The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-03-15

TeDey laenlabe and de0rable ~ the extreme such
could not long be borne BY the labor aud capital OF
the country The great object TO restore u 20 Us
sound and pristine bat some other mode would
have to be resoed than The present BILL which would
| rather reiard than accelerate the measure.
Mr. TALLMADGE did not. wish to call forth de-
bate nor did he think likely when the memorial was
presented, that he would have done So lie ielt II due
however 10 The memoralisis, 10 himself, and to the
country place before the Senate the why they
presented themselves in such an attitude. They had
not, until recently, believed that this measure would
| again be attempted 10 be pushed through Congress
When il was FIRST put forth in the official organ OF the
i Executive, under The authority of"d Mr.. Gouge, II
4 was looked upon Of the widest schemes that
ever entered into The head OF wild aud visionary man
Nordld any one dream that II had received the Executive
sanction until came ia the imposing form OF grave re-
commentator 10 Congress at the late extra session
Well, sir (said MIR T. the bill was Produced and under
went long and animated discussion IN this body and
sent 10 the other house he popular branch OF the
legislature where II put down by decisive vote
| Could any man have conceived, under these clcum-
stances that the same measure would be pressed upon
the people against their solemn renonstranccs Had
the President expressed willingness to cooperate
any If this should rot meet the appreciation OF
Congress and the people Why then this persists
ed I'M Was il not from settled determination to
make the will Of the people yield TO Executive usurpa
tlohl
Ills colleague had said there was great diversity OF
opinion among the people of New York 10 the
A IL
pretty well understood to have been brought about
in great measure. by the action Of the Government
Was the cad and fororn condition Of the country
owing TO the improper interference with matters ihatdid
not legitlmatey belong TO II Hc Mr. Il had sand
before and would say now and on all proper OCCASIONS
that the prior and present Administrations had manly
contributed To it, Mr. T. then advered TO the bill IN
troduced for the distribution of all the surplus revenpe
beyond the immediate wants Of the Government, among
the several States He satisfied with his course
an thafnc Hal aJ tha ariuhf
and proper. 1t reported against in the Legislature
of New York. The canals and other works OF internal
improvement TO be carried on, and the State had
not the TO do it. IL argued that it could be
efecuay done If the State hsG her share OF the surplus
The affair then taken up and supported as
party measure, and became that right and
proper The late President recommended it TO Con-
gress, and another occasion reiterated the doc
lrnes, and held them forth TO the people. When those
who had constitutional scruples about the absolute dvl
sion were prepared make mere deposie OF il with
the States, and after had arrived thus far
suddenly ordered wheel about and about, and
take back track For that no not prepared. All
his life he had endcavored pursue straightforward
course, aud would not now be made TO turn either
right u acute angle at the beck Of political command
ers. H## ..Ea E8 .# #a#
The next step Of the late President was the Specie
Circular He was not disposed 10 mpute improper mo-
tyes TO the originator Of this unaccounabe proceedings
nay, he would accord honesty of purpose but in its
practical operations it had deranged the whole bu-
sness concerns of the country had broken up the
exchanges and diverted the specie from that portion Of
the country where was wanted to that where it
not This was brought forward in the first instance
as legislative measure, in this body and voted
down by every the mover 1t again
brought forward i'll June, and again voted down
with almost the same unanimty. II then
supposed measure peculiarly adapted for legislative
and not Executive, aclionl And yet what have wit
messed Why, IN a short time, with all the evidence
before us OF the manner IN which had been Frustrated
III the Senate, we lind Il adopted, in effect, Exc
cutSc measure in the shape OF Treasury order When
Senator from Nngnia had introduced his currency
bill, calculated to do away the Specie Circular, which
had passed by triumphant majority, the President kept
for days, and them under the authority Of the
Attorney General, vetoed It, He would say there
had been known, any country, say the least OF IT.
great act Of improperly in one branch of Govern
mcnt against another 1t these things that had agi
tatcd the public mind, and occasloned wide aud ge
neral dstrust for the stability and order Of things
II his colleague had lately passed through these here
toiore busy streets, Pear and Pine and seen the
Der OF splendid stores with that onnous notice 10 t
on the doors, and the numerous houses unenanted he
could not fail to be convinced OF the sincerity OF the
memorialists, when they asked that additional en-
barassment should be forced upon the trade OF their
city. Was it possible that he did the calls made
on the humane and benevolent to forward and aid
those who had been thrown ont OF their daily of
sustcnance at the late Of the year and
yet when remonstrances were sent here, they
agents. Mr.. L. then made some alluson to the re-
sumption of specie payments by the banks in May next,
which his colleague seemed disposed TO think would do
much to cure the evils under which labored. How
had the banks been able to prepare for this state of
things but by calling in their entire circulation, and thus
adding to the distress of the trading community! II
this Independent Treasury bi passed, it would
create demand for specie that would not only prevent
the much desired resumption hut end III the destruc
ton Of all the State institutions Mr.. L. concluded by
expressing his belief that nothing wanting but the
helping hand Of Government to inspire general con-
fdence, and restore business 10 it's wonted aacry.
Mr. WRIGHT said, but for the necessity OF correct
ing essential into which his colleague had fallen,
in the reply he had thought proper to make to his for
mcr remarks, he should not have occupied the time OF
the Senate further in the of this debate His
colleague had considered to be his duty, with what
particular relevancy any Of the topics involved in the
discussion he had yet been able 10 discover to al
ude the subject Of the distribution of portions Of the
public revenue the Staes and to the and opinions
of the late President Of the United States and OF him.
SELF and the friends who had acted with him politically
in their own State. He had spoken of their opinions
upon the power of Congress over and the policy OF,
these distributions, and had made them all have
bcen constutonay and politically, friends Of the sys
! TEN. This ttlc error
1t was true that years SINCE the Republicans Of
his State became alarmed the rapid strides which the
doctrine of prosecuting works OF internal Improvement
within the several States, only the expense, but
under the authority, and by the agents, and the pro-
pcry Of this Government, making here. They
also saw that rapidly accommodating surplus revenue
giving the doctrine dangerous strength aud force
and that must be devised to a result
SO destructive to institutions the adoption OF such
doctrine and the extension OF such policy would ne
cessarly prove, They attempts made in Congress
to reduce the to the Of the Government
without success and the less dangerous Of the
alternatives considering both the fearful evils, they