The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-30

GENTLEMEN: ol;,o invita-
,;on on The part of my fellow-citiZens OF Mont |
.,omerv and Bath, to Join with them on the 9th |
Instant, at the residence of s. Young, Esq, IN |
the county of Bath, in celebrating the battle OF
the Thames.
regret that business Of character not to be
dispensed with, will prevent me from meeting
many friends with whom | would gladly ex-
change CALCULATIONS, in happy meeting on that
day rendered memorable and glorious to Ken
tucky by reason of victory gained by her brave
sons, over the combined forces Of the British
and sayages-a day sacred to the memory OF her
illustrious dead, who sealed with their blood the
victories she has gained But have also other
reasons for regretting my not being able to be
with you. The alarming crisis which we arel
has no doubt called into existence the proposed
gathering of the people of the patriotic counties
Of Montgomery and Bath, who have witnessed
the extraordinary spectacle of summer session
of Congress, in which all the angry passions oil
men have been stirred up, even TO personal COM
bat and vioence-the chamber OF the House OF
Representatives to be turned into an arena for
the pugilistic of that body. while the Senate in
uproar and violence have come short OF the House
In blows alone.
They have witnessed nearly three months OF
this session pass of, to no one good purpose, at
the cost of more than a million of dollars, when
the revenue is not equal to the current expenses
of the Government. They have witnessed
more they have seen a majority OF both
Houses attempt to break down the President,
and to force him 10 sign bills establishing Banks
of the United States, contrary to his views OF
the Constitution, against his oath OF office, and,
as he believes, the interest of the country; and
when all efforts have failed TO intimidate him at
the capital into a compliance with the demands
of the majority, the reckless and abandoned of
society have, throughout the length and breadth
of the country, been stimulated to hang, shoot,
and burn in effigy the President of these United
States, to the utter disgrace Of the actors their
applauders and instigators; and when these still
fail to intimidate, the people have seen portion
of each branch of the majorities in Congress
assembled at the Capitol to deuounce their Pre-
sident, and on the part, and for the whole Wing
party, proclaim that they are no longer response
bic for the acts of the Government, and that they
will finally force compliance on the part of the
President, or change the Constitution OF the Uni
ted States, until the Executive department of
the Government shall be brought under the will
and control OF the majority of Congress, and the
checks and balances of our happy Union be for
ever destroyed. No wonder that the people, seeing
and hearing these things, began to act; it is time
that they take their business in their own hands
and teach their servants that they are not their
masters, but subject to- and are not to set their
will above the Constitution; to indicate to Con-
ment, and thatther masters, the people. will not al
low them to usurp powers over the Executive de-
partment and trample il under foot, and that Con-
gress will ask in vain for the power from the peo
pie, to enable them to do so. What brilliant ex-
ample of frmness and greatness does John Ty-
Ter exhibit to the world oil the value vi our iIsti-
buttons and of the reverence due to constitution
al government! Yes, he proves well, what
man, strong in the affections OF the country,
ii. Errn nF h chor
pure and spodess, is worth to nation. While
conflicts of party strfes assail him on every side,
and a domineering majority demands of him to
sacrifice on the ALTAR of party the Constitution he
has sworn to support and protect, he stands forth
the fearless defender of the Constitution and of
the rights of the Executive and Of the States
/ have myself always believed that Congress
possesses the power to incorporate Bank of
the United States, as an agent to carry on the
commerce of the States with foreign nations,
and between the States but that the General
Government cannot confer upon itself political |
powers not granted by the Constitution, by in
cooperating itself, as was attempted by the two
bank charters of last session.
If Congress can levy taxes and pay debts
through a partnership with individuals Tor ~
wears, they can incorporate the Government I'M
der an act ofincorporation for twenty thousand
years; and if Congress can grant to the Gene
raj Government the right to deal in promissory
notes, bills of exchange, and gold and silver bull
lion, and to loan money at discount and usury-
to buy chattels, and to deal in the lands of the
States, in partnership with other corporations,
Congress can, on the same prlnclple, grant to
the General Government the exclusive right to
deal in cotton or tobacco. In fine, Congress
may, by an act Of incorporation, grant away the
trade of New York or N. Orleans. Besides these
arguments, and many others, standing against
the principles of the Bank bills, passed by Con-
gress, at its late dog days session, on Constitu-
tional grounds, there are other and further OBJ
jections to them in moral and political point of
view In most civilized nations as in our
States, laws exist against exorbtant usury con-
tracts exceeding scale of interest fixed by law
are not only violable, but offenders against laws
prohibiting usury are punished crinainally; and
vet each Of the Bank bills vetoed by the Pre-
sident created 10y bank charter the Govern
ment of the United States not only into an enor-
NOUS usurer, but into a usurer of the most obi
Gus and detestable character. BY the funda-
mental law of the corporation, the Government
of the United States was to be taker and receiv-
er of the one-thrd of all the usures which the
corporation could grind or shave from the face
of labor for twenty years, and to stimulate its
propensity to cut down the labor of the country
In all its fiscal action. The only bounds re.
quired for the corporate privileges was what the
corporation could squeeze out Of the people. over
seven per cent Thus did the majority OF Con-
gress in violation of the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, attempt to turn the Government into
corporate usurer, with other usurers, and TO
sell the privilege Of exclusive shaving and cut
ting down the labor Of the country for the ex-
cess Of usury to be made and received upon
these shaving establishments above seven per
cent. President Tyler has, by his veto, stayed
the work Of the usurer, and maintained the con-
stitutonal integrity Of the Government. But
for this he is denounced, and the Executive de-
partment of the Government threatened with
ACKNOWLEDGMENT | stand for the Constitution,
and 90 against constitutional thinkers, be they
Wings or Democrats; and as cannot be with
you, permit me to present 10 my countrymen,
when assembled around the festive board, a SEN
timent: -...... .-.s'
The Constitution of the United States, the