Southern telegraph., 1838-08-15
MR.. PRENTISs' SPEECH.

.hAhs AAA1AN L itJiJ ~ 1AIA1iAs
Bills Of the old u. s. Bdat.-A bill
making it a criminal offence to give curren-
cy to those notes, passed by minority Of
eight in the House Of Representatives, on
Friday night. We have already in the let
ters of our Washington Correspondent, Civ
en- very imperfect sketch Of the confusion
that prevailed in the House, at the time of
its passage.-Thc National Enteligencer
furnishes minute account of the manage
ment by which it was carried, and full re-
port Of some of The speeches on the occasion.
After some sklrmish--upol points of order:
MIR. Prentss of Mississippi took the floor,
and with great animation opposed the bill,
commenting with severity upon its introduc-
ton at this late moment, and the precon-
cerled movement (Which, owing to the awk-
wariness of the instrument, had fortunately
fiiled) to furce 1t through the House with
Out a momenl's discussion. He pronounced
he bill to he the last struggle of tho Sab
Treasury Scheme, the last hair on its
hlde, the last puppy ofthe litter, the rump Of
lie Sub-Treasury Bill. That bill itself had
been dead, dead and buried, and the loco
foco worms were feeding luxurously upon
il. This bill was of the same family; let it
60 down, and be gathered to its fathers. Ho
contended thatth bill was absurd, ,inasmuch
as 1t was directed aganststhat whlcn mud
no longer any existence. The u. States
Bank was dead it now had neither soul nor
body to be punished. But if the bill was
meant to punish the Pennsylvania Bank,
this Government had no jurisdiction in the
case. He made an earnest appeal, on this
point, to the advocates of State Rights doc
trine, calling them to the rescue. If the
Government could punish one corporation,
il might another, and so no State Bank or
State institution Of any kind was safe. As
to the old dead bank, he believed there were
many around him who would gladly turn
resuueclionists, dig up the dead body, turn
! that Hall into dissecting room, and never
lay down the scaIp-knile till every muscle,
tendon, artery, vein and nerve, had been
laid bare, and neither form nor substance
left
Mr. Cushman called Mr.. Prentiss to or
der
Mr.. Prentiss demanded that his words, to
which exception was taken, should be taken
down.
The Chair decided that he was not out Of
order.
Mr.. Prentiss then proceeded in still
warmer strain, alluded to the irrltability of
conscience of gentlemen, which obscured
their notions of order, &c. He contended
that the bill must be practically in operation.
On whom was it to act? On Mr.. Biddlel
Well, ii they seized him for issuing those
notes, and brought him before the House 10
answer, his first plea would be to the iuris-
diction, and he would contend that he was
amenable to the penal laws of his own State,
Congress had not chartered his bank, anI
had no cognizance of it or him. Had the
Government furnished tho people with SO
good currency that they wanted to take a.
way these last remnants Of what was left
them? 1t had been studying the mysteries
of tde black art, and trying to make gold az
plenty as paving stones; but, like The alchy-
mists, it had succeeded only in, causing what
: the country had to go off in the fumes of its
f alembic.
r He here gave some judicious illustrations
of the scarcity of gold and silver at the
South, which produced much merriment in
] part of the House. Tie commented with
: severity on the plea that the government
i; was opposed TO the reissue of the fves Of
+ the good old bank as being immoral; and,
+ still mare, on the bill as measure of econ
d omy. The great administration whale had
II been harpooned to death, and was now in its
e dying furry; be was orbacklng the boats
a little and enjoying the spectacle of its
1t founces and plunges while it kept Ii, whole
r sea in fam. This bill was one of the las
st blows Of its TAIL As to these FIVE dols
nj bills, the people were the best Judges wheth
v er they we're good money or not, If not, the,
Iy would not take them, and so the bin wa
needless. lfihe bills were good money, an
at the people liked il, and wanted il, then III
he bill made war on the wishes OF The people
he and as to the sin oflhe matter, they did n.
lri need thst the GovefnmcGs should act .
&C I ehancellcr, 10 take care or riheircoEscieaci