The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-05-21
SPEECH OF JOHN +. STUART,
OF ILLINOIS.

SPEECH OF JOHN He STUAhI,
OF ILLINOIS.
In THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES, April 81, 1910
In the Committee of the Whole on the state o.
Union, on The Girl and Diplomatic Appro-
pridtion Bill
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: l desire, for short time, to
recall the attention of this committee from the
Hartford Convention to the Cumberland road
from the North to the West. But, would first
say, that il is with very great reluctance that
feel myself called upon to consume the time OF
this committee, in the discussion Of subjects
foreign to the pending question. Although II
has become fashionable in this body to make
speeches upon matters and things IN general,
having no relation to the questions before the
committee, still | would have now no inclina-
ton to follow an example which believe wrong
in principle, and injurious to the public bust
ness, had il not been for the extraordinary
speech Of my colleague, (Mr REYNOLDS. J.
This speech was evidently made for home con-
sumption-for the latitude of Illinois, and am
unwilling that the position assumed by him
should 90 forth to ourcommon constituents with
out remark from me. feel it, sir, my duty to at
tempt to expose some OF the mistaken views
which he has presented to the people of Illinois
upon question TO them deeply interesting.
NV colleague has thought proper to say that
the facts from the Journals justified him in stat
ing, that it was the Wing party in Congress
that defeated the Cumberland road" This as
sertion, so unfounded, so unjustified by the facts,
was heard BY me, as il doubtless was by the COM
mittee, with unqualified surprise. But SIR, was
still more surprised at the time and manner IN
which the remark was made. The Cumberland
road has not been the subject OF debate, or even
alluded to during the tendency Of the discus
sons on this bill. The bill now before the com
mittee has no relation whatever to the Cumber-
land road. Why, then, did my colleague force
il into this debate and in a manner showing an
evident intention to give IT party character
The exercise of his usual sagaclty would have
warned him that his course would be. injurious
10 the final passage. of an appropriation to that
great western work. The introduction OF the
Cumberland road into this discussion was ill
timed and uncalled for; the position taken by
my colleague has no foundation in the facts Of
case, as ! shall presently show. Why, then
let me again ask, has il been thus introduced (
The answer will be found in the fact that let
ter had but lately been received by my colleague
from distinguished citizen of Illinois, inform
ing him. that unless something could be done t
remove the charge that Mr. Van Buren, wa:
opposed to the Cumberland road, that he (Mr
Van Buren) could not possibly obtain the vote:
of the citizens of Illinois. The speech was IN
tended as an answer to the letter. A statement
made upon this floor in the face Of the Nation
it was thought, would be entitled to more weight
than when given simply in answer to the lettel
of an individual. The statement is sent fortf
from this Hall, endorsed by the character ant
standing of my honorable colleague. That he
should have given such an endorsement to sucf
statement, must again say, is to me matte
of great surprise. But desperate cases require
deserate remedies. The gamester, when he
has lost all besides, stakes his word and hi
honor upon the desperate hazard of the die
But, lsir, / ain very much mistaken indeed II
the intelligence Of the people of Illinois, If un
der the circumstances to which ! am about tt
advert, even the endorsement of my colleague
can induce them to believe that Mr.. Van Burei
is not opposed to the Cumberland road, or tina
an appropriation to that work has been defeated
by the Wing party.
Let us then examine the Journals which m,
colleague says will justify him in the assertion
that the Cumberland road has been defeated b.
the Wing party. The first vote taken upon al
appropriation to the Cumberland road, was OF
the motion Of the gentleman from South Caro-
lima, (Nfr. Pickens) to lay upon the table the in
structions offered by my colleague, (Mr. Casey
requiring the Committee of WAYS and Means b
report bill making an appropriation to thi
work. This, sir, was a test vote. There ar
one hundred and eleven names recorded in tn
affirmative. OF that number, sixty -four wer
Van Buren, men, and forty-seven were Wing:
On this vote, then, there were seventeen Va
Buren, more than Wings who voted against tn
road
The next vote upon this subject was taken o
the motion of the gentleman from Indiana, (M
Profit so TO amend the Treasury Note Bill, a
to make an appropriation OF S450,000 to th
Cumberland road This vote was unfortunate
taken in Committee of the Whole, and the yea
and nays are not recorded, but a count was mad
as the members passed through the tellers; and
here assert in my place, that not ten Van Bure
men on that occasion voted for the amendment
The Wing party, with but few exceptions, vote
in favor of the amendment ! would ask m
colleague, if he can find any thing in these tw
votes TO justify the assertion that she WIFI
party had defeated the Cumberland road
The third and last vote taken on this subjec
in this House, was the final vote taken on Tn
motion to instruct the Committee Of Ways an
Means above referred to- Upon this vote, sill
one hundred and nine votes recorded IN tn
negatives; Of these one hundred and nine sixty
eight were Van Buren, men, and forty-on wer
Wings On this vote, of those voting agains
the road, there were twenty-seven more Va
Buren, men than Wings.
The fourth and only other vote taken on TIN
question, was in the Senate, as follows: In 70
yor of the road, thirteen Van Buren, Senator
and seven Wings; against it, twelve Van Bu
rem Senators and ten Wings. This is the yot
which my colleague relies upon to prove his pc
sition: and what do we find, sir Y? That on thi
very vote, in the negative stood twelve Van BIZ
rem men to ten Wings Again, of those VIII
voted for the road, there were but two of tn
Administration Senators who did not represer
the States through which the road passes, or
which II is expected TO run, and therefore d
recty interested