Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-02-07

meDts with which the distinguished geht'c
man of the opposition assalIed IT. on 'he
vetv spur of the occasion. Mr. Grundy,
however. went so far 10 the defence as TO
djscla,m, most emphalicaly, any des,gn to
,riure the States. or to rebuke or insult
them. Very likely not. Bot what signify
all these disclaimers. when the whole ten.
dency and end of the acts of the commit.
tee Is to do his injury md give this offence
Wub regard 10 q gross error IN the re.
mort. in stating the amount OF the deOt o.
Louisiana. Mr. Grundy virtually admitted
That he had taken up the report OF New
York Compt,o er, Mr. Flagg, foi his au-
thoriiy. =,
Ia brief, but pungent rejolnder, Mr.
Critl,cnden reinforced, what understood,
were his former objections to the report
The States of the Union are held up, IN 1t
nvd,ouslv, as being IN debt to the amount
Of Ttco Hundred billions Of Dollars! and
Jest any of the evils of such q state OF
indebtedness should escape the notice oi
the world, they are commented on with a u
the ptodigall,y of language and lllustra
,on and when the committee are asked
for the grounds Of their statement, they
can show none. But the chairman tells
the Senate OF a calculation that has CLEANED
family on his memory land it was the
basi. Of this struclure. How, (Mr Crit.
,enden asked could statesman come into
the Senate, and venture to announce to
the world his opinions on this most ,mpor-
,anl and delicate subject, without beng
sure Of his grounds?
He repeated, that all disclaimers
TO the contrary notw Ithsardlng. that
this report was, in substance and tone,
IN its whole ann and object, gross ndig
nifty TO the States. Suppose n man were
to 90 on to charge and proclaim TO every
one he met that one of his nelghbors was
Immensely in debt, (and that too without
knowing anything certain about his condl.
,ion) aud that neighbor had better not
come to him for security, for he should no,
get it--woud that not be regarded as
offensive? That is a similar case. Have
the States asked the Government to be
come their security When? Where ?
What State? They have not asked It,.
Yet they are brought up here in view of
the whole world-not for punishment oh
no!--lhcy are not caught by the beard and
shaken, or by the throat and constrained
but they receive lectures and anlmadver
aud the whole world is told to mark well
that hat they are greatly IN debt, and that
their Government will not become their Sc
curiy!
Mr. Criltenden made no motion; but he
expressed his hope that the ma orlty would
see the proprlety of recommtlng this re-
port, with Instructions to inquire into the
facts; aud ascertain how much was the
amount of the whole debt of the states
and how much was the part Ct each; ant
state these things not with ambiguous YER
bosl'y, but plainly and specifically ; so thai
# the Committee were detNmned to ac
The character Of Mentors. the country
might have correct Information.
Mr. Benton, though not member Of
The committee, had. dare say, much /,
do witt, It's work. He now rose. and afte
few explanations, proposed the printing
u" ,he largest number of copies that ha
ever been printed Of any document" NJ
less than thirty Mousand!!! He furthe
moved that the report should be made Thu
order Of the day for next Monday.
Mr. SOulhard next got the floor an
asked the chairman Of the Commute &c
where he found the proposition tor assum
combating so lndusrriously?
Mr.. Grundy replied, hat notice ha
been gwen by q member OF the House G
Representatives. of his intention to brn
forward measure Of that kind.
Mr.. Suulhard. And what is the gen
ilemans ground for action by US in tn
Senate TO anticipate and countervail
proceeding in the other branchsof Con
gress?
After commenting very properly on th
indec0rum to the House Of Representative
Mr. Soulhard proceeded to show she in
evilaby INJURIOUS effect of the promuga
ton of The report with the sanction Of tn
Senate.
Mr. Smith, of Indiana, followed wit
some judcous aud forcl be remarks agaln
the whole proceedings.
Mr. Brown, Of N. G. spoke short time
but he added little or nothing to what ha
been SAID by his abler friends Messrs. Bel
ton and Grundy.
Mr. Preston then rose and followed U
the attack on this poor report with speeC
great ability and eloquenee. He denit
the jurisdiction of Congress over the Stat,
IN tins matter; and condemned the pr,
ceedlng as an attempt at little else tha
issuing commission of bankruptcy again
them. He exposed very clearly the det
mena effects It must have on The inleres
of his own State of South Carolina parlc
larly; and CT all and of the General Go
eminent itself :--for he reminded the o
'hors that large sums belonging to t,
Government, or for which it was lruste
were invested in these State stocks.
reproba'ed strongly the magnfylpg of 4
debts OF the States by the committee; Al
adduced several fragrant instances of II
mischevous exageratlon. Mr. Preston ask
what right they had to imagine that I
States were coming 10 ask this boon !,
Who says hat South Carolina is comm!
Who says that any State is soliciting yo