The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-05-22

bill under consideration. BY the madness and
folly of her rulers our country has been precp-
iiated to a crisis. We have been convened here
to meet that crisis. That is, the people and this
house have been so informed. But haze we met
it? fire we meeting it? No, sir we have been
called here to do what this house has been doing
forthe last six years, and to echo the will and far
Their the wishes of the Executives to carry out
the recommendations of the Presidents Message;
TO cease to be the free representatives Of the peo-
pie, and TO become the plant instruments of pow
er. Nothing is to be introduced 10 our delibera-
tons but what the President has recommended.
Petitions are presented, and they are trampled
under foot; plans of relief suggested, and
they are land upon the table The people demand
from you, through their representatives, fair
and impartial hearing, and you meet them with
that gag of desposln-the previous question.
And when we ask why is all rllis--we are mpu-
IDENTITY told that we must attend to lhe relic OF
the Government; that have nothing to do
with the people that the President has submit
ted his plans, and that right or wrong we must
sustain them; that he has chalked out to us the
line of our Legislative duties, and that we must
follow that line, toe the mark yes, toe The mark is
their phrase, and then go home and tell our con-
stiuents That we have slavishly done our masters
bidding.
Sir, it is by conduct like this that our country
has been precipitated from the height OF prosper
ity into the very depths Of distress. This House
is responsible for much of the evil under which
the people are now groaning. Their representa-
tives in Congress have been iaiihess 10 them.
They have surrendered up their Independence
and become the mere echo of the Presidents will.
Instead of freely celebrating and choosing what
was best for the people and the country, they
have been watching the ever changing counte-
nance of the Executive and asceraning what
were his wishes, and deternnatons-and thus
have they been slavishIy echong and re echoing
iip IF
the country have been entirely sacrificed. The
people have been lost sight of; those who We're
their servants have become their masters. ask
every candid man whether the legislation OF Con-
gress has not, for many years, contormed in eve
ny important particular TO the commands of the
Executive? Whether the declarations of the ad-
minisration have not been the law OF the land?-
Let us revert to :he history Of the past and see
what are the lessons that it teaches.
Large majories of both branches of Congress
passed ar act for the re-charter of the Bans of
United States. The democratic Legislature OF
my own State, Pennsylvania, unanimously re-
commended it. Ii was vetoed by the President.
And what did Congress do? Why, sir, changed
their opinion-echoed the veto Yes, we saw
the very man who drafted and advocated the bill
for re-charterng the Bank (Mr Dallas,) presiding
at Town Meeting few weeks afterwards, and
there opposing the very measure of which he
vas the author and father; aye, turning mt the
uCCk Oh tIl6 ITeSueUt, IKE OIL Oiu, 10 uG-
stroy his own offspring. This, perhaps may have
been al! very well-but is it not remarkable
proof that members of Congress found it incon-
venient to have opinions which did not exactly
conform to those Of the Executive.
But again: Congress investigated the situation
OF the Bank of the United States, for the purpose
OF cscertainng whether il still continued TO be
safe depository ofthe public moneys. They found
lis situation to be sound and wholesome, and de-
cared, by large ma ory, that the deposits should
be continued in it according TO law. The Pres
ident, however, short time afterwards, deter
mined otherwise, ordered the Secretary of the
Treasury 10 lay violent hands upon the treasures
OF the nation, to take them from the place where
Congress and the law declared they should he,
and scatter them abroad over the land, by depos-
Ting them with the pet Banks there to be used
for the purpose of swelling the deuge of paper
money, and of feeding and pampering aud boat
ing the demoralizing spirit of speculation.
LII sixty days afterwards, Congress mei.-Well,
and what did members of Congress do? Did
they adhere to their former resolution? No, sir,
they again surrendered their independence )
dgdtn their opinion; and again echoed the will
Of the Executive.
Then it was, that the President formed his
league ofPet Banks. He conceived and planned
ami put in operation project which according
to his promise, was to baDish Bank rags from the
community, give us the best of currencies, and
This was the sole work of the Executive and his
agents. Congress had nothing to do with it,
he submitted his plan, however, to Congress, in
the form OF law, for their approval. They hes
iated for while, and grumhled little bur not
daring to disobey, they at length again complied
with his acquisitions, Went through all the UNI |
meaning form and idle ceremonies necessary to
give it legal shape, forgot the peoples aud the
country, and again echoed the will Of Tie Ex-
ecutive!
But sir, it is in vain to give further examples
OF the entire dependence of this house upon the
Executive. The President has been passing our
Iaics !-Congress, in truth and in fact has had
nothing to do with them His will has been SUI
preme. This house, instead Of being the free
representative body of the people has been the
representative Of the President!
But the bubble has at length burst. The gid
ell project of which so much was promised and
SO much expected by an injured and coniding
people, is at an end. While the people stood
anXionsly awaiting the realization OF its promised