Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-02-11
9th CONGRESS-lst Session.
MIR WEBSTER'S SPEECH.

tur B,n,on in the course of his speech in supper,
of his resolutions, had CHARGED upon the Senate
the loss of the appropriation bill OF the last ses-
SION and the failure OF any provision for the pub
lie defence.
Mr. Webster addressed the Chair This rcso.
,,,;o, has drawn on debate upon the general
conduct of the Senate during the last session oi
Congress and specially in regard to the proposed
IAN, oC the three millions to the President ON the
last night OF the session. MY man ohJcct Is 10
,.ll ,lc story of this transaction, and to exhibit the
conduct of the Senate fairly 10 the public view.
owe bi, duty to the Senate. | owe it to the coni-
mittce witt, wlic!. | am connected and although
vbateycr is personal TO an individual is generally
If too little importance to be- made the sub
iect of much remark, hop, may be permit
led to say that in matter, IN regard to which there
has been so much misrepresentation, wish TO say
few words for the sake of defending my own re-
pualion
This vote for the three millions was proposed by
the House of Representatives as an amendment to
the fortitication bill and the loss OF that bill,
three millions and all, is the CHARGE Which has been
made upon tie Senate, sounded over all the land,
and now again renewed. | propose TO give the
true history OF this BILL lis origin its progress, and
its loss.
Before attempting that, however, let me remark,
far i, Is worthy to be remarked, and remembered,
that the business brought before the Senate last
,..,;op. mpor,ant aud sarious as it was, and both
,nbhc and private, was all gone through, with
mos, uncommon despatch and promp,itudc No
session has witnessed more complete clearing OIL
and finishing of the subjects before us The conf
munications from the other House, whether bills or
whatever else were especially attended TO in pro-
per season, and with that ready respect Which is
due from one House to the other. recollcct no.
thing of any importance which came to us from the
House of Reprcscn natives, which was here neglect
ed, overlooked or disrceardcd.
On the other ha nd it was the misfortune OF the
Senate, and. as think, the misfortune OF the conn-
nv, that, owing to the state OF business IN The
House of Representatives towards the close OF
the session, several measures which had been ma
,ured in the Senate, and passed into bills, did
not receive attention, so as TO be either agreed
TO or rejected, in the ole branch of the Lcgsla-
tme. They fell, of course, by the termination OF
the session.
Among these measures may be men'iened the
following, viz:
THE Posi- OFFICE Reform Bit, which passed
the Senate unanimousiy, and of the necessity Tor
which the whole country is certainly now most a.
bundantly satisfied;
The Custom House. REGULATIONS BILL, which
also passed nearly unanimously, after very hbo-
rous preparation by the Committee on Commerce,
and a full discussion in the Senate
THE JUDICIAL BILL, passed here by majority
ofthrty to five, and which has again already
passed the Senate at this session with only single
dissenting vote;
The BILL UNDERWRITING CLAIMANTS FOR
FRENCH sroLIATIoNs BEFORE lSOO
The BILL REGULATING THE DEPcsITE OF THE
PUBLIC MONEYS IN THE DEPosITE BANKS -;
The BILL RESPECTING THE TENURE OF CERTAIN
OFFICES, AND THE POWER OF REMOVAL FROM OF
FlcE; which has now again passed to be engrossed,
in the Senate, by decisive majority.
All these important measures, matured and pas
sed IN the Senate in the course of the session, and
many others whose importance was less. were sent
TO the House of Representatives, and we never
heard any thing more from them. They there found
their graves.
1t is worthy of being remarked, also, that the
attendance of members of the Senate, was remark
ably full, particularly towards the end of the SEES
SION On the last day every Senator was in his
place till very near the hour of dournmcnt, as the
journal will show. We had no breaking up Tor
want OF quorrm no delay, calls ofthe Sc
nate nothing which was made necessary by the
negngence or inattention of the members OF TINS
oody. On the vote for the three millions of dollars,
winch was taken at about eight O'Clock in the eve
"s'g' ty-e,ght votes were given, every member
Oh the Senate being in his place and answering 10
'' name. ms IS an instance OF punctuaIIiV, III
'gence, and labor, continued TO the very end OF
an an arduous session, wholly without example or par
Inc Senate then, sir, must stand, in the Judg'
nep' OF every man, fully acquitted of all rem'ss-
ness all negligence, all natcnton, amidst the la
usue and exhaustion of the closing hours OF Con
gress Nothing passed unhcedcd, nothing was o.
crooked nothing forgotten, and nothing slight
ana now, sir, l would proceed Immediately 'e
give me history of the Fertilization bill, II ]
"e,e not necessary, as Introductory to that history
.L u q Is showing the circumstances under "h'ci
. "e senate was called OH to transact the pubii'
business, first to refer to another bill which was be
,u'c u.s. and TO the proceedings which we're had up
Is well known, SIR that the annual approrrla
'oh oils always originate in the House of Repre-
se"'a''Ves. This is so much the course, that NJ
Sne ever looks to see such bill first brought Tor
Iaa IN the Senate. 1t is also well known, SIT
a N, has been usual, heretofore, to make the an
W d' appropriations for the Military Academy d
w. Point in the general bill, which provides to
~. 0 pay and support of the army. Blu, last yea'
wL. .'my bill did not contain any appropriate
""alsoeyer for the support Of West Point. too
nOte OF this singular omission when the bill Wa
e'o,e the Senate, but presumed, and indeed, under
"0od hatthc House would send rs a separate bill {,