Litchfield enquirer., 1836-07-14
WASHINGTON, Saturday night, jury 2.
THE CLOSING SCENES.

| WASHINGTON, saturday night, JULY q.
THE CLOSING SCENES.
The week now drawing to close, must be
pregnant in the future Legislative history Of
this country. Seven months have been spent
in but little more than words. The daily ses-
sions have been ofunparalleled length. Le-
gislation to the few who have done their du-
ty as Legislators, has been more tedious and
more exciting and productive of more angry
debates, as the oldest members of the House
inform me, than during Madison's day, when
|. Congress was in session, and our country in
volved in war with Great Britain. The re-
cords of the present Congress afford a picture
that will admit of no contrast. The subjects
Of legislation have not only been new and of
ON exciting character, but the men who have
been assembled here as rulers of the land,
have presented mass of character no less
novel. For the most part our legislators seem
to have been selected from the most crude
and angry elements of their constituency
There has been no golden path" or gold
en- mean" between the two extremes OF either
political or sectional prejudice. There has
been no union of Hearts beyond that of mutu-
al selfshness and mutual combinations to ac-
complish given purpose. speak not of
men personally, but as, Legislators, and as
they are formed into parties, and the cry has
been in making appropriations by the COM
mittees chosen seemingly for no other pur-
pose than to squander away the public treas
ure. The cry repeat has been given to all
in order that none or fe,o may raise their vol
ces against what has been commanded, and
obeyed i'm the secret chambers of the Govern
ment. Who, ask, is prepared in these de-
generate times to vote against, or speak a.
gainst any act which was done to benefit
those who sent him here! What Senator or
Representative would oppose an appropria-
| ton which was to fortify their own district !
ask not who ought to have done so, but ask
| who has done go!
It would seem that Congress came togeth-
| er for no other object than first to make war
upon the French, and secondly, to waste the
public money. War and appropriations soGr
and appropriations was the reiterated cry
for long time. The fleets of the French
are at or upon our coasts A hundred sail
are coming upon our shores and we must
be fortified, and prepared to meet Them. It
was gire, giye, gsUe, and demanded by the
combined and almost omnipotent powers of
the Executive, the Departments, and the Ad-
ministration parties in both Houses of Con.
| gresS. At one moment, Benton by authority
| is defending a resolution which asks that the
whole of the surplus be expended in appro-
priations for Notifications at another, he is
crying with the zeal of q martyr, there is no
Syplus. There is no ssyplas, is Immediately
responded by Wright, and the protested lead
ers Of the party. "a
There Is no surplus revenue, or the surplus
revenue must be expended in defences on mani
tons Of 'car, was language, however, which
the people could not, and would not under
stand. IF there is more, schere Is II schere has
It gone? was the question put to the servants
ofthe people, by all those who were not who'll
| ly given to their idols. For time no answer
! comes back, and in this time it is discovered
that seven or eight millions of dollars may be
| appropriated by the treaty making powers,
and four millions by domestic, and ten or
twelve millions for the army, navy, fortifca.
tons and internal improvements. Again, by
Van Buren,. Wright, Benton and others, the
cry is renewed that there is no surplus,sa
| that nearly sixty millions ought to be appro-
/ priated by the present Congress. Do all
this, and the answer comes back, there is yet
surplus Of twenty millions. The secret can
no longer be concealed, and to attempt it on
" makes clearer the evidence against the
: SunsHs yes uhcrO is = vast amount of money in
the Treasury. even with the Justly alarming
) appropriations of so or 60 millions of dollars
.. Dy one Congress at single session. The
, Land Bill comes up, and while it knocks al
! the door of one House of Congress and there
/ finds favor and admittance, It is insultingly
. thrown from the other without either attention
or respect. Still the surplus, the surplus, rings
3 in the ears Of the people, and reaches here
. and centers here from all sections of thu
!, country. The. Wing party, now as always
! felt the necessity of taking the money from
!. the vaults of the National Treasury and dis
1iSaiIi i among the people. Tie saw; ,,,,
e cessity rests pnen : :sie dominant party, it i
\. ieit by them; policy demands it !; justic,
q: calls for 1t. and immediate action and hap
"a consequence. ="
me history Of this. the financial concer,
es' =, sne Gcvernment is the history of almos
WY ming connected with the present Con
!. $3.50. has been the object of the nartv !,
Lower 70 elind the eyes of the people. Man,
nave gone so far, (and here mean sach NC
eta- as van Buren,, Kendall. Wright. Renton. "a,
n. chanan' Hill. Walker, Cambreleng. and Poll
id. as to deceive their own friends iS relst;oe
wn, all matters connected with the civil ana ~
net cuniary affairs Of the nation rho ". IL y
,al men connected with the party have 49, ~
ns bribed and corrupted and thus their ;rt, -"
m, has been given to make abuses insteed ~ 80
les recting them. The weak ana ienorSrt -
he blind and thoughtless. have corsS1 erc1 49, ~
- rulers pe1iect and upright. Not cnlv nav nav
an they believed them themselves. Nut AAS.y IN,
~ also made Il matter ofnecesslly q prom nv