The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-09
THE STANDING ARMY.


Administration for creating Standing Army
Of two hundred thousand men, which was pre-
senied in the Report of the Secretary of War,
and recommended and endorsed by President
Van Buren, in a message to Congress. This
report, concocted by a choice body Of Federal
Loco-focos, is mere electioneering document
designed and executed in the hope of checking
that tide Of popular Indignation which has risen,
and swelled and continues TO roll on and on,
against the authors and advocates Of this stu
pendous Federal scheme. A motion was made,
yesterday, with view of defraying the ex-
pense Of circulating this schife-pashing docu-
ment out Of the public treasury II was to
print twenty thousand copies. Mr.. Webster
suggested the propriety of including the com
munication of the Secretary of War, If the
purpose was to ditiuse correct information among
the people. To this proposition, Mr.. RoANE re-
piled, that the communication of the Secretary
had been already printed, and that numberless
copies of il had been circulated in every State,
and especially in Virginia, and among his con-
sttuents. Upon this point, we have only to
say, that if the people have been put in posses
sion OF the Report OF the Secretary of War, il
has not been by the consent of the friends of
the Administration in Congress.
On the contrary, as Mr.. Roane and his friends
well know, the most jealous exertions have been
made by the Federal Loco-focos TO withhold il
from circulation We believe that so far from CO.
pies OF II having been disseminated by the Ad-
mnistration far and wide, their efforts to sup
press II have been so successful, that some of
their active partizans have not been able TO pro-
cure copy for love or money. We have heard
OF prominent friend of the Administration in
Virginia who wrote TO a member Of Congress
begging earnestly for copy Of the Secretary's
report, declaring that he had not been able TO
obtain one, giving most distressing account of
the effects Of the proposition on the public mind
and complaining that he could not answer the
arguments Of the Opposition men on the subject,
because he had not copy Of the report-had not
read t--knew nothing about it-and was driven,
therefore, to the necessity of attempting to rd-
cule the Indignation which il excited This
same friend Of the Administration asked the
gentleman TO whom he wrote whether the friends
of MIR. Van Buren, in Washington were as much
alarmed as his allies in Virginia, that they did
not circulate the report2 This is a piece of in
formation we commend TO the reflection Of Mr.
Roane. When the subject next comes up, he
ought for the satisfaction of his own constitu-
ents, vote in favor of appending the report of
the Secretary to the report of the committee.
Mr.. Roane complained grievously of the effects
of this Executive scheme in the Old Dominion.
He did not exaggerate the operation at all. We
have heard, indeed, that in Mr.. Roane's district
the consequences have not been less marked
than were the effects of the Protest of General
Jackson, by which he was, at that time defeat
| norable Senator is determined to interpose every
obstacle TO the circulation of any more copies of
this disastrous document.
II will be seen, from the notice Of the discus
sion under the Congressional head, that the mo-
ton relative TO printing extra copies Of the com
mlttee's extenuating report was postponed to
Wednesday next.
Mr. PREsToN then moved for the printing of
the letter Of the Secretary Of War on the sub
ject, which was communicated to the other
House, but never has been printed for the use of
the Senate. This produced another futtering
among the Federal Loco Focos. Several of
| them started up in succession 10 oppose il on
different grounds--all of them trivial and vexa-
tious Mr.. Clay, Of Alabama, insisted on hav-
ing some explanatory letter of the Secretary to
go with it. That was conceded by the Opposi-
ton Senators but it was not enough. The
same Senator instantly moved for the printing Of
three old reports of General Harrison on the
| subject Of the militia. Even this unprecedent-
ed proposition TO cucumber report Of the pre-
sent Secretary of War, on measure of the err
listing Administration, with the OLD reports of
| General Harrison, made under circumstances
entirely different was agreed 10 $50 as to leave
the Federal Loco Focos no pretext for refusing
Mr.. PREsToN's motion. They were finally
forced TO the adoption-and the whole country
will perceive with how bad grace they sub
mtted.
| The course of the Administration party on
this subject, was well described by Mr. Senator
Preston! when he said they have been obliged
TO confess Judgment, and mW nop make er-
cry effort 10 bring in General Harrison in mi
tigdtion Of damages, Mr.. RoANE admitted
that he could not defend either the constitution
atty or the expediency Of this proposition Of the
President and Secretary of War. 1t will be
found, too, that the attempt to cover them be-
hind the broad shield of the Hero and States
man of North Bend will not succeed. If Mr.
VAN buren, and Mr.. PoINsErr cannot stand on
their own merits, the people of this country
will not be deluded into their support by arbi-
trary and fictitious impuiations Of demerit TO
| othors