Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-01-12

CD practical operation - and. secondly, be;
cause. though condemned, By The People
which he admits-Mcg ueye Corrupted and
btiJed Jy baak capital 10 eoaaemaHi
He admits that The National will is the
supreme law Of the republic elections,
federal and Stale, have been, held; that The
sxpediencyof that plan proposed BY the Elk
ecu,iye has been, more or less, discussed al
the local elections, and that these have re-
suited against the plan proposed by him
He refuses 10 these results his respect-he
doubts and defies The supreme lawl He
says lbattbe win Of the People is tainted
it has been bought, and should not be re-
sperted, Though Numbered y his ears a
gainst his measures, be needs il MOTT is
bank thunderi and be SETS up bis individual!
opinions and convictions against all The
world,
To say nothing Of the total want Of all
dignity aud decency in these allusions Of the
Message 10 the local elections. let me inquire
what rigAf the President had, in addressing
lhe National Legislature, to take cognizance
Of tie iO1al elections? Has he. or have we,
jurisdiction over State elections2 Can We
examine into the influences which control
.them2 Suppose that u Committee Of in
qniry into these serious allegations OF Presi-
dent Van Buren, in regard TO the influences
which enslaved and BIASED the local cleo
tons were TO be proposed by this House -
could sucha Commute investigate the charg-
esq No. We have no right to institute
such an inquiry. ! should oppose it first
because il would merely cnpbIe the Presi
dent 10 ichite-seash his aspersions upon the
People, and. in the next place such Com
millee would put the People Of the United
States upon trial What. sir, put the Peo
pie upon trial The servant arraign his
master The subject his sovereignl No
sir, no / the President who arraigns, and
we who would Try, would be hurled from
our seats OF power and trust by the indig.
nant scorn OF an insulted People for our
folly and nsolence Sir. am bold enough
10 inquire into any thing legitimately within
the scope OF my scrutiny, into any thing
touching the conduct Of the Peoples trus
tees and servants. bot acknowledge the
People as my masters and sovereigns whilst
sitting here as their representative and
warn him. TOO, sir, who sits in the White
House, lest a palace may have made him
forget who and what he is, that they also
| are ms masters ana sOVeTelpnSi
There is u question of State rights, TOO,
involved in this matter, Mr. Chairman,
ask my Southern State rights friends il they
can brook this assault upon State elections
4 If this be subject fit TO be introduced in an
Executive Message to Congress, it is fit for
our deIiberalion and action. Now, for one
disclaim all jurisdiction over local cleo.
/ tions by the Federal Government, or any
department or officer thereof object, then
10 this resolution of the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr Haynes because it embraces
this part of the Message, which is an i'm
proper subject Of Executive communication
and ought not TO be referred 10 any Com
mittee.
Does the gentleman propose that the Com
nittee of Ways and Means shall take Vi
this inquiry, whether the Peoples polilica
viii was BIASED and ensaved by bank cap
ital An inquiry, indeed, for pious demo
Gratis The Committee of Ways an,
! Means sitting in judgment upon the PEG
Pile. and inquiring into the condition of lhei
morals My word for ii. they would repor
on the side Of the President; they woul'
|, endorse his charge against the bank capita
at least. if not against the People A beau
,iful party Of patent democrats, acknowl
edging the voice OF the People 10 be III
supreme law of the Republic" sitting, grave
, ~ sitting in judgment upon the liberty an
+ character of the People This is moder
democracyl A more pertinent and far NOR
useful inquiry ough rather 10 be institute
+ by this House into the interference OF th
, Executive and its officers with the freedom
of elections That, | conceive, would be
legitimate inquiry But TO an inquiry ofthi
, kind these democrats" have ever been or
: posed upon the ground that We the Repre-
| sentaiives have no right to inquire into tn
| public and political conduct of Executive o
/, Ulcers. AS Chairman of Committee I
+. investigate Executive abuses, | proposed
over and again. 10 inquire about the conduc
of all Departments from the Presiden
down, touching the freedom of elections
J. but was invariably voted down by de
mocratic majority Of the Committee, upo
the ground that the Executive was not ie
5 sponsiblc, save by impeachment And shal
: this same Executive now pretend 10 lib
+. right of inquiry into The conduct of th
. People, and the Influences which governe
: the exercises Of their political opinions; al
e raign that conduct and impuie 10 those IL
q luences, corruption, and the worst of lei
J dencies2 Call you this democracy, sir?r
! 1t is a spurious, a degenerate democracy
J But sir, | do not intend formally to deien
!. the People, cannot SIT in Judgment npo
! them. They need no defender. ! leave
r to The immediate representatives ofthosc VIII
(, have expressed therwill, aud whose cha
Z acter aud franchise have been thus assails