Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1837-11-23


ing that polbing pouid be done-that moth
ing should be done--except for the govern
ment.
The proposed remedy, it seems then, con-
sists in the relicf.of the government, at the
expense of the people. Let us now look q
moment, at the manner in which this remedy
was administered.
During the session. the business projects
upon which the House were called 10 act,
came almost entirely from the Committee on
Ways and Means. There are nine members
of that committee, only two of whom are un-
dcrstood to be opposed to the general policy
Of the administration. suppose you would
like to know the manner in which the ousi.
ness was arranged for The House, VIII tell
you the Vays,--the Mans you viii all sec
in due time. You doubtless suppose-that
this Committee OF Ways and Means has some
duty TO do;-soIne ways TO devise some means
10 find out; some plans to originate and ma
ture for The action Of the House. The com
mittec. you imagine look over The message,
see what is recommended to be done for the
benefit ofthe country; consult together as to
the best measures; and lay the result of their
deliberations before the ilouse. Is this your
idea, Mr.. President? Is this whut you think,
fellow citizens? lfit Il, am sorry To inform
you, that you labor under very great ms
take. ] once entertained the suiue IDEAS; Out
soon found my error. No snch ihng, sir
no such thing. The chairman OF the com
mIttee, steps up to the White House, ahG
there receives from the PreSldcn, or the Se-
cretary OF the Treasury, such bills Us tney
wish To have passed by the House. The
chairman puts the bills into his pocket, takes
them To he Committee: without any cXainina +.
ton the majority of the committee approve
them; the minority con 10 nothing; the bills
are presented To tie House, aud received as
the dongs of the committee.
| aver to you that every important Oil
passed by the House. came to the House
ready draion, from the Executive. The Rep
Tesentatives are mere machines. Every
measure is an Executive measure. mean
by the Executive, the President, and the
heads Of department; the cabinet They orr
ginatc every thing. PIT every thing INTO The
precise shape they wish, word for word, let
ter for letter, comma for comm; aud the OK.
ecn,ivc majority IN the House pass each bill
forthwith, without altcrnion,-and so Tar as
depends upon them, without debate Just as
II comes from their masters ut the white
house,
had heard of Executive dictnton-of Ex-
eculive uSurpa,ipn-of Executive patronage.
! thought that had seen something of 1t
but till visited he seat Of government had
no conception of It's true nature, OF It's vast
extent. snlemnly warn you against this
terrible concentration Of power III the hands
OF the cXecutivc see III II a most alarming
danger, ,.-thrca'cning, iearuliy threatening
the liberties ofthe country Executive pow
er has become Il very Colossus, which be-
strides the land, from one end oi It to the 9th
cr;-ana fellow citizens, If we do not over
throw it, most assuredly II will crush us; and
IN crushing us. in crushing the people, II will
crush liberty, It will crush the constitution!
A resolution was introduced into the House
from the committee on Ways and Means, de.
clarlng that 1t Is inexpedient TO charter Ma
tional Bank. You may feel some interest to
know, how that resolution was g". up.
will tell yon. ion WIN rcco!lcct that there
were only two opposition members on tie
committee. The majorl'y ro,,id do nothing
for the people and the minority ccutd onotl-
mg,-cxcept 10 report the dolngs OF thei.
masters in the committee aud the IIouse, 10
their masters, the prop!c-and this at least, |
for one. ain resolved to do. Very many pc
tiiions, from almost all the States, were sent
into Congress for the establishment Of n ma
,lonal Bank. These petitions as they were
presented, by n mutual understanding, were
{,
and suffered 10 lie on The table I'LL The whole
should come III; when, as was surpost d, they
were to be taken up and considered. So The
inarer stood, when on tie last day but one,
on which that committee sat, the chairman,
without preface or explanation, introduced
the above resolution. II was opposed by urc
opposition mcmbcr--the other being absent
and the chairman was asked what had be-
come Of the pe,i,ion,? They yet lay on the
table, but the majority passed the resolution,
without opening or reading one Uf them
Tie resolution was sent III, and by the help
of tho previous question was forced through
the House. No doubt can be entertained
that this resolution came down from The Ey.
ecutive in the precise form IN which u passed.
Here was great,on most manifest outrage,
on the liberties Of our citizens. At least
they have the right to petition, # they have
no other; and yet in time of the greatest
anxiety, whrn it was of the most vital impor-
tance that the views of the people should be
communicated to their representatives, here
wus successful attempt on the part Of the
Executive to cut off this intercourse; to pre-
vent the voice ot,he people from being heard;
to erect barrier between the people and
their constituents.
There is another subject on which wish
to say a word. For two years past, we have
been in actual, open war wi,h tie Seminoles
For two years past, we have been engaged
in an expensive war. which is exclusively ,en.
tlrcly, an Executive war. The opinion %
Congress bas never been asked upon III,
subject. An invitation has never been ex
tended by the Executive requesting the peo
ple's representatives to inquire into any mot
ters relating To this war in which the govern
ment is engaged. The Executive has car