Newspaper Page Text
FREDERICK S. FELL
crr'v muktxr.
Daily Paper; ......Eight Dollars per annum.
Country Paper...........Six Dollars per annum
rATABBR I* ATlTAKf-B
^•National Nomination.
At a moeRrtg of the Democratic Mom-
iters oi Congress, in tlie Chatnbof of the
Mouse of Representatives of the United
Itatcs, February 14> 1824, tho following
[resolutions were unanimously adopted.
Resolved, As the sense of this meeting,
that
WM. H. CUAWFOUO,
[of Georgia, be recommended to the people
of the United $ta cs as si proper Candidate
Tor the office of President, and
ALBERT GALLATLV,
[ of Pennsylvania, for the office of Vice Pre-
I indent, otlHe United Slates, for four years
Pfrom the 4th of March, 1825,
TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 8, Uii4
Mr Dunn, the Messenger sentin pursuit of Ni
oian Edwards, returned to Washington City on
the 33th uH. and Mr E. was expected to arrive
'the next day,
IMPORTANT FROM PERU.
Capt, Shepherd arrived at New York has fur-
rushed the following extract of a letter from Cnpt
Gardner of the Am. ship Sabina, dated Puns, 2Jth
February.
“An insurrection of the black troops holding the
' Castles in Callao, against the patriot government,
.took place on or .tbout the 5th lost. We made
our escape from thence on the night of the 8tl,
. inst as also all vessels which dared to risk the lire
;t»f the batteries.— In going out, we (cent in the
1 range of the shipping 5 however, several of their
shots struck near us. The night previous 10 our
leaving, guard boats were established to prevent
vessels from Sidling They had commenced plun
-dering the vessels, snd tmltreate I the Captains,
and those who were found on board were taken
on shore and confined in the Castle.
“Afte, getting out of gunshot of the batteries
lacked the Captain of tlieBiitish sloop of war Fly,
if he would protect my ship, if anchored under his
S uns. He said he dare not, as there w ere many
ritish subjects on shore, and the negro Genen I
had threatened to mssacre all foreigners, and lay
Caltao in ashes, if he attempted to interfere. 1
then calculated that mv only safety was in flight,
. or two gunboats were fitting out and would be in
readiness the night we left. The Fly was lying
-within gunshot of the batteries when we saikd,
hud was frequently fired over when vessels re
running out. She got under way, but previously
thereto the Captain informed them of his Inten
lion; tber, however, paid no attention, but cum
menced firing upon his ship—one 'hot ->—r
wjthiqa few feet of her, when Captain Martin
sent an offleer on shore to remonstrate with them.
The reply was if be bad fired one shot in retun,
they would have masaacreed every Englishman in
Callao, and laid the place in ashes.”
would frtrnMi employment to? fntnafeds uf
rsnns, now idle a> d miserable It would also
furnish a home market in the Immediate neigh
borhdodofllie works—Blit what is most material
is to consider how much it would add to the na
tional wealth of the state, and to the comfort and
convenience of her inhabitants, if its operation
should be continued' in a series of years to im
prove And perfect the means of inter communica
tion, throughout all parts of the country.
All the lands, which wo>.|ld be benefit ted, by
the improvement of the roads—the rivers, or the
construction of canals, would necessarily rise,in
their Value to a certain extent, as will be hereaf
ter fully proved and demonstrated
One of the first effects which would be felt af
ter the adoption of this plan, would be that which
always arises from ttitreanug the money of a coun
try.— A spur would be given to industry—Nt-.W life
would be infu'fd into the efforts of the whole
community—Property would increase In vajue,
and every thing from s state of great depression,
would put oh a new and smiting face. The debtor
and creditor would no longer, act in hostility to
each other, to the great annoyance of the commu
nity in which they live.
Allowing twenty five thousand dollars, to be
•r, totally paid to M'ttdaiu, Overseers and Mer
chants, and for the purchase of materials, the bal
ance, or other half! of 25,000 dollars would ccr
tainlv maintain and employ 200 able bodied men
in making the necessary excavations—which in
the space of ten years would chsnge the whole
aspect of the conn'ry, so that ail would Wonder
why the work had not been sooner commenced
1 he slave population of this country, enables us
to c:>rry on works of any kind (not excepting
manufactures, whenever we are put to the push)
at a cheaper rate ihnn it can be done in the north-
cm states—tine hundred dollars will hire the
ablest bodied, and most capable laborer*, and
twenty five dollars will feed, nurse, and cloth him,
throughout the year.
It is believed that the state ha* it amply in her
power to increase the internal improvement fund
to one million of doll irs, if that should be done,
the benefits which would fl >w from it, would
be increased in the ratio of geometrical progres
sion.
The attention of all those who feel a deep inter-
est in the well being, and improvement of Geor
gia, are invited to a calm consideration of'this
proposition—It seems to the writer to be entirely
feasible, and proper ( hut his enthusiasm may have
carried him too far. It is better that calculations
should be safe, so thst the works compared wnl.
the cost, may rather exceed, than fall shun, uf
public expectation.
“FULTON.”
(vox tbb xxf caucus.)
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT, NO 8,
Having in the former numbers, endeavoured to
enlighten the public mind upon the subject of ea
stalling, by tracing the history of its origin, pro-
ess and present state, in all the different coun-
ries of which there is any record, it now remains
to shew its effects or advantages, the manner of
executing the work aod to devise the waye and
meant oT execution.
The latter being more especially applicable to
the state of things in Georgia, will be considered
first in order.
There are lAree plans by which internal improve
Stents may be perlec'ed.
First—By incorporating companies, to remuner
ate themselves, by tolls, and other profits,
arising under the grant
Second—By incorporating companies with pow
ere to raise a joint stock on transferable
shares—The state reserving a part of the
stock, by which she will avail herself, of all
the advantages of individual enterprise and
industry, and bv giving through her influence
and means the first impetus, 10 the undertak
ing, she will therefore eventually, not only
benefit the whole country, but add mate
rj dly to her coffers.
Third—By using the national means, for national
purposes, free of all tolls, or other profits, ami
to be able to do so effectually it will be ne
cessary to fix upon a plan, which may be
kept in continual operation, without impair
log the capital, which shall always remain
whole, and undisturbed.
Either of these plans may be preferred 1 or, the
whole may be adopted—all to be under the direc
tion of a permanent Board of Public -works.
It is therefore proposed—That the sum of five
humlreJthousand dollars, already appropriated by
the state for intemalimprovemente, be for that pur
pose set apart, and invested in the stocks of the
United States, or the stuck of the Bank of the U
States.
That upon the faith of that investment, a like
.gum of five hundred thousand dollars, shall ie is
sued by the Board of Public -works, or any other
body to be incorporat e! t-j that end—to be loan
ed to individuals at six per cent, per annum, up
on undoubted mortgages of real estate—to be
payable in ten annual instalments, with 'be .Liter
est vhioli shall accrue thereon yearly.—The in
terest only, to be expended upon the works of in
(final improvement.
The bills issued by the Boutd of public -works
or some other corporation having ihe power; to
be re/ilocmed at certain definite and specified peri
•ds of time There would be no constitutional
bar to such an arrangement; because it would not
be bills of credit emitted by the state—It would be
bills issued by a corporation, upon an invested
Capital for the security of their eventual payment.
Such bills would form a local ciraulating curren
cy for the state,-and would no doubt retain their
par value in all transactions; for the security would
be much more ample,, and safe, than that of the
bills of the Banks of the state.
Not only the investment in stocks, but the res
punsibility of the individuals to whom the bills
were loaned, and the mortgages of real estate
(taken if managed with common prudence at
much less than its real value) would always be
liable'for their redemption, while the eventual
payments of Bank bills rests only upon the res
ponsibility of two names, and sometimes upon two
irresponsible names; audit will not be contended
that Bank bills, could be converted into specie,
mure readily than would be those, the issue oi
Which has just been recommended.
The investment in stock atdper
cent per annum g30,000 00
The bills issued do 30,000 0C
Making a total $<kt,000 00
wd'ict 2 per cent for expense#
and losses 10,000 00
Leaves the sum of . $5U.0->
[Forthe Republican.]
INTERNAL. IMPROVEMENT, NO. 9.
Ever country blessed with a liberal and en-
ighttned government, ought to direct its ener
gies to the extension of its commerce both Internal
\nd foreign-, the former, claims the attention more
rucnlarn of the states, as appertaining proper
iy to the sphere in which they move anil act, con
-idered in relation to the Union of all the states:
Congress being constitutionally, entitled to tin-
•vc'usive right of regulating ‘'commerce with for
eign nations ”
It Is niuit a useless attempt to set forth at this
Ly the effects or advantages of canals, as a branch
ofintern. improvement. Yetit may aot be whol
ly unprofitable to the citizens of Georgia to enter
into an examination of the subject, to that end, in
order that general information may be dissemina
ted.
The advantages, re uband .mly proved by the
xperience of every people who possess them;
and fully demonstrated, by ihe rapid increase."*
land, in their immediate neighborhood. Canals
destroy monopolies,by bringing remnte places in
to competition. They give value to articles which
from their weight or bulk, were before of no ac
count. They unite distant places, together by u
reciprocal interest, an.l a.i exchange of eommodi
ties—they animate industry, increase population
and thus minister greatly, to the power and hap
piness of every state.
Few persons have more attentively considered
or better understood the political or commercial
interests of nations, than the late Dr. Smith; an i
no one could be a more zealous advocate for the
extension of internal mviga ion, as an effectual
means of improving the country,in which it is en
couraged. To this purpose he observes in hi'
•'wealth of nations” that good roads, canals and
navigable rivers, by diminishing the expense ot
carnage, put the remote parts of the country,
more nearly upon a level, with those in the vlci i-
ity of large towns; and on that account they are
the greatest of all improvements. They encour
age the cultivation of the remote parts, which
must always be the most extensive circle of the
country. Thty are advantageous to towns by
breaking down the monopoly of the country in
its neighborhood; and they are a Ivantageous to
all parts of the country; lor though they introduce
some rival commodities, into the old markets,
they open new markets to its produce”. It is not
more tnan 5d years ago, "says he in 1776; when
the first edition of his work was printed,” that
some of the counties in the neighborhood of Lon-
don, petitioned the parliament against the exten
sion of the turnpike roads, into the remoter coun
ties. Those remote counties, they pretended,
from the cheapness of labor, would be able to sell
their grass and corn cheaper, in the London mar
ket than themselves, and would thereby reduce
their rents anc ruin their cultivation. Their rents
however, have risen, an 1 their cultivation haa
been improved since that time ” Ail canals,“says
an intelligent writer on this subject,” may be con
sidered as so many roads, of a certain kind, on
which one horse will draw as much as thirty
horses on ordinary turnpike roads, or on wiiscti
one man alone will transport as many goods, as
three men and 18 horses annuajly do on common
roads. The public would be great gainers, were
they to lay out oitpon the making of every mile of .<
canal, twenty times as much as they expend upon
a mile of turnpike road*; but a mile of canal is u -
ten made at a 'ess expense, than the mile of turn
pike: consequently there is a great inducement to
multiply the number of canals."
The advantages resulting from canals, as they
.tpen an eary and cheap cumrauuicatian, between
distant parts of a country, will be ultimately expe
(To Ike Eiiitof of the Republican.]
The communications which have appeared in
your paper under the signature of Fulton, seem.-
to me, to be like the first thirty pages of Mr. Shan
dy’s book, "a little dry and not closely connected
with the subject” For if 1 rightly comprehend
the enquiry, which it is the ooject of this commu
nity to discuss, In relation to canals, Itla, not if
they have generally been beneficial, but whether
they would be so to this state under existing cir
cumstances.
The investigation involves a variety of points,
peculiar to the subject, and therefore not io be
ascertained from the history of oilier canals.
1st. The practicability of constructing a canal,
in a soil like that which must be occupied, in
opening a communication between the Water
courses of the state, within tbc alluvial re
gions.
2d Should it merely conn-'ct the large streams
to facilitate the communication between them,
or should it run through the heart of the
country as the great highway of navigutioti,
using those river*, according to recent doc
trine^ us mere feeders.
3d. What should be its extent and direction.
4ih What would be the probable expense and
resulting benefit
Scarcely any person who can take an interest
in the subject, is unapprized of the existence of
canals in all the civilized parts of the globe, and
all who may be expected to liiflu ncc matters of
this kind, are undoubtedly possessed uf the gene
ral intermation communicated in Fulton’s extracts-
The advantages ot canals; in particular sections,
have been too long since ascertained, to render
such gleanings instructive on the general ques
tion, and they are entirely irrelevant to that which
deserves our solicitude. *
Now nllho’ I have never passed "under and over
the Bridgewater canal, with a carriage and pair
of horses,” I verily believe in its existence »tid
take (or granted all that has been said of ita bene.,
fiis anil conveniences; but as we have neither
coal mines, nor cotton factories, to supply freight,
I perceive no motive from this example to project
nne, and if 1 did, no information is furnished as
sistant to its construction in this unassimtl .ting
region —We do not wish to learn the feasibility
if cu ting .1 ditch through the isthmus of Darien,
nor the certainty that the canal of Languedor
connects, (as we have long supposed) the Medi
Itrrunean nml the Atlantic—We ask not the
probable expen-e of the one, nor the known cost
of the other! but we desire to obtain all the in
telligence that observation oun impart on the
points Miggvsted, and any others connected with
the subject
It is lint an abstract question, nor do we wish to
seertain its merits in relation to other countries
were circumstance's.are so unlike th >s_e on which
our judgment is to act, that no information beyomt
g-m rsi principles is to be derived from their ex
perience.
It in a definite enquiry as to the practicability
•f applying beneficially in a particular case, u
lystqm generally 'approved, but not universally
correct. In other words, we are assured that ca
l'ds connect advantageously populous and pr -dm:
tive district?, and being usually constructed for
purposes of facility, are commonly wise; but if
uniting two points whose trade is Inadequate to
the expense, or cut in a soil unsuited to the pur
pose, they would be injudicious.
Hence the propriety of examining the subjec
II every particular, and making the roost thorough
n-estigution. If such an enterprizc should he
premn.urely adopted, and finally abandoned or
defeated, this generation rn.y shake hands with
internal improvement, and leave to posterity the
revival of the public spirit that will have passed
away—There is now a very general feeling to-
«*ar«i* measures of public utility, and nothing is
r quired to obtain legislative patronage in behalf
of a canal, but exact information as to its advanta
ges But if thro injudicious zeal, or hasty calcu
lation the funds of the state be once unfortunately
adventured, it wilt require an age to overcome the
prejudices that will ensue and we shall he left lit e
the Chinese to do as our fathers have done.
( am inclined to think that the most prudent
and eff* ,r; tu|l mode of proceed! g would be by a
lowi 1 meeting Let the stibjec be fairly examined
and the opinions and feeling, of the community
ne distinctly expressed.—Appoints committee of
investigation with power to -.elect a competed'
person to . xplore ti e country and report on th
nature of the various canals that may be recom
mended If this individual be, as he should, com
petent t s the duties of civil engineer of the i.tate,
I have no doubt that on application of the com
mittee be would receive that appointment from
the governor; which w^-uld render but small the
amount to be paid him over and above the official
salary, as a just compensation o a man of ade
quate abilities and unequivocal character — This
amount could soon be raised from the citizens by
a cheerful contribution in behalf of their tnterc-'
snd their pride. Let the committee be inslructe
to open a correspondence with intelligent persons
in various parts of the state, to acquire as far a-
may be, correct views of the dentation of our
water courses, and the most illegible mode of me-
dotation; the beT location of the canal, and the
country through which it should pass—the quan
tity of timber, cotton,and other products of which
it would be the means ,f transportation. H»>.v
far it would be calculated to increase the cuKiva
tion of the soil, and unfold new sources of indus
try and profit
Let our representatives in the next legislature
be instructed to exercise their influence and abil
ities in support of the object, anu let persons be
s«*m who are able as well as willing to represent
hr, particularly on a subject so intimately connec-
ed with nur prosperity. Circumstances require
that we should be foremost in an enterprise pro
jected by ourselves, and which, though, calculat
ed to advance the interest of the state generally,
is primarily important to this city.
ENQUIUER.
-Wvadly. applicable to internal improvement*,
.#&■? .
riencedby ail daises and iiscriptions of the com-
muni'y. The manufacturer will be enabled to
collect his ma,etuis, ids fuel, and the means of
subsistence, from re note districts, with less labor
and expense;and t*» convey his goods to a profit
able market. As ennale, multipy, the adjoining
country is rendered populous and productive.
in some esses, they serve the purposes of drain
ing and of irrigation; in others they furnish man
ure at a cheap rate; and they facilitate the con
veyance 01 produce to places where'll may be
disposed of to the greatest advantage—The land
holders must of course be benefitted by the in
creasing, yjjue'of his estate.
The merchant is likewise enabled to extend his
commerce by means oi-canals a as he can thus ex
port greater quantities and varieties of goods from
places remote ftom the sea, and easily supply a
wider extent of inland country, with the commu
dilics that are imported from foreign countries.
"FULTON”
The fifteenth and sixteenth Cantos of Don Juan,
have been published in London. They are said
to be so destitute of any t dent, that it is now se
riously doubted whetber they can proceed from
the pen of Lord Byron.
William P Van Ness, of New York, has been
appointed Dy the President of the U States with
ne advice and consent of the Senates to be Fourth
vuditor of the Treasury, vice Constant Freeman,
leceased;
Thomas Bolling Robertson, has been appointed,
1. like manner, to the District Judge of the U.
o ates, for th- District of Louisian^, vice Judge
JJicic,4ece«9fS(i^-A«M. into
Persons who may have books calculated tO'fur
nish information on this interesting discussion are
requested to read them and communicate to the
public, (in any manner most agreeable,) »uch
parts as may appear calculated to throw light on
a sub ject that seems to have darkened und^r in
vestigation. ENQUIRER.
NEW-YORK May 29
Capt. Ross, of the Fame, has furnished
tis with accounts front Curacoa to the fllh
inst.
It had been rumored for some days that
a revolution had broken out at Maracaibo,
headedby some distinguished Colombian
officers. But it was ascertained that there
wasno truth in this report.
Gen La Torre, is re-appointed gover
nor of Porto Rico, for five years.
A squadron of 3 or 4 vessels of war, sup
posed to be Spanish, under Com. Laborde,
has recently been seen off Porto Caveilo.
While Mr John Randolph was on Board
the Steam Boat passing from this city to
New York he said that he should be absent
and therefore take no part in the pending
Presidential election but said he I have such
entire convention in the certainty of Mr.
Crawford’s election that I will stake a thou*
sand dollars to five hundred on it.’* 1'here
were several gentlemen presei t, some see
tried to doubt the truth of Mr Randolph’s
opinion, but all declined the bet. Our in
j.irmktiop comes from a gentleman who
was present and heard Mr Randolph offc
the bc^—Ucmo, Rrcse-
The Vanventibn viiih Grtat firittdn.—V
is hot ollen that out leaders have an r M :pWj
tunity to obtain such ah insight into the
Executive Proceedings of the Senate, as;
by the removal of the injunction of secrecy.
Irom the Proceedings on the Convention
wtth Great Britton, respecting the further
Suppression of the African Stove Trade, we
are enabled this day to afford t»them. The
reader will observe that the ratification < I
the Convention was, decidedly opposed,
tho* strongly pressed by the President, by
cogent arguments too, as will appear Irom
a perusal of his Message of the 21st of M.ty.
After a great deal of debut', the Convention
was finally t atified,on the evening of (he
21 si, by only three votes more than a con
stitutional majority. It is true, the vote
stood 29 to 13 in favor of the Treaty! but
the Constitution rtquires the votes of two-
thirds of all the members present to ratify
a Treaty, and, had there been two votes
more against tho rat)fication,lhe Convention
even qualified as it was by amendment,
would have been rejected.
The arguments in favor of the Treaty,
are folly stated in the President’s Message
and the Diplomatic Correspondence. The
arguments said to have been urged, in op
position to the Treaty, were aubstat.iially
an follows. Wc state them now, that the
reader, who takes an interest in the subject,
may at once huvo a view of the whole
ground
>( The right of visit, or search, mutually
conceded, limited as it is, would, it was con
tended, lead to irritations and injuries.
“ The search for slaves would, at sea, it
was argued, be extended by the boarding
fficer beyond the object. Under the pre
text or search for slaves, American citizens
might be impressed, and out merchant
vessels be again ann yed, and our citizens
insulted, by the insolence of petty officers of
the British Navy.
“ It was argued, that there was no real
reciprocity in the Convention; that, while
wc iutl m arly as many merchant vessels as
Great Britton,'she had twenty ships of war
to our one, and, cons' quently, \v- should be
Ity far more exposed to tbese offensive' and
irritating examinations than her commerce
would be.
“ It W3S further argued that the. measure,
was not necessary. We had made the slave
trade piracy, and, consequently, bur own
cruisers could capture and bring in for trial
all. Americans suspected ot thia infamous
raflic This act of the American Govern
ment had, in part, suppressed the trade.
The British Government had avowed that
this convention was not necessary to sup
press this'traffic in their ships. The op
posers oi the treaty could not then sec the
hentfit of this mutual but not equal right
of visit and search- They feared that it
would be seized on as a concession af the
ctoim of search so pertinaciously urged by
(ha britiah, and resisted by the U. State-,
at the expense of a three years war.
“It was, moreover, percoiv< d, that the
convention was predicated on the acts o:
piracy passed by the rcspectiv- gov.rn
ments. The Convention was uolimitej n
its duration This might operate to place
the modification or repeal of a tow of onr
pwn.at the ouill of a foreign government.
Against this thraldom thu B itish govern
ment was secured by reserving to itself a
right to repeal its act, even during the 'pre
sent session of Parliament. The amend
ment to the Convention was therefore made,
uthorizing either party to renounce it on'
giving sixuiohths* notice.
“ The second article authoriz d the nit-
tonal vessel-, of tne parties to en er a d
search merchant vessels under foreign (lag4
It necessarily resulted, that the bonding
fficers must, in their discretion, decide,
whether this be a true or false flag, and of
he character of the vessel, as well as the
riide. This would bring , us into great ex
pense and collisions, if not to war, with
France and other nations.
“The seventh article was further objer-
ionable, as it gave authority to cruizers to
select their own citizens or subjects, and
sen 1 them to t^eir respective countries, fot
trail. It was seriously apprehended, that
his would bo giving an important power
to the officers of the British navy—not only
to determine, on their own suspicion, the
character of the vessel, but who was a Brit
ish subject. The Senate rem mbered the
doctrine of perpetual allegiance Many
apprehended that a Br. subject, naturalized
in the U. S and having there his family and
home, might be taken toEngland f>r trial;
and, whether convicted or aequited never
permitted to return. The feat that this
limited right of search might be abused
that there would be no reciprocity—that it
migiil produce collisions with other nations
—form an entangling alliance with Great
Britain,—and give power to British officers
to expose us to great expense, were among
the reasons against the C invention, and in
tavor of the amendments.”—Aal. Inc.
The firstobject oi Internal Improvement,
to which, utjder the bentfiemt act of the
last Session, the attention oi theExeculive
has been directed, is, we understand, a Sur-
vey'i t the proposed R ute of the Chesa
peake and Ohio Canal, to its termination
op the Western water, and thence to Lake
Erie. We congratulate our readers that
this highly important preliminary work is
about to be undertaken, by a Board of Sur
veyors, whose capacity and experience afford
the promise of almost mathematical accu
racy to the results ol their labors. Gener
al Bernard, we believe, is at the head of
the commission Capt Poussin will ac
company him. Mr Shtiv.r, who has so
much practical knowledge of the subject,
is also engaged, and has gone on to Union*
town, to make the necessary arrangements
tor laborers, 8co. for carrying on the Sur
vey. Col. M’Rcc, and Mr Wright, or
New York, have been invited to form a part
of the Boatd, which, it is understood, will
commence operations next week. Wc
have not heard whether they will accept the
invitation, but will, as soon as we can, fur
nish our readers with the authentic panic
;ilars of this first essay towards the encour
agement, by the General (vuverninent of
great nationel WQjks of Julevaj.tl ImpoVtj
ment.—ih
iSia-htebTith, Congress.
tioUHfc OF REPRESENTATIVES
EVENING SESSION—May 26.*
Tho House resumed its session.
The bill from the Senate “in addition t Q
the several acts regulating naturalization ”
was taken up and passed.
The bill “to complete the surveys of jiL
harbor of Charleston, in South Catoliuj.
St Mury’s, in Georgia, and the Coast < k
Florida, and lor other purposes,” was ita.
ken up on motion of Mr Poinsett, and part'*
<td. ^ '
„ Mat 27.
The House met at 8 o’clock. ^
Several communications wore received
from the President of the United States
announcing his approbation and signature
of bills passed by both Houses.
Mf Taylor then rose, and said, that it
had yesterday been decided, that, three
members of the Committee of Investigation
in the case of Mr Ninian Edwards should
not be a quorum of that committee. R e
had understood that one of the members
ttmi committee had left the United States,
and that another was gone home to his res«
itlence in Alabama. It was very desirable
that the committee should be fiiled.up; and,
with a view to that object; be moved that
two members be added to the committee,
to supply the place of the two members
absent.
Mr. W -bster said, he rose partly to Se
cond the motion of his honorable friend,
but more particularly to express his aston
ishment at a paragraph, which he had this
moment seen in a Richmond paper, of
Tuesday, in a communication signed “John
Randolph, of Roanoke.” The paragraph
is in these words! ‘-It was at my instance,
and not without considerable resistance on
the part of a majority of the committee,
that the Secretary had the opportunity giv
en him, 10 file his answer to the accusation
ol Mr. Edwards” A regard to my own
character, sir, said Mr W. and to the char
acter < f the committee with whom I am
associated, does not allow me to pass over
this statement; and I rise fot, the purpose
• ■f saying, that the order, in committee, for
communicating the address to Mr. Craw
ford, lor the purpose Of giving him an op
portunity of unsworn# it,was not made at
the instanco of Mr. Randolph} and, further,
that no one of the committee made uiiy op
position whatever to that motion. I 'iope
I am fully and distinct!', understood; I wish
to be so; and, I again assert, that 110 one of
the committee intimated the least opposi
tion to the motion Fortunately, the origin
al minutes of the proceedings of the com
mittee are preserved, and the entry, as it
now stands, in the land writing of one of
the committee, ia as follows :
“A pril 28 1824.
“Committee me —all present*
“On motion of Mr, Tayl r,
“Ordered, That the Chairman transmit
to Mi. Crawford a copy of Mr Edwards’s
temorial, and the accompanying papers,'
logether with a copy of the resolution cre
ating the Committee. To which Me Ran-
loiph proposed the following amendment s
•Did infirm him, that the Committee me
proceeding in tho examination, and that
Itey are ready to receive any communica
tion which he may think proper to make,
m reference to the same;’ which amend
ment was accepted by Mr Taylor; and,
thus amended, was unanimously adopt'd.”
Mr, Little, of Md. thought that he
measure proposed by the gentleman from
New York, was not necessary He tho’t
the present committee entirely competent
to the business'which had been referred to
them, and that it would be best to jeave
them to settle their own affairs It must
be a very disagreeable thing to remain c >n-
tioed here qfter the session of the House
was closed, and he would not willmgl' .
>ose upon another that to which he sho- Id
lie averse himself. He regretted, foi : s
part, that this matter had ever beeo brought
before the House, and that it had been in
ferred to the committee, g ving it thus un
importance which did not property belong
to it
Mr. Williams, of N. C. observing that
the Ijto'ise was very thin, thought it best to
defer the consideration of the motion till a
fuller House should be obtained :.and with
that view moved to toy the resolution on
the table.
When this question was about to be fot,
it became obvious lhat> there was not a quo
rum of members present.
Mr. A. Smyth expressed a hope that the
mover would consent to withdraw the resn-
liiuon . A , S
Mr. Willipma said, he could hot consi
der the measure proposed as at all necessa
ry, Every gentleman, he believed, was en
tirely satisfied with the present committee,
and prepared to place every proper confi
dence in their proceedings—and he wish .d
a div ision of the H6use on his motion to
toy the resolution on the table.
Mr Poinsett observed, that thqrewas ev
idently not a quorum of members present s
and from the best information he could ob
tain, he was induced to believe, that so ma
ny had tost evening apd this morning avail
ed themselves ot the various conveyances
which were departing in all directions; that
there was not a quorum left in the city—
and he hoped the gentleman from New
York would not persist in his motion.
Mr. Cook then observed, that the re
marks of the gentleman from Virginia, yes*
terday, (Mr A- Smith) required of the Com-
mittee of Investigation tp ask what had
now been moved by the gentleman from
New York. He did not think the measure
was at all required by the parties concern
ed. The exanrinatioh of their case might
be safely left to the present committee with
out any augmentation, and he thought it
would be best, under all circumstances, that
the committee should agree to withdraw
ihe motion,
Mr. Ellis spoke a few words to the same
effect!
Mr Taylor then observed, that if*’- would
wqbably be the best course to lay the reso-
.lutioti on the table by unanimous consent,
the hope, that, in the course.of ait jiOUl •
quorum ttiiftut be obtained.^
v*» '