Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1837-03-01
(gcrortcd for the Courier and Enquirer.]
SENATE-Thursday, Feb. o.
LAND BILL.

recelveu from tne lfesidcnt OF tne UniIed
States and which he desired the Secretary
TO read. The letter was accordingly read.
In it the President states that in a report of
the remarks Of Mr.. Calhoun, on the land
bill, as reported in the Globe, and the ac-
curacy of which was supported by two ccr-
Mr.. Calhoun had used language
which minated that he (the Presidency had
been guilty of speculations in the public
lands. This he pronounces TO be false
and calumnious charge, which he calls on
Mr.. Calhoun to retract in his place on the
floor, or to sustain by impeachment. If
AIR. c. will do neither, then the President
will publish this letter to the world and by
that publication make the calumny recoil
upon him who had uttered it.
The Secretary having finished reading
the letter,
Mr.. Calhoun said that this letter had pro-
duced in his bosom pity, contempt and
humiliation. So far from being intimida.
ted, he should become holder in his denun.
citation of corruption in high places. AS to
the privileges of his station in the Senate,
he would leave that body to take care of its
own. Retraction, he would offer none.
He would reiterate his charges in his place,
and leave it to the friends of the President
to show their falsehood. He had said that
such was the number and subtlety Of those
who were specializing, that it was enough to
make patriot despair. He had said that
this was considered an Administration mea.
sure, and that, so far from REFRESHING spe-
cuation, it would increase it-that those in
power had participated in the profits of these
specuations, and would again. He had
asked whence these increased sales? He
had also asked whence this increase of cur
rency which the Secretary of the Treasury
had advertcd to. He had replied it was the
result of the experiment. He delighted to
use the word. 1t was the result of the re.
moval of the deposi.es to local institutions
by which the facilities for speculation had
been increased. He had said that this was
one of the means used by those in power to
sustain themselves there. He had said that
rumour had asserted that they had not only
obtained political profit, but had also obtain.
ed profits by speculations. He had said
that connexion of the President had been
implicated, but he did not name him. He
would now name him; it was Mr.. Mia.
more. lie then went on to comment on
the calculation Of Mr.. Walker, and to re-.
peat what he had said on that subject. He
was glad to hear from the letter of the Pre-
sident. that the speculation of public officers
was considered by him as an impeachable
offence. He then concluded with stating
that he would, after this explanation, leave
| the President in the position he had taken,
without making any motion.
Mr.. Grundy said he owed it to Justice to
say, that he had not understood the Senator
| from South Carolina as casting any mputa-
ton on the President, of the personal char
acter as reported in the Globe, but thought
that the remarks were of a general charac.
ter. He could 60 on 10 say in reference to
Mr.. M'Lamore, (who was his personal
friend,) that he had supposed the reference
to be intended for him, and he could now
state that Mr.. M'Lamore had not since the
removal of the deposites, borrowed money
from the banks for the purpose Of specula.
ton. He had latterly had as much as he
could do to pay his debts, although he could
eventually be wealthy. He stated that Mr..
M'Lamore was not related by ties of blood
to the President.
Mr.. Calhoun said he did not know whether
he had been accurately reported in the Globe
but he presumed that he was not intentional.
ly misrepresented. lie referred to the diff
ficulty which reporters had to encounter
from the noise in the chamber, which fire.
quently prevented them from catching cor.
rectly what fell from gentlemen. But he
could not forbear from saying that the Ian
guage of the President in his letter was
more worthy of Billingsgate than the Exc
cutlve mansion.
Mr.. Walker, so far as his observation
had gone, declared that he had not under
stood the Senator as casting any persona
imputation against the President. He thel
stated that this Bill had not originated witt
the administration but with HIMSELF the ide'
having been sent abroad by him in circu
lar letter, during the warm contest for
Senator Of the United States in Mississippi
Mr.. Clay said that he had waited for SOM
time to see if any one of the friends of tn
Presiden. was disposed to submit any mo
ton founded upon this letter. AS no on
seemed disposed to take this course, he fe
himself compelled by sense Of duty +
state that the letter constituted gross breac
of the privileges of the Senate. He fe
the profoundest regret that such lette
should have been penned by the illustriou
!; individual who fills the executive chair.
such letter had been addressed from tn
; highest parsonage in the realm to membc
) of Parliament Of Great Britain, il woul
! have drawn from that body rebuke whic
would have shook the monarch on h
!, throne. He knew, he said, how vain ho
been tho efforts Of those who are now
5 powerless minority in this Senate, to sustai
+; its privileges and he knew how val
+; would be any attempt Of this powerle'
+; minority to assert its privileges now. b.
: he could not avoid rising to express his n
s greet at the course which the President hs
adopted, as well as his acquiescence in Il
$ propriety ofthe determination ofthe Senat,
/; from South Carolina, not TO submit any m,
7. ton in relation to the letter; but havin
}, laid 1t before the Senate, to leave that boo
}. to take care of its own privileges.
Mr.. Davis then spoke in opposition to Il
9 passage of this bill, as being Of charact
g different from that which was given to il I
@ its friends, and incapable Of producing OF