The President had not informed the House of the reasons upon which the treaty was based.

If he did not think proper to give the information sought for, he would say so to them.

A question might arise whether the House should get at those secrets even if the President refused the request, but that was not the present question.

In reply to Mr.Murray, who asserted that the treaty was the supreme law of the land, and that there was no discretionary power in the House except on the question of its constitutionality, Mr.
Gallatin said that Congress possessed the power of regulating trade,--perhaps the treaty-making power clashed with that,--and concluded by observing that the House was the grand inquest of the nation, and that it had the right to call for papers on which to ground an impeachment.

At present he did not contemplate an exercise of that right.