Litchfield enquirer., 1840-03-12


! Government Office Holders, not vet beino
SICK unto death, it has been decided th;i
more nostrums are necessary. Mr.. Bucha.
nan OF Penn.-an ambitious man, who has
Oo'h eyes upon the Presidency for 1844-has
"PpoIll' q 'ilnselt to administer, in broken
uoSeS' a0ul'onal prescriptions concocted by
i nni'Soi1' On Monday, he introduced a reso.
l m proposing the appointment OF Select
t Ion''iItt'ee Tor the purpose of inquiring into
ene PloPrle1y OF SO charging the Specie basis
as W make 1t the common circulation of the
country To-day this resolution was brot
! forward Tor consideration, and discussion
OF one hour took place, to be followed pro-
naoly by continued debate Tomorrow
INC resolution wished to bring about another
golden age, through an amendment of the
Cohsliutlon-whch amendment was to he
considered IN Committee and recommended
10 the State Legislatures.
MI wooster resisted the proposition at
the threshold. He argued briefly that there
was no necessity for an amendment of the
CONSTITUTION, Tor the reason that in his opin
l"'i inc CONSTITUTION now gave Congress the
power 10 regulate the currency. He bcIiev-
ca ttat THIS power existed as much in regard
10 currency as to commerce and shiDpino.-
In regard to a Specie Basis, Mr.. Webster
sad he would be glad to have it enlarged 49,
He had years gone by proposed its enlarge.
ment, and If ne remembered right, before any
other member of the Senate But he found
the subject to be an impracticable one in all
Its relations, and he had therefore abandon
ed 1t. But not tor these reasons alone was
hlr. Webster opposed to Mr.. Buchanan's Re-
solution. He looked at the condition of the
country, and saw nothing but signs of dis
tress. He looked at the resolution, and saw
that no practical good could come Of it. 1t
was one of those teaZing, dclusive measures
which would deceive the people by holding
out false hopes, and in the end do no good to
any body, but be abandoned
| Mr.. Buchanan followed with an Anti-Smal!
Bill and Hard Money speech He wanted a
Select Committee, and wanted to make a
Report-(perhaps for the reason that Mr.
Benton wanted Il Select Committee and Re
port tor his State Debt and Assumption Re-
solutions-the humbug of 10000 copies of ID
party document.) He was for restricting the
State Banks in their issues, and would begin
| by amending the Constitution, so that the
Banks should not issue bills under the denone-
1nation Of tarenfy dollars. General jackson,
| MIR. Van Buren,, and other moral and modern
luminarics, were cited as the friends of this
big bill measure of his; and added 10 this,
|
remark Of Burke to Pitt, that if five pound
notes were issued by the Bank of England
not guinea would be seen in England.
Mr.. Strange, of North Carolina, one of the
"littlest great men" in Congress, but never.
thclcss prominent party man, and, like his
colleague, one of the opponents of the party
creed, followed his friend Mr.. Buchanan, and
strange to say in opposition to his resolutions.
But hear his reasons He was sorry, he said,
for two. First and foremost, because it
would injure his party; and secondly, it dis
turbed some of the principles now before the
people which had been made the test ques.
ton in the great and important battle which
was to be fought. | am, said Mr.. Strange
opposed to the resolution upon other grounds
believe the Banks of the country are NOV
ing in the downward progress as fast as they
can. am opposed to doing any thing which
will excite temporary sympathy in theil
favor. | would rather accelerate their down
ward motion. We are in a fair way now
MIR. Strange thought, to procure the aboli
ton of paper money, and establish the hard
money basis so much desired by the friends
of the administration. Mr.. Strange contin,
ued, and made as vulgar and pestferous a
speech as ever fell from the lips of a whole
! hog Tammany Hall orator. Fanny Wright
more diabolical results.
Mr. Webster continued the discussion
briefly by charging upon the reasons alrea-
dy given for opposing the resolution. He
believed Congress could so legislate in refer.
enCe to the currency, as to restore prosperi-
ty 20 the country, and with it give healthy
and safe currency.
Mr.. Buchanan thought his nostrum was the
grand panacea and differed from his friend
from North Carolina. He had risen above
party considerations in bringing forward his
resolution.
Mr.. Strange in no very courteous terms
called the last remark mere cant, and he was
sorry his friend had made use Of it, and
would be sorry if his colleague really did
rise above party. He went with his party
always, and opposed his friends resolution
because he thought it would injure his party
! in the coming contest. Here the debate
closed for the day-Mr. Preston making the
motion. The Census Bill came for the sig
nature of the Vice President in the interreg-
mum, and having been signed, the orders of
the day were called. These were the AS
sumption Resolutions of one well known,
Felix Grundy, once the middle partner of
we'll Known firm, who thought proper once
upon time TO dissolve copartnerships and
! leave the business in the hands OF him who
now does his business as a party man with
| infinite skill and deXtcrlty.
Mr. Crittcndcn was the speaker, ard what
ever | could say in praise of his speech
whether of manner, language, argument, or
arrangement, would not be extravagant. If
not The speech of the session, it was speech
WORTHY of any public man. cannot, IA
tigued rs l am with Il hard days work, give
YOU sketch of it, and fear no good report
will be made. The great question Of Cur
rcncy, of Distribution, Of State Debts, of Sc
duced wages, of hard money government,
were discussed with excellent taste and great
skill. Mr.. Crittendcn had word for Mr..
Calhoun, for Mr. Alien, for Mr.. Benton, for
A. D.,nh. MN for Mr. StrnnOc. for 1Le Pre-