Mr. GILES informed the House that, having been aware that the flag would
be presented to the House this day, considering it as an additional
testimony of the affection of France, and it having been the practice on
analogous occasions for the House to express their sentiments
independent of the other branch, he had prepared a resolution expressive
of what he conceived would be their sense on the occasion. It was nearly
in the words following:
"_Resolved_, That the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES be
requested to make known to the Representatives of the
French people, that this House has received, with the most
lively sensibility, the communication of the Committee of
Public Safety, of the 21st of October, 1794, accompanied
with the Colors of the French Republic, and to assure them
that the presentation of the Colors of France to the
Congress of the United States is deemed a most honorable
testimony of the existing sympathy and affections of the
two Republics, founded upon their solid and reciprocal
interests; that the House rejoices in the opportunity of
congratulating the French Republic on the brilliant and
glorious achievements accomplished under it during the
present afflictive war, and that they hope those
achievements will be attended with a perfect attainment of
their object, the permanent establishment of the liberty
and happiness of that great and magnanimous people."
Mr. PARKER moved an amendment as follows: "That this House has received
with the most _sincere and_ lively sensibility," &c. The amendment was
for inserting the two words in italics, to which the House consented.
The Message was then voted unanimously, and a thousand copies of the
communications and resolution were ordered to be printed. A committee of
two members was appointed to wait on the PRESIDENT, and inform him of
the resolution agreed to by the House.
_Case of Randall and Whitney._
Pursuant to the proceedings of the House on Friday last, Mr. SMITH, of
South Carolina, Mr. MURRAY, of Maryland, Mr. GILES, of Virginia, and Mr.
BUCK, of Vermont, delivered in at the Clerk's table their several
informations in writing, subscribed with their names, respectively, in
the cases of Robert Randall and Charles Whitney; which are as follow:
Mr. MURRAY declares, that, on Wednesday last, the
twenty-third instant, Mr. Smith, member of Congress, of
South Carolina, informed him that a man of the name of
Randall, of Maryland, had, the evening before, attempted to
bribe him in Western lands, on condition of his supporting
an application which Randall told him he should soon make
to Congress; the object of which application was, a grant
from Congress of from eighteen to twenty millions of acres
of land, between Erie, Huron, and Michigan. That Mr. Smith
was extremely solicitous that some other gentleman should
immediately be informed of the infamous proposal, and that
he said he would mention it to Mr. Henry, of the Senate,
and advise with him upon proper measures for the detecting
of the full extent of the scheme, and crushing it: That he
had no opportunity of talking to Mr. Henry on that day;
but early on the morning of the twenty-fourth instant,
communicated the intelligence to Mr. Henry, who recommended
that Mr. Smith should immediately inform the President:
that on the said day, Mr. Randall, of Maryland, was
introduced to him, the informant, and requested a
confidential interview at his, the informant's lodgings,
which the informant readily promised him, to be at five,
for the purpose of developing his scheme. That Randall came
at or near five, that day last named, to wit: on Thursday,
and communicated to Mr. Henry and himself, in general
terms, the outline of a plan by which he, Randall, and his
Canada friends, would extinguish the Indian title to all
the lands between Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan, as
marked on a map which Randall then showed, containing from
eighteen to twenty millions of acres. That he, the
informant, then asked Randall into his apartment, where
they were alone. That Randall expatiated at first upon the
public utility of his scheme, which was that Congress
should grant to him and his company all the lands aforesaid
mentioned, for five hundred thousand, or, at most one
million of dollars; and that he would undertake, in four
months, that the harmony of the Indians should be secured
to the Union: or, if Congress thought proper, that the
Indian tribes now on said land should be removed to the
British side, or down Lake Michigan, reserving to some aged
chiefs a few miles square; that his company and himself had
determined to divide the lands aforesaid into forty (or
forty-one) shares. That of these shares twenty-four were to
be reserved for the disposal of himself and his partner,
now in town, for such members of Congress as assisted them,
by their abilities and votes, in obtaining the grant
aforesaid. That of these twenty-four shares, his partner
had twelve under his management for the Eastern members of
Congress, and that he, Randall, had the other twelve shares
under his management for the Southern members of Congress.
That these shares were to be so divided as to accomplish
the object by securing a majority of Congress. That the
informant started an objection to land speculation as
troublesome, and that he, Randall, said, if you (meaning
the informant) do not choose to accept your share of the
land, you shall have cash in hand for your share. That the
informant appointed Randall to meet him in the lobby of the
House, on Monday, the twenty-eighth instant. That Randall
told him a memorial was to be handed in upon this subject
on said Monday; but refused to inform the informant what
member was to present it. That Randall told him, that he,
Randall, mentioned his plan to some members in the _general
way_ only--meaning thereby, as he understood him, a view of
the sounder part of the plan, as being conducive to public
utility. That, in the early part of the confidential and
secret conversation, Randall said, that the members of
Congress who would behave handsomely, should come into
their shares on the same terms upon which the company
obtained the grant; but soon after, made proposals more
openly seductive and corrupt; closing them with the offer
of cash in hand as aforesaid. That the informant, on that
evening, when Randall went away, told Mr. Henry of the
whole of Randall's offers as aforesaid; then called on the
Secretary of State, and communicated the same to him; and
the next morning, early, informed the President of the
transaction.