The House took up the bill respecting military land warrants.
Mr. DAVIS hoped it would not be adopted without inquiring whether the
land proposed to be given to General Lafayette was the same as was given
to other Major Generals. It was true he had rendered services to the
United States, for which they had made him an allowance. There were
other claims, in his opinion of greater force, made day after day,
without being attended to. If this provision were annexed to the bill he
should vote against its passage; though, otherwise, he would be glad to
vote for it. If General Lafayette was entitled to this land, he wished
to see the business regularly conducted. We are now making provision for
persons who have legal claims. It is right, therefore, to separate these
subjects. Let us attend to one first, and afterwards consider the other.
Mr. DAWSON.--When, on yesterday, I had the honor to submit this
amendment, I indulged the pleasing hope that it would have received not
only the vote of this House, but would have met with the patronage of
all--of all the friends of justice, and of those who remember past
services; and that it would have been adopted without delay and without
debate.
In this I have been wofully disappointed. My fond anticipation was
immediately damped by a gentleman from New York, on whose friendship I
did count, and do now expect; and the amendment, instead of finding
sympathizing advocates, has met with an unexpected opposition; instead
of finding friends proud to reward past services, it has met with
enemies, seeking for reasons to withhold justice.
Mr. Chairman, the search has been in vain; the grateful, the patriot
mind will remember those services, while the reflection on a wish to
withhold justice will be left as consolation to those who have made the
search.
Sir, it was my wish, and it is my determination to support this
amendment solely on the grounds of services rendered to us. Whatever may
have been the conduct and the situation of General Lafayette since our
Revolution, humanity may lament; but, sir, it belongs to us to pay this
tribute to justice, if not to gratitude.
Sir, on yesterday, I stated what was known to every gentleman of this
House, that this gentleman at an early period of life, animated by the
love of liberty, left the pleasures of an enticing Court, encountered
the danger of winds and waves, and entered into the service of a country
known to him only by name, and endeared to him only by its devotion to
that flame which he felt himself. In this service he continued until the
end of our war, submitting to all the hardships and fatigues of the
field; leading our armies to victory, and exposing himself to every
danger; and this without any compensation, and at the sacrifice of the
greater part of his private fortune.
I stated more--that that fortune is now much reduced; and this is what I
do know. Yes, sir, I have spent two days with this adopted child of
America on his little farm. I saw him surrounded by an amiable family,
but not with wealth. I heard him pouring forth his best wishes for the
prosperity and happiness of this country; and I witnessed his constant
exertions to promote its interests. It may not be improper here to
remember what I do know. Some short time before I went to France, the
First Consul applied to Mr. Lafayette to come to this country as
Minister. He replied, "I am by birth a French citizen, by adoption a
citizen of the United States. I have served in that country, and am so
attached to its interest that I doubt, if a case of difficulty should
arise, whether I should do justice to my own; if I did, I am sure I
should be suspected, and therefore I will not place myself in that
delicate situation."
And now, sir, what is it that it is proposed to do for this gentleman;
for him who rendered you services without emolument, and risked his life
without hesitation; to this citizen of the United States; and not a
foreigner, as the gentleman from Kentucky has been pleased to call him?
It is to give to him what we give to others; and what he never would
have received had it not been for the reverse of his fortunes. And shall
we hesitate? I trust not.
Sir, this is not only a question of justice, but it is of feeling; every
soldier, every officer must feel for a fellow-soldier and a
fellow-officer, and every citizen for a fellow-citizen; and such is Mr.
Lafayette.
Whatever may be the fate of that amendment, if it shall be adopted I
shall feel proud for my country. If it shall be negatived, I shall have
the pleasing reflection of having discharged a duty to my country and to
my own feelings.
Mr. T. MORRIS said that the opposition he had made was more to the
manner than to the matter of the motion. He thought it improper to
decide upon it at so late an hour, and when there was scarcely a quorum
of members within the walls. I have, said Mr. M., no objection to the
grant. On the contrary I think it ought to be made in consideration of
the circumstances of General Lafayette. I should indeed have wished that
it had been the subject of a distinct bill. The value of gifts of this
nature depends as much on the manner in which they are made, as on the
gifts themselves; and I think the donation would, in this case, have
been deemed more honorable, if a special bill had been passed, instead
of inserting a clause in another bill. If there were time to bring in a
distinct bill I should now vote against the amendment; but as I am
unwilling to hazard the object altogether, I shall vote for it:
expressing my regret, at the same time, that the gentleman who has
viewed the distressed situation of General Lafayette had not sooner
brought the business forward.
A debate of short duration ensued, between Messrs. S. SMITH, SHEPARD,
DAWSON, and BACON, in favor of the amendment, and Mr. DAVIS against it,
when it was carried without a division.
On engrossing the bill for a third reading, Messrs. SOUTHARD, and
SHEPARD spoke in favor of, and Mr. VARNUM against it--carried, and
ordered to a third reading to-morrow.
SATURDAY, February 26.
_French Spoliations._
Mr. BAYARD moved that the House do now resolve itself into a Committee
of the whole House on a motion of the thirty-first ultimo, "for
indemnifying the citizens of the United States, who, in carrying on a
lawful trade to foreign parts, have suffered losses by the seizure of
their property, made by unauthorized French cruisers, or by any French
cruiser, without sufficient cause," to which Committee of the whole
House was also referred, on the second instant, the report of a select
committee, made the twenty-second of April last, on "the memorials and
petitions of sundry citizens of the United States, and resident
merchants therein, praying relief, in the case of depredations committed
on their vessels and cargoes, while in pursuit of lawful commerce, by
the cruisers of the French Republic, during the late European war:"
It passed in the negative--yeas 21, nays 48, as follows:
YEAS.--John Bacon, James A. Bayard, John Campbell, Samuel
W. Dana, William Eustis, Calvin Goddard, Roger Griswold,
Seth Hastings, William H. Hill, Benjamin Huger, Samuel
Hunt, Samuel L. Mitchill, Thomas Morris, Thomas Plater,
Nathan Read, John Cotton Smith, Samuel Tenney, Samuel
Thatcher, George B. Upham, Peleg Wadsworth, and Lemuel
Williams.
NAYS.--Willis Alston, John Archer, Theodorus Bailey,
Phanuel Bishop, Richard Brent, Robert Brown, William
Butler, Samuel J. Cabell, Thomas Claiborne, John Clopton,
John Condit, William Dickson, Peter Early, Lucas
Elmendorph, Ebenezer Elmer, Andrew Gregg, Daniel Heister,
Joseph Heister, William Helms, William Hoge, James Holland,
George Jackson, Michael Leib, David Meriwether, Thomas
Moore, James Mott, Anthony New, Thomas Newton, jr., John
Randolph, jr., John Smilie, Israel Smith, John Smith, (of
New York,) John Smith, (of Virginia,) Henry Southard,
Richard Stanford, Joseph Stanton, John Stewart, John
Taliaferro, jr., David Thomas, Philip R. Thompson, Abram
Trigg, John Trigg, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph B. Varnum,
Isaac Van Horne, Robert Williams, Robert Williams, Richard
Winn, and Thomas Wynns.
THURSDAY, March 3.
_Thanks to the Speaker._
On a motion made and seconded,
"That the thanks of this House be presented to NATHANIEL
MACON, the Speaker, in testimony of their approbation for
his conduct in discharging the arduous and important duties
assigned him, while in the chair:"
It was unanimously resolved in the affirmative, by yeas and nays, every
member present voting in the affirmative.
Whereupon, Mr. SPEAKER made his acknowledgments to the House, in manner
following:
"GENTLEMEN: Accept my sincere thanks for the vote which you
have been pleased to pass, expressive of your approbation
of my conduct in the chair; they are also due to each of
you, for the liberal support which I have uniformly
received.
"Permit me to wish you a safe return home and happy meeting
with your friends."
A message from the Senate informed the House that the Senate having
completed the Legislative business before them, are now ready to
adjourn.
Whereupon, Mr. SPEAKER adjourned the House, _sine die_.