Part 268

German Language, laws in.--See Index, vol. 2.

GILES, WILLIAM B., Senator from Virginia, 163, 552; reports the bill for the Government of the Territory of Orleans, 166; on the order of proceedings in the case of John Smith, 554; on expelling Senator John Smith, 589. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

GILLESPIE, JAMES, Representative from North Carolina, 78, 285; decease of, 312. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

GILMAN, NICHOLAS, Senator from New Hampshire, 345, 485, 547. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

GODDARD, CALVIN, Representative from Connecticut, 50, 286; on the call upon the President for documents showing the title to Louisiana, 55; on the resolution relative to public roads, 84; on improving the navigation of the Potomac, 291. See Index, vol. 2.

GOLDSBOROUGH, CHARLES, Representative from Maryland, 377, 493, 612; on a Naval Peace Establishment, 402.

GOOCH, PHILIP, his testimony for the defence on the trial of Judge Chase, 224.

GOODRICH, CHAUNCEY, Senator from Connecticut, 551. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

GOODWYN, PETERSON, Representative from Virginia, 50, 288, 377, 493, 613.

GOVANE, WILLIAM S., his testimony for the defence on the trial of Judge Chase, 328.

Granger Gideon, Postmaster-General, letter to the House, 332; considered, 333; a second letter stating his interest in the Georgia grants, 333; motion to refer to a select committee, 333; an affair of honor between two gentlemen and Congress has nothing to do with it, 333; Congress has no power to remove the Postmaster-General, if the charges were true, 333; nothing more reasonable than to grant the reference, 333; the letter couched in such language the House should not listen to it, 334; too late in the session for this business, 334; nothing disrespectful in the letter, 335; if the charges are true, the President is the proper person to apply to for removal of the officer--subject postponed, 336.

GRAY, EDWIN, Representative from Virginia, 50, 288, 379, 497, 613.

Great Britain, retaliatory measures upon in Washington’s Administration. See Index, vol. 1.

GREEN, ISAIAH L., Representative from Massachusetts, 377, 493, 612.

GREGG, ANDREW, Representative from Pennsylvania, 50, 377, 494; on the resolution to inquire into the official conduct of Judge Chase, 91; on a tax on imported slaves, 137, 141; on the bill relative to the Louisiana Territory, 144, 145; on the bill to bridge the Potomac, 290; on the Georgia claims, 329; on the reference of the letter of the Postmaster-General, 334; on the Yazoo claims, 379; submits a bill relative to a Naval Peace Establishment, 385; on discharging the committee from consideration of invasion of neutral rights, 394; introduces resolutions of non-intercourse, 395; on a Naval Peace Establishment, 402; on the application of the Society of Harmony, 404, 405; on the amendment of the constitution relative to the removal of Federal Judges, 415; on importations from Great Britain, 419; on a plurality of offices in the same person, 472; on the exclusion of military and naval officers from civil employment, 476; on the appropriation to build gunboats, 517; on excluding settlers from the public lands, 543; Senator from Pennsylvania, 547. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

GRIFFIN, THOMAS, Representative from Virginia, 50, 285; on the resolution to appoint a committee to inquire into the official conduct of Judge Chase, 114.

GRISWOLD, GEORGE, Representative from New York, 50, 285.

GRISWOLD, ROGER, Representative from Connecticut, 50, 286; on the motion to call on the President for documents relative to the acquisition of Louisiana, 54; on the amendment to the constitution relative to the election of President, 58; against the resolution to carry the Louisiana Treaty into effect, 61; remarks on the bill authorizing the President to take possession of the Louisiana Territory, 73, 75; on the resolution relative to public roads, 83; in favor of augmentation of the Navy, 88; on the motion to inquire into the official conduct of Judge Chase, 90, 92, 104; on the postponement of the bill to tax imported slaves, 141; on protection against the Barbary Powers, 159; on the remission of duties on books, 289; on improving the navigation of the Potomac, 292; on the retrocession of the District of Columbia, 307. See Index, vols. 1 and 2.

Gunboats.--Report of the committee, in the House, on fortifying harbors considered, 516; question on filling the blank with $250,000 for building fifty gunboats, 516; better appropriate the money to solid and durable fortifications, 516; a sufficient number already, 516; the system of gunboats a matter of experiment, 516; if the experiment succeeds, then let us vote liberally, 516; the House has already refused to man the gunboats now built, 516; when the necessity arises the boats can be built, 517; more information desired on the subject, 517; experience has proved them to be useful, as in the late war with Tripoli, 517; the expense, as compared with that of frigates, 517; advantages and disadvantages, 518; number already on hand, 518; postponed, 518.

In House, the bill from the Senate, for building gunboats and the bill for fortifying harbors from committee on aggressions, considered, 625; moved to reduce the number of gunboats to be built from one hundred eighty-four to one hundred, 625; gunboats could not have prevented any one of the aggressions of which we complain, 625; could only act in harbor defence, 625; some frigates should be provided, 625; other means of defence can be provided in other bills, 625; a sufficient number should be built, or the money would be thrown away, 625; a frigate costs more than gunboats with same number of guns, 625; gunboats not a mere experiment, 625; without the boats the squadron would not have been competent to attack Tripoli, 626; these boats crossed the Atlantic, 626; of 60 or 70 tons burden, 626; duty of the House to provide effectual protection, 626; fortifications and gunboats regarded by the committee as the best system, 626; and such a number of boats, they say, are wanting, 626; if the object is to protect the country, this bill should pass, 626; if ships or frigates will add to the protection, they can be voted when the subject comes up, 626; these boats eminently and essentially useful as a species of defence, 626; expense of a frigate and gunboats compared, 626; shall a certain sum of money be appropriated for the defence of ports and harbors? 626; never should be said that we ought to defend ourselves beyond our own shores, 626; the information obtained from the Executive was in favor of gunboats, 627; when the number necessary is known, the money should be appropriated, 627; the situation of the country in relation to Great Britain should be considered, 627; no objection to vote for gunboats if land batteries will be sufficiently provided for, 627; a visionary scheme to evade the real object of defence, and to introduce false notions of economy, 627; intention of the committee to erect new works and repair old, 628; after such a proposition as this, no one which could be made would be surprising, 628; the great object was to arm the nation to meet an event which they would be called on before long to meet, 628; question now on one species of this arming, 628; gunboats in connection with fortifications cannot obtain the end proposed, 628; these boats cannot be used in certain ports to which they are assigned, 628; reasons, 628; moved to strike out sixty-four gunboats and substitute four frigates, 628; question on striking out, 629; difference of opinion on the subject of gunboats, 629; bill accords with the sentiments of the Northern States, 629; if the motion prevails, a million dollars more will be required, 629; United States have not means to build a fleet, 629; time for a naval establishment has passed, 630; not in our power to provide as respectable a fleet as Denmark, 630; let us then apply our limited means to a mode of defence on which more reliance can be placed, 630; put the harbors in such a state of defence we shall not feel the want of a Navy, 630; gunboats a part of land defence, 630; British not dared to attack a single French port, 630; other modes of defence should be taken into account at the same time, 631; it would be a proper measure now to increase the Navy, to prevent aggression from a foreign power, 631; no danger can arise to the liberties of the people from an increase of the Navy, 631; had more tons of shipping afloat and more largely concerned in the freedom of the seas than any nation on earth save one, and shall they lie unconcerned while the dearest rights of nations are destroyed by that one? 631; this measure is beyond our means, and is not a measure of exigency, 631; what became of the Navy of Denmark? and what will be the fate of ours, 632; it has been charged that the formidable Navy raised by the former Administration has been sold off by this, and the nation left without defence, 632; amendment negatived, 632; presents one of those great crises that rarely occur in the annals of a nation, 632; a crisis of awful moment, 632; principal unavowed argument in favor of the present measure is the supposed predilection of the Executive, 633; a new volume of the celebrated proclamation and gunboat system, 633; subject of messages, 633; opinions of naval officers annexed, 634; every argument is answered by saying it is a popular system, 634; with whom is it popular? 634; the whole seaboard interested in this question, 634; utility of gunboats examined, 635; objections to the bill considered, 635; reasons for the measure, 636; origin of gunboats, 636; a period has arrived when this nation must receive a satisfaction for injuries inflicted, and security for the future, or the sword must be drawn, 637; negotiations, 637; course of the Administration, 637; evidence of the utility of gunboats, 637; until gentlemen on the seacoast could better agree on the number and utility of gunboats, so large a number should not be built, 638; how are the boats to be manned, 638; attempt to persuade the public that the friends of this measure are about to drain the Treasury for a useless measure of defence, 638; does the present state of our foreign relations require effective measures, 638; will the nation consent to expose to an enemy the whole extent of our seacoast, without an effort to repel him until he is landed? 639; what are the means in our power best calculated for defence? 639; either gunboats or ships, 639; opinion of naval men that gunboats may be useful, but they should not supersede all other means of defence, 639; instead of a comprehensive system, measures are laid before us by piecemeal, 640; objections to the measure, 640; bill passed, 640.

Habeas Corpus, suspension of the writ of.--In the Senate, committee appointed to inquire into the expediency of suspending, 490; bill reported, 490; bill passed, 490; confidential Message to the House, 490.

In House, on the question that proceedings on the bill be had with open doors, 504; carried, 504; moved to reject the bill, 504; do. withdrawn, 504; note, 504; information in President’s Message, 504; existing laws sufficient, 504; its suspension would hold out an improper idea of danger and alarm, 505; danger nearly over, 505; this step never resorted to before, 505; no apology for suspending this writ, 505; a dangerous precedent, 505; most extraordinary proposition ever presented to our consideration, 506; constitution forbids it only in the case of self-preservation, 506; proposition is to invest unlimited power in the supreme Executive, over the personal liberty of the citizens, 506; nature and character of the writ, 506; bill objectionable also in its details, 506; what evidence of the necessity of this measure? 507; condition of the leader, 507; called by this bill to exercise one of the most important powers vested in Congress, 507; words of the constitution, 507; does the public safety require its suspension? 507; this point examined, 508; constitution does not restrict the power of the Government to such extreme cases, 508; a rebellion exists, 508; a conspiracy has been formed with deliberation, and existed a long time, 508; the country is in a state of insecurity, 508; no insurrection ever occurred like this, 508; the conspiracy considered, 509; nature of this writ, 509; its effects on the individual and on the community at large, 509; no insurrection to be compared in magnitude to this, 510; a subject sanctioned by the Senate, and worthy of discussion and reference, 510; satisfactory proof of a rebellion should be obtained, 510; no doubt of its existence, 510; this not sufficient to justify this measure, 510; it can be necessary only for the detection and conviction of offenders, 510; once suspended in Massachusetts, and regarded as useful, 511; House competent to reject the bill on its first reading, 511; an improper measure coming from the Senate should be viewed with jealousy, 511; an oblique attempt to cover a certain departure from an established law of the land, and a certain violation of the constitution, 512; the case at issue is, whether the military government is subject to the civil power, or the civil authority to the military, 512; it is merely a foreign intrigue, 512; if this bill passes it establishes a new era in the Government, 513; a nation is never enslaved at once, 513; the details of the bill, 514; shall we exercise the only power with which we are clothed, to repeal an important part of the constitution? 514; example of England, 514; does the necessity exist? 514; in the opinion of the President no danger is to be apprehended, 514; this bill operates as an ex post facto law, 515; bill rejected, 515.

Resolution, in House, to make farther provision for securing the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus considered, 520; note, 520; necessity and importance of the provision contemplated, 520; provision of the constitution, its intention, 520; arguments in support of the motion, 520; proceedings at New Orleans, 521; doubtful if a change in the law is material, 522; acts of Congress determine the manner in which this writ shall be enforced, 522; these acts considered, 522; events at New Orleans prove the necessity of preserving the military subordinate to the civil authority, 523; the officer at New Orleans has done an illegal act, at the risk of his whole fortune in damages, 524; let the law take its course, 524; he has violated the personal right of the citizen, 524; what are the facts? 524; importance of the writ, and questions arising under it, make the reference proper, 525; the motion and the speech accompanying it have a suspicious aspect on certain judicial procedures depending now within these walls, 525; would they ward off punishment from traitors by condemning the acts which produced their arrest? 525; this expression by Congress will be an obstacle to the recovery of damages against the Commander-in-chief, 525; where is the proof that the provisions now in force are not sufficient for the security of the person? 526; source of this opposition to the motion a matter of astonishment, 526; information comes from the President, 526; in defiance of the constitution persons have been seized by the military authority, 526; is there probable cause of arrest in the case of Alexander? 527; are there no circumstances to justify Wilkinson? 527; two points in which the subject has been examined, 528; the opinion is nearly unanimous that the legal provisions now contemplated ought to be made, 528; the United States as such do not possess any code of common law, 528; not improper at the present time, 528; sections of the constitution violated, 528; Wilkinson’s return to the writ of habeas corpus, 529; a return of disobedience to the civil institutions, 529; various objections to the motion answered, 529, 530; what has occasioned this measure to be brought before the House at this time, 531; violation of the constitution charged upon Wilkinson, examined, 531; not proved that there are not provisions by existing laws to enforce obedience to the writ, 532; these laws exist in every State and Territory, 532; Wilkinson only in contempt for disobedience of the writ, 533; the courts have power to punish contempt, 533; the laws are ample, 533; questions depending on which this proposition is calculated to operate, 533; is a flagrant violation of the constitution to be remedied by an action of damages, 533; conspiracy to separate Kentucky from the Union, 533; note, 533; quarter from whence this motion comes, 534; the constitution merely secures the writ, no penalty is attached to its violation, hence the necessity for further provision, 534.

The motion embraces two objects--to provide additional penalties for the security of the privilege of the habeas corpus, and to define the powers of the Supreme Court as to issuing writs of habeas corpus, 535; is it necessary to pass such a law as this? 535; if a constitutional right has been infringed, does it follow that Congress ought to legislate on the occasion? 535; Wilkinson’s transaction was not a disobedience to this writ of habeas corpus, 536; an instance of disobedience stated, 536; example quoted from English history, 537; the seizure of Ballman a violation of personal rights, and of the constitution, 537; have the people the privilege of this writ secured to them as fully and effectually as the constitution intended, and as wise and prudent men ought to desire? 537; the security shown to be at least uncertain, 538; principle of the celebrated statute of Charles, 538; dilemma to which the opponents are reduced, 538; proceeding of the Supreme Court, 539; objected that the subject cannot be matured this session, 539; this whole business one of the most unfortunate kind that could have happened to the United States, 539; further arguments in favor, 539; points showing the necessity of a reference, 540; was it discreet to refer the resolution when it was manifest they could not go through with the business, 541; this very transaction would be beneficial to the country in showing the strength of feeling for the Union, 541; English history of this writ, 541; indefinitely postponed, 542.

HALSEY, SILAS, Representative from New York, 377, 493.

HAMILTON’S, ALEXANDER, Report as Secretary of the Treasury.--See Index, vol. 1, Treasury.

HAMILTON, ARCHIBALD, his testimony for the defence on trial of Judge Chase, 226.

HAMILTON, JOHN, Representative from Pennsylvania, 381, 493.