The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-07

ndu IN nef vaults ~ sPN~'~
497 IN circulation. The measure o. 'o'., Nary
recently adopted BY the banks Of Pennsusan's' 49," s
land, and other States am happy 70 say "-
followed BY the State Bank Of Indiana
So. sir. fsaid Mr.. S.,) you see that, give
Indiana fair play, keep your hands out oil her
pockets. make no assaults upon her credit ar
rest your destructive policy, paralyze not her
industry, reduce neither the wages Of her la
bor nor the price Of her produce by your war
mon the currency and she will shake of the
manacIes with which you have temporarily
bound her, and rise in her true character one
OF the young giants Of the west.
Mr.. s. said he must notice briefly the i'm
mediate subject before the Senate however
unfashionabe he might be deemed for doing
so. He had, however, said already much that
was Intimately connected with it, The Sc
nator from Missouri had introduced string Of
resolutions on the subject of the assumption
by the Government ofthe debts of the States.
and had made his speech upon them alter
very brief discussion, they had been referred
to a select committee, OF which Mr.. 5. was
member. He had met the committee in good
faith at the outset, with his protest against the
whole proceedings: a report had been made,
and resolutions introduced from the majority
Of the committee, 30 both of which he had dis
sented. In justice 10 the chairman of the
committee, he would say that, il the subject
was properly before Congress, the chairman,
in the report, had presented the views Of The
majority OF the committee in manner un-
exceptionable as the nature of the subject
submitted would admit, and with the usual
ability of that Senator. Mr. 5. did not object
to the report on that ground. He had heard,
With some surprise, Senators on this side Of
the chamber suppose that the charge against
the States came from the Senator from Mig
souri,, Mr.. Benton, or the committee. He
thought, to use WesterH phrase, the saddle
had not been placed on the right horse. He
had read an extract from the late Message Of
the President where Senators had seen who
originated this attempt TO draw the business
and pecuniary condition Of the States before
the Federal Government for its criticism and
animadyersion. The Message says "Ihe
foreign debt Of our State Corporations and
men of business can scarcely be less than two
hundred millions of dollars" Such is the
statement made by the President il might all
be true; but why blazen X forth to the worldl
Some Lendon bankers had suggested the pro-
priety OF the States giving further security,
meaning, no doubt, the United States, il they
desired 20 obtain any further credit. Resolu-
tons were introduced, declaring that Con-
gress would not assume the State debts the
resolutions were referred TO a committee, and
that committee had reported set Of resolu-
tons graYely negatiying the assumption. Mr..
.. said this was one OF the most splendid
legislative farces ever played of. He resisted
the whole oft. What! was the Senate OF the
United States, eae OF the most dignifed and
august bodies in the world, to resolve itself
into corresponding tribunal, to respond to
the Earrings, or any body else, in relation to
the concerns Of the sovereign States Of the
Unionl Suppose the Rothschilds, in pub
lica,ion, should desire the Uaited States to
pay the claims they held against American
citizens. Was the Congress Of the United
States to solemnly resolve that it would not
pay? Can 1t be possible that this body is to
step from its proper and legitimate business
to the wayside, to answer calls about affairs
over which it had no control Mr.. S. Sud he
deRied in toto the whole of the doctrine. He
denied that naked resolves, where no legisla-
tive action was proposed, upon subjects not
before the body, and where il was not intend
cd to bring matters before Congress which
might require legislative action, were within
the ordinary duties Of Congress and, if re-
sorted to at all, should never be countenanced
except on extraordinary occasions. If such
a course Of action should prevail, the time Of
Congress might be wholly occupied in resolv-
ing on every matter that might be conceived
Of There would be, as there had been to
very little purpose, endless resolves, giving
Congressional expositions Of the Constitution
and institutions Of the country. On the other
hand, each political party would lay down its
creed, and bring its Partisans up to standard
of political action by formal resolves. Con-
gress would override State Legislatures and
forge public opinion, become masters instead
Of the agents Of the States and people, and
cause the pride Of opinion 10 predominant
over the love Of justice in after action, when
subject might be legiumately before it. Sul-
fcieM for the day is the evil thereof Mr..
s. said, for himself and his State he protested
against being called to the bar of the Senate,
and compelled to say ay or no 10 any PROPOSE
ton or abstract question Senators or commit
tees might require him to act upon by the re-
solutions. Let them bring up question for
legislative action, and he was ready to act
upon it at once, to respond directly to it. He
had never lodged Q qnestion,nor would he ever,
but he was not to be catechised in this manner.
He had said at the outset that he viewed
the whole Of these proceedings as gratuitous
and uncalled for, and he could, by no vote Of
his, give them any sanction whatever. He
should vote against the whole Of them, with
out intending 10 express any opinion on their
merits. He considered them as well calcu
lated TO affect the credit of the States abroad,
where their resources were not properly
known and he could see no necessity what
ever for any proceedings in the matter on tn,
part OF the Senate. Senators say the cha
racter and credit Of the States cannot be in