Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-29
a'xsXSs.gY;, .aERzL 30, 1876.
a'scnty-fourih Consrcss--ist scss.
SPEECH OF MR.. VANDERPOEL, OF N Y
In The House Of Representatives,, prA q, 1885, on the
Macy .3pp,opr0fion Bill

MT CuAiRMAN:-lfad The honorable gentleman from
virginia Mr. Robertson) closed his argument yeslcr
day, and thus justified the hope that could this morn
ing have taken the question, would have obtruded
upon this committee any observations Of in ela
ton TO the b now before you but as now the whole
of this day will inevitably be devoted TO its consdera
ton, may indulge the hope that the remarks which
intend to make win not all retard its passage.
The solcitude which my honorable colleague the Chair
man OF the Committee uf Ways and Means, (Alr. Cum
breeng has long discovered 10 the early pas
sage OF this bill is only very natural but very laud
able solcitude. The public service is said to suffer for
want OF The ordinary annual appropriations at least
lar as Tie naval concerned. NV honorable
league has not consumed the time of this House with
long and unnecessary speeches. He reported
annual appropriation bills Mt stage of the
y, 1t not earlier than they reported i'm preceding
years ~" @"- ,re's> ',s q" limo. consdera,
ton of them with and courtesy that be-
came the responsible station which he occupies; and it,
SIR, their final passage should be long delayed
prejudice the public interest my honorable colleague
VIII at least be able 10 enjoy the consolation of having
faithfully discharged his duty
The debate upon this bill has indeed taken an uucx
pectedly wide range. The Committee of WAYS and
Means at an early stage Of the session. reported This
binary appropriation BILL providing for the pay of Off
GERS provisions ordnance and ordnance stores the
improvement OF navy yards The honorable gentleman
from Tennessee, (Mr Bell) very after the Commit
tee of the Whole on the State of the Union had com.
inenced It's labors upon this bill, moved TO reduce the
amount proposed to be appropriated for the yard Ports
mouth, in New Hampshire, half and intimated his
intention TO proportional reduction as to all the
other yards for which the bill proposes appropriations
Well sir, upon this motion we had several days of de-
sutory skirmshng, of talk confined the subjcc, i'm
mcdiaely and fairly under consideration The honor
able mover of the amendment himself made some two
or three very guarded speeches in favor of his own
amendment, and we had good hope that near
~ All the tte hive and ten minutes speeches cx-
hansted, and that soon very should be permit.
ted to take the question; when, 10! honorable
eloquent gentleman from South Carolina, (Nr Thomp-
SOM with holder spirit than had yet dsting any
OF the orators that had preceded him, in speech Of
some two or three hours launched forth into an unex-
Pectedly extensive range of debae pressed topics
INTO the service that might of themselves have served
nuu themes Tor orators for the residue of the
of its favors its bountes the system of absorption
without any irrigation in return which had nearly
drained The poor, prosecuted South the necessity OF
uhenulhS your Constitution, so as To dispose of Your
surplus revenue among the Sates according the ratio
oil their population and representations these and
great variety oil Kindred TOPICS deemed neither m
relevant a.fcched by that honorable gentleman; and
from The course which the debate subsequently took it
seemed, indeed, that we launched upon a wide
ocean, without the ability TO determine, with any de-
gree OF certainty, when should be able anchor or
see land again. AS matters then stood we could hardly
nope OF geS TO sale noorlngs again before the reign
OF the dog-siar.
At this stage of proceedings the honorable gen.
ueinan from Tennessee (Mr. Belly again succeeded in
getting the floor Having epenlcd of his original nten
on TO reduce the appropriations for all the navy yards
nan most 'oou as wen as North; and probably convinc
ed by the speech of the honorable gentleman from South
Carolina that certain section of the country had very
peculiar claims, he all at withdrew his original mo-
iion and proposed wholly to "expunge the appropra-
ton for the navy yard Portsmouth and support of
his substituted motion, favored us with speech which
was indeed miserable illustration of the Justice of those
complaints which constantly doled out here abont
rammelling gentlemen in debate. 1t was in truth the
striking OF the freedom nd I,;,uJ
of debate tolerated here any other legislative BODY
that have yet witnessed 1t was n speech E,Ir
days long one day longer than the French Revolution
In some respects III was most cheering and consong
example to many of US here, who when we undertake
to speak, are olnes troubled with that most reasona-
BILE, though Inconvenien acquisitions always TO keen
within halng distance of the point under discussion
twas most encouraging TO some in another particular
IL taught ambitious young orators here, that if la
den WIN speech, II matters but little hat hook they
hang 1T upon, and that any th.g like affinity bet cen
speech, and the legitimate subject of speech, is not
matter oil so much consequence here gentlemen
are very naturally disposed to imagine when they first
enter tins Hail. But, sir it rcplee with much en-
couragemcnt and consolation to in other purii-
culars The Iliustrious from which enanated
gives it auhority and it has taught that terseness and
eompactness, and that tucidaS oTdO which all
and legicians have from the time Of Quinan to the
present day) regarded as essential TO good DISCOURSE
are not indispensable requisites ere and very strong
y apPrehend, sir that the force Of lie precedent will be
Illustrated by the performance which is being
cuted
Sir, the course of remarks in which the honorable
gentleman from Tennessee (Ar BeD saw fl to induIoe
sounded strangely my ears coming as it did from one
who had been for years the open and avowed friend of
our ilusrlous Chief Magistrate; when the honorable
gentleman descantcd elUquently upon the force and
danger of party organizationwhen lie INDUCED flip
PANTY, and with much facility in the stale and hack
neyed cach-words of the Opposition of rue PARTY
Swords which danced so conspcuousy through his la
bored speeeh and when he descanted earnestly upon
the dangerous application Of Executive power and x
ecutye influence under the Administration of our pre-
sent Chief Magistrate methought was only re-
iterating those lhreadbare doctrines and standing com
plants which the Opposition 10 every Democratic Ad-
mnstra have, under all and all auises pro-
nIuIgaed from the days of MIR. Jefferson 10 The pre-
era; and when the honorable gentleman told us
that the party supporting the present Administration
had forsaken ats principles, but that lac still adhered
steadily to hs-when he told US in effect that there
one hundred and forty supporters Of the President
and OF the existing Administration upon this floor will,
many of whom he had formerly acted, who we're going
all wrongwo were propagating and sancloning ali sorts
OF political heresies and Nominations but that he re-.
manned orthodox, and fully invested with his pristine
political purity occurred that the honorable zen
tleman had full much confidence in his on naiibi-
lty and full little respect and Difference for the oui
mons oil that majority with which lac had Formerly acted
as once had memorable and seEcompacent Juror who
after, IN the iulness OF his selfsuicency ksepBG
out his associates for two days and two nights and i'm.
hexibly determined to adopt their concusion ind
nate and wrong headed he had seen or acted
with in his life,
In what light has The President the party support
ing the President been exhibited here BY the hOnorable
gentleman from Tennessee! (Mr Belly Sir took his
very words down, Ind cannot therefore, be mistaken a
20 the sentiments he uttered lie told that consdcra
tons exist, which prevent the country from havino
the benefit OF the Presidents popularity; that is very
dcult IL not impossible, for majority of this fIouse
to act against the viii Of the President; consequently
the President must IN law and in good sense be RESPONSE
bic for all the mischief perpetrate for the gentleman
is lawyer enough to know that be who does not prohibit
and prevent mischief WHEN he has il in his power to pro-
hibt and prevent 10 be considered as Orderiag lie
has furter told u.s. that the President with such ma
jorty he has here, eilectually decree whether
there shall he lie had in truth been re-
presented almost omnipotcnt having for M prsc
cal purposes tie power Of peace and war in his hands
lie now dcvOtinO himself ia Tho vo,os