The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-12 00:00:00

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)

PRIVILEGE OF PARLIAMENT.-SASSIDY V. STUART, M. P.
In this case an outlawry had been issued from this
Court against the defendant, a Member of Parliament
(and late one of the Lords of the Treasury), who was at
the time out of this country. A supersedeas was subse-
quently obtained, on the ground that the defendant not
being liable to arrest, by privilege of Parliament, be could
not be outlawed for not doing that from which his privi-
lege exempted him. Last term Mr. Sergeant Spankie
obtained a rule to show cause why the supersedeas should
not be set aside, and the outlawry confirmed.
Mr. Sergeant BOMPAS now showed cause against the rule,
and contended that inasmuch as a capias could not be en-
forced against a Member of Parliament, neither could an
outlawry be issued for neglect of proceedings which had
such a writ for their object. The plaintiff's proper course
of proceeding was by distress. In the well known case of
the Countess of Huntingdon, the attorney for the plaintiff
againt that lady was committed for having issued a capias
against her; knowing her to be a Peeress, and the capias
was set aside. In the case of Lord Rokeby, who was an
Irish Peer of Parliament, the attorney, who had issued a
capias, pleaded in support of his proceeding that the de-
fendant had gone by the name of " Thomas Morriss, Esq.,
commonly called Lord Rokeby," and had pleaded in that
name, and suffered himself to be arrested thereby ; yet the
Court in that case held that the attorney had sufficient
notice of the privilege to render it incumbent upon him to
inquire before he proceeded. He was accordingly com-
mitted, as happened in the case of Lady Huntingdon,
and the Sheriff was ordered to return non est invcntus to
the writ. The meaning of that return was not literally
that Rokeby could not be found, for he was well known to
be resident in London at the time ; it was clearly that the
defendant was not found within the jurisdiction of
the Court for execution of the capias ad satisfacien-
dum. The Learned Sergeant cited at great length
from the statute of William the Third, defining and
confirming the privileges of Members of the House of
Commons, by which be contended the members of that
branch of the Legislature were placed in respect to per-
sonal privilege precisely on the same footing with members
of the House of Lords. Ho held that the cases which he
had quoted, and those of Lord Egremont and others, were
conclusive, that outlawry could not issue against any Mem-

her of Parliament. He submitted, ther,9fote, that the rule
must be discharged.
Mr. Sergeant SPANKIE, in reply said,that` the object of
the Act of Parliament on which his Learned iend relied,
that of William 111., was to limit and restrict the un-
bounded and absurd privileges which the House .of Com-
mons had before laid claim to. That House had claimed
for its members as such, not only an equality of Privilege
ion
from the Peers of Parliament, in respect to protect on
from personal molestation, but also privileges which 'the
Peers never thought of claiming, and which no rational
man could think of conceding. The Commons decla,-ed
it a breach of privilege to institute any process of la w
whatever, or take any proceeding in Chancery against at
member of that House. They went so far as even to,
commit all the parties to such proceedings—even the
Judge. But the House of Lords took a more reasonable'
view of the matter, and ordered the parties to be dis-
charged. But this did not satisfy the House of Commons.
The Speaker (Seymour) went so far as to take the office
of Sergeant upon himself, and with his own hands dragged
out of. Court the lawyer Pemberton, who appeared in an
action against a member. The Lords discharged this per-
son also, but the Commons continued the unseemly con-
test, until the presumption of that House was con-
quered by the sobriety of the Lords—(A laugh--in
which the Bench joined)—and after the revolution the
Act of William was passed to confine the privilege to
exemption from personal molestation, and to give
to the creaitors of Members lawful means for
receiving their just debts. The Learned Sergeant then
cited numerous cases, to show by analogy that there wes
no irregularity in issuing a capias, but in enforcing it.-
The return non est inventus warranted the plaintiff in
issuing an outlawry, which would have the effect of com-
pelling the defendant to satisfy the debt, in the event of a
dissolution of Parliament. There was a wide difference
between the privileges of the two Houses in respect to
arrest. In the Peers it was perpetual and inherent in the
person, in the Members of the House of Commons it was
only contingent, and might determine in several ways—by
the act of the individual, or of the Crown, and by accept-
ance of office, or by a dissolution. There were no legal
objections to a plaintiff's proceeding with his action to the
end, so as to be prepared with his execution, when either
contingency should give him the opportunity to enforce it.
The LORD Crites. JUSUCE gave judgment at considerable
length. He said that if the Court granted this rule, and
allowed the outlawry to stand, their Lordships would in
effect give orders to the Sheriffs to arrest a person whom
they themselves would then be the first to discharge from
custody.
The other Judges concurred, and the rule was accord-
ingly discharged, with costs.

LOSS OF THE THAMES STEAME Et

(FURTHEIt PARTICULARS.)

Extract of a letter received at Lloyd's, from their agent
at Scilly, dated sth January, 1841 :
" It is our painful duty to report the loss of the Thames
steamer, Captain Gray, from Dublin, bound to Plymouth
and London. She struck on one of the westernmost rocks
off these islands, called Jockey's Rock, at about six A. M.
yesterday morning, the 4th instant, Three women were
saved, by being hauled with lines through the sea to a
small boat, that went at great risk of life to the vessel,
from St. Agnes ; and whilst the boatmen were getting the
women into the boat, they shipped a heavy sea, which
nearly filled her, and obliged them to quit the wreck.
Soon after the flood tide having made to the north against
the wind, caused a tumultuous sea, and the ship unfortu-
nately went to pieces, and all the crew and passengers CM
board were drowned, except the three women before men-
tioned, and one seaman, called Edward Karons, who with
ten others of the crew, got on a piece of the wreck, and
were driven on the small uninhabited island, or rock, called
Rosevear, but who were so much exhausted when they
reached the shore that they could not get up the rocks,
and were drowned. The bodies have since been taken off
the rocks and carried to St. Agnes, the light-house island;
from whence Karons, and the three females saved, have
this day been brought to St. Mary's.
" 6th January.—As far as we can at present ascertain,
there were on board, when the vessel left Dublin on Sa-
turday, the 2d instant—five gentlemen passengers, twenty
recruits, two soldiers, and one sergeant (three of them
were lost in getting into one of the ship's boats, which was
capsized) ; two women and an infant ; Captain Grelv. two
mates, six firemen, and twelve crew; and, we beliewo, a
few deck passengers.
" Persons saved.—One young lady, two stewardesses,
and one sailor."

PENZANCE, JAN. B.—The Scilly packet, after being
detained several days by contrary winds, arrived this
morning; by her we hear of the loss of the Thames
Irish steamer, which took place about five o'clock on the
morning of Monday, the 3d inst. The Thames was on her
voyage from Dublin to London, and the weather being
exceedingly boisterous, with showers of hail and snow,
they lost their reckoning, and, mistaking the St.
Agnes (Scilly Islands) light for that of the longships
(near the Land's-end), ran on the Cribewidden rock, and
in a short time became a total wreck ; out of at out seventy
persons on board, only four were saved. 'nese were
a young lady passenger (who with her father was going
to London), two female attendants belonging to the
steamer, and one of the seamen. Soon after the vessel
struck she was discovered by the inhabitants of St. Agnes,
and one of the boats' crews, at the risk of their lives, im-
mediately put off to render assistance; they succeeded 16
getting near her, and though there was scarcely a hope of
escape, the Captain, with the true bravery of a BritiAll
seaman, ordered that not a man should leave the vessel
until the females were safe; the three who were saved'.
were then prevailed upon to go in the boat, but another
refused to part with her babe, and was conoequentlf
drowned.

The young lady saved is named Morris ; she wanted to
stay by the vessel, but was thrown over by her father. The
seaman saved owes his life, after he had reached the Isle
of Rosevear, from the circumstance of a eask of porter be-
ing driven on shore, the head of weich he contrived to be at
out; he drank a little, and suffered the rest to escape, anJ
in this cask he passed the Monday night, a season of most
unparalleled severity.
Captain Gray, the commander, a fine young man, had
only been married three weeks ere he met his untimely end,
*SC,IM= T=FIFT?"
CHARITY MEETING AT BATH.

(FROM A CORREISPONDENT.)
A public meeting was announced for this day (Monday,
11th inst.), for the purpose of appealing to the inhabitants
of Bath for a public subscription to relieve the wants of
the poor.
The Mayor having agreed to take the Chair, opened
the business of the meeting to a very large assembly, tho
spacious banquetting-room being crammed, principally by
the labouring classes, who appeared sensibly alive to the:
motives of those who are generally the principal actors'
in such proceedings.
On the platform were several members of the Town
Council, and a host of the clergy of the " Establishment,"
and amongst others, the:Reverend Messrs. Tottenham and
East, two gentlemen of the Magee and M‘Neile school.
Amongst the auditory the proceedings excited but little
interest, and the whole affair as it regards the meeting was
a decided failure; and the spirit and indignation the people
evinced was something new in the history of such pro-
ceedings.
The speakers instead of being met with cheers, as was
wont to be the case on such loccasions, were assailed with
loud and vociferous shouts from hundreds of voices--
" We want justice, and not charity !" " Give us justice
and our rights, and keep your charity," and many other
such pertinent exclamations.
The promoters of this " work of love" were in evident
alarm, for a large body of police filled the different avenues
within the hall, and appeared to be prepared for action.
The proceedings were for the most part dumb show,
and were hurried through amidst mucs visible fear.
Mr. Philp rose to move a resolution, when the Mayor
precipitately quitted the chair, followed by the whole of
his supporters, who all disappeared in an instant, amidst
the hooting, hissing, and other indignanb expressions of
the Assembly. Cries of " Justice, not chanty is what we
want," followed them in their retreat, when the police be-
came exceedingly active in pushing and driving the people
out of the room,

It is said "there is nothing new under the sun," but it;
really appears to be a new feature in public affairs when'
large bodies of the labouring people see the real cause of
the misery and crime which surrounds them, and raise
their voices for justice and their rights, instead of pity
and Charity.

THE WEATHER.—The thaw which commenced
on Sunday morning was succeeded by a alight frost in the
evening, and during the night there was a fall of snow..
Yesterday morning, at six o'clock, the thermometer stood'
at 32 degrees, (freezing point) with the wind south-west,
and during the middle of the day, the sun having con-
siderable power, it again thawed, but very slightly, except
in the metropolis. In the course of the afternoon the
wind shifted to the west, and when the sun had set it
again began to freeze, so that by seven o'clock the roads
and paths round the metropolis were coated with ice,
which made it for persons walking or riding both diffi-
cult and dangerous. At that hour the thermometer
stood at thirty degrees, two degrees below freezing point,
the wind being last evening N. N. W. In the course of
the night there was another fall of snow, and this fore-
noon there has been a partial thaw, which still continues,
with a west wind and bright sunshine.
ADELPHI THEATRE. Deeds of Dreadful
Note, notwithstanding its ominous title, kept the house in
a roar. This novelty is full of fun, and a better provoca-
tive to mirth could scarcely have been produced. The
performers in general sustained their parts most effectually,
and at the fall of the curtain the farce was announced for
repetition.

ANOTIIER OBSTRUCTION TO BAIL. Yes-
terday the Insolvent Debtors' Court refused to bail out a
person named Deane, at present confined in a country
prison, because the proposed sureties, affidavits, and re-
cognizances had been made before the prisoner's attorney
instead of the Court.

GUARANTEES.—The Court for the Relief of
Insolvents held yesterday, in the case of a Mr. Dauncey,
who had become guarantee for his creditor to the amount
of 6,0001., that they could not remand as for a debt
contracted.

IRON STEAMER.—The iron steamer mentioned
in the following account, taken from an American paper,
is one of the largest iron steam-vessels afloat, her dimen-
sions being about 170 feet long, and 28 feet beam. She
was built by Mr. John Laird, of North Birkenhead, for A.
Pope, Esq., of Mobile ; and from her light draft of water
and speed, is particularly well adapted for the Mobile
river.--" Iron Steamer.—The new Iron steamer, W. W.
Fry, was ready to sail from Louisville on the 12th inst.
for Mobile, touching at New Orleans. The Louisville
Journal says of her, We can assure the citizens of Al-
barna, that they will have in her the noblest steam craft
ever launched in American waters. Her hull is entirely
of iron, and is divided into four water-tight compart-
mews. The iron ribs arc nine inches thick, and the outer
iron covering half an inch. She is superbly finished, ap-
pointed, and furnished. Her berths are unrivalled mat-
tresses of curled hair. On a trial run she showed that she
Pommes great speed,' "FmLiverpool

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Vk:NIN(Ir EDITION

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

the following following is the Message of the President
11
igesi the United States to the two Houses of Con-
-01 the
' a' the commencement of the Second Session
FR/
Twenty -Sixth Congress :
',437-CITIZENS OF THE SENATE,
, Ok„ ANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIFES,-- l'l4. devout gratitude is due to the Supreme Being for
tea,- g graciously continued to our beloved country,
4 gli the vicissitudes of another year, the invaluablesthis
t,ol4lnga of health, plenty, and peace. Seldom has
sers tiered land been so generally exempted from the ravages
e Iseale, or the labour of the husbandman more amply
cleoa:t_,:cl; and never before have our relations with other
isle i." 3 been placed on a more favourable basis than that
affairstbeeethe so happily' occupy at this critical conjuncture in
stele of the world, A rigid and persevering. abd-
polit°ce from all interference with the domestic an
genius relations of other States, alike slue to the
Me ua and distinctive character of our Government
Obse,,iteseteeo prineiples by which it is directed; a faithful
ties& e' ill the management of our
.foreign rela-
...Lev' °I., the practice of speaking . plainly, dealing
this b allet requiring truth and justice in return,. as
Strict itnest conservatives of the peace of nations ; a
eoracee Partiality in our manifestations of friendship, in the
fror, ottLeial privileges we concede, and those we require '
Ito niai 7ers--tlaese, accompanied by a disposition as promptre
fain rsthin, in every emergency, our own rights, as we a
lave pOiteiPle averse to the invasion of those of
.others,
1115 e'''lveu to our country and Government a standing in
te,erreat family- of nations of which we have just cause to
terveietlicl, and the advantages of which are experienced.
ey
tea eke"a throughout every portion of the earth to
twhheimh
fee, if to and adventurous spirit may cafrryotis.t. .
t iiiieraqs remain inseasible to the value of our friendship,
laid
I/ whieleit!t of the terms on which it can be acquired, 4
seriont can alone: be preserved.
inatteent. of questions of long standing, difficult in their
,a riabt , and ,mportant in their consequences, in which
lere ad R. of oc..r citizens and the honour of the country
;11e let,e 4'4)11 involved, have, in the course of a few years
lirtir :4°,at them during the successful administration of
telt) -e""ate predecessor), been brought to a sansfacltory
,„.. :ail on, and the most of those remaining are,
sataism.
0 believe, in a fair way of being speedily and
`tai
all
is
t' th all the Powers of the world our relations are those
14: 't°urable Peace. Since your adjournment nothing
'es has Occurred to interrupt or threaten this desirable
tie Te.
„ It clouds have lowered above the other hemis-
ttrkeh(liPPY
' "eY have not cast their portentous shadows upon
I, shores. Bound by no entangling alliances, yet
ions r a cornet-ion nature and interest with the other na-
r Peace- mankind, our aspirations are for the preservation
artiei-e"rl whose solid and civilizing triumphs all may
0 eepte Wall a generous emulation.. Yet it behoves us
saitarirePaxed for any event, and to be always ready to
. cell Thoae just and enlightened principles of nationaldd
ieethr;ltse, for which this Government has ever contenoge
a,
88501,!uock of contending empires it is onlyvbtivhasdsuemfeinsive 1
treiou`e bearing, and clothing themselves s. .
airai I', that neutral nations can maintain their independent I
0 te
Tile ,
vers„e,citement which grew out of the territorial contro-
le s"etween the United States and Great Britain having
Ptreigtl'd,at measure subsided, it hopes', that a favourable
°ars, is approaching for its final settlement. Both Ge-
lb, 'rats must now be convinced of the dang.ers with which
la ti:ll';estion is fraught ; and it must be their desire, as. it
alistivi;r interest, that tbie perpetual cause of irritation
ate sIQ, he removed as speedily as practicable. In my last
e eel ss
.10.„ eiessage you were informed that the proposi-
Va‘-e,l a commission of exploration and survey pro-
Poen; by Great Britain had been received, and that a
and 4' project, including also a provision for the certain
rere tas:`„attiti. stment of the limits in dispute, was then be-
ewer reritish Government for its consideration, The
OtePositi°of that Government, accompanied by additional Mate,. here of its own, was received, through its Ml-
considere' ghee your separation. These were promptly
ill s
" eon • ' such as were deemed correct in principle,
-11ited sitettt With a due regard to the just rights of the. ,
ltd the ates and of the State of Maine, concurred in
additioar,easons for dissenting from the residue, with an
atre..“4`^suggestion on our part, communicated by the
mg f4il"Y of State to Mr. Fox. That Minister, not feel_ (IT el,r aufEcEently instructed upon some of the points
Ilse( in tne discussion,felt it to be his duty to refer the
llas.'e-„, t° his own Government for its farther decision.
'reeele no his
been for some time under its advisement, a
weltsra
ewera may be confidently expected. From the
tietibtecr .the points still in difference, and the en-
tlia earl disposition of both parties to bring the matter to
orebtY conclusion, I look with entire confidence t.o a rhrea- rsttncl satisfactory termination of the negotiation.
Jourat;‘'°Mmissioners were appointed shortly after the ad-
/tovieirietrof Congress, under the Act of last Session
,Ilairsta-ILior the exploration and survey of the line which '4e /3 a the States of Maine and New Hampshire from
rie
11"til 8.4 provinces • they have been actively employed t,he seti:e'r Progress Was interrupted by the inclemency of
"eabi: era and will resume their labours as soon as prac-
,, It : in the ensuing year.
'4o 'S ttnde;stood that their respective examinations will
t‘wtelle" light upon the subject in controversy, and serve
Salee:, any erroneous impressions which may have been
tet 'l4u/here prejudicial to the rights of the United
leat'. It
, „ was, among other reasons, with a view of pre-
-4 Gs' 'e embarrassments which in our peculiar system
e , overese '
• 04ine te-"ent, impede and complicate negotiations in..
rilly duty,' "'o territorial rights of a State, that I thought it
ti as ,
Mop to Dm )04 have been informed on a previous occa
sister-'ai'-P°Se tO the British Government, through its
trettl,ttat tbe
to
points of difference on the line of boundary
tvest,,,r4e entrance of Lake Superior to the most North-
! ND -it Point of the Lake of the Woods, by the arbitra-
:"eele alriendlY Power, in conformity with the seventh
' tertleci3' the
thereat, of 'Ghent. No answer has yet been
i With by British Government to this proposition.
aa „ Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, and the remain-
ti vela,.
' lle'as e ars °I. Europe I happy to inform you our rela-
ibeig.asllntairl.l-15 to he of the most friendly character.. With
• . eta) . treaty of commerce and navigation, based upon
IA
11,1,_: Pri
ociples of reciprocity and equality, was concluded
e'Per-erea.h*___l4.Bt will
having been ratified by the Belgian
_
Cory of.'nti be dt,,,y laid before the Senate. I. !sea
ter,tY at
e"gratuestion that it provides for the satisfa -
e JesteiCult
of
°bats ; thus - a long standing question of contro-
teJnet the removing the only obstacle which could
s4rae betty friendly and mutually advantageous inhteeern-
at 14..01,0 with
the two nations. A messenger has theteettill - with the Hanoverian treaty to Berlin, w where,
i4tee. g t9l stipulation, the ratifications are to be ex-
-4a 4'l Bela I am happy to announce to you that, after
vslgatio;iYee and difficulties., a treaty of commerce and
14 eeladed between the United States and Portugal was
1 b and signed at Lisbon, on the 26th of August
le e. Y the pi .
tv"pni,tin.,_ epapotentiaries of the two Governments.
Lk libet._,`a.us are rounded upon. those principles of mu-
States
eirt,! always:(itY and advantage which. the United.. .
t 4 1, sought to make the basis of their intercourse
tecer :Le i go Powers, and it is hoped they will tend to
re e_
.. and siren i
ti %stories, gtnen the commercial intercourse of the
es 'der th
44, nt , e appropriation of the last session of Congress,
'egaias,a-i.eaa been sent to Germany for the purpose of pro-
„ The r,tne interests of our tobacco trade.
'43 ;Id': "rttniSSlOnerE appointed under the convention for
l'APoe siltl,il:tnient of Claims of citizens of the United States
lei 11c° having met and organized at Washington, in
itt at last h
b 4t t0,..n, t e papers in the possession of theGotovetrhne-
era. ‘`l to those claims, were communicated
are
" menthe The claims not embraced by that convention subsect nf
-- negotiation between the two Govern-
tialeothitibroiugh the medium of our Minister at Mexico.
Ines ai.,g has occurred to disturb the harmony of our rela-
R, "n, the different Governments of South America.
li‘)ot.t)inseet'itui°_wenever, to be obliged to inform you that the ,•laims
blB' Yet eez $ upon the late republic of C.olombia. h. ay.et I:kt,ri'vell satisfied by the Governments into which i
'4, resolved,
ilteetiouehantse d'Affaires of Brazil having expressed the
f
th':B, it
s_°llaie Government not to prolong the Treaty
on ~ 12,1;1111 cease to be obligatory upon either pa ys
ve
cs4atbesei illay of December, 1841, when the exten i _ eat ~,r. a' intercourse between the United States and
beet
el
will no longer be regulated by express
It „e4,a.
Ge, ord se ,
ne'ernmes en° Neasere to communicate to you that the
iffs'ra reify of Chili has entered into an agreement to
i'arktTeii tile claimants in the. case of. the Alaccdoaian
~c rrhat. eatt property seized in 1819 , and to add, that
t of
an es.',c4lhas also been received which justifies the hope
" vO..ve.tu,,,'''Y adjustment of the remaining claims upon that
Th •,ient.
i\tat,• Commissioners appointed in pursuance of the cen-
t th On betvveen the United States and Texas, for marking
Dee 'unitary between them, have, according to the last re-
lalirsthreeeived from our Commissioner, surveyed and esta-
welted the whole extent of the boundary north along. the
Gairern bank of the Sabine river, from its entrance into the
torehYsMexico to the 32d degree of north latitude. The
ssaii:i mon adjourned on the 16th of June last, to re-assem-
lili h.e on the Ist of November, for the purpose of eats-
tleglelng accurately the intersection of the thirty-second
see tehe of latitude with the western bank of the Sabine,
terstee meridian line thence to the Red river. It is pre-
v that the work will be concluded in the present season.
testae Present sound condition of their finances, and the
tiree.4e with which embarrassments in regard to them, at
matters
aPParently insurmountable, have been overcome, are
-111'te,rde uPon which the people and Government of the
seitireaStates may well congratulate themselves. s . An
'''ltleat)eg treasury, however it may be regarded as anh
l'ertaire of public prosperity, is seldom conducive. to t e
441_1:lent welfare of any people; and experience
.has
ofh_vastrated its income satibility with the salutary action
Naar iitical
,institutions like those of the United States.
tlte,ell'eat reliance for financial efficiency and indepen-
Net,reasi on the contra ry, been found to consist in ample
the Fade; ees tinencumberec I with debt ; and, in this respect,
kie tral Governmen ; occupies a singularly fortunate
vh" Y enviahle posith in.
theie,elt. I entered up( ,n the discharge of my. .offic.ial
te 4 March, 1837', the Act for the distribution
etioue tsar revenue • was in a course of rapid exe-
th' public. Nearly twent y-eight millions of dollars of
Keee Moneys were i pursuance of its rovisions, de-
l',ll,l itimi,,witlyhe States 'ilinthe months of January,, April,
-saptil s, oi that year. In May there occurrec a general
'"itil v''nri of speciepay merits. by the banks, including,
evtete eeerY few exceptions, these in which the public moneys
'44 eSiP°Sited, and upoi a whose fidelity the Goveinment
aWsli,iesh heratubneaetneloY made i 'self dependent for the revenues
ts able f__
~collected from the people, and were indis-
I;L'aes iii ha the public se trice. This suspension, and ex-
-1,141i saerd_nK, es and con inaerce out of which it arose, and
Ilea Nat ''' greatly aggr; ivated by. its. occurrence, made,
mot e'ttent, unavailable the principal part of the pub_
111111; I°Y then in hand • suspended the collection of many
`lee'°ns ace, •
l. ee th,, . umg on merchants' bonds , (Ms ,`„,',revenue arising from customs and the public
greer, 4 ncsc effects hut, continued to operate, in various
i•e,, o, to, the present peeiod ; and in addition to the dal-
e'l'as of lid
tun revenue thus produced two and a half mi - Uties
have been relinquished by two biennial re-

ductions under the Act of 1833, and probably as much
more upon the importation of iron for railroads, by special
legislation. . . .

-While such has bee❑ our condition for the last four
years in relation to revenue, we have, during the same pe-
riod, been subjected to en unavoidable continuance of
large extraordinary expenses necessarily growing out of
past transactions, and which could not be immediately ar-
rested without great prejudice to the public interest. Of
these, the charge upon the Treasury, in consequence of
the Cherokee Treaty alone, without adverting to others
arising out of Indian treaties, has already exceeded five
millions of dollars; that for the prosecution of measures
for the removal of the Seminole Indians, which were
found in progress, has been nearly fourteen millions ; and
the public buildings have required the unusual sum of
nearly three millions.
It affords me, however, great pleasure to be able to say
that from the commencement of this period to the present
day, every demand upon the Government, at home or
abroad, has been promptly met. This has been done, not
only without creating a permanent debt, or a resort to ad-
ditional taxation in any form, but in the midst of a steadily
progressive reduction of existing burdens upon the people,
leaving still a considerable balance of available funds
which will remain in the Treasury at the end of the year.
The small amount of Treasury notes, not exceeding four
and a half millions still, outstanding, and less by twenty-
three millions than the United States have in deposit
with the States, is composed of such only as are not yet
due, or have not been presented for payment. They may
be redeemed out of the accruing revenue, if the expendi-
tures do not exceed the amount within which they may,
it is thought, be kept without prejudice to the public le_
terest, and the re-venue shall prove to be as largt., as may
be justly anticipated.
Among the reflections ar-itink from the contemplation of
these circumstances, one, not the least gratifying, is the
consciousness that the Government had the resolution and
the ability to adhere, in every emergency, to the sacred
obligation of law; to execute all its contracts according to
the requirements of the Constitution ; and thus to present,
when most needed, a rallying point by which the business
of the whale country might be brought back to a safe and
unvarying standard—a result vitally important as well to
the interests as to the morals of the people. There can surely
now be no difference of opinion in regard to the incalculable
evils that would have arisen if the Government, at that
critical moment, had suffered itself to be deterred from
upholding the only true standard of value, even by the
pressure of adverse circumstances, or the violence of un-
merited denunciation. The manner• in which the people
sustained the performance of this duty was highly honour-
able to their fortitude and patriotism. It cannot fail to
stimulate their agents to adhere, under all circumstances,
to the line of duty ; and to satisfy them of the safety with
which a course really right, and demanded by a financial
crisis, may in a community like ours, be pursued, however
apparently severe its immediate operation.
The policy of the Federal Government. it extinguishing
as rapidly as possible the national debt, and, subsequently,
In resisting every temptation to estate a new one, deserves
to be regarded in the same favourable light. Among the
many objections to a national debt, the certaie tendency of
public securities to concentrate ultimately in the coffers of
foreign stockholders, is one which is every day gatherinr,
strength. Already have the resources of many of the
States, and the future industry of their citizens, been in-
definitely mortgaged to the subjects of European Govern-
ments to the amount of twelve millions annually, to pay
the constantly accruing interest on borrowed money—a
sum exceeding half the ordinary revenues of the whole
United States. The pretext which the relation affords to
foreigners to scrutinize the management of otir domestic
affairs, if not actually to intermeddle with them, presents a
subject for earnest attention, not to say of serious alarm.
Fortunately the Federal Government, with the exception
of an obligation entered into in behalf of the 'district of
Colombia, which must soon be diseharged, is wholly
exempt from any such embarrassment. It is also, as is
believed, the only Government which, having fully and
faithfully paid all its 'creditors, has also relieved itself en-
tirely from debt. To maintain a distinction so desirable,
and so honourable to our national character, should be an
object of earnest solicitude.

Never should a free people, if it be possible to avoid it,
expose themselves to the necessity of having to treat of the
peace, the honour, or the safety of the Republic, with the
Governments of foreign creditors, who a however well dis-
posed they may be to cultivate with us in general friendly
relations, are nevertheless by the law of their own eendi-
tion, made hostile to the success and permateanq of poli-
tical institutions like ours. Most hemillating may be the
embarrassments consequent upon such a condition.
Another objection, scarcely less formidable, to the coms
mencement of a new debt, is the inevitable tendency to
increase in magnitude, and to foster national extrava-
gance. He has been an unprofitable 'observer of events,
who needs at this day to be admonished of the difficulties
which a Government, habitually dependent on loans to
sustain its ordinary expenditures, has to encounter in res.
sisting the influences constantly exerted in favour of ad-
ditional loans ; by capitalists who enrich themselves by
Government securities for amounts much exceeding the
money they actually advance—a prolific source of indivi-
dual aggrandizement in all borrowing countries ; by stock-
holders, who seek their gains in the rise and tall of public
stocks, and by
the selfish importunities of applicants fot
appropriations for works avowedly for the accommodation
of the public, but the real objects of which are, too fre-
quently, the advancement of private interests.
The known necessity which so many of the States will
be under to impose taxes for the payment of the interest on
their debts, furnishes an additional and very cogent reason
why the Federal Government should refrain from creating a
national debt, by which the people would be exposed to
double taxation for a similar object. We possess within
ourselves ample resources for every emergency ; and we
may be quite sure that our citizens, in no future exigency,
will be unwilling to supply the Government with all the
means asked for the defence of the country. In time of
peace there can, at all events, be no justification for the
creation of a permanent debt by the Federal Government.
Its limited range of constitutional duties may certainly,
under such circumstances, be performed without such a
resort. It has, it is seen, been avoided during four years
of greater fiscal difficulties than have existed in a similar
period since the adoption of the constitution, and one also
remarkable for the occurrence of extraordinary causes of
expenditure.
But, to accomplish so desiralile an object, two things
are indispensable; first, that the action of the Federal
Government be kept within the boundaries prescribed by
its founders ; and, secondly, that all appropriations fur
objects admitted to be constitutional, and the expenditure
of them also, be subjected to a standard of rigid but well
considered and practical economy. The first depends
chiefly on the people themselves, the opinions they form
of the tree construction of the constitution, and the confi-
dence they repose in the political sentiments of those they
select as their representatives in the Federal Legislature ;
the second rests upon the fidelity with which their more
immediate representatives, and other public functionaries,
discharge the trusts committed to them.
The duty of economising the expenses of the public
service is admitted on all bands; yet there are few sub-
jects upon which there exists a wider difference of opinion
than is constantly manifested in regard to the fidelity with
which that duty is discharged. Neither diversity of senti-
ment, nor even mutual recriminations, upon a point in re-
spect to which the public mind is so justly sensitive, can
well be entirely avoided ; and least so at periods of great
political excitement. An intelligent people, however,
seldom fail to arrive, in the end, at correct conclusions in
such a matter. Practical economy in the management of
public affairs can have no adverse influence to contend
with more powerful than a large surplus revenue ; and the
unusually large appropriations for 1837 may, without
doubt, independently of the extraordinary requisitions for
the public service growing out of the state of our Indian
relations, be, in no inconsiderable degree, traced to this
source. The sudden and rapid distribution of the large
surplus then in the Treasury, and the equally sudden and
unprecedentedly severe revulsion in the commerce and
business of the country, pointing with unerring certainty
to a great and protracted reduction of the revenue,
strengthened the propriety of the earliest practicable re-
duction of the public expenditures.
But to change a system operating upon so large a sur-
face, and applicable to such numerous and diversified in-

terests and objects, was more than the work of a day.
The attention of every department of the Government
was immediately, and in good faith, directed to that end ;
and has been so continued to the present moment. The
estimates and appropriations for the year 1838 (the first
over which I had any control) were somewhat diminished.
The expenditures of 1839 were reduced six millions of
dollars. Those of 1840, (exclusive of disbursements for
public debt and trust claims, will probably not exceed
twenty-two and a half millions; beirg between two
and three millions less than those of the preceding year,
and Rine or ten millions less than those of 1537. Nor
has it been found necessary, in order to produce this
result, to resort to the power conferred by Congress, of
postponing certain classes of the public works, except by
deferring expenditures for a short period, upon a limited
portion of them ; and which postponement terminated
some time since, at the moment the Treasury Depart-
ment, by farther receipts, from the indebted banks, be-
came fully assured of its ability to meet them without
prejudice to the public service in other respects. Causes
are in operation, which will, it is believed, justify a still
further reduction, without injury to any important na-
tional interest. The expenses of sustaining the troops
employed in Florida have been gradually and greatly
reduced, through the persevering efforts of the War
Department ; and a reasonable hope may be enter.
tained that the necessity for military operations in that
quarter will soon cease. The removal of the Indians

from within our settled borders i 3 nearly completed. The
pension list, one of the heaviest charges upon the Treasury,
is rapidly diminishing by death. The roost costly of our
public buildings are either finished or nearly so ; and we
may, I think, safely promise ourselves a continued exemp-
tion from border difficulties.

The available balance in the Treasury on the first of
January next is estimated at ono million and a half of
dollars. This sum, with the expected receipts from all
sources during the next year, will, it is believed, be suffi-
cient to enable the Government to meet every engage.
ment, and leave a suitable balance in the Treasury at the
end of the year, if the remedial measures connected with
the customs and the public lands, heretofore recommended,
shall be adopted, and the new appropriations by Congress
shall not carry the expenditure beyond the official estimates.
The new system established by Congres, for the safe •
keeping of the public money, prescribing the kind of cur-
rency to be received for the public revenue, and providing
additional guards and securities against losses, has now
been several months in operation. Although it might be
premature, upon an experience of such limited duration,
to form a definite opinion in regard to the extent of
its influences in correcting many evils under which
the Federal Government and the country have hitherto
suffered, especially those that have grown out of
banking expansions, a depreciated currency, and offi..
cial defalcations, yet it is but right to say that nothing
has occurred in the practical operation of the system to
weaken in the slightest degree, but much to strengthen the
confident anticipations of its friends. The grounds of these
have been heretofore so fully explained as to require no reca-
pitulation. In respect to the facility and convenience it affords