The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-06-16
UNITED STATES SENATE,
ruRDAY june l5

EXECUTIVE SCHEME or A STANDING ARMY
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the moa
TO print twenty thousand copies Of the Apoors
Report OF the Militia Committee the project 5, Il
Standing Army presented by the Secretary OF W.
and recommended and endorsed by president H.
Buren,
Mr.. CLAY, of Alabama, resumed and conciul
his apology for the Apologizing Committee Of wb.,
he is himself Chairman He undertook 10 ius,lf, \,
extenuate the project in detail on the ground of
riety Of presidents and then proceeded to assa g.,
Harrison and to vindcate generally the meog,,
and management of the Administration
Mr. PRESTON, in reply, said he had been l.,..
ing to the Senator from Alabama for two DAYS l. b
If he would bring up any thing to sanction the p,.
Of Mr. Poinsett as either expedient or constitute,
but nothing Of the kind had been adduced AZ
gentleman and all his friends had given up the pr5.
as both inexpedicnt and unconstitutional ami d. I'M
ground Mr.. p would take his stand while he prott
ed in further remarks.
But the gentleman and his friends and this rr,.-
had aimed to mitigate" the project of the Secret,
of War, and, in doing this had.quoed from Va.
ington Knox Harrison, Jefferson Monroe and ,tEs.
distinguished and ustrious men. And this i.it,,
ton had been managed in such way that Mr. Pom
sett had much reason to exclaim with modern poi
All that dsgraced my bet,ers me, in he
But did gentlemen really mean to adduce liz NJ.
and opinions Of Gen. Harrison to mitigate Id. n.
ject, or especially to fix stigma on the chs-,
ter of Gen. Harrison; and would they be dislo,c, X
cast stigma also on the revered and ustriou, names
with whom that of Gen. Harrison associate
Mr.. spoke of the project for conscriptou by N
Monroe, made just after our4country and our tg,
tai had been invaded by British troops and when
try was inu md. Il
dering in ruin. And yet distinguished as was We
man. and troubled and dangerous as were the tne
that project was crushed BY public opinion before
was fairly formed and embodied.
Mr. p. replied to variety of other points used h
mitigation Of the plan of Mr. Poinsett and 10 the al
tempt which has been made to cast discredit On tho
conduct opinions, and character of Gen Harrison
He apologized for the time he had taken, whcl 4.
said would have been far less if the report had been a.
companied with copy of the project Of which II to
fessed to be an examination and commentary
After very long rejoinder by Mr.. Clay, or Ala.
bama, to which Mr.. Preston again replied
Mr. SOUTHARD addressed the Senate at some
length TO show that the committee must have had Ill
report of the Secretary Of War before them Ii ia.
upon that document the report of the committee Was
founded, and both papers should go forth togcthcr
Mr.. S said the Senator from Virginia (Mr Roam.
had complained that the People had been mised III
report Of the Secretary of War and that the itrar
of the committee was to enlghten them, and hfHe
them back to the true faith and hence that docu,l
was TO 90 before them unaccompanied by he art.
ichch il ,rds toundcd! Mr.. S. denounced /, N n
electioneering scheme for the printing of which L,
were called on to put their hands into the Trcas.ty
for the purpose Of opening the eyes of the ppag III
Virginia. As it was light the Senator Mr. Ro,H,.
desired he hoped he would have the fairness Is .rh
az me Hgh on the subject. Mr., S. ehplet4j Ae
friends of the report with desire obtain to il te
inPrimotur of the Senate, in order to show ,iha Il
was document in which the People might have a.th
He could tell gentlemen that there were morr ttal
ten thousand persons in Virginia nay, there was n5
county in that whole proud dominion, land III kuew.
It welD that did, not furnish hundreds as capable W
explaining the report of the Secretary as the commit
tee, and he did not dsparage that committee vhu M
said So
Mr. ROANE replied to Mr. Southland 10 the olct,
that the report OF the Secretary had made lis way d
Virginia on the advent of the April election ana That
1t was used an evidence of plan to raise standing
army, when all that suggested by it was 4 psa
for the better organization of the militia
The debate was further continued by Messrs Clay
Of Alabama, Preston, Wright and others when
MIR. SOUTHARD said that although h. mean,
in the first instance, to vote against printing Tie
port Of the committee yet, if Mr.. Roane would agree
that the report of the Secretary should ACCOMPANY
he Mr.. 81 would vote for the printing.
Mr.. ROANE said he would make no conTa,ls
A general taught
4 >
he would content himself with moving to amen the
motion of the Senator from Virginia, Mr. Eoane
by appending the simple report of the Secretary Rnt
on that motion he should ask the yeas and nals,
The question on the amendment being tak,u tl,,t
appeared for it II, against it %, as follows
YEAS-Messrs. Clay of Kentucky, Dayi. Diydu
Huntington, Phelps, Preston, Rugges, Smith ii iii
diana, Southland Tallmadge, Which,
NAYS-Mcssrs Anderson, Benton, Brown Cat
houn Clay, of Alabama, Cuthber Fulton Grundv
Hubbard, King, Linn, Mouton, Nicholas, Nor,cE
Roane Robinson Sewer Strange, Sturgeon IpIy,p
Wall, Wrght-22
The question then taken on Mr. Roane- III
ton to print 10000 copies, and decided follows
fEAS-Messrs. Anderson Brown, Benton C4g
houn, Clay, of Alabama Cuthbert, Fulton Gruudl
Hubbard, King, Linn, Mouton, Nicholas Nore
Roane, Robinson, Sewer Strange Sturgeon Japan
Wall, Wrght--22
NAYS-Messrs. Clay, of Kentucky DAVIS piAau
Huntington, Phelps, Preston Ruggles, Smith II II.
diana, Southland, Tallmadge, White-ll
1t was near six o'clock, when Mr. CLAY ii ana
bama, said he was willing to for the printing 3,
10000 copies ofthe report of the Secretary With i1s.
other documents, and did make that motion when there
were cries of journ, adjourn !"
And, on motion of Mr.. SEWER, the Senate al
journed.
DISTRICT BANKS
Mr. MERRICK moved to take up the bill to inco,
porate the Banks of the District of Columbia n "a
spect to which the question on joint resolution
offered by Mr.. Tappan substitute for the bill tbsr
resolution provided to continue the charters Of hc
present banks up to July 4th, lS4 so far only 4. ,5
enable them to and be sued on contracts cxistn
previous to the passage of the resolution
Mr.. IAPPAN opposed taking up the bill on tie
ground that the printing of 20 900 copies of the rco
of the Committee on the Militia on Mr. Poinsen,
project was very important and ought to be no onrcs
delayed and that the subject of the District banks
would unavoidably lead TO considerable discussion
MIR BENTON asked if this was not the bill 10 rc
charter all the banks OF the District in one
Mr.. MERRlCK replied that the object of the ".
ginal bill was TO charter single bank for the d.,
r,.i .nf IL. - Il. u e i