Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress Page: 49
iv, (742 columns), 123, vii p. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this book.
49
OP BEBiVTES IN CONGRESS.
50
Dec. 22, 1824.]
Gratitude to Lafayette.
[H. of R.
ceive it: that we shall not render it as a debt due to him,
but as a gratification of our own feelings, and of the feel-
ings of this nation. And, notwithstanding what has oc-
curred here, I trust he will accept the off- r, not as his
right to receive, but as ours to give, as a gratification to
ourselves, and as a small testimony of the gratitude of
the nation. Mr. McD. trusted that the House would not
attempt to investigate what cannot be proved, and will
not; that it would not descend to the investigation of
facts which are known to the whole world, and are in
terwoven with the most interesting and important parts
of our own history.
Mr. MANGUM, of North Carolina, expressed his deep
regret that, at this stage of a business which must for
three weeks past have occupied a considerable portion
of the attention of the members of this House, a motion
should have been made to recommit this bill to investi-
gate facts in the case : and he said he could not view
the present motion in any other light than as one which
was in effect to test the success of the present measure.
On this subject, Mr. M. said, he most heartily concurred
in the views of the gentleman who had just taken his
seal. What, said he, is the object of this reference?
To go into a calculation of pounds, shillings, and pence,
with our distinguished benefactor, which he would re-
ject with disdain, and which could not but fill his breast
with scorn at the proposition. Such an investigation
would be, besides, absolutely impracticable, except by
submitting the private concerns and feelings of this dis-
tinguished person to a scrutiny which he would shrink
from, and which we ought not to require. Are we to
cull upon that individual to lay before us his vouchers
for voluntary donations for our benefit forty year* ago ?
Are we thus to compensate those services which are
known even to every school-boy in our country f 1
should deem such an examination, if its institution was
thought necessary, fatal to this bill, because the objects
which it would profess to seek after could never be ob-
tained. And is it believed, by the mover and support
ers of this proposition, that General Lafayette, his for-
tunes being reduced, has been invited to our shores m
the imposing manner we have seen; that he has been
received every where with an enthusiasm which does
honor to the sons of heroes—to be called upon here to
produce vouchers for his claims upon our gratitude ?
1 have great respect, said Mr. \1. for the scruples of
gentlemen on the score of precedent; but, for myself,
I believe that such a case as this can never again occur;
and, if it shall, will this people shrink from meeting it
The gentleman from Louisiana has given an exposition
which, it appears to me, must satisfy every one who
heard it as to the right of General Lafayette to receive
compensation from the United States for services and
sacrifices. Hut, sir, arc we to spread a Procrustean bed
for the feelingsof that distinguished individual to be tor-
tured upon ? Are we to give the exact pound of flesh,
without one jot of blood ? Is such the feeling in which
the proceeding towards General Lafayette originated ?
If it is, the reproach is yet just, the adage is ratified,
that Republics are ungrateful. I hope, sir, that the bill
will not be recommitted, and that this House will not un-
dertake to render justice to merits and servic: s such as
Lafayette's underthe influence of a petifogging disposi-
tion adapted to no higher vocation than litigation in
small affairs before inferior courts. I could wish, for the
honor of the American name, and still more for the hon-
or of this House, that no such affair as this should have
been meditated, unless we get out of the discussion of
it in a manner more reputable thanl begin to apprehend
we shall.
Mr. M. said he did not understand, from what had
been said, that any opposition was made to this bill on
the score of principle. If we turn over our records, said
he, we shall find divers instances of appropriations in a
much stronger manner impugning the principles advan-
VOL, I.—4,
ced against this bill, than this bill does—instances of
money granted merely in the way of gratuity, the pre-
sent case being by no means one of that character.
Was it, at this day, to be seriously argued that General
Lafayette stood, in relation to our Revolution, on the
footing of one of the people whose liberties were assert-
ed by it ? The correct distinction between the two
cases had been drawn elsewhere, that, where a foreign
enemy invades a country, all its inhabitants are equally
embarked in the contest, and must abide by the conse-
quences of it, it not being in the power of the govern-
ment to indemnify all individual losers in such a war.
But was that the case with a generous foreigner, whose
fortune and talent are liberally embarked in the defence
of the oppressed party in the contestSurely not. It
never can be the feeling of America that we should deal
to him precisely the measure of strict right. But, let the
present case be put even on that ground: it was nroved
by the exposition of the gentleman from Louisiana, and
by facts of historical notoriety, that the proposed grant
would stiil be inadequate to the demands of justice. Mr.
M, therefore expressed an earnest hope, that, as Gen-
Lafayette had set up no claim in this case, inasmuch as
he was not a plaintiff in this ac' ion, and the case was not
to be tried upon technical pleadings, that the services
which he rendered in the morning of his fortunes, would
be met by this nation in a corresponding spirit, now that
he is in the eve of his life.
The present motion, said Mr. M. I must consider as
testing the strength of the bill; and sure I am, that, if we
listen to the voice of all those people, who, in their per-
son, felt the horrors and privations of the. Revolution, or
of the true descendants of their fathers who did feel
them, we shall very much misrepresent them if we re-
fuse to make the old age of Lafayette easy and comfort-
able. As one of the committee. I have felt it my duty
to say that I decline a technical examination ot the ser-
vices of this veteran', because his services were never
rendered in that spirit, and the people do not wish to
meet them in it.
Mr. HKRIUCK, of Maine, then rose, and said, that from
the motion that he had submitted to the House, it might
be supposed that h6 was in favor of the indefinite post-
ponement of the bill, as being opposed to the bill itself.
He was glad to have an opportunity to explain his views,
and remove any false impression which might have been
made in this particular. So far from being opposed ei-
ther to the p' inciple or to the form oi the bill, he was,
on the contrary, prepared to vote for almost any sum
which the House should think fit to give, and had flat-
tered himself that the bill, as introduced by the com-
mittee, would have passed the House without opposition:
he did hope that there would not ev n be one word of
discussion on tile subject; but, from the course which
things had already taken, he felt apprehensive that any
thing which the House might now do would be ineffec-
tual, as he greatly doubted whether, after what had hap-
pened, the individual concerned would accept the dona-
tion, should it be made. This was one of those acts, of
which it might emphatically be said, that, if done at all,
it must be done q.iickly. If we are to sit, in cold debate,
discussing and disputing the minutiic of such a bill, our
passing it, he feared, would be in vain. Yet, still, if gen-
tlemen shall conclude to pass this bill, they might rely
upon it, that he, for one, would never oppose its pas-
sage, when that question was fairly presented to him.
Mr. BaUTLETT said, that he rose, not to discuss the
measure before the House, but to submit a proposition,
which he hoped would render discussion unnecessary.
He should regret deeply to see the Journal burdened
with records of yeas and nays, motions and amendments,
in a case like this. He had hoped th t this bill would hjye
passed in a manner as spontaneous as unanimous. He
had hoped that, when we sent for Gen. Lafayette, and
invited him, by a public act, to our shores, it was not to
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page .
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress, book, 1825; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30752/m1/29/ocr/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.