Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-01-12

Gle. She was not to be driven from the bal
lot box. She could not she dare not yield
her principles, and surrender up her liberty.
at the command of any man. But, sir, wish
To set the gentleman right upon another point.
He contends that the House, in adopting this
resolution, will do Gen. Jackson injustice;
thot we who advocate it have already done
him great injustice. ls IL in this manner that
every inquiry, every investigation is to be
p strangled in its infancy, under the pretert OF
infiictng injury upon Gen. Jackson Why,
sir. we have to legislate upon this subject un-
der the terrors Of "expungc." Yes. sir, the
gentleman has announced to the House that
if this resolution is passed it will be erpung-
ed. The Lord save me from an cxpunging
House, ns well Us m expuLging Senate. /
have witnessed with loatlfng and disgust,the
operation ofthat process in the Senate.
have the great sIpunger tCol. Benton) in the
grim majesty of his expungng power, lashlng
with the Whip Of scorpions, ADLER and honester
men tn himself TO the work; foggng them
on to make war upon the Constitution oftheir
country and the journals Of the Senate: and
have shuddered when saw it. But saw,
sir, last winter, a disposition manifested by
the party,l am sure did by some of its lead
lers, to encourage him in his mad scheme Of
batter out his brains aganst the walls of his
own forricaiion system, and thereby save
them the trouble of knocking him on the
head. Sir,he will never rise under the weight
of that stone and mortar, from the mud and
qnicksands into which they have plunged
him. Sir, hope never to see this House
scourged by so rude and barbarous despot-
ism. hope that Heaven has for US in store
better tate. "Expunge," sir! expunge what?
We propose to look into the conduct Of your
"hireIings"-to examine the dark deeds Of
your Wbiincys and your Kendalls, and have
"expnnge" flung in our faces. But are zoe,
the Representatives Of the American people,
to falter in our duty, and co,oer under the iron
sceptre OF some expunging hero who is TO
rise mp amongst us? And, sir, if we but touch
one little twig of this great Jackson tree,
which ovcrshadows the land, and stretches
It's branches throughout the continent, we are
charged with an insult upon its trunk, and er-
pungc Is instantly proclaimed. No. sir, we
wish To brush off the sap suckers, who have
been drawing from that body its vitality. We
have to approach them as boys kill woodcocks
by whipping round old Hickory, and have
always the mildest measures, the use OF lin
Der switches. SO as not to hurt him. There
was something in the gentleman's manner,
and the tenor Of his remarks, which seemed
to appeal from me to the people Of Tennes-
see, and to threaten me with their displessure.
Sir, the boldest representative upon this floor
10 far behind the spirit Of that people in their
mistaken purpose Of asserting their rights
and maintaining their freedom A cruel war
has been waEed against Tennessee, but she
has met the crisis as became her characters:
she has met the mercenary legions unawed:
she may be crushed, but not conquered: she
may tai but If she does, it will be al the shrine
OF the Constitution, in the grave Of public lib
erty. And, sir, will go down with her: Il
would not survive her fate. lam willing to
go home and meet my people; have nothing
to fear from them: their kindness and partiali-
Ity towards me have always been beyond my
merits. But, sir, the injustice done to Gene !
raj Jackson by supporting this measure: what
Is 1t! We demand an investigation into the
agency of Reuben Whitney; we ask for an
inquiry into the condition Of the Treasury
We require that there shall be a full nvesti- !
CATION into all the Departments, and into the /
conduct OF the whole army Of public officers. !
who have been engaged in this business of
the succession-thist trampling under foot of
laws aud Constitutions. We wish to know
from whence came this money. Where is
the source oftliHir corruption? Where is the
mint from which they Gun send their hireling
editors through the country. poisoning the
fountains of intelligence amongst the people?
How is 1t that our army in Florida has been
neglected, and left to suffer for want of sup
plies, while it was within few days sail of
New Orleans? Men starving, horses sinking
under them in the swamps-all, all, sir, in
consequence OF gross and criminal neglect
somewhere. Was it that our high function
aries were too bnsly engaged to think Of the Il
nrny--too full Of Mr.. Van Buren, to cast
thought on Oseola-too busily engaged in
electionecring to think of the gallant men
who were fighting the battles Of their coun.
try? 1t is in behalf OF men whose conduct
has been such as this, that the message vol.
unteers laudntory certificate. Sir, dery
the authenticity of this message. General i
Jackson never gave that certificate. They
have written it themselves, and obtained the i
signature Of his name. And yet, with such
a testimonial in their favor. they shrink from
the proof-they shrink from inquiry. Let us
have the proof, sir, and then we will see
whether they are honest or vcnal, corrupt or
immaculate? Sir, I do not say they are cor II
rupt: this is just what wish to find out. II
want strict and impartial investigation. II
is lawful, it is usual, to make such inouiries,
1t is surely right to investigate our own af. H
fairs-to examine into the deeds Of our own
agents. This is our right, il is our duty, and
cannot do injustice" to any one. I protest
against the issue which the gentleman from
Louisiana has issued. Ii is not a question
between General Jackson and this House; his
person and conduct is one thing, and the per.
son and conduct Of these officers is another.
] hope no attempt to crush this investigation
on such an issue will succeed; and. sir. let us
hope that no American Congress will ever be
found ready to expunge an order directing
an investigation into the Departments. No.
sir, this will never be the case, so long as a
sba a,lo,v "a four lihert;ae rar,a;n,