The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-03-06

founded an argument on the supposed disposition
of the two Houses, aud the fact that they truly
set forth the public opinion. But since he has
brought such an argument, it is proper to examine
its foundation.
In general sense, undoubtedly, Sir, the members
Of the two Houses must be understood represent
the sentiments of their constituents, the people of
tho United States Their acts bind them, as their
Representatives, and they must be considered, in
legal sense, conforming the will of their
stituents lBut owing TO the manner of our organiza-
ton, and to the periods and times of election, it
certainly may happen that at a particular moment,
aud a particular subject, opinion out doors may
be one way, while opinion here is another. And
how is it now, If we may judge by the usual ndi-
cations? Docs the gentleman hope for no vote, in
this body, for this Bill but such shall be- in his
opinion, in strict accordance with the wishes, as
generally understood, and most recently expressed
in the State from which that vote shall come
shall be exceedingly sorry, sir, for instance, TO
see vote from Maine given for this Bill. l hope
may not. But if there should be such vote, can
the gentleman say that he believes, in his con-
science, it will express the wishes of majority of
the People of that State? And SO Of New Jeresy,
and one, if not more States in the West L am
quite that gentlemen who may give their votes,
will discharge their duty, according TO their own
enlightened judgments, and they not accountable
to me for the manner in which they discharge it;
but when the Hon. member from N. York contends
that this body now accurately represents the public
opinion, the Sub Treasury system, we must look
at the facs. And with all possible respect for the
honorable member, must even take leave to ask
him, whether, in his judgment, he, HIMSELF is truly
the People Of New York, while he is proposing and
supporting this Bill Where does he find evidence,
the favor of the People of that State towards this
measure? Does he find it in the City In the
Country I? In the recently elected House of Assem-
bly, In the recently elected members of the Sem
ate /? Can he name place-can he lay 0enue, for
the popularity of this measure, in the whole State
of New York? Between Montank point and Cat
taraugus, and between the mountains of Pennsylva-
MIA and the north end of Lake Champlain, can he
any where put his finger on the map, and say, here
is spot where the Sub Treasury is populars He -,
may find places, doubt, though they are some
what scarce, where his friends have been able to
maintain their ascendancy, Notwithstanding the
| unpopularity of the measure; but can he find one
place, spot of any extent, in which this meas
Of relief is the choice, the favorie, of majority
of the Peope9
MIR President, the honorable member has long
been in public life, and has Witnessed often, the
changes and fluctuations of political parties and po-
li,ical opinions And will ask him what he thinks
of the hurricane which swept over New York in
the first week of last November? Did he ever
know the like? Has he before ever been called on
TO withstand such u whrlwind or had he previ-
ously any suspicion that such outbreak, in the
political elements, was at hand am persuaded
sir that he feared such thing much less than 1
hopca fog II and my own hopes S am had
the actual result. And to me, Mr.. President, it
seems perfectly plain, that the cause Of this aston
ishing change IN public opinion is to be e.. iognd'
Treasury Bill Of the last session. The message,
with its anti-socal, anti-commercial, antipopular
nought all our own manners and useges, rejected all
the teachings of experience, threatened the State
Institutions, and, anxious only to take good of
Government, abandoned the people to their fate,-
the message-the message-it was,-Ihat did the
great work in New York, and elsewhere,
The message was that cave of Eolus, out OF which
the careering winds issued:
"Una Eurnsque Nolusque ruunt, creberque pro-
cells Afrcus, ~
mingling and skies, dispensing the most power
fui political combinations and scattering their frag
ments on the rocks and shores. might quote the
poet further, sir,
get vastos vovunt ad littora huctus
The political deep seemed agitated to the very
bottom, and its heaving bosom moved onward and
forward the "vastos tuctus, "--ln Nautical phrase,
the big rollers of public opinion
The honorable member may say, or may think,
that all this but tho result Of transient impulse,
faversh sbullition, sudden surprise, or change
superficial, and apparent only, not deep and real
Sir, Icannot say, but must confess that it the
movement in New York, last Fall, was not real, il
looked more like reality, than any fame ful exhibit
ton, which ever saw. LII the People were not IN
earnest they certainly had very sober and earnest
way of being in Jest.
And, how, sir, can the honorable member, can
any man, say, that in regard tn this measure, even
the House of Representatives is certain, at this mo-
ment truly to reflect the public judgment Though
nearer to the People than ourselves. and more fire.
quently chosen, yet it is known that the present
me mbers elected, nearly all of them, before
the appearances "fthe message of September And
will the Hon member allow me TO ask, whether IT
new ciLcuon ol nemDrrssot congress WeIe 'os'ano
place in his own State, tomorrow, and the newly
elected members should take their seats Immediate
ly, he should entertain the slightest expectation oil
the passage of this Bill through that House
MIR. President, in 1884 the Hon. member pre-
senteI to the Senate, Resolutions of the Leglsla-
ture of New York; approving the previous course
of the Administration, in relation to the curren-
cy. He then urged strongly, but none too strong
ly, the weight due to these Resolutions, because,
he argued, they expressed the undoubted sense
of the People as well as that of the Legislature.
He said there was not, at the time, single MEM
Der in the popular branch of the Legislature who
was not in favor OF those resolutions, either from
the cities of Hudson, Albany, Troy, Schenectady,
ted trading towns and villages, the great city of
New York ITSELF which he justly calls the Com
mercal Emporium of the country all these cit
les and villages being surrounded, as he most