Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-02-04

| reached Try seat when the message was read.
! All the senators were IN the chamber. ]
heard the message, certainly with great sur
prise aud astonishnent; and ] Immediately
moved the Senate to Disagree to this vote Of
the house. My relation To the subject, in
consequence of my connection with the COM
mttee on finance, made it my,duty to pro-
pose some course and I had not moments
doubt or hesitation what that course ought to-
be. took upon myselfthen sir, the respon-
sibility Of moving that the senate shond dis
agree to this vote, and now acknowledge that
responsibility. IL might be presumptuous to
say that took leading part, decided part,
and an earnest part, in rejecting this broad
grant Of three millions ofdolars, without lin
iiiation of purpose or specification Of object:
called for by no recommendation, founded on
no estimate, made necessary by no state of
things which was made known to US. Ger
tainy, sir, ! took a paIt in its rejection; and
stand here, in my place in the senate, to-
day, ready to defend the part so taken by me,
or rather, sir, | disclaim all defence, and all
occasion of defence, and assert it as merito-
rious 10 have been among those who arrest
ed, at the eurliest moment, this extraordinary
departure from all settled usage, and, as
think, from plain constitutional Injunction
this indefinite voting of vast sums of money,
TO mere executive discretion, without reason
given, and without the least control under
heaven.
Sir, am told that, in opposing this grant, I
spoke with warmth, and suppose may have
done so. If did, II was a warmth springing
from as honest a conviction Of duty as ever
Influenced public man. 1t wass spontaneous.
unaffected, sincere. There had been among
us, sir, no consultation, no concert. There
could have been none. Between the reading
Of the message and my motion to Disagree
there was not time enough for any two menu
bers Of the Senate to exchange five words on
the subject. The proposition was sudden and
perfectly unexpected. ] resisted it, as ire
gular, as dangerous in itself, and dangerous
in it's precedent; as wholly unnecessary, and
rs violating the plain intention, if not the ex-
press words Of the constitution. Before the
Senate, then. ] avowed, and before the coun
try I now avow my part in this opposition.
Whatsoever is to fall on those who sanction
ed it, Of that let me have my full share.
! The Senate. sir, rejected this grant by a
vote of TwENrY-NiNE against nineteen.--
Those twenty names are on the Journal;
and whensoeyer the ExPUNGINo process may
commence, or how far soever it may be car
ried, | pray il, in mercy, not to erase mine
from that record. beseech it, in its sparIng
goodness, TO leave me that proof Of attach
! ment to duty and to principle. il may draw
| around it, over it, or through it, black lines,
or red lines, or any lines; II may mark it in
any way which either the most PROSTATE and
fantastical spirit of man icorShip, or the most
ingenious and elaborate study of selfdegra-
dation may devise, If only ii will leave it so
that those who inherit my blood, or who may
hereafter care for my reputation shall be able
/ a n hohnll AZ whpro II now stands
The House. sir, insisted on tins amendment.
The Senate adhered to Its disagreement; the
House asked a conference, TO which request
the Senate Immediately acceded. The COM
mttees of conference met, and, in a very short
time, came to an agreement They agreed
to recommend to their respective Houses, as
a substitute for the vote proposed by the
House, the following:
"As an additional appropriation for arming
the Notifications of the United States, three
hundred thousand dollars"
"As an additional appropriation for the re-
pairs and equipment of ships Of war of the
United States, five hundred thousand dol
lars"
Immediately reported this agreement of
the committees of conference to the Senate;
but, inasmuch as the bill was in the House Of
Representatives, the Senate could not act
/ first have considered the report of the com
) mittees. decided thereon, and sent US the bill.
| did not myself take any note Of the partic-
! ular hour ofthis part Of the transaction. The
honorable member from Virginia, Mr. Leigh)
: saws he consulted his watch at the time, and
he knows that had come from the confer.
ence, and was in my seat at quarter past
eleven. have no reason to think that he -
| under any mistake on this particular. He
says it SO happened that he had occasion TO
take notice Of the hour, and well remembers
it. II could not well have been later than this,
as any one will be satisfied who will look az
our journals. public and executive, and see
what mass OF business was despatched after
came from the committees, and before the
adjournment Of the Senate. Having made
the report, sir, had 10 doubt that both Hous-
es would concur in the result Of the confer
ence, and looked every moment for the officer
/ of the House bringing the bill. lie did not
come, however, and pretty soon learned that
4 there was doubt whether the committee on
! the part of the House would report to tho
I House the agreement Of the conferees. At
. first. did not at all credit this; but was con-
| fir,ued by one communication after another,
! until was obliged to think il true. Seeing
that the bill was thus in danger Of being lost,
I and intending at any rate that 10 blame
I should Justly attach to the Senate, immedi-
stely moved the following resolution:
Z "Resolped, That message be sent to the
honorable the House Of Representatives re-
spectiully to remind the House Of the report
Of the committee Of conference appointed on
the disagreeing votes Of the two Houses on
the amendment Of the House to the amend
nent Of the Senate to the bill respecting the
fortIhcaiing of the United States:
~ ION n n
well remember, taken some part Oh the oc-