Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-04-10
CONGRESSIONAL.
IN SENATE-MARCH T. 1874

senate as follows: 7
l rise, sir, to perform pleasing duty.
Il IS TO lay before the senate the proceed
lngs of meeting of the building mocha -
'fs pf the city and county &c -
e for the purpose of extreIs;na
r."'on on the present state of tbs
iomtry, on the 9th of February. This
necing consisted Of three thousand per,
SON. and was composed of carpenters, ma
sons brlckmakers, bricklayers, painters
and glaziers, lime burners, plasterers, lntn-
ner Merchants, and others, whose occupa-
tlonsare connected with the building of
nouse. am proud, sir, that so respecta-
oie' important, and so substantial a
class OF mechanics, have entrusted me
win be presentment of their opinions and
ieelins, respecting the present distress OF
the contry, to the senate. am happy If
'hey I'VE seen, in the course pursued by
me her policy favorable to the protec
tioh OF heir interest, and the prosperity of
their faalies. These intelligent and SEN
slbie me-, these highly useful citizens,
have WITNESSED the effect of the late mea.
sures OF government upon their own con-
Germs; and, the resolutions which [ have
no" to present. fully express their convic.
tons on the Subject. They Propose not to
reason, but to testify they speal what they
do know.
Mr.. President, the members ofths meet
ing have not transmitted their PROCEEDINGS
by mail, nor have they rested satisfied With
merely causing them, in any way, to reael
the two houses of Congress, and to be rea
and disposed of in the ordinary manne,
They have forwarded them by committe
OF thirty persons of their own BODY. an,
those thirty persons are now within tn
walls Of the senate. | wish, sir, that hon
orable senatorsMoud converse with tbes
gentlemen; | wish they would use the OF
portunity OF satisfy ing themselves of thei
intelligence. their fairness, their freedom
from the influence of all oblique or impro
per motives, and the unquestionable trutl
of the existence of that distress. which
they come here to represent. Such a com
would convince honorable
members, that there is no pretence, no fic
ton, no exaggeration, in the whole mat
ter; but that all their words are words o
truth and soberness.
Mr. president, congress has now been
good while IN session. When we left on
respective homes, the pressure had no
come on, and we left our friends and neigh
bors prosperous and happy. We hav
been here three months, without inter
course with our constituents and our neigh
bors: IN the mean time the whole condition
OF things is changed; and, verify believe
we do not fully know or feel the full exten
OF this change, and all the difficulty an,
distress which now pervade the people.
we were at home, if we were each in GU
circles, amidst the men of bus,
ness, and mingling with all classes, and
we were hearing, as in that case we shout
hear, every hour, of more and more trou
ole, of new individual disasters, and q
still increasing fear and alarm: and if W
could witness, as we then should witness
the dependency of those heads Of famllie
whose occupations and means of livin
have been thus suddenly cut off, we shoul
be convinced that it is the imperative an
solemn duty of congress to relieve tn
country without moments delay.
half the time and study, which are now dt
voted to the finding out of plausible argu
ments to justify the secretary, were give
to an honest and thorough inquiry into tn
real state OF the country, | fully believe a
would see the absolute necessity of immt
date redress. Sir, while we sit here,
long debates, the country is plunging
deeper and deeper distress. We must n,
turn away from this. Sir, let us keep o,
eyes earnestly on the country; for, be a
sured, the eyes of the country are ke
earnestly on US. And let us, sir, take tn
occasion to look into facts, and examit
particulars. lie, US see whether there |
any thing, and if so, what it is, of whic
these our feilow-citizens complain. |
they only join in general cry raised t
others? DO they deal in unmeaning genera
tiles, and set up an underlined and invisib
cause of distress? Sir, listen to the stat
ment; hear the facts. The colnmi,i
state. sir, that eight thousand persons a
ordinarily employed in building houses
the city and county of Philadelphia;
number which, with their families, wpu
make quite a considerable town. Tn,
,lfurther state, that the average number