The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-05
WHOLE NO. 322


came into power; they certainly would not
attempt to discredit these illustrious wit
nesses, nor deny the authenticity Of the pa
pers which he had read. What had he
proved in the case, and what had he dis
proved He had proved by President jack
son that ut the time he delivered his farewell
address he left "ihis great people prosperous
and happy" What else I Why, that under the
policy Of the country from its first organiza-
ton, ''the progress of the United States, under
our free and happy institutions, has surpassed
the most sanguine hopes of the founders Of the
Republic our growth has been beyond all
former example in numbers. in wealth, in
knowledge, and all the useful arts" And he
had disproved the charges made against the
previous policy of the country He had
shown that it was under that policy that the
country has prospered beyond any country in
the world. He had proved that the present
incumbent had received from his predecessor
nation in the highest stale of prosperity,
without a national debt, and at peace with all
the world All this he had proved by their
own statements but he would not stop here.
lie would ask Senators to glance at the state
of the business Of the nation Of the currency
Of the nation at The enterprise and general
vi prosperity VI tllc HdilOH at the
the present administration came into power.
Mr.. 8 would speak so as to be understood by
all who might do him the honor to read his
remarks. AT the time alluded to, the manu-
factories Of the nation WIRE doing fair bust
ness commerce was prospering; the Nation
al Treasury was filled the farmer received
fair price for his produce; wheat in the West
one dollar and upwards per bushel; flour six
dollars per barrel pork six dollars per hun
dred, and all other kinds Of produce in pro-
portion State Improvements were rapidly
progressing individual enterprise was every
where visible; commercial transactions were
carried on with facility and convenience the
laboring classeso Of society had plenty of employ
at good wages the exchanges of the country
were at about one per cent. between the East
and the West money was plenty and interest
low. Such was the state of the country at the
period of surrender by President Jackson of
the direction Of public affairs. Mr.. s. said he
was apprized that it was said that all this was
an unnatural, diseased state Of the nation, its
1 finances, and its business. To this he would
merely reply that his object was to present the
facts, and not to discuss these coniroverted
questions. He would say, however, TO the
directors, that if all this evidenced disease in
the affairs OF the nation, that disease had been
brought upon her by the late administration to
a great extent. Ii was enough, however, for
the purpose Of the argument he intended to
address to the Senate, that the country was
not viewed as diseased by President Jack
son, or received by President Van Buren
with the least intimation to the people that
there was any disease preying on the vitals
of the national prosperity. He therefore felt
justified in taking these distinguished indi-
viduals at their word, and charging to the
policy that had been pursued the misfor-
tunes, embarrassments, and distress under |
which the whole country and its business
labored. Flow stands the case How
stands the prosperity Of the people now ?
What is the state Of the monetary affairs of
the nation! What the comnercal9 What
the manufacturing What the farming I? -
What the laboring? What the mechanical!
The State improvements Z Let each of
these interests in the country answer the |
question.
Sir, said Mr.. S., Senators could theorize |
beautifully. He had heard the Senator from
South Carolina, Mr. Calhoun with that inte-
rest which the Senator always gave to the |
subject he discussed. He theorzed and ge-
neraliZed with great effect but still it was
but theory and generalization. That Senator
bad made on this subject what he called a
Northern speech he had even regretted that
the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr.. Web
ster, was not in his place to hear him, believ-
ing, as he said, that he could satisfy even that |
Senator of the correctness Of his views. 1t |
was not the purpose Of Mr.. S. to step between
those distinguished Senators but he confess |
ed that the attitude in which he saw the Sc
nator from South Carolina was a new one. 1t
was the first time he had ever heard him at
tempting to protect the Northern manufac-
turers II had, therefore, directed the attention
of Mr.. S. to that portion of the argument of
the Senator. He believed he fully cornpre-
hended the Senator. The Senator had at
tempted to maintain that the only protection
which the Northern manufacturer required
was the reduction of the labor of the workman,
and like reduction on the produce on which
they subsisted that, by reducing these, the
profit on the capital Of the manufacturer
would be increased in the same ratio. This
might or il might not be so but it was GER
tainIy a remarkable poor mans argument; it
was the very doctrine for which the opponents
of this dwelling destructive policy contend,
that the object and effect is TO reduce free la
Dor and produce, for the benefit of the capt.
tallsts OF the nation; or, in other words, TO
make the rich richer and the poor poorer. II
was doctrine against which Mr.. S. entered
his solemn protest. The Senator from South
Carolina would excuse an idea that Mr.. 5.
had received whilst listening to his speech
There might be nothing in it. He would,
however, throw il out for what it was worth.
He had thought it possible that, while that
Senator was endeavoring to satisfy the Senate
that it was for the interest Of the n forth to re-