The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-10-06
From, The Massachusetts, Eagle.
PUBLIC DINNER TO THOMAS ALLEN, Esq.

From The Massachusetts, Eagle.
PUBLIC DINNER TO THOMAS ALLEN, ESQ,
The Wing Republicans of Pittsfeld, Mass,
desiring to evince the high respect they enter
tain for their friend and fellow townsman,
Thomas Allen, Esq, of the Washington City
Madsonian, invited him to parake OF public
dinner at Warmer & Russellfs, Berkshire Ho-
tel, on Wednesday, the 23d Of September. AL
though no public notice of the meeting and IN
tended honor was given, yet body highly
respectable both in character and numbers as
sembled Thomas A. Gold Esq, of Pittsfied,
was chosen to preside on the occasion. The ar
engagements were all felecitous, and the company
sat until late hour, manifesting the highest en-
joyment throughout After having discussed
with due Justice the well selected subjects boun-
tifully and tastefully spread by the worthy and
enterprisng hosts, and the cloth being removed,
the President arose and after few appropriate
remarks, presented the following sentiment,
which was received with great applause, to wit:
Our Guest, THOMAS ALLEN, Esq.-As an es
teemed townsman, scholar and gentleman, we
welcome him. As patriot, devoted in principle
and in practice to the dearest rights and interests
of the Union--as an untiring advocate of Re
publicanism, as well in the administration of
public affairs as in the equal practical diffusion
of the blessings Of true liberty among the people,
and as an erudite editor, who has faithfully and
successfully exposed the corruptions and dere
Lotions of the present administration, and shown
their direct and evil bearing upon the country,
we delight to honor him.
Mr.. ALLEN rose amidst the applause that fol-
lowed this toast, and was received with tremen-
dous cheering. Mr. Allen thanked the company
for the honor they had done him in becoming
terms. To be applauded by ones friends and
neighbors who had known him from boyhood,
was sufficient balm for the bruises he had re-
! ceved in partisan warfare at the hands of stran-
gers Finding himself surrounded by all the
endeared associations OF his youth, TO which he
feelingly adverted, he held up the village news
paper established by his own father, to defend
Republican principles, but which in the changes
of time had aberrated from its position and was
now feeble pander to federal power. 1t attri-
buted the movements Of the people against Van
Buren, to British influence and British gold
Taking this for text, Mr. Allen went into the
history Of loco focoism, traced il back TO its
British origin, in Thomas Skidmore, Robert
Dale Owen, and Fanny Wright and demonstra-
ted that when those people landed few years
ago upon this continent they planted the seed of
loco focoism, which has since grown into tree
whose poisonous shade had clouded the pros
poets Of the whole country. For its chief en-
couragement Mr.. Van Buren, was responsible.
Mr. A. gave history of the rise and progress
of Conservative principles as opposed TO the
destructive revolutionary purposes of loco foco-
the speculations Of 1886, by inviting the Depo-
site Banks to enlarge their discounts-that the
same administration caused the suspension OF
specie payments by the banks, in 1897, by the
bungng manner in which MIR. Woodbury. exc
cuted the Distribution Law-showed that no
body expected the sub Treasury when Mr.. Polk
was elected Speaker of the 25th Congressional
Mr. Van Buren, fell into minority, the moment
after his first message was read, was shown
in the election of printer, &c, and would have
forever remained in minority but for the vio-
lent proceedings in the New Jersey case.
Mr.. Allen explained the character of the Sub
treasury, as developed by the latest practices
under it-showed that it was Treasury Bank
that the law was but partly executed-that
there was no divorce of bank and State--re-
viewed the latest arguments by which it was
supported, having reference to its effect upon
currency, labor and manufactures, and testified
TO the accuracy of Mr.. Davis view OF Mr. Blu
chanan's speech, &c. He then noticed the
militia bill, and exposed the enormities of that
scheme of despotlsm, and Mr.. Van Buren's
miserable regeneration in regard TO it-showed
il be more ultra federal than the old Alien and
Sedition law--noticed the raising of an army in
Florida, against the express judgment of Con-
gress, whereby was usurped the power of carry
ing on war-showed the absurdty and danger
of Mr. Van Buren's claims to being ''compo-
nent part of the legislative power'-unlolded the
anti-republican spirit and tendency of his whole
admnistration-proved that he had deserted the
principles upon which General Jackson came
into power, in lS29--that he had disappointed
his former supporters, had abandoned his con
stitutional duties that he had reversed the order
of legislation, assalled the Judiciary, and the
States rights, and induced subservient Con
gress TO abandon its obligatory control over the
currency of the country. Mr.. Allen then glanced
ut the progress of enlightened opinion as evinc-
ed by the movements of the people, at the cha
racter and purposes of Gen. Harrison and his
supporters, and the bright prospects ahead, &c
&c. But it is impossible to give more than an
index TO Mr. Aliens remarks-they occupied
nearly two hours in the delivery, and exceeded
in ability and interest the sanguine expectations
Of his friends After inviting all who could af-
ford IL to visit Washington at the inauguration
OF General Harrison, on the 18th of March next
and assuring them that the string of his latch
was never pulled in, he concluded with the fol-
lowing sentiment;
The motto of the Berkshire Delegation at
Bunker Hill, Executive usurpation is not De
mocracy."
f.. ii. kELLoe, Esq, who presided al the
lower end of the table, being called upon, intro
duced the following toast BY brief but very en-
tertainng remarks
O,v friend and guest One Of the best slabs
spit from the quarry of Jacksonism Let US
keep at work, driving the drill and swinging the
pck-axe, for there is abundance of material, in
the same bed, that will make the most splendid
monuments OF patriotism