Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
In the present stage of the proceedings respecting the treaty and
conventions with France concerning Louisiana, he deemed it improper to
embarrass the business by an unseasonable call upon the Executive for
papers. The President had already communicated various information on
this subject, in his Message on the first day of the session. Additional
information was given in his Message of the 21st, wherein he told the
House that the ratification and exchanges had been made. This was
accompanied with instruments of cession and covenant concluded at Paris
between our ministers and the agents of the French Republic. All this
information we had already on our tables. This the President had put
the House in possession of from his own sense of duty. This obligation
was imposed on him by the constitution, which declares that he shall,
from time to time, give to Congress information of the state of the
Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient. Mr. M. said he had a firm belief that
the President had complied with this constitutional injunction. He
had communicated such intelligence as he had received; and if he was
possessed of any thing else needful for the deliberation of the House,
he was willing to think the Chief Magistrate of the Union would have
spontaneously imparted it.
The question was taken on agreeing to the first member of the resolution,
as follows:
_Resolved_, That the President of the United States be
requested to cause to be laid before this House a copy of the
treaty between the French Republic and Spain, of the 1st of
October, 1800.
The House divided--ayes 59, noes 59. The SPEAKER declaring himself in the
affirmative, the motion was carried.
Mr. RODNEY suggested an alteration in the second member of the
resolution, so as to read “instrument,” instead of “deed.”
Mr. GRISWOLD had no objection to the modification.
The second member, so modified, was read as follows:
“Together with a copy of the instrument of cession from Spain,
executed in pursuance of the same treaty conveying Louisiana to
France, (if any such instrument exists.)”
Mr. HUGER confessed his impressions to be favorable to the treaty, though
the arguments urged that day, certainly possessed great weight. He was
rather of opinion that no such instrument as that referred to in the
resolution existed. But if it did exist, its publication would certainly
be satisfactory to the people and the House. He declared himself ready to
vote for carrying the treaty into effect.
Mr. NICHOLSON did not know whether his remarks had been correctly
understood. He did not know whether the document he alluded to could
strictly be called the instrument of cession. He had drawn an amendment
to this part of the resolution, which he would propose, if in order, to
wit:
“Or other instrument showing that the Spanish Government had
ordered the province of Louisiana to be delivered to France.”
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