the journal ol the Senate of what they w ould t!o/or the was die mow regretted, not ouiv because it necessarily defence of the country, or to insist upon tbe execution of interrupted and delayed the progress of a system ot ; tbe treaty ol July. Lilt in diat debate in the National national defence, projected immediately after die las.: lutelligencer, lie found a prodigious display of elo- war, and since steadily jiitrsticd, but also because it J queneeagainst the constitutionality ol this section ap- conta ned a coutiiigeitt iipitropriatieu inserted in ac- , jiropriating three millions ol dolhns for the defence ol coriiauce with dm views of tho Fxecutivo. m aid of j the country, because it had not beck recommended by this important object, aqdethpr branches of die nation- the Executive. nl defence, some portions of which might have been Mr. Mxrcer again rose to order. He charged Unit most usefully applied during the .past season. I in- the gentleman was aiiudiug to a debate ju the Senate. stitutional* that tho indignant and patriotic elo- queuro ot the National Intelligencer, would soon er see the enemy haltering down tho walls of the Capitol than agree to it. Sir, lor a inan utter ing such sentiments, there would lie hut one step more, a natural and easy one to take, anti that would be, with tho enemy at the walls of the Capitol, to join hitn in battering tlieip down. ere Air. A. was interrupted by a spontane ous burst of feeling aud applause from members on the floor. The Speaker immediately called to order. The iutliscretion was momentary, and ihe most respectful silepec followed.] Air. A. resumed, lie hoped he |iad shown that the section mnkiug the appropriation of three millions, was introduced from absolute ne cessity on ihe last day of the last session, because it was iu consequoiico of the unanimous vote of the day preceding. Was he now to bo told that this «ttd the other House must uot appropriate money uulp«s by* recommendation from the hixe- cutive ? Why, sir, the Executive has told us now, that that appropriation was perfectly in ac cordance with bis wishes. Yet here the charge is inverted, and unconstitutional conspiracy, aud man worship are imputed to this liou?e on ac count of ti nt appropriation, because it Was ap proved aud desired by the* Executive., Where was the possibility of a recommendation from the Executive; of statements from the Departments; In all tbe debate in the National Intelligencer to | 0 f m essa^es between this aud the other House, vito your attention to that part of the report of the Secretary of War which rotates to this subject, and recommend an appropriation sufFcicnt.y liberal 'o ac celerate the armament of the fortifications, agreeably to the proposition submitted by hitn, and to place our whole Atlantic seaboard tn u complete state of de fence. A just regard to the perntainent interests of die cou.nry evidently roqnires this measure hut there are also other reasons which at the present juncture, give it peculiar forco, a id make it my duly to call to tin subject yottr speci if consideration.” He thought that was nil that related to the subject, and he olfered the resolution for the appointment of n committee with instructions to inquire and report as to the facts relating to the loss of the three million ap propriation hill, principally in consequence of what bad lak«*n place in another quarter upon this snbject. The Chair reminded the geiitlrnian from Mnssa- Tho SekARBR said that the gentleman must reduce the exceptionable words to writing. Mr. Merckr reduced t * writing and proceeded to read the words which lie alledgcd -were used by the gentleman from Massachusetts. He did this, he re marked with reluctance ; luit it was for the purpose of preserving that comity and harmony between *£:«• two bodies, that the gentleman bad referred to, and which lie no doubt desired to maintain, that he had felt called upon by a sense of duty to raise the question of order. The words taken down by Mr Mercer were read at the Clerks table, and rite Speaker inquired of tbe gen tleman trout Afossat husette. whether he admitted their correctness ! Mr Ankvs. Tbe gentleman front Virginia, (Mr Mercer) bad express, d great aversion to quibbling. Mr Parker here rose and urged that order should be'maintained as it w as impossible to understand what chnsctts, that it was not in order to allude to the .**eu-i was going on while the members were standing or Mr. A. said be was perfectly well disposed to ob serve tbe rules established, and would gone further in reference to what had taken placo in the Senate, than the rules would atitiiori.se. ill* said that lie had offer ed tm, re iolntiou in consequence of whut had occurred in nnotlter place. Hu bud not soidiimt that place w as tlio Seintuof the United States. That was a matter w’hich any gentleman was competent to determine for himself where_ the place was. He said this because, although perfectly aware, that in point of form there was a rnio, never observed, that no allusion shall be made in either House, to what is pnssiug in the other; vet, unloss allusion to what was going forward in the other in aitclt of tiic Legislature shon).1 be permitted, it would take from him the possibility of stating the real grounds on which he asked a committee of the House. He did not refer nominally to any thing which had taken place in the Senate, but he did refer to what had taken place elsewhere, and ho should pro ceed and have reference to what bad occurred in ano ther place, so long us it should be the pleasure of the Speaker or tlto Houso to permit him. The Speaker here read the rule which applied tn tliu case, anti Mr. Aoams was about proceeding, when Mr. Mercer called hint to order. The gentleman from Massachusetts had not nominally alluded to the 8mate, hut he had intentionally, aud was therefore put of order The SrEAttr.R said, that, according to parliamenta ry usage, the objectionable words must lie reduced to writing. Air. Mercer declined reducing the words to wri ting, uud withdrew the call to order. Air. Adams resumed. He would endeavor, ns far M was in his ability, toatoid any collision, not only with the letter, but tvi’.h the spirit of the rules, to which moving about. Iilr AIercer Raid the gentleman from Massachu setts might modify the language which he had reduced •o writing. AJr Adams proceeded to state wherein the gentle man from Virginialuid not roirectiy stated the woids which he huo used. Mr .Mercer raid the evident uuaitiug of the gentle man, in his opinion authorised the terms which he had employed in reference to the exception he bad taken. .Mr Adams said, us he understood the rule, exception must be taken to luc iron/., of a member, not to any aicantiig wiiicti any gentleman might think proper to attach to his words. He entered into u limber expla nation!,! the terms which he hud employed. Air AIercer expressed his dissatisfaction with the explanation, unci lie felt bound to persevere iu the mo- noli winch he bad made. Air. \\ ise hoped the gentleman from Massachusetts would he permitted to proceed, whether in order or out of order. If ever there was a case where members should be permitted tospeuk frank yon both sides, in order that tin* truth and die whole truth might he e- ncitcd, this was one. After some conversation between the Speaker nnd Messrs. Hardin, Me,cer and Adunis, the <|uestiou was pit., and the House decided by a large majority, Uiat the word*token down by Air. Mercer were not used by Mr. Adams. Air. Whitti.kskv called for the orders of die day. The Chair decided tho motion out oi order, die House having suspended all its rules to enable die ••eiitlemau from .Massachusetts to submit his resolu tion. n , .... .Mr Adams continued. He said Iris object in offer ing the resolution was precisely the same, with that which had induced his honorable friend from Virginia or not, 1 do not recollect. He had only spoken iu the House before as contemplating a large’ sum.: considering the contingent and possible danger against w hich it was to provide, 1 thought the sum cartaiuly uot too large. . And,now, sir, where is all.this scaffolding ol indignation and horror of an appropriation lor specific purposes, for the defeuco ol the country, because, forsooth, it hud-uot been recommended by special message from the Executive? Gone, sir! Goue! You shall look font and you shall uot fiud it. You shall find no more trace of it, than in the tales of the National lutelligencer you shall find of that vote, of 317 ayes, which was the real voucher for the purity ami genuine pat riotism of (tint appropriation of three millions, tleuouuccd to the world by the eloquent orators of tho Senatorial press, as so profligate and cor rupt, tun tan enemy at the gates of this Capito! could uot nave justified a|vote in its favor to ur- rest l.is arm, aud stay his hand in the act of battering down these walls. You shall find uo more trace of it, than upon the Journals ot the bciiataof the last session of Congress, you shall find of sensibility to the wrougs which our coun- Alr A. said lie doubted whether in the whole intercourse between the two Houses of Congres- an adherence was ever before resorted to at so early astago of a difference between them. He was sure there never had been such an instance unless at a time ot bad temper between the Hou ses. ft was a special disposition to cast odium upon the House, a special bravado, that induced the Senate thus to draw tbe sword & throw away the scabbard, and they adhered. Notwithstand ing the uatural feeling was, when the bill came to tho House, to adhere on their part, and that motion was actually made, yet so anxious w as tho House t« save tho bill, that they did not ad here ueithcr did they recede; they iusisted again, aud asked of tho Senate a conference, to which the Senate agreed, although at that time the hour was 13, in real time. That clock, (poiuting to the (lock in the Uall.) to he sure, so far as a clock could show, said it was not 13, but it was not possessed of the power of Joshua of old, who commanded the suu aud moon to standstill; old time submitted to uo such power, hut moved aioug regardless of w hat w as doing hero. The committee of conference of the House went out. try was enduring from Frauce, aud ii upou those j and that committee felt themselves constrained Journals, such a truce can fie found, it must be to i to consent n.i a reduction of the 3,030.000 dotvu to cleurer and more searching eyes than mine. \ 800000 dollars. Thus, sir, this horrible conspir- Theu why are we told that nobody knew any I acy against th- constitution, melted down to a thing Of (lie reasons of the House tor adopting i mere question of dollars aud ccnti—whether the that amendment to tho fortification bill ? Noth- j appropriation should be 3,000,000 or 800.000 ing passed in the House but what was kuown in dollars. The appropriation was made positive, the other portion of tile Capitol. Nothing was . instead of being contingent upon a necessity uot found on the Journals of the other body, that Certain to come, and it was confined to twoob- would go to sustain the Executive aud the ebun-j jecls of permanent ordinary nppropiiatiou, still try. Iu another body resolutions were passed, j leaving the possible contingent danger uuprovi- very explicitly declaring that tliey would not do ded for. He had said aud believed, that the what the Executive recommended outuo resolu- 1 conferees ou the pnrtof the House had beeu edi tions were passed, sayiug what they would do. i strained to accept this compromise for the pur- A different course of pc li«*y was pursued by the j pose of saving the bill; but it was loo late— House. It adopted uuanimous resolutions aud ! when the conferees on the part of tbe i loti e re showed that, although the measures recoin- | Utrued, that House was no more—it was a life- mended by the President, did uot^ entirely less corpse. A friend and colleague of his, now meet their approbation, yet that the lights of the : iu his eye, had indeed said it was the noisiest dead country, aud the execution of the treaty w re to j body that h** had e’ er seen or heard of. That bo insisted ou. In another brauch of the Capi- ; w as true, yet it was uevertheless true, the House tol, at tho same time, it w as uot known what the | was de facto dead. The journal shows that House were doing; yet 317 names answering from that time it was impossible to make a quo- “\ea,” stood recorded on the Journals of the! ruin. It was a few minutes bclo-e that, a large Sfous’e. These were the lacls, and an impartial : quorum was found. He said this, because, in senate to the bill respecting the tut* Cnited States.” rl ‘ficauo: j c f Mr. A. appealed to the speaker oldest members ot the House, and in i n ® ol *U capacity, as the guardian and vindi "‘, S °®^1 honor of the House, wilether, !u hise* r of «he the legislation of this country , ho had a *' er,e *fe i, lion of such a message having pas'- the House of Representatives and s? bciWl Ri message reminding the i louse of tfceir’’* 0 * 101 A minding the House of what they had \S' '•* minding the House of the particular b Us ;“ d ° : r «* it was their duty :o take upaad act asken the oldest nieinberiu the lion.* 1 / 1111 ' '' e he hid any recollectiouofaiiysuchiuf 1 -’ WlieU,er ing passed between the House ol lt,■ 1)1 '• and the Seuate, he asked the vouJ..? eUl4tl,c ' and paused for a reply, lie heard none tiei tbess circumstances he took nn oa [ :ital1 #t| - say, that uo such message was to be f aB T*® journals of Congtess since the fomtdaui <m ^ Government. Hero was one braueuoj [ * tos isiature turning the task master of >ii e “IJfS- We read to koiy writ of a judge of J Sf ‘7~’ undertook to teach the meu of ti ucitl!) ,Ta > was ny scourging jheui with the bn«r.’ V* 1 ' Since the days of Abi» # |" eth °^J the gentleman from Virginia (Air Mercer) had appeal- I to interpose this objection ot mere formality again, t it; ed, auil would therefore transfer, die location ot the place where these things had happened., from the Se nate uf the United States t» the office of the National lutelligencer, and would ask the gentleman if he had any objection to diut ! Air Mercer said lie objected to a quibble, with a vioivof ro.icliing another braftch of Congress, contra ry to the rules of order Mr. Ada Mi. In the National Intelligencer, the offi cial printer t» tlto Seu.iio of tho United States, there was published a report of proceedings which had ta namely, to restore huruiouy between alt U.e Depart' menu of the Government, not only between the House and the senate, bulalsu between both iloose.- ol Con gress and the Lxeealtve Departments ol the uovem- tueiit, for if Uierecver was u time when harmony, per fect and complete, between the different Departments of the Government was necessary, now was the tune. The people of the country culled lor it—die interest of die nation demanded it. Air A. said these were |ns motives for offering die resolution, and he trusted that if tbe House would indulge him m die appointment of the committee he demanded, timt dmt coiniiitttec would ken place in a certain l*ody ; and in that newspaper he j jbecoiii . found it charged, not ottlv that dw statement in the have 11 "l their power to repot til.at all the charges message of the President' of rim United States „ as j made agamttheltot.se were utterly ground ess and not trac. Inti that dw fi.il.tre of the bill was not caused j union,.ded, tmd bel.evmg dial hat would be the result |,y the 8ouatc of tho L t.ited States; that it did not fail ' »< »he investigation, he hoped that it w ould contribute there, but dtat it failed iu another House. Where was | to restore the harmony w hich no longer exists between ’ - • - the two branches ol me Legislature ol die country — The restoration of harmony depended upon the vin dication of tin; honor of die House of Uepresemativcs that! Was it this House! No, sir; that House exists no longer. Dut it was in tins ball; and the House which is now here consists, ii a great nn asure, of the tdeutical individuals who composed that Ilotiso. One hundred aud forty members of that House are also members of this House. And iu that -nine National Intelligencer hu found the charge, not only that die fail ure of that hill was owing to the fuult ol that House, but that it died there, and then: its bones are to he sought: Ho foaud it ai-o charged, that in die progress outrages du* United of the passage uf this bill, the most violent were committed ou the Constitution oi di Slates, by the President and by tho House, in conspi racy together. It was admitted on all sides dint die hi I was occasioned by the Introduction of a section into it, appropriating three millions of dollars for tho defeuce oi* tho coitntr> ; and the President now tells at tbe lost session of Congress; for if th«t vindica tion could not hu made complete, there was no pros pect of uuy harmony at the present session of Con gress; and'especially upon diat most important sub ject, our foreign rchuiuiis—die question of peace or war. The foundation of die resolution offered was, oil his part entirely defensive; its object waste vindi cate the House of lien resents lives from reflections wliich were eutirely undeserved. Air A. said it was difficult for him to reconnect to gether die train of thought after so much interruption, which he iuid wished to present to die House. He would, however revert to onq or two points which re quired notice. It was aguiust the introduction of the us dmt the fuilpro of dmt appropriation was a snbtect action appropriating diree millions for die defence of self passed iu cousequcuco of a communication from the Executive, aud iu furtherance of the views of that ollicer. Then why was the charge of mau worship made ? lie would appeal to the House to sHy, whether he was a worshipper of the present Executive ? He had voted for that at*- prepriatiou. and he gloried in the vote. VA as he chargeable with man worship iu voting for that appropriation ? He had not approved the special measures w liich had been recommended by the Executive at the commencement of that session of Congress. Neither the measure of issuing letters of piarque and reprises, nor the measure of commercial interdict or restriction ; neither had that House of Kcpresft utativr« approved them; hulthc House, aud lhauk God! the peo ple ol tho country, iiad done homage to the spirit which had urg< d to the recnmmcudaiiou, «veu of those measures which they did not approve. He agaiu repeated, why was it that the House must be charged with niau-worslup and unconstitution al conspiracy, because they passed an appropri ation of three luillious for the defence of the coun try, at a time wneti iiiniieneiit danger of war was urged, as resulting from that very resolution, w liich, but the night before passed by an unan imous vote? Hccause, forsooth, that appropri ation had not been called for hy the Executive; and yet, because turns approved hy the Execu- ivc. Sir, there were at the last session of Congress, three systems of policy to be pursued w ith regaifd to our then controversy with Frauce, which had marked the proceedings of the three branches of our Government charged with the duties aud the responsibilities of legislation. The system of. tho President was contained in the re commendation of his annual tnesstig-e. ’1 lie sys tem of the ijennio is disclosed by their resolution unanimously adopted on the I4th of Janu-ry, 1835, ill these words, as appears upon their jour ttals: *•Resolttd, That it is inexpedient at present, to adopt any legislative measure in regard to the state of affairs between ihe United riltitcs and France. A resolution not ouly declining to do that which the President hud recommended, to vindicate the rights aud honor of the nation, hut positively de termining to do nothing—not eveu to express a sense of the wrongs which the country was endu ring from France.” 8uch was the system of the Semite. That of the House was neither exactly that which had been recommenced by the President, nor yet that of the Senate. It was a subject of long, of aux- ious, aud of ardent deliberation and debate du ring the last week of the last session. The chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations had reported three resolutions ; us sub stitutes for which, 1 had the honor of submitting to the consideration of tho House three others.— Tbe minority of the Committee ou Foreign Re lations had preseutefl a report, coucludiug with a sentem e, which, at tho suggestion of the chair man of the Committee, I adopted as a modifica tion of my first resolution, aud which the chair man of the Committee consented to lake ns a substitute for the first reported by him. 'Phis sentence, from w hich, with the general assent of the House, tbe words ** at all hazards” hatl been withdrawn, was finally moved hy nte, anil every member present, two hundred aud seventeen iu number, ausw red, at the call of his name, “ay.” Tin: resolution was in these words; »• Htsolred, That iu the opinion of this House, the treaty with France of iho 4th of July, 1831, slum ti be uiaiutaiued, and its execution insisted ou “ history of that bill would show, that there was suflicieut and ample cause for the appropriation ol three millions. Hut the throe million appro priation was received by the Senate iu a most unfortunate temper, and as proof of this, it be came absolutely necessary for him to refer to their proceedings. In jfce first place, the motion for the three million section was submitted in the House, aud little objection was inai.e to it. It was perfectly understood by gentlemen ou both sides of the House, that it was fouuded ou the vote of the night proceeding, and uo one, so far as lie recollecte ., objected to it, because there was no recommendation from the Executive.-- The vote wq^takeu ou it by yeas and u.tys, and it was adopted. Oue hundred and ttiue names ^said Alt Adams.) the first of which, iu alphabet ical order, was uty owu, were recorded upon the Journals in favor ol the aineudineut, aud of those names, seventy two belong to ' members of this House; 77 names appear ou the Journal record ed agaiusl the amendmeut. forty five of which are of members of this House. The proportion of re-elected members is rather larger ol the names iu the affirmative, than of those iu the ne gative. Hut. 1 have said tho amendment was received iu the Senate io a b ul temper—aud now •he National Intelligencer, the exemplary assid uity of the members of tho Senate, in tho dis charge of their duties, was invidiously contrasted with the insinuated neglect of tho members of tho House, where it was insinuated that business could uot be done for want of a quorum. But why was the House found without a quorum ? Because sixty or seveuty members, cunscieu- tiously believing that they were no longer tho Re presentatives of the people, refused or forbore to answer to theiruames. YoUr journals will show that motion after motion was made to that effect. Mauy members declined answering on these grotmds. aud no motion was made to compel them to vote, as by the rules of the House, had it still existed, there would have beeu. He was not one of those who believed that the session ended at midnight. In his opinion the two years duration of Congress was from tbe time of day at which the ll»u te commenced its session, say the hour of noon on the 4th of March. He belie ved that to be the true construction of the cousti tutiouai term of two years; but it was ac uistitu ticnial questiou, aitd ii was uot for him to judge of the motive ofmeu who conscientiously be lieved tha the period ol their political existence had expired, W hen the Cumherlaini roatl bill for the proof. The resolution, as recorded on ! passed, the question was taken by yeas and uays, the Journals of the House, was as follows : j and the vote *vas 94 to 80, making' 174 votes.— “And be it, fyc. That the sum of three millions j Here was n quorum voting, which showed that of dollars be, auci the same is hereby appropri ated oulofany tnouey in the treasury uot other wise appropriated, to be expended, in whole or in part, uuder tho direction of the President of the United States, for the military and naval service, including fortifica ious and ordnance and increase of the navy; provided, such expendi ture t»e rendered necessary, for the defence of the couutry, prior to the next meeting of Con gress.” Obsetve what were the purposes of the ap- propriirtioa. Was tho House wasting aud sqtiun ilcriug the public money when it made die ap propriation ? No, sir. .Shall it be said that the appropriation, if uiude, must have beeu wasted ? wbeu an enemy is at the wailsoi the Capitol, it will be but a sorry objection to make that you have no confidence iu the man at the head of the Government. He hoped that the matter might be fully exposed; and whatever might be his re lations with the head of the Government, he did uot think that the vote w ould lie charged tom tu- worsliip Upou that resolution, 100 names were recorded in the affirmative, and were these 100 members to be charged with being man worship pers and conspirators against the constitution of their country ? Among these names were sever al, if they were capable of anything like mau-, worship, which lie did not believe, the object ol whose worship would be some othe'r mau than the present teuant of tho »Into house; even the very meu who uow made these charges against them. He said that the section was received in bad temper by die senate, they immediately dis agreed to the ameuUiueut, it was said, with hu* little debate, aud sent their disagreement down to the House. He recollected that the present Speaker who was then Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Aleaus, did him the Itou- or to ask hitn what we should do, and he, (Mr A.) said lie should vote to recede from the ap propriation, because from the temper of the Senate, it was evident, if that course was not pursued,the whole bill would be lost. Mr. A. said be did accordingly vote to recede, hut it was not to recall tbe vote he bad before given ; it was solely because bo believed'(hat if the House did not recede, the whole bill would be lost. As the object of the kill w as for the ordi nary appropriations for tonifications, he was un willing lo lose it, anti therefore gave up the three million appropriation to save the remainder of the bill. But it was not the sense of the House to I then withdrew the second aud third of tho t recede, and tile vote ol the House stood 87 to of great inconvenience to tbe pooplo of tlto country Ou this subject an issue litis been taken in the National lutelligencer; aud that issue involved not merely the {'resident of tlto Uuited Sta'cs, but iuvolved the House of Representatives. Timt was nil additional i reason why ho wished for a committee to inquire into the matter. Timt reason, he hoped, would bn suffi cient for every lumn'tor Who felt hi a honor implicated, to c.tU for investigation, and have the subject exomiii- iinxl to sli-iiv where the failure of that bill was to be' charged, llo had. he repeated, said, that he consider ed it rite first dmy of every branch of the Government to harmonize with the other brunches of the Govern ment in doiug the btisitiess of the People. It was the duty of tiic members of the House of Representatives to support the President of the United States, and the Kxecuffvu Government of_tho country, in every mca- gg; and in the mlt- t duty was obligatory uud reciprocal upon the Senate and the President. This be hnd always considered ns the first duly of every person concerned in ndutinisteriug die Goveriini :nt, whether of the executive or .legislative deportments. It was a subsequent duty, that cm It of these powers was to be a watchman ard sentinel over tho proceedings of the other. This, between the brnn- ctafoflho Legislature was a matter of extreme iiu- portauca, aitd waj scarcely less important, in the re- «lions between both and each of ths brauffies uf the ppropni _ the country, that tbe cry uf iniconstitntionality against both tiie Lxcctitiveand'ilouso of Representatives hud been raised. One of the great charges was, that the Houso of Keprexcuta'itcs had inserted that section without recommendation from Utu President. That was the great offence en which was fimi t cd the hur-ts of indignant eloquence, which would rather see the enemy battering down the walls of the < npitol, than agree to such an appropriation for the defence of the country. Observe, sir, once more.the terms, tbe objects, and the condition of that appropriation. It was tn be ex pended, in wliole or in part, under the direction of the President of the United (Suites; life i.xecutivc head of the nation, sworn to the faithful execution of ihe laws: sworn especially and entrusted w ith the superinten dence of all the defences of the country against the ra vages of a foreign invader—it was to he expended for the •*military and viral service, including fortifications' and ordnance, and increase oj the vary." These, sir, •he natural nnd appropriate instruments of national defence against a foreign foe, were the sole and exclu sive objects of this appropriation—not one dollar of it conld have been applied to any other purpose by tb President without a violation of his official oath^ and of liis official trust—not one dollar could be applied by hint to any other purposes without making himself lia ble to impeachment; not by tha House of Represen tatives, bill by us, their successors, fresh from the con stituent body, the pocple, yet before that same resolutions which I had proposed. The secoucl of the resolutions reported hy tbe chairman of the Committee on Foreign Rela tions was, that the Committee should he discharg ed ftont the further cousideratiou of so much of the President's message as related to commercial restrictions, or to reprisals outlie commerce uf France. It was unanimously adopted hy the House. 'Pile third resolution reported hy the chairman of the Committee, whs: “ Kesolvtd. That loiitiugent preparation ought to he made to meet any emergency growiug out of our relations with France.” This was the resolution iutended to sustain at once, the spirit of the President’s recommenda tions, nnd thc'siucerity of the resolution just n- dopted hy the House. But there was only a day left of existence to the House; and therefore uo possibility of wait ing tor a message from the President, for esti mates from Iho War aud Navy Departments, or lor the slow progress of n bill through all its usti- aUtages in both Houses of Congress. Such pro ceedings, highly proper for the usual aud ordina ry expenditures of the year, were not ouly uu- tiVeessaty, but wpultl have been, to sny the least, useless for an appropriation contingent upou e- veutstben uncertain, and tho amount uecessary for which could not, with any approximation to precision,-he estimated or forcsecu. The resolution was laid uu the table at the mo* tinu of the chairman of the Committee, who had reported it, and who then, iu my hearing, and iu the hearing of all those tv ho chose to hear hint, gave uoticc that ho should, in its stead, move an additional appropriation to the fortification hill' then before the House. Whether he named tho sum of three millions as that ho should propose. 110; the senso of the House was strong, it tvas earnest, but it was respectful. How was it w ith the Senate ? The next communication which iho House received from it was, that the Senate had adhered lo their disagreement. Iu the inter course between the two Ileuses every persou knew that adhering was Ihe very last resort— that it scarcely ever was recurred to, except a* a challenge of defunct to the other House. What are its consequences ? They are always to haz ard the loss of the whole bill; if the other House adhere, the bill is lost. Tito Senate said, take baek your appropriation or lose your bill; and that at the earliest stage at which they could pass such a vote. It was well kuotvu to every mau that the vote lo uilhere, never passes between the two Houses in good temper. It was always considered as a challenge : “lose your hill, or a- greo to what wo think is right." Mr A. here rpa l the following extract from Jefferson’s Matt el, in support ol his views : “When either House seuds a hill to the other, the other may pass it with aineudineut. The re gular progression in this case i«. the Commons disagree to the amendmeut; the Lords insist upon it; the Commons insist on v their disagreement; the Lords adhere to their amendment; the Com mons adhere to their disagreement. The term of insisting may he repeated as often as they chooso to keep the question open: but the first adherence by cither, renders it necessary for the other side to recede or adhere also, when the matter is usually suffered to fall. The term of insisting tvas certainly in 1G9I), n happy inno vation, as it multiplies the opportunities of try ing modifications which may briug tho Houses to a concurrence. Either House is free hotve v - J tliHouse at 13 o’uclock, tvas doing husiues; but in ten minutes afterth.it, no quorum couid lie found; not iu consequence of there not being members present, but iu coqscqueuce of their conscientious scruples. • lie recollected the in stance of a gentleman from Georgia, (Mr Gil- iuo.%) a man as conscientious and as intelligent ! as any memtier of tbnt or the presem House, who, upou being called, refused to answ er, and gave as his reason, that he was no longer tho repre sentative of the people, aud immediately after the vote was taken, went out of the House at that door ami uevet* returned. It ivis u >t titer - lore 'lie want of a sufficient outrider of members present, but from tbe conscientious conviction of so large a number unite members, as reduced the remainder to less titan a quorum, •that thw bad uo right to voto on anything in the House. After that took place, the committee of confer ence returned to the House, but no report was made, and tvh.it tvas the reason ? Because there tvas uo House. The roll tvas called aud uo quo- i utn was to he fouud. He said that lie did uot consider the con-tini tional term of two years, assigned to the House of Representatives, an t the term or four ye irs, du ring which the President of-the Uni ed States holds liis office, commences or expires at mid- uight. The services of ttvo aud of four years, commenced running from the time, when the members of the first Congress assembled, to coinin' nee the operations of this Government, uuder the constitution of the Uuited States, w hi< h tvas on the 4th of .March, 1789, at noon. Tne ttvo years front that time expired not on the 3d of Marco, 1701, at midnight, but on the 4th ot March, at uoon. The cxpiraliou of a year is not front noon to midttight, but from uoon to uoon. it is so, astronomically, by tbe latv of uature. The time ul which a day shall -coin meiiee aud terminate, is a matter altogether ar bitrary and conventional. Some nations have iu tit- ir civil compui lion, commenced the day at sunrise, nnd some at sunset, some at thiduigiu and route at noon. Astronomers and navigators always reckon the day from noon to uoon.- and why should uot the constitutional comj utaiiou of time follow tiic same law which is the law of uature ? The principle, once estaulished, could be attended with uosortof inconvenience, where as, the computation from unott to midnight, must be subjee once every two years to a solu- tiou of continuity for twelve hours by the non-ex istence of a Houseof Representatives, 'and once in every four years, t:> an interregnum or vacan cy ia the office of i'rosidpnt of the Uuited Slides; emergencies might easily he foreseen, perhaps oven precoutrived, iu w hich either ol those events would be atteuded with very great public incon venience. Mouarcbtul governments are always guarded with the utmost possible care against every solution of co.diuuity. Tlndr Kitt->s never die. It would be a radical defect in every rep ublican government, not tube invested with tile- same official immortality, 'he office always filled, however frequently the individual incumbent may be changed. It was therefore my opinion that the House might have sat, transacting busi ness till uoon of tlto fourth of Alarch, and, accor dingly my tiaine will be found and recorded on every taking of the yeas and nays, until the ad journment, after it was auuounced that the Sen ate had adjourned. Mr. A. said that it was his opiniou then, aud ho had theu expressed it to the House, hut it was uot the opinion of a large uiituber of members of tho Houso. The members were in the House ready to vote, but in their opiuion the time had passed. Now, whatever was doing tit that time in tho House might have been known to every member of tjic senate, if they had seen fit to make the inquiry. It was perfectly known that after that time no quorum of tho House could be found.. No vote was taken. Tho House tvas de fuclo dead. But iu that state of things, after the House was a lifeless corpse, the folio wing mes sage was sent from the Senate, which Mr. A requested the clerk to road. "Resolved That a message he sent to the hon orable the (louse of Represntatives, respectfully to remind lire House of tho report of tho Commit- er, to pass over tho term of insisting, aud to ad-1 tee of Conference appointed on the disagreeing here in tbofitstinsla'ncc, but it is not respectfulvotes of tho tvro Houses, on the amendment of the wilderness has been uo such teaching as ibis In' t^s ^ to tbe House of Representatives ot'the ( He dwelt on tbis -ubj-ct because it lt|: ^ l " tei * to be any such thing as huruiouy b^H ^ " i “ two houses, iu discharge uf thrir duty | () t ' ta lte pic of the country, he hoped that Tit, u ny i ' C °’ would stand as a solitary ntouuuieuiatul tv S *^® never to be repeated, tie hoped tfiai SUcil dru “£ sago would never go front the House to [U s'*’ ate. He hoped that the House would am courteous enough to suppose that tli e tst^’ , the Uuited Stales knew what was tlieiidm ^^ would discharge it accordingly. J* a “ a Mr. A. said that no such example existed the joruals of the House of Representative, he was aware that there bad been iu-Uures of £’ kiud iu the parliament of Great iitituni; uubtf * were re er ed to ia Mr Jefferson's Manual t). “When a bill i« seut by oue House to the ut '”'' aud is neglected, they may semi a messa e?’ remind them of it. But if it be mere iaatteuri ° it is better to have it dome informally, b T f, 90 munications between the speakers ur tueiubtr, 111 ' the two Houses.” From this it would be seen, that the oulvt?., given in the Mauttal, were wnere the had neglected to aet on a bill; he had consulted all the cases in liaise!! and Gray, auilo’Jita refer.ed to by Mr. Jeffersou iu the Alauual; M ,j he found that the last instance adduced of its, kiud, eveu in the British parliament, nasiil^) one huudred and fitleeu years ago, aud iu all Ub’ cases severally relerred to, such messages ntvet were sent : unless there was a violent niisuuder- standiug between the two Houses, and when the neglect of tbe bill was extremely injurious. Such was the uaiute ol tue message, wliich he Loped never would be repeated iu the iutercourse bet- ween the two Houses of Congress, liut, to com plete the true character of that message, be iuast i.quire at what time it was seut? it was seat at two o’clock in the moruieg, it was scut at a time when it was known, bo b in tiio House ami the Senate, that no quorum was to be fouml. When that message was delivered, ha must con fess, if ever a feeling of shaiue aud of iudigoa- tiott had filled his bosom, it was at that tuoturat. He felt it as an insult lo the immediate Repre sentatives of ho people; aud had it been seat at a moment when the House yet existed, with the power lo resent unprovoked iusult, lit verify believed, that, imitating the example of ow Congress in a somewhat similar case, during the revolutionary war. he should have moved lilt a message be sent hy two members of the House, to east the Senate message on their floor. ?.ml tell them that it was uot the r-ustotu of tlielliut* to receive insolent message,. It was, perttapj well that he had no opportunity to give vent to tiut feelings. What were the feelings of the other rii n *ers, it was not for him to say; and h« did uot know that he had ever co;emuuicated h.’S own to any members of the HoOsc; furls saw that the iusult was committed ou adead body —another Achilles, dragging around the wailsoi Troy liis prostrate and lifeless foe. It was said, sir, that there had been thrilling aud unexampled eloquence ot iadigaatioa r.ttbs conspiracy of ni.ui w orship, servility, s„< [ cor ruption, displayed by the House ol Keprt'.snu- tives, in that appropriation ot three mtllioJsfor tile contingent necessary defence of the coantrj front foreign aggression ; but I trust that 1 lad already shown, to the satisfaction of this Hum. that a.I that eloquence was gratuitous, ati<iw that indignation waslefuily squander'd a« s J' some small portion of winch might have beta pr fitably expended upou the foreign treaty It**' ker-, under whose injustice our own country »•* smarting- This indignation, and the teoiptr with which it was mauil'isled, hy these repeats iusuits to the House, ili-.t strike me as so ftU**' diuary, and I unis’ add, that it was impu te avoid the inquiry, wnere the real sting of im> three million appropriation did lay, and wha' l! was that had excited this tempest of p.issio» »' gairst it. Aud 1 thought the line motive »«• di-wernahle in that unanimous vote of twe** 1 ’ tired aud seventeen ayes iu the House, lirtsa - dntg that the execctmou of the treaty sto'iik!* iusisted on. That vote, however, onrloey then, or now, had beeu neither uttsceu nor mat' ll w .s uot ouly a departure from the do ntthirf policy of the Senate, but might be felt to couut' J a pungent though tacit rebuke upou that P ari, - ! tic p.»;iey. The three inilliou appropriation ** the complement aud efficient energy of the °* ittous vote of the preceding day. i lud V ‘ , ' L exclusively tho act of the House. . In« *PI^ priatioti required the concurring vote o, the ate, anil that vole would have made the * tho unwilling accessory to implied censure its own quietism uuder foreign wrong* g, of the House could uot he nullified. h“* ‘ ’ j c.ent opera ion might be unnerved by th® s of tha appropriation ; aud so the bloodies E ^ of Executive dictation, and map servility, were conjured up; and 110 °^.. l0 re arrogance of votes to adhere. <& ^ 1Ifr mind, were substituted tor the defirt e,,r ) 0 reasons for refusing tho appropriation. Great horror was manifested at th® *i ami mau worship of appropriating ^ millions, and that was the source 0 . n|Cl jj li'iant message to remind. ITrhsp*. r j a u*« speaking, the bill containing thatapP ' ^ j; diil fail iu tho House : Intt if it da *• failed before the appointment ot 11,8 j^tta- of conference, its death blow »v® s j, ,ld rial vote to adhere. It tailed. • 1CI ‘ j a ^’ p'ease'the Senate, iu their wisdom t8CJ ^ ism. to strike out that appropriation.^ ^ away the whole fortification bill to nrt jctt!* single item. Between that day loCC 4i! wo have all hatl time to suffer owft* 1 ;, he *4 down. lie had submitted iu 5l 'r!i, g eU >tt.“ temper manifested ou the part ol * ( (|U | V tt Tli it bail temper tvas manifestc, „ „ se i;ti' the President, but to the llous3 0 . with **’ lives. I fit had not been now ren ' ,, ell t ah*W doubled vigor, ami by the Ira,,s , r t u. gena* 8, * which belonged to those tvho lea 0 f ptad would have remained silent for * . ‘ j, ar ges. c “’ and harmony; but now, under sU , • ■, „in« #f forced with all the arguments mW ’ illJs cft months of mediation could bring . forth _ highest order—when such c bti'cj elir esiita ,,T ; the nation, accusing the House • ^ ff& - „,.„nniracV W ,u * ... jjlefll of an unconstitutional c<>us P ,r . aC ' rre ipaii' s dent on that hill, he could no ' (,1 V s0 that!, He therefore moved the reso (( |te n **L house might not trust entirely * . ^ bu* L facts which he had sulmutte * , report 10 ., the committee might inquire * (circlin' 5 House what were the true carnes ^,, cos which produced ti'° iat* ,,rP