The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-18

try were indissolubiy bound up. We ho?ed TO ma
also in the fact TINT his accession 70
Presidency brought him into communion and inti-
mate political fellowship with the chosen vanguard OF
the Wing party-the first selection made oy uenern
HARRlsoN of Cabinet, distinguished Tor ITS para
mount ability, integrity and fidelity TO ,he glorious
cause in which we had conquereaafS ~ yhnm
all men trusted as in the very embodiment OF the
principles of the party To which they oeongeo VINO
were inseparaby associated with Its glory, ana In
whose generous and honorable relaon 70 .no coun
dent we had the security Of wise and prosperous coun
sals and he the pledge of cooperation winch shouid
enable him to accomplish all that the naton
These homes were still further enivened py the en-
couraging tone in which the rieslaenq IeielIsu IN NE
rst address TO the nation, to the ever glorious ex
.moIen afforded him by the Fathers OF the great Ke
bI;c.n school and the declaration of his determine
ton to walk in the path which they pointed out.
In the indulgence OF these hopes Congress enleiet
mon its abors. By adopting rules for the despatch
Of business conformable to the emergency OF an extra
ssson and in view the great amount OF Legislation
which the times required, we have been enabled 70
achieve ALL and more than all that our consul
tuents could have demanded at our hands ne lead
mo and great measures of this session have been I'M
der discussion in Congress and out Of it, for many
years past and little remained to be said beyond re-
1etition of former debates. There nothing in the
circumstances or position Of either party in Congress
10 require or even to Justify proracted discussions
and the majority therefore, felt themselves entitled to
give to the extra session the character Of Congress OF
action and decision rather than one of debate and
we feel assured that in this effort we have done no
more than respond to the just expectations OF the
People a.. .... ... ..,,. .>I.. Il. |
First in urgency amongst the bills passed during the
.-.sorr that TO which the public command most
imperavely drew the notice of Congress- was the re-
peal of the Sub-treasury law Our next care was the
enactment Of the Land bill. This was followed by
an act converting the debt which the preceding Adj
mnistraton had entailed upon the country in loan
of twelve mio of dollars, which 10 limited for its
IN iol off hraa ted
with this measure was the Revenue bill, rendered ne
cessary not only az a provision towards the extln-
punishment of the loan, but also as indispensable for
The supply of means to meet the ordinary and necessa-
~ appropriations of the year The Bankrupt act, so
Earnestly and long solicited by large and merito-
aous class of citizens has been passed under cir
cmstances which cannot but reflect the highest ho-
nbI upon the Representatives of many sections OF the
country. As measure standing alone, it might per-
hps have been destined to further delay but being
brought was, into that series of measures which
were supposed to embrace the scheme of relief which
thepation at large required it met from Wing Con
gres that support OF which the chief argument and
highest value are derived from the respect which every
felt to be due to comprehensive policy, whose
scopS should include every interest in the nation
is tia for the benefit of the country, and remains to
be altered improved, as the public wants may here
afterlbe found to require. The Importance, in the
posture of cur affairs Of attending to the national de-
fenced suggested the of establishing Home
Squadron, Of repairing and arming the Notifications
Of providing for the defence of the Lakes; and of
bringing the nation at large into state of readiness
against hostile aggression-in regard TO which mea-
sures, great unanmity prevailed in Congress, we
may sa{ely assure ourselves they will meet the und
vided APPRECIATION of our constitutes throughout the
| whole Union. w., n..... 49,. ~ri{ II
This rapid review fellow citizens will exhibit what
| we have done. What have failed to do remains
| to be told ...-r..
| 1t is with profound and poignant regret that we
find ouHelves called upon to invoke your attention to
o,ht he anlla aHin ma
touchingthis question anxious endeavors to res
pond to the earnest prayer Of the nation have been
frustrated by an act unlookedfor it is to be la
mented. We grieve to say to you that by the exer-
else of thatpower in the Constitution which has ever
been regarded with suspicion, and often with odium
/ by the Peope--a power which had hoped was ne
he exhibited, on this subject, by Wing Pres
dentwe have been defeated in two attempts to create
| a Fiscal Agent which the wants Of the country had
u.s. in the mort absolute form Of proof
be emnently necessary and proper in the present
emergency. Twice have we, with the utmost dill
gence and deliberations matured plan for the collec-
ton, safe-keepng, and disbursing of the public mo-
neys through the agency of corporation adapted to
that end and twice has it been fate to encounter
the opposition ofthe President through the application
of the veto power The character of that veto in
each case the circumstances in which II was admins
tered and the grounds upon which it has met the de-
cided dsapprobation of your friends in Congress, are
sufficiently apparent in the public documents and the
debates relating to it. This subject has acquired
| interest
with YOU from the unhappy developments with which
il is accompanied We are constrained to say that
we find ground to justify in the conviction that
the of the President has been nteposed on this
question solely upon conscientious and weii.consder-
ed opinions Of constitutional scruple to his duty in
the presented On the contrary, too many proofs
have been forced upon observation to leave free
from the apprehension that the PRESIDE has permit
ted himself TO be begned into opinion that ny this
exhibition of his prerogave he might be able to di-
vert the policy of his Administration into channel
which should lead to new political combinations, and
accomplish results which must overthrow The present
divisions of party in the country, and finally produce
q state Of things which those who elected him, al
least have never contemplated We have seen, from
an early period of the session, that the Wing party
did enjoy the confidence of the President. With
4 modification we have observed that his associa.
i tons more sedulously aimed at a free communion
4 with those who have been busy to PROSTATE ON
i purposes rather than those whose principles
seemed to be most identified with the power by which
he was elected. We have reason TO believe that ne
has permitted himself to be approached, counselled
and Influenced by those who have manifested least in
terest in the success Of Wing measures What were
represented to be his opinions and designs have beer
freely and even nsolenty, put forth in certain por-
TONS and those not the most reputable, OF the pubnc
press, in a that ought to be deemed offensive
TO his honor certainly the feelings of those
), who were believed to be his friends. In the earnes
endeavor manifested by the members Of the Whis
party in Congress 10 ascertain specifically the Presl
dents notons In reference 10 the uetas OF suCn Oil
relating to Fiscal Agent as would be likely TO NEE
bis approbation the frequent changes of his opinion
and the singular want of consistency in his views
have bafed bis best friends and rendered the hope
Il adjustment impossible. ... r.. -
II Congress, early in the session. called upon the Sc
cretary of the Treasury for the plan of Fiscal Agent
the result of this call bill which was reported ir
detail with an argument in its favor and 1t was, a
we have right to regard it, received by all the bill
i of the President In fact it was known to contain
provisions in reference to the assent Of the States
which correspondent with the private opinion Of nc
member of the Cabinet. This bill the President had
| even informed more than one member of the House
he would be willing to sign If passed by Congress
yet contained provision for local dissounting in
regard to which his Veto Message afrms his objec-
ton be altogether insuperabe The President has
subsequently declared that this his measure,
and that when he said he would sign this bill he had
not read it,. The plan of exchange bank, such
u III 6rat VI H. L.