Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-20
NGREs AL.
DEBATES IN THE SENATE.

PO~--~'
tell much better than labored orations They
are more eagerly read and better remembered
In the Senate on Friday, when memorial
from North Carolina on the Deposite question
was under consideration,
MIR. FORSYTH said:
The proper course would be to refer these pc
titions at once to the proper commlttee, ana IL
would be their business to ascertain the cnafac-
ter. political and personal, intellectual and mo-
raj of those who had signed them; to Silt the ar
guments contained in the petitions, and to form
their judgments whether these petitions did or
did not exhibit fair expression of the public
will. To the full exercise of public opinion, ne
would make no objection. But why were the
Senate to go in advance of the Committee, and
to make all these inquiries IN the open senate!
Were we to take for granted all the assertions
of honorable Senator's Were we to adopt all
their theories without examination, and TO DE
nersuaded on this floor, that, when the Leglsla-
ture of State send here resolutions, they dld
not know what was the opinion OF their consul
tuents and we were directed to receive the pc
tition of meeting of citizens as evidence OF the
fact? Were they to hear all this, and not go In
to any discussion of the subject? Such discus
sion would more properly come up after there
had been a report from committee. Ii was
certainly of Importance that gentlemen here
should know what was the true opinion OF those
POoSt
BILE objection to the printing of these petitions.
The perpetual dinging of one tone into the pub
lie ear. whether in the presenting of the mlsera-
BILE petition of some half dozen individuals, or
a legislative expression of public opinion could
have but one effect, and that was to increase
the public agitation.
Mr. CLAY said:
The President resorts to a high-handed mea-
sure; violates as we believe the Constitutions
tramples upon the laws; wreSts from us the Gus
tody and control of the public treasure and the
general currency. The People petition and re-
monstrate and fill the city with their Commit
tees. sent here to expose their grievances, and to
solicit speedy and effectua redress Under
these circumstances, the gentleman from Geor-
pia rises IN his place. and tells us that all discus
Sion in presenting these petitions, is unprohta-
BILE; and demonstrating against 1t, he expresses
the hope that, hereafter, the business may De ST.
lently transacted. tell the gentleman from
Georgia, and he may tell the President, that,
when the Constitution has been outraged, the
liberties of the country brought in danger, and
the highest interests of the People put in jeopar-
DIV, the Senate will not be sient-Congress will
not be silent-the People will not be silent. I'm
ill I am prepared to bow my neck to the yoke OF
despotism, for one, I will demonstrate, protest,
and loudly proclaim the dangers impending over
u.s. | have no doubt that discussion is painful,
and provokingly impertinent, to the tenant OF
wonder White House-that be would prefer dead
silence and universal submission; but l trust
that these miserable petitions, as the Senator
from Georgia denominates them, will continue
TO come in; that the country Will become senSl-
sible to the reality of the existing dangers; that
discussion, in every form, and on every occa-
sion, will take place; and that finally, the Con-
stitution and the laws will resume their accus-
toned authority.
The gentleman from New York; Mr.. WRIGHT
declares that he is opposed to any Bank Of the
United States. But he is only one gentleman;
he may not be here when the question comes up;
he may be otherwise provided for; he may re-
view and alter his judgment. understand that
i'm the State of New York, by common consent
sort of statute of limitations exists against all
political opinions of two years duration Bank
or no Bank! There is no such question now or
hereafter likely TO arise. All feel and own that
United States Bank is Indispensable. And
have but little doubt that the very spot is now IN
view. if the ground be not actually laid off, on
which magnificent clearinghouse is contem-
plated in Wall street. Why, what did the Pre-
sident tell the New York Committee ofmerchants
which lately visited him? That the Govern
ment (not Congress- but the Gorernment-in
his sense of the term that he was determined to
try the experiment of the league banks, and, if
that failed, he would try some other And what
other, that failing, but the Wall street bankl
Mr. WRIGHT said:
The honorable Senator has spoken of the sta
the of limitations in the State of New York as to
political opinions. vi this know nothing, and
itcan have no influence with me. He had given
here. Mr. w. said, his honest convictions in re-
ference to that most dangerous institution, the
Rank of the United States. He believed it to be
q DANGEROUS institution, and would continue so
to believe, although the honorable Senator had
intimated that he might hereafter be found on
the other side Experience might have taught
the gentleman what he had not YET learned; out
he would tell the Senator that, fever he chang
ed his opinions he hoped in Heaven h not to ad
transactions with a moneyed institution. But
again, he had been told that he was deceived by
those with whom he acted-that their opposl-
ton was not to Bank, but to the Location OF It.
If ever he could learn that the gentleman from
Kentucky understood the opinions OF MS const-
tuents better than himself (and to understand
them better, the gentleman must be better infor-
med than the evidence of the last two or three
years would warrant him to beleve) he would
then be willing TO go to him to learn them
Mr. CLAY said, in reply:
In reference to his change of opinion on the
subject of the Bank of the United States, he was
he'd t.