Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-29
'g'Ne;ady-aoursss CongVcss--EsfS css.
SPEECH OF MR.. VANDERrOEL, OF n Y.
In The Houst Of Representatives., .3WA t. 1876, on inc
Sgry .31yrDpriHtiou Bill.

In The HOUSE Of Representatives., 3rh d, 1876, on Me
Nary appropriation Bill.
Mr. CuAlRnAS Had the honorable gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Robrr,sun) closed his argument on ycsrT
day, and thus justified the hope that cOud this morn
ing have taken the question, would not have ohrHutd
upon this committee any observations OF my own IN rem
ton 10 the bill before you; but rs now, Tire wt"ic
Of this day will inevitably he devoted To its cnnsL"ra
tion may indulge the hope, that The remarks which
intend to make will moi al all relard lis passage
The spcitude which my honorable colleague, the Chair
man of the Committee of Ways and Means, (Mr CAM
brreng) has so long discovered TO the early pas
sage OF this bill is on very natural but very auh
ubc soci,ude. The public service is snd to suffer l"r
want Of the ordinary annual appropriations al least SO
far rs the naval service Is concerned Ally honorable col
league has not consumed the time of this House win
long and unnecessary sperches lie reported 10 us Tue
annual appropriation h! at stage of the season as car
w. il moi earlier than they reported IN pTeceung
years BE has from time TO time, urged the c"nsdera
ton OF them with eanestness and courtesy That De-
came the responsible station winch lie occupies; ana IL
sir their final passage should be long Delayed US TO
prejudice the public interest, my honorable colleague
will at least be allie 10 enjoy the consolation OF having
faithfully discharged his dvty.
The debate upon this b has indeed taken an unex.
pcclcdIy wide range. The Committee OF Ways and
Means early stage Of the session, reported this nr-
binary appropriation BILL providing for the pay OF o-
GERS provisions ordnance and ordnance stores, and the
improvement OF navy yards. The honorable gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr Belly very soon after the Commit!
ice of the Whole on the State of thu Union had com-
mcnccd It's abors upon this bill, moved to reduce tine
amount proposed to be appropriated for the yard at Ports
mouth, in New Hampshire. one halt and HIinatcd his
intention proportional reduction as to al! tie
other yards for which the bill proposes appropriations
WELL sir upon this motion had several days OF de-
slnry diminishing, of talk confined to the subject i'll.
mcdiacly and fairly under consideration The honor
able mover of the amendment himself made some two
or three very guarded speeches in iavor OF his owl
amendment, and had good to hope that
" all the little five and ten minutes speeches were rx-
hausted and that soon. very soon. we should be permit
ted to take the question: when To- an honorable and
eloquent gentleman from South Carolina, (Ar. Thonp-
son. with boldcr spirit than had yet distinguished ANY
of The orators that had preceded him, in speech OF
some two three hours launched forth into an uncx-
pectcdy extensive range OF debate, and pressed topics
into the service that might Of themselves have served as
fruitful themes for for the residue of the session.
The parlialty of this Government in the distribution
Of its flros its bounties the system OF absorption
without any irrigation in return, which had SO NEARLY
drained the poor, prosecuted South; The necessity Of
amending your Constitution, as 10 dispose OF your
surplus revenue among tho States according to the ratio
of their population aud rPrrsentallon-,hcse, ana 4
grea, variety of kindred topics, were deemed neither IT.
relevant f,.tcchcd by that honorable grneman; and
from the course which the Cc5atr subsequently took. 1t
seemed. indeed, that launched upon wide
ocean, without the ability to determine. with any de-
grcr of certainty, when should be able To anchor or
land again As matters then stood, we could hardly
hope OF getting to safe oorngs again before The reign
of the dog. star.
At this stage Of proceedings, the honorable gen.
,crnan from Tennessee (Mr. Belly again succeeded in
getting the floor Having rcpcncd OF his original in'en-
ton reduce the appropriations Tor all The navy yards one
half those South as well North ana probably conv!nc
ed by the speech of the honorable gentleman from South
Carolina that certain section of the country had very
peculiar clams he all at withdrew his ignal
ion and proposed wholly to "crpnnge" the aPpropra-
ton for the navy yard Porsmoulh and i'll support Of
his substituted motion favored with speech; which
Yas indeed miserable illustration Of the justice OF those
complaints which constantly docd out here about
ranlmrlling gentlemen debate. 1t was ia truth, the
most striking excmpIticalion OF the freedom and latitude
OF debate tolerated here in any other legislative body,
that have ever yet witnessed. 1t was speech four
DAYS long, one day longer than the French Revolution
In some respects ii was most cheering and conScng
example to many of US here who, when we undertake
TO speak are otnes troubled with that most rcasona-
blc though nconvcncnt requislllon: always TO Keep
within haIIing distance Of the point under dIscusson-
IL most encouraging to some IN another particular
Il taught ambitious young oralOrs here that /! once Ia
den with speech it matters but little what hook they
hang it upon and that any thing like affinity bet" cen
speech, and The Legitimate subject Of speech, is not
matter of much consequence here rs most gentlemen
are very naturally disposed To Imagine when they hrst
enter this Hall. But, sir, it repIce with much en-
cement and consolation to US IN some other phrli'
culars. The ustrious source from which 1t cmanacd
gives it authority and ii has taught us that crscncss and
compacLncss, and that fuctdaS ordo which all relorIciaS
and logicans have rom the time Of 9unlillan 10 the
present day regarded essential TO goud DISCOURSE,
are Indispensable requisites here; and very strong
y appciend, sir, that Tie orcc Of the precedent will be
illustrated by the performance which Is now being exc
culed.
Sir, the course Of remarks in which the honorable
gentleman from Tennessee (hlr Belly saw Ii! to indulge,
sounded strangely in my cars coming as It did from one
who had been for years the open and ayowcd TREND OF
our il!ustrious Chief Magislralc when the honorable
gentleman dcScantcd eloqucny upon the force and
dancer of party he indug ed so Hip
PANTY and with much facility in the stale and hack,
neyed catch of the Opposition of THE rAnrr,
(woIds which danced consplCuously through his Ia
bored specc and when he drscancd earnestly upon
the dangerous application of Executive power and Ex-
ccutve influence under the Administration OF our pre-
sent Chief Magistrate nehought that he wos only re-
crating those head-barc doctrines and standing
plants which the Opposition 10 every Democratic Ad,
ADMINISTRATION have, under all and all guiscs pro-
mulra,cd from tho days Of Mr. Jefferson 10 the pre-
sent era; and when the honorable gentleman told us:
that the party supporting the present Administration
had forsaken its principles, but that he still adhered
steadily 10 hs-whcn he told US, in effect, lha, there
were one hundred and forty supporters of The President,
and Of the existing Administration upon this ioor with
many OF when he had formerly acted, who going
all wronr-who eating and sanctonng all sorts
Of political hcrcscs and uLomlnalons, but That lie re-
manned orthodox, and fully invested with his pristine
political purity it occurred to me- that the honorable gen.
enlan had full much confidence in his infaibl-
ty and full as little respect and Difference for the OPT
Mons of tina, majority with which he had formerly acted,
as once had memorable and self pacen JUROR WHO,
after in the funess of his seltsulciency, keeping
ont his associates for two days and two nights aud m
hexby determined TO adopt their conclusion, ndig-
nuntly declared that they eleven of The most o!sti.
nate and wrong headed men he had ever seen or acd
with in his life.
In what light has the President and the party support
ing the President been exhibited here by The honorable
gentleman from Tennessee? (Alr. Belly Sir, took his
very words down. and cannot therefore, be mistaken as
the sentiments he uttered lie told us, that consldcIa-
ons exist, which prevent the country from having
the benefit of the Presidents popularity; that it is very
difficult if not impossible, for minority Of this House
to act against the will Of the President; consequently,
the President law and in good sense be RESPONSE
bic for all the mischief pcrpcrate; for the gentleman
is lawyer enough to know, that he who does not prohibit