Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-11
CONGRESS.

uct was hN'u
Mr. WEB TER said. he wished to interrupt the
course Of the debate for single moment, IN or
der to set one matter right it he could. Since a
warm controversy was rising on this measure ne
thought it but proper that we should understand
between what parties the CONTROVERSY existed
Soon after the declaration Of war by the Unit
ed States against England, an American vessel
fell in at sea with one Of England, and gave In
formation of the Declaration. The English mas
ter inquired. with no little warmth Of manner
and expression. why the United States had gone
to war with Englandl The American answered
HIN, that difficulties had existed for good while,
between the two Governments, and chat il was
at length thought, n America,to be high time for
the parties to cometo q better undertaking
incline to tnink, Mr.. President. that war
has broken out here, which is very likely. b"i"re
1t closes, to bring the parties to better under
standing, But tcho are The parties? Will you
please to remember, sir, that this u a measure
founded in Executive recommendation. Inc
President, charged BY the Constitution with the
duty Of executing The laws. has sent Us ines.
sage. alleging that powerful combinations are
forming to resist their executions that the exist
ING laws are not sufficient to meet the Crisis; and
recommending sundry enactments as necessary
for the occasion. The message being referred to
the Judiciary Committee, that Committee has re-
ported a DILL in compliance with the Presidents
| Recommendation. 1t has not gone beyond the
message. Every thing in the bill. every single
provision, which is now complained OF, IS IN The
message. Yet the whole war Is raised against
the bill. and against the Committee; as 1t the
Committee had originated the whole matter
Gentlemen get Up and address US, az u they were
arguing against some measure Of fac,Ous oppo-
silon. They look the same way. sir, and speak
with the same vehemence. as they used TO DO when
they raised lhei patriotic voices against what
they called I" coalition"
Now, sir. let il be known, once For all, that
this is an Administration measure; that it Is the
Presidents own measure; and pray gentlemen
to have the goodness, If they call it hard names,
and talk loudly against its friends. not to over
look its source. Let them attack 1t, II they
choose to attack il, IN its origin.
Let i, be known, also. that majority OF the
Committee reporting the bill are friends and sup.
porters of the Administration; and that is
maintained in this House by those who are among
his sieadfast friends. uf long standing
II Is. sir, as have already said, the Pres-
dents own measure. Let those who oppose it,
oppose il as such. Let them fairly acknowledge
its origin, aud meet it accordingly
| The honorable member from Kentucky, who
spoke first against the bill, said he found in it
another Jersey Prison Ship; let him state, then,
that the President has sent message to Con.
grrss, recommending a renewal of the sufferings
| and horrors of the Jersey Prison Ship. He says.
too, that the bill snuff, of the alien and sediion
law. But the bill is fragrant of no flower except
the same which perfumes the message. Let
him, then, say, If he thinks SD, that Gen Jack
son advises revival Of the principles Of the alien
and sedIuOn laws.
| The honorable member from Virginia (Mr Ty-
ler) finds out resemblance between this bill and
the Boston Port bill Sir, If one Of these be
initiated from the other, the imitation is the Pre-
sdent's. The bill makes the President, he saws,
sole Judge of the Constitution. Does he mean
to say that the President has recommended a
measure which IS to make HIM sole judge Of the
Constitution! The bill. he declares, sacrifices
everv thing to arbitrary rower-he will lend no
| aid to its passage-he would rather "be dog.
and bay the moon. then such Roman" lie did
not say the Old Roman" Yet the gentleman
we'll knows, that If any thing is sacrificed to ar
bitrary power. this sacrifice mas been demanded
by the .'Oid Roman" as I've and others have
called him; b, The President whom he has sup
ported, 10 often and 30 ably, for the Chief Ma
gistracy Of the country. He says, too, that one
VI Tue stC'iohs u all CtSiisn Do'auf baJ 'a"'
| except that il is much worse. This section. sir,
whatever it may be, is just what the Presidents
! Message recommended Similar observations
are applicable to the remarks Of both the honor
able gentlemen from North Carolina. 1t is not
necessary to parlit ularlze those remarks. They
were in the same strain.
| Therefore, sir, let il be understood, let it be
| known, that the war which these gentlemen
choose to wage. is ~aged against the measures
of the administration, against the President oil
their own choice. The controversy has arisen
between him and them; and, 10 its progress, they
will probably come to distinct understanding
! Mr. President, | am not to be understood as
admittins that these charges against the bill are
just. or that they would be just If made against
the message. On the contrary, think them
wholly unjust. Not one Of them, in my opin'nn,
can be made good think the bill, or some 81
milar measure. had become Indispensable, and
that the President could moi do otherwise than
to recommend it to the consideration OF Con-
eress. He was not at liberty to look on and be
silent. while dangers threatened the Union,
Z l.. s1i