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ijEBATfi:
1
ton .
"Ftt&sfi Decembeir U.
ttktid was not prepared 1
;t k ntrthV discussma on this
BV " " r . . i it i
Jubject.: But; he Was, cftciaeaiy .a-
the gnttcroan from Newbern Such
nrocedurc would manifest a great-
eris expect to the Prestnent than
areitttion ot the proposmou bw.c
the huse fie was, therefore, clear
ly in favour of taking a Vote upon
L reUluiionr and either agree t.,
ai. reiect lU He. observed that
ras no new thing for the Legisla
ture to address the President of th.
tJ. SiattsV This Legislature h .u
heretofore addressed him on the gc
ffira rrf the Nation ; and i
was qually proper at this tme to d,
so, and, if we think it will be a pub
lie benefit to" request him to suffer
his name t be again held up for the
PresidencnliHe was of this opinion,
irid therefore, in favour oif'i'his pari
f the 4'idress. This legislature
represents he sovereignty of th.
State. . We send Senators to the
General Government, and insruH
them how to act. An d Iress from
this body is therefore proper Und
i-,n h.v. it welffhtk wc aie a
part of the people ? they have nevct
oBiected to this fcoxirse being tacn
And he thought it much. more m
order for the Legislature of: a State
r, ,nrcss their ohinion on this sub
ject, than for Mtmbers of Congress
t meet together and nominate a
pivreiuv . ' Mr. B. did not think
there w -ii ahv iust ground for tht
fears exDiessed by the gentleman
from Craven as to a measure of this
!ri .. liroducine' Dartv-snint. If the
was examined, it Would be
ov4- ; ' -
found t ) hdve no allusion to any par
tv. c vceot to thai of which Aaron
Burr was the head, and therefor
could not be objectionable on that
cround
Mr J J.DakieL said his political
Ipataie was not so fastidious as to re
co 1 at tht stile and language of thi
?iridrss. tie, wisnea it to De lancu
bp und decided upon. He was not
surprized thaiuhe gentleman from
Craven wished it to he on the table.
Every one, knew this was his wish
bote he had risen on the subject.
Tht party alluded to, in this address,
IVtr. D, said, was not the Federal
Party, but the party which had at
tempted to dismember the Union.
He thought this sufficiently clear,
and it appeaed strange that federal
gentlemen should suppose the pas
sage alluded to them. . The gentle
man tromKtwbcrrt sayis the language
of this address is better suited to the
meridian of Turkey than the United
btatcs. For his bart, he saw no ob-
jectidn to it.j but the gectlemari's
mind he feared, ivais top much
warped by party prejudice, to pass
a, cone' iudg-ment upon it. lie
was wi ing, nowever, to submit it
to the o,. sente and candour of
the house. With respect tO the
propriety of the Legislature's adopt
in address of this kind, though the
co istitution of the f. States arid of
this Stale be silent as to their right to
act on the subject, theie are many
cases in which they act, where the
constitution. is perfectly silent. If the
memory of gentlemen be not treache
rous, they will recollect, that In the
years 1798 and 1804 the President
of the U;. States was addressed by
this Assembly. It is not therefore
a nm'el practice And it was Idle
for gentltmpn' to talk of a, simple
Iheasure of this kind being big with
evils, that it might produce riots &
tumults amongst the people. It
was calculated to produce no mis
chief whatever : similar measures
heretofore had proved perfectly harm-
leess, and" he had no doubt this, if
adopted, weuld be equally so.;, JFor
his part, he approved of the,conduct
of the President from alpha toomega
and he, for orie, would vote for the
Address on the table.
A precedent of this kind, Mr D
said, was introduced 4n this couutrv
Mn the peop.c were dividi
paruesr durins the Presidency nf I
sufe,urm;-w rresiUvncy oi!
Gen . Washington. At, the ead of
four yearslit was his wish to have
retired from holding the reins of
Government.. But in compliance
ith the Addresses which flowed in
from every quarter he was induced
to retain his situation for another
i'our years , In confirmation of this,
Mr. , D. read an extract from the
5th volume1 of Marshall's Life of
Washington, Mr. Jefferson has
pw expressed a wKh to retire from
mce, not I only, perhaps, fiom his
desire to go. into retiremen' bu
because he is an advocate for a rota
tion in office. But in the present
great crisis of Our Affairs, it may be,
that Mr. Jefferson, on being pretty
generally solicited to do so by hr
fellows-citizens, will again suffer his
name to be held up at the ensuing
lecion, especially when he consi
lers that by doing so, he will pre
sent those conflictions of party
spirit which may be expected from
vinlpnrW contested election. H
loped -het-etore the rejielution wouii
oe agreed to.
Mr. PoRTEtt was sorry to see so
mich warmth on this occasion. He
iped the good sense of'ths hous
vuld prevail in adopting an Ad
sress which shall be honourable
:e house ard satisfactory to tht
President. If the present raotiot
i ... ... . . i .
for i he nrooosiiions to he on me o e
were agreed to, it-would doubtless
c grating to the feehngs.ot the trt-
sidtnt. it was immaterial io mm
whether the Addresses on he tabi
were the production of Republicans
or Federalists. He owned himseU
in favour of the amendment proposed
by the-gentleman from Craven.
He would rather the subject of an
Address had not been brought for
ward at all, but since it had been
msved, he hoped it would be agreed
to in some form. If the present
matin Was. lost, and he hoped it
tfould, another might be made to
have the subject recemmitted to a
select committee Who might report
an Address which would receive al
most an unanimous vote. And this
vas what he wihed. He did n' t
i ke to see a revival of party-spint.
t a time when, perhaps, we are on
'he eve pf a War, and when tne u
nted energies pf the country will be
wanted j It will not be this or thaf
prty th jit will be wanted to meet
the enemy that may attack us bin
ihe whole people of the U. States.
He called himself k Federal Repub
!kan : but if he could not carry what
he i bought best, he was willing to
go with the majority.
Mr. Qaston rose to observe, tha
he had listened with' particular plea
sure to the libfcral and candid re
marks of the gentleman from Ru-
herford. If every member ot the
house was as free from bigotry .as
that gentleman, there would be no
difficulty in adopting a broper course
in this occasion. Mr. G. had no
obiection to hold out the hand of fra
ternal charity. He was disposed to
conciliate ; and he thought the
mode he had proposed the best for
this phi-pose. But the gentleman
seems to think there is sometnmg
disrespectful towards the President
in this mode of procedure. It was
true! and he did not wish to conceal
it, that ht was no great admirer of
Mr. Jefferson ; but it he thought
the mode he ptopased disrespectful
invf he bore his country, dear
to him from birth and from every
tie of ihterest, and the respect he
bote to Mr. Jefferson, as President
of the U. States, though he differed
from him in opinion, would have
Pventd him fromi adop;th it, as
he wished to shew him every mark
nf resnect consistent with his duty
Ledus examine, said Mr. G. if
there be any thing disrespectful in
the course proposed. When a re
solution Of this kind is submitted to
the house there are only tw modes
to get fid ofiti If the house tninp
it would be improper to act upon it.
thejmost tespectfui way of disposing
of is to postpne ihe cousidera
tionof ths subject indefinitely. If this
course Wot taken, and the resolu
tion being found improper .is rejec
ted, this will e an infinitely more
disrespectful .issue -.of the business'
He had imitated inthe motion
be dmade, togag pursuea
"V tne aenaie oi -virgmia, w uv
. . crt w ht hndv
did not entertain astrong an ; aWfth -ff
ment to Mr, Jefferson as any lemVi
ment to Mr, Jefferson as anj;"jemv
er in this house. He believeu they
were disposed, like the gentleman
from Halifax, to approve Jiis conduct
fbm alpha to omega i and yet they
did the sifrne htnj:when an Ad
dress to 5 Jeffe?n was before
ttlerh whihe nowroposed---be-Cause
they considered the measure
inexpedient. Hr trusted the eourst
he . jptoposed would be justified by
ixnexampie.
Er, Daniel remarked, that the
qutstion b ffjre the Senate tf Virgi
nia, to which the gentleman from
Newbern had alluded, was very lif
erent from the present. A part ot
the Address before that body went
to cast reflections upon the con due
of the then minority of Congress &
particularly on Mr. Randolph, one
of their members ; and, in order to
lefeat a measure which had bte'
passed by a large majority by the
other branch of the Legislature,
motion that it lie oh the table,
arried by a majority of a single vote
only. In the present case ; he saw
no impropriety in saying to the Pre
sident, 44 Well done, good and faith
ful servant, thou shalt receive the
reward due to thv merit."
Mr. E, Hariiis did not antiri
oate the mo.ion which hd been mud
iy his friend from Newbern He ho
ped it would not be agreed to. It
this Legislature approve the condtic
i the Executive ot the General Go
trnmentv they have the sam.e righ
to say so that any number of ind -viduals
have. Approbation corn'm
from the Legislature of a Statt, in
deed, is more dignified, and contain4
more weight, than an Address from
jny other body of men. Such Ad
dresses do no harm but much good
They shew to nations intending t
mnoy us, that we are united in th
UDport of our Government. Thev
have efficiency also with the.Presi-
They tell him that he mt
rely upon the people they instruct
him how far to insist in his negocia-
tions, and how far to yield. At the
present time, when we are probably
.n the eve of a War, an Address ot
this kind is peculiarly poper. As
to the objections against Addresses
approving measures, the whole ol
which we are not acquainted with
they go no farther than to sanction
those acts which have come tin
der our views.
He had been a little surprised by
the remarks of the gentleman from
KaIi fax in relation to an Address of
his General Assembly to the Presi
dent in the year 1798. " Ii the gen
tleman would take the trouble of com
paring that Address with the amend
ment which he had proposed, he
would find that they were couched in
nearly the same words.
Mr. H. said., he had observed, for
several years past, that there were,
here and there, little sets of men wlio
busied themselves in stirring up se
dition, and crying out Wolf against
those who differed from them in opi
nion, endeavouring to bring into dis
repute characters more deserving
than themselves. He did not mean
to make any particular allusions-
To these little men who will make it
their business to proscribe others, he
would only say, they go to their des
tination, from whence they will ne
ver rise.
fHe had flai ered himself that the
measure which he had proposed
would have met the approbation of a
decided majority of the House. It
was his wisti that the Legislature
should do honor to themselves, and
to the illustrious character whom
they addressed. He still , believed
a majority would be in favor of iti
After it was received it wotild be
open for amendment, and if proper,
he should not object to such as might
be proposed! He wished,atall events;
a decision upon his amendment. If
a majority were opposed to him in
opinion, he should submit to their
decision. 0utf until the house dii
decide, he should be in favor ot his
; Address, He wished so steer clear
:6f any thing vrhichiWOuid irritate, bf
givinc: loose to their passions he
esired such an Address asheircoo!
and deliberate iudgrdent would, ap
.JS
"-a"- r-'-r ? "
1.1 who annrore of the conduct bf ills
Presidehit, fV of course vote against
it; He wished not to hurt the feel-1
He wished not to hurt,.the feel-1 1
ings of any mifa j but surely if a ma-li
joruy appear in ravor ot an Address;
we ought not to deeline the measure
because a few gentlemen are of a
different, opinion, r
Mr. M'GiMrsET was opposed to
he motion for the Address to lie
on the table. He did not wish to ex
cite party spirit, but rather to allay
t. He was unfriendly to the amend
ment of the gentleman from Craven,
and decidedly in favor of the original
address of the gentleman from Pas
quotank, as being most expressive of
' he approbation which hq Jelt for the
illustrious President of the U. States,
and of the desire hp had that he would
continue his services as; President
for another four years.
The yeas and nays on the -question
for the Addtesses to lie on the table
verc taken. The members follow
ing were in the affii mative
Yfi AS Messrs. Abernathy, Arnold, .
i Bryan, Brown, Caldwelf, Cameron,
Douci, FarneH, Gaston Grist, Grilfin,
Houston, Hatch, Henderson, Wm. W:
Jones, Wm. Johnston, Mori ng, Mar, Not-
wiod, Pearson, Speed, Skinner, R. White,
E. WjUiams.J B White. 25
Mr. Portr moved to recommit
he Addressses to a select committee
. f both Houses. This course would
have a tendency so allay the warmth
M party spirit which had appeared ;
and it Would alo be a means of em
bodying the sense of the two houses ;
tor he thought the Senate ught
o have a share in the proposed Ad
dress. He proposed that five .mem
h rs from this house should be na
Tird uion his committee. VV '
Mr. Glisson seconded the mo-
ion : for he did not like either of
the Addresses.
Mr. E. Harris saw no necessity
or rt committing mis suojecu mit
ficient time had already been con-
nimt d u' on it. If an address pass
iv.s House, it will, of course, go to
he Senate, and wilt beopen for dis
ussion and amendment there, so that
i will bf a jnint act of the General
vsembly. He hoped the House
.vould proceed with the business. j
lie wished to .gel rid of it.
Mr. C- JoNbs called the yeas apd
upon the question It was he de-
sire of the mi vver to conciliate, and
it was his desire also He did not
like either of the Addresses offered,
tho' he was in favor f some Address,
md he was not at present prepared
with an. amendment.
The--question was taken and nega
tiveu, 73 to 59.
Mr. C. Jones then moved to a
mend the amendment of the gentle
man fipm Newbern, by adding after
the wotds " Great -Bri ain," " so far
as have come tt our knowledge '
1 he bpeaker pronounced this mo
tion out of order. No amendment
cotlld be rec ive,d to an amendment.
Mr; .Skinner, had. not intended to
have risen on this subject; but the
yeas and nays being called, he wish
ed to give the reasons which would
govern his vote, which would be in
favor of the amendment offered by
the gentleman from Craven, because
he thought it more dignified and con
sistent than the Address proposed
by the gentleman from Faquotank-
Js it becoming ui this Legislature
(said Mr. S.) to Use such expressions
as he found mthe Address ot the
gentleman from Pasquotank ? Is it I
not the duty oLthe Legislature to
conciliate. rathevthar provoke party
spirit f This Address states, when
thn union of these S ates isfcndan
gered by the machinations of a dis
appoimsd party, who halve sought to
subvert, because they could not d-
reCt the. measures of government"
This passage, the gentlemaOj from t
Halifax says, has an allusion to 'BurrS
and his adherents only. ! But Mr, S;j
did net believe this would be' thege
neral impression on reading the Ad-
aress ; ana maeeti e apprenenuea
it was intended to pply to others.-
If not, why did 'he gentleman from
Pasquotank mention Federalists, and
say that a Federalist Was confined
in draftirig th$ arnndraent It could
only be'wuh a fe iev of Stirring up
pany spiritAv Heldidnotlhmkit ei-
, j j j j j
thr dignified or necessary to say to
virtues, whilst enployrd in high and
o- . -r- : .. .. - -
responsible o&e Rt ncr wijj
the limitsMan Address pef tsai ':xk '
to'- nnmpratp thi lf;n torh JrV
to - enumerate the blessings which; J
uav e up wcu t ijom tne aa ministration
if bur public affairs since the rrtemoi'
rable 'period of. M80L" Does tlii " '
lan guag agree with the assertion of
the gentleman" from' HAlifa, thafc . '
Burr's. party alone was alluded td- '
Did Burr's treasonable roir els exist,
in the year 18M ? 'They did not
ana inis snews tnac Burr s wis not j r
the party alluded to. Where is the ne-:
cessity Mr. asked) of bringing;
into view, in, .this Address, i all th,.
benefits received from Mr.Jefferson ? "
Has he done more tban he promised 7
to do on entering intQ:omce;or tharji ' y
gentlemen expected from him I rfs . -
believed not, and he'cpuld see hd dig
nity in thanking a .man for hnvn"-k
done his4, duty. But the gentleman '
troiri Halifax saystht if a.servant
1. . .t . ..... : . ' :. " ' ' .Vir'
oaTs uuue vreii, mere is no parm ia
sayingi to himi ' Well done good
and faithful seryant' . Admi;ting'
there is na harm it, where is the. ;
advantage? WilLit not have U ten
dency io raise facttons in our coun
try,, which appear to growuponusR
insen,sibiy ? - He feared it would, tho. -
the friends of the measure affected
to treat these fears as imaginary , .j.
Mr.' S. vus in favor of this amend.
ment on anpthet grouttd. The pro
position of the gentleman from Pas- -quotank
calls upon the President to
again offer his services. . Supposa
he accepts t)f our invitatioi, have we
the poWer to confer ihe offic'upon :
him? We have riot. .The bbjecV
tions to this part of the - Address (
had been so well expressed by the
gentleman from Craven, that ho.
would not repeat-them
' MrJ S. eonclurlcd with saying he
should vote for the amendment un
der consieratibthoughhe did not ..w
altogether approve iU ; -. '.
Mr. Pearson should not havd
spoken on this subject, had not the
Speaker decided that thei amendment
now before the house could not be
amencted. ThVugh he, was ready to
pledgf to the president of the U. S
for himself aiid the people whorn he
represented, that they Were ready t6
come forward with their lives and, Vv
fortunes to - deferid theirt insulted
country; yes he - was not prepared to 1
give an unqualified assent 1o all the'
measures of the President i before he T
knew what were the steps he had ta
leri in relation to our dispute, with- V
G re ati-Biitain. He was also opposed
to administenng the dost of sugar ; 5
and water prepared by the gentleman
from, Pasquotank. He would, vote. s
for the amendment in preference to
that) though he wished to go no fur-
ther than to pledge funi Self and con-,'
stituents to support, and defend tho. :
rights of thr country
Mr. Baker would take notice on j
ly of t wo objections made to the Ad
dress jof the gentleman from Pasquo
tank j It had been said thaUour so-
liciting the; President to continue in.
office for another four years,; is hu--miliating.
He railed ie attention
of flie gentlemen to the solicitations
which were made to Qenerat Wash
ingtcn, when he had expressed an
intention to go out of office. Itwaa
said by. more than one of his Histo
rians, that he was induced toeonti
nfte in office from the solicitations
which flowed in upon him from va-
nou& quarters; We have heard that
he was addressed by this Legisla
ture whether n thji subject he did
not know. This ianot the first in-J
stance of a Legislature, addressing'
Mr. Jefferson approving his conduct
and rtquestioglhis continuance in of- "
fice. Several had dohe'it.'and it wa$
probable others would do so, in tk
Coure of the winter.
With Tespectto the .roceedjnga
of the Legislaidre bfi Virginiavlic-v ,
had. beer alluded to, the rescfution -j
of th ut body were ihtenad'Cri appro
bate the conduct of the ihaioritv iri -
n - . ... . . - .
ingress, and to cast a, censure on
the - minority. Mr. Vti. said if the
Address of the gentleman from Pas-
quotank were to be rejected Wcus
if solicits the President toCC tinc -
his Vertices, the amendmetit lfndet J
conidenibn wai Equally cVUobr-
ble ; thoneh not m- pdnudlv ex-
pressed; To confii m thisiremariu
:i.,r-r4ment which eferrtjdWor
dilute zMh G JSnuiat .It rpfc?
-Ob