Jefferson Informs Congress of Pirates and ASKS Them What To Do

October 25, 2012

Mandeville, LA – Exclusive Transcript – I’m putting together a history of the Louisiana Purchase. The reason for it is because so many people are convinced that Jefferson was a hypocrite, and that he did not consult the Constitution and that the Louisiana Purchase was an unconstitutional act, therefore Jefferson was no friend to the Constitution. That is not true. That is not the case. The Louisiana Purchase was a correct use of presidential authority, and the Senate and Congress were in on the deal. As a matter of fact, if you do your historical research and you do it with the source documents, you’ll find entire segments in what is known as the Congressional Globe. You can find any day in Congressional history going all the way back to the first Congress in 1789. If you look in November of 1803, you can find the entire debate over the Louisiana Purchase. Guess who was there? John Taylor of Caroline making the case on behalf of the president, who was Jefferson at the time. Check out the transcript for the rest..

Begin Mike Church Show Transcript

Mike: I’m putting together a history of the Louisiana Purchase. The reason for it is because so many people are convinced that Jefferson was a hypocrite, and that he did not consult the Constitution and that the Louisiana Purchase was an unconstitutional act, therefore Jefferson was no friend to the Constitution. That is not true. That is not the case. The Louisiana Purchase was a correct use of presidential authority, and the Senate and Congress were in on the deal. As a matter of fact, if you do your historical research and you do it with the source documents, you’ll find entire segments in what is known as the Congressional Globe. You can find any day in Congressional history going all the way back to the first Congress in 1789. If you look in November of 1803, you can find the entire debate over the Louisiana Purchase. Guess who was there? John Taylor of Caroline making the case on behalf of the president, who was Jefferson at the time.

I was researching this yesterday. I didn’t even know this had occurred, I stumbled on this. Since we’re spending so much time talking about foreign policy and tyrannical presidents and the imperial presidency and abuses of power, it is often thought by decepticons, that’s you frauds that call yourselves conservatives. Some people call you neocons. I call you decepticons for the deceit and the wool that you pull over people’s eyes in the name of trashy conservatism. Decepticons will often say that President Jefferson, not only did he micturated on the Constitution and the Louisiana Purchase, but he also summoned the Marine Corps and unilaterally waged war against the Bashar of Tripoli, never consulted Congress, didn’t do anything and just wielded his power like a tyrant king.

I’m reading about the Louisiana Treaty. On the 4th of November 1803, I stumble upon this. I’ll pick up where the debate was going on in the Senate. This is Mr. White of Delaware speaking.

[reading]

“A bill to divide the Indiana Territory into two separate governments, and giving the assent of Congress to the proposition of the convention of the State of Ohio, contained in the sixth section of the seventh article of the constitution of that State;” which bill was read and ordered to the second reading. The following Message was received from the President of the United States.

[end reading]

Mike: They’re in session. As they’re debating this issue in Ohio, there’s a knock. [mocking] “Excuse me, but I have a message here from the President of the United States.” Oh, a letter from President Jefferson. I wonder what it could be. Here’s what was in the letter. This is from the Congressional record. This is not from a book. This is actually from the transcript of that day’s proceedings. In other words, this is source material.

[reading]

The following Message was received from the President of the United States: To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: By the copy now communicated of a letter from Captain Bainbridge, of the Philadelphia frigate, to our Consul at Gibraltar, you will learn that an act of hostility has been committed on a merchant vessel of the United States, by an armed ship of the Emperor of Morocco. This conduct on the part of that Power is without cause and without explanation. It is fortunate that Captain Bainbridge fell in with and took the capturing vessel and her prize; and I have the satisfaction to inform you that about the date of this transaction, such a force would be arriving in the neighborhood of Gibraltar, both from the east and from the west, as leaves less to be feared for our commerce, from the suddenness of the aggression.

On the 4th of September the Constitution frigate, Captain Preble, with Mr. Lear on board, was within two days sail of Gibraltar, where the Philadelphia would then be arrived with her prize; and such explanations would probably be instituted as the state of things required, and as might perhaps arrest the progress of hostilities. In the meanwhile, it is for Congress to consider the provisional authorities which may be necessary to restrain the depredations of this Power, should they be continued. November 4, 1803, signed Th. Jefferson.

[end reading]

Mike: President Jefferson reported on an altercation on the high seas, reported that a ship under the flag of the King of Morocco tried to attack an American vessel, reported that that attack was repelled and that ship was captured and so was its cargo, and then it sailed for Gibraltar where two other American ships were in the area. He was informing Congress that this was going on and that they should consider what to do about it and what naval answers or military answers were forthcoming. The point of the letter is there’s Jefferson writing and saying, This is what’s going on. What do you want me to do? What do you authorize me to do? Of course, the legend is that he never consulted. He was just a tyrant king. He acted just like George W. Bush to protect us from terrorists. By the way, where’s Morocco, Mr. Gruss, on what continent?

AG: Africa.

Mike: That’s right. What else might we find in Morocco today as you might have found then? Muslims. Nah, those people weren’t Muslims. Yes, they were, they most certainly were. Gee, there was nothing in Jefferson’s letter about them hating our way of life. There is nothing in Jefferson’s letter about a jihad. All they were after was the loot. They wanted the loot that was on the ship.

End Mike Church Show Transcript