The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-04-07


cety and be kept at par. This is an lmpossbllity
The honorable gentleman rejects convertible bank notes
which are equivalent specie, since they will always
command il. and adopts, IN their stead Goyernmentpa-
per, with promise 70 pay, buta promise only to be
received for debts aud and he puts forth the in
aginatio as have said often and so long refuted,
that this paper will be kept IN cTc uIaon in the country
aud will be able to perform the great business OF cuIren-
cy and exchange though il exist in quantities ex-
ceedlng, by many millions, the demands OF Govern
ment
Ifit be necessary sir at this day. to reute ideas like
these, II must he because the history of all countries,
included, is dead letter 10 US. Even at the
very moment IN which am speaking, the small amount
Of Treasury notes which has been issued by Govern
ment, hardly fifth part Of the ordinary annual revenue
though those notes bear interest Of five per cent
though they redeemable IN cash at the Treasury at
the expiration Of the yearand though, IN the mean
time, they are everywhere received IN Government
Dues only Of less value than specie, but OF less
value also, than the notes OF on-spece-payng banks
those banks whose paper is daily denounced here as
/" rags, filthy rags" In my opinion, sir, the whole
scheme is visionary and impractcable as any which
the genius Of project ever produced.
Mr.. President, towards the close Of this speech OF
September, ! find a paragraph IN which several other
subjects are brought together, and which must ask
permission TO read
Having commended the wise and noble bearing Of the
little States right party, which he says is his pride
to be member throughout the evennl period through
which the country has passed since 1924 he adds
Ia that year, as have stated, the tariff system
triumphed in the councils OF the nation. We saw It's
disastrous pol,lca bearings oresaw its SURPRISES, and
the extravsgances to which it would lead rallied
the election OF the late President to arrest It through
the influence Of the executive department OF the Go.
yernment In this failed. We then fell back upon
the rights and sovereignty Of the States and, by the
action Of small but gallant State and through the Po-
tency OF its inerposton, brought the system to the
ground sustained it was by the opposition and the
administration, and by the whole power and patronage
OF the Government"
Every part Of this extraordinary statement well
deserves attention.
In the first place, sir, here is an open and direct
avowa that the main object for rsying on General Jack
sons first election, to accomplish the overthrow OF
the protecting policy OF the country. Indeed Well,
this is very frank am glad to hear the avowa made.
Ii puts an end to all suspicious.
II was, then, to overthrow protection, it, that the
honorable gentleman took much pains to Ge-
neral Jsckson's first election commend his candor,
in acknowledging it, But, sir the honorable mem
Der had allies and associates in that rally. They
thronged round him from all quarters and followed his
lead. And pray, sir was his object, avowcd by
himself the Joint object Of all the party Did he tell
syvania honest intelligent, straight Penn
sylvania, that such his purpose And did Penn
sylyanla concur in it Pennsylvania was first and
foremost in espousng the cause of General Jackson
Every body knows she is more Of tariff State than
any other in the Union Did he tell her that his pur
pose was to break the tariff entirely down! Did he
state his objects, also, 10 New York Did he state
them TO New Jersey What say you, gentlemen from
Pennsy wanna gentlemen from New York and gen.
temen from New Jersey Ye who supported Gene
raj Jacksou's election, what say you 7 Was it your
purpose, also, by that election, break down the pro-
tecve policy Or, if were not your purpose. did you
know, nevenhelcss--pray let US understand that-dd
you know, nevertheless, that it the purpose, and
the main purpose, of the honorable member from Caro-
lima and did YOU still, cooperate with him
The present Chief Magistrate of the country
member Of this body in 1928. He and the honorable
member from Carolina were, at that time, exerng their
united forces TO the utmost IN order to bring about
General Jacksons election. Did they work thus yea
lousy together, for the ultimate end and purpose!
did they merely to change the Government,
and then each 10 look out for himself w..
Mr. Van Buren, voted for the tariff bill Of that year,
commonly called the bill Of denominations - but,
ry luckily, and in extremely good season. instructions
for that vote happened 10 come from Albany The
vote, therefore, could be given, and the member CIV
ing it could not possibly thereby give any offence to
any gentleman of the S,atenghts party, with whom the
doctrine of instructions is 50 authentic
Sir, will not do gentlemen injustice. Those who
belonged to tariff States as they are called, and who
supported General Jackson for the Presidency, did not
intend thereby to overthrow the protecting policy
They only meant to mako General Jackson President,
and to come into power along with him As to ulti-
mate objects, each had his own All could agree,
however, III the nrsl ste IL was uflcuH certainly,
to give plausible appearance TO a political union,
among gentlemen who differed so widely, on the great
aud leading question OF the tmes-the question OF the
protecting policy, But this difficulty overcome by
the oracular declaration that General Jackson was IN
favor of " JuDicous TARIFF"
Here, sir, ample room and verge enough. Who
could object to judictous turf Tariff men and
Anti-tanh men, State rights men and Consodatonlsts
those who had been called prodigas and those who had
been called radicals all honged and focked together
here and with all their difference in regard to ultimate
objects, agreed TO make common cause, till they should
get into power ...
The ghosts, sir, which tabled to cross the Styx
whatever different hopes purposes they may have be-
yond it, still unite, in the present wish to get over, aud
therefore all hurry and hudde into the leaky and shaet
ed craft of Charon, the ferryman. And this molly
throng OF politicians sir with much difference OF final
object and lille for each other made boat Of
"Judcious Tariff" and all rushed aud scrambled into
1t, until they filled II, near TO sinking. The authority
OF the master was able however. to keep them peacea
bic and in order, for the tme for they had the virtue
OF submission, and though with occasional dangers Of
upsetng, he succeeded in pushing them all over with
his longsetting pole.
Ratem canto subigit."
WE'LL sir the honorable gentleman tells US that he ex
pccted when Gen Jackson should be elected arrest
the tariff system through the influence Of the Executive
Department Here is another candid confession. Ar
rest the tariff by Executive influence Indeed ! Why,
sir this seems like hoping, from the first, for the
of the Veto, How, but by the Veto, could the Exc
cuve the tariff And is it true, sir that
at that early day, the honorable member looking
to the Veto, not with dread, but with hope Did he
expect it, and did he rely upon it Did he make the
rally of which he speaks, in order that he might choose
President who would exercise 1t !! And did he af-
forwards complain Off, does he complain Of it now
only because it Observation-Disclosures it turned out
TO bo thunderpolt, which did not fall in the right
place
In this reliance on Executive in1uence--sir, | de-
clare | hardly trust myself that | read quote
correctly, when find, in wha, read, or from what