246 



papers to contain relative to the value of the Mississippi, which 

 Would, according to my view of the occupation of the Columbia 

 river, show the value of the trade to flow in that channel, which 

 was to connect those two great rivers ; and that there could not 

 be any thing difficult to comprehend in that. That if the President 

 would tell the House such consequences would flow from the com 

 munication, and at the same time state, that copies of the papers 

 would be furnished to any gentleman at the Department of State, 

 who might desire them, was a thing left for him to justify and to re 

 concile : I wished myself to be correct, and said this for my own 

 justification, and to show my own consistency, and not the Presi 

 dent s. 



I will close these observations by observing to you, that I have 

 seen in your paper a few days ago, the remarks contained in a 

 Charleston journal. I cannot divine how the writer knew I had 

 made a motion to refer the President s communication to my com 

 mittee, before it was read. I conclude, though, it is much after 

 the disinterestedness of the times, and that a diplomatic mission to 

 some of the new republics, may be the hoped reward of the hon 

 est exertions of the writer. How was that fact ascertained ? there 

 is no record showing whether the motion was made before the pa 

 pers were read or not this minute fact is known to the writer so 

 distant from Washington, who does not even know the part of the 

 country I live in, as he states me to be a member from the west 

 it may be honest ignorance I believe, though I did make the mo 

 tion to refer the papers, as soon as it was ascertained what the 

 papers related to*. This is every day s practice, and I have now 

 papers referred to my committee which the House never saw, 

 which contained information I had sought through the medium of 

 the House, as I had done that, which was to be used when my bill 

 was called up. I will say more, that if 1, by any proper act, 

 could have prevented this affair, that I would have done so ; nor 

 will I, either in public or in private, refrain from commenting upoa 

 the public conduct and opinions of any public man, who may be 

 thought, or may think himself entitled to office. My opposition 

 has always been political, and directed by the ideas I entertain of 

 the power which gentlemen may think themselves entitled to ex 

 ercise, under the constitution of the United States. I look upon that 

 constitution as containing expressed grants of power, and cannot ap 

 prove any opposite opinion. 



I, a& a public man, am willing to be judged by this test, and when 

 I, or others, cannot defend their opinion, injustice to the country, 

 they ought to retire. In iny public capacity I called upon the ex 

 ecutive branch of the government for papers expressly relating to 

 a national transaction, and for public use^ and if evil has resulted, 

 &amp;lt;ur private letters been divulged, it cannot attach to me. 



I am, sirs, with great respect, your obedient servant, 



JOHN FLOYD, 



