Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-02-20
Congress of the United States.

ry IL, Mr.. McKEAN presented the
memorial of meeting of the citizens
of the City and County of Philadelphia,
drought on by committee of gentle
men appointed by the meeting CON-
planning Of their great pecuniary en-
barrassments, and the disordered state
Of the currency Of the country, which
they attribute TO the removal Of the
public deposites from the Bank Of the
United States, and praying for their
immediate restoration to that Institu-
ton.
Mr.. McKEAN, on presenting the me-
mortal, said: A committee composed OF
gentlemen Of the first responsibility
and intelligence, from Philadelphia,
now in attendance at the seat Of Gov
eminent, had few moments since
charged him with memorial to be pre-
sented to the Senate, signed by more
than TEN THOUSAND citizens OF that
vicinity, deeply complaining OF Pecuni-
ary distress and arrangement of the
currency, which they attributed to the
recent removal OF the public deposites
from the Bank of tho United States,
and praying Congress to interfere for
their relief. | have, said Mr.. Mex,
been honored with an interview
from portion Of this committee, and
have listened to their statements; and,
however | may differ from them as to
the true cause of present embarrass.
ments, and tho proper mode of redress,
| can no longer doubt the reality and
extent Of suffering ir that quarter.
Mr.. Nick. then moved that the me.
mortal, together with letter which he
had received from the committee, be
read by the Secretary, and that both
be referred to the Committee on Fl.
nance, and printed.
Mr.. CLAY said he hoped the mo.
ton OF the gentleman from Pennsylva.
MIA comprehended not only the printing
of the memorial, together with the let
ter of the Committee, but the names oil
the memorialsts.
Mr.. McKEAN replied that he had
not intended to move for the printing Of
the names, but he would accept the sug.
gestion of the gentleman from Kentuc.
ky, as modification of his motion.
Mr.. WEBSTER rose and said that
it would ill become him to add any
thing to what had been said by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania, with the
view of drawing the attention of the
Senate to this new and authentic evil
dence of the state Of things throughout
the country, coming, as this did, from
so many and such respectable sources.
But he thought it was his duty, as re-
presenting commercial State, and
having daily correspondence with those
whom he represented, to state, that, so
far from any mitigation Of the public
embarrassment, his information tended
10 prove the greatly increased and
greatly increasing state of public alarm.
Every mornings mail, this mornings
mail, had brought intelligence of new
and serious disasters in the commerce..
al world. We had now reached a peri.
cd offour months since the system had
been changed; and we had advanced
some weeks beyond the time when il
was announced here that there would
be no effort, on the part ofthe Execu.
tive Government, to provide remedy
for the distress which had resulted from
that change. He asked gentlemen a.
round him. if they could see any omens
OF returning calm, and quiet, and con.
hdence, IN the country? We're the peo.
pie satisfied with the experiment, SO far
MS it had been tried, or did they cease
TO pour In their complaints on the evil
consequences Of the experiment.
lie wished to address these questions
TO gentlemen who had become spon.
sors for the Administration; to those
gentlemen in this House who, he be-
lleved, possessed the power of saving
the country. He would most respect.
fully and most earnestly ask them,
whether they could see any way of es-
cape from the pressure which was now
upon the country, and from that great.
er degree of distress and embarrass.
ment which was to be apprehended,
and from which observing men, see nc
rescue but a change Of the system
which has been adopted by the Execu.
tive. He prayed that gentlemen on
the other side would take the subject
into their earnest consideration; they
had the power; and the prosperity Of
the country depended on their exercise
oft. The situation ofthe country de.
manded the prompt action of Congress.
He duplicated all who saw, with him,
the extent of the public distress, to ex-
anime the evidence of the fact to be
found in the hundred thousand sigma.
lures to the memorials on our table,
and to adopt some change under the
present system, or some change in the
system itself.