Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-03-21


perfectly familiar with every line and word
But suppose he had never heard fthe thing
until the Cd of March, and that Attorney
General Butler was either so badly acquain-
ted with legislation upon the currency, or
so lazy that he could not write moderate
ly long letter until P. M. of March g.
why did the President keep the papers un-
til it was time for Congress to adjourn 4
Why was not Buffers letter sent to the
Senate, as containing reasons for UetomgI
the bill, instead Of being sent to the Secre-
tary of State, as an apology for retaining
it, The reason is obvious bent upon de-
stroying the bill, and finding the represent
atives of the people nearly unanimous a.
ganst him, his only resort was to put it IN
his pocket and keep it without their reach I
it was putting himsellabovc Congress; twas
little better than usURPATIoN--the last &C
of the rash head Of reckless administra
ton. We ale thankful that il is the last.
IHE LAND BILL,
introduced by Mr. Walker, was paIy
measure to buy Western votes, and vas
carried through tine Senate by party wee.
The House, however, had fewer sympathes
for Mr. Van Buren, and the 'squatters, nd
the bill sleeps upon the table, dead, dad,
dead
THE TARIFF BILL,
reducing the tariff and violating the cm-
promise, was another party bantling, n
troduced by Mr. Wright and passed by I've
Senate. Very properly the House laid it
out by the side of its predec@sc' The
twin brother, brought forward b Cambre-
leng, was never brought out the com
mittee Of the whole.
THE FORTIFICbfION BILL
was another important measure, deriving
most of its importanc, from the amendment
offered by Mr.. Bel and adopted by the
House, prsviding.or a distribution of the
SURPLUS REVENUE among the sew
eral states in An. 1888. This was DEFEA-
TED BY THE VAN BuREN MEN IN THE Sen
ATE. Comment is hardly necessary-the
simple t?cts demonstrate that Fan Buren,
and his men are against gtotng up the sur
plus 10 the states; but we may not forbear
alluding TO former events which cannot 81
be entirely forgotten Two years pre-
cisely from the day on which the Senate
destroyed the last fertilization bill, to wit,
March Sd, 1885, the then Wing Senate re-
fused to pass a iortification bill, on the
ground that it placed an immense sum of
money in the hands Of the President, spec
flying generally the purposes for which it
should be expended. Then the admins
tration presses were loud in their denunci-
atoms of the aristocratic Senate there was
nothing 50 odious as that same Senate, al
though its action was to save the money OF
the people and prevent the possibility of an
improper use oft. Now, the Senate, COM
posed of the friends of Mr. Van Buren, by
decisive majority, has defeated another
g. .:n~-.io.. lii, "..iei circumstances faI
more aggravating it has defeated the bill
because it contained provision TO give
the surplus, not TO the President, but to the
People! Ofcourse it would be very con-
sistent for the administration editors most
thoroughly to denounce the 'aristocratic
and anti-dcmocratic Senate nor. Howcv-
er, anticipating no very heavy drafts upon
our columns, we promise TO copy all their
denuncations ON this matter.
THE ABOLITION PETITIONS
lie upon the table, dead; the Senate never
decided the preliminary question upon then
reception ! Thus is the right Of petition
trihed with--Grittcred down to almost 8
shadow. Congress has not said in SO ma.
ny uords-it has said by its cond,nt--W'
,ciu not hear the voice Of freemen in behal
ofthe enslared.
One hundred and twenty bills were pas
sed by the Senate which were not passed
by the House, and hundreds of bills wert
left Enacted upon. Private persons, claim
ants upon the justice of the nation are tin
sufferers, while the office-holders have beer
carefully provided for by the passage o
the appropriation bills.
We have been thus particular in motto
ing the late Congress because heretofor
the lasiness or the negligence Of Congress
has all been charged to the opposition. |
so happened that the administration part,
had majority in both branches-and tn
result is that no session Of Congress ere