The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-28
THE MADISONIAN.
SIGNS OF THE TINES.
LExIsoros, Oct. Isl, lsil.

am Just in the receipt Of your polite invita-
ton, on the part Of my fellow-citizens OF Mont
gomefy and Bath, TO join with them on .he ON
instant, at the residence Of D. oungs hsqp ~
the county Of Bath, in celebrating the battle oil
the Thames.
regret thai business Of a character not TO be
ai.nsnsed with. will prevent me from meeting
many friends with whom | would gladly ex-
change graiulations, in happy meeting on that
day rendered memorable and glorious TO Ken
lucky by reason of a victory gained by her brave
sons. over the combined forces Of the British
and sayaees--a day sacred TO the memory Of her
iIIusrrious 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 are IN,
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 oil summer session
of Congress, in which all the angry passions OF
men have been stirred up, even TO personal com
bat and yioence-the chamber Of the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES 10 be turned into an arena Tor
the pugilistic of that body. while the Senate In
uoroar and violence ha We come short OF the House
in blows alone.
They have witnessed nearly three months OF
this session pass of, to no one good purpose, al
the cost of more than million of dollars, when
the revenue is not equal TO the current expenses
of the Government. They have witnessed
more they have seen 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 offce, and,
as he believes, the interest Of the country and
when all efforts have failed 10 ntimidate him at
the capital into compliance with the demands
of the majority, the reckless and abandoned of
society have, throughout the length and breadth
Of the country, been stimulated 10 hang, shoot,
and burn in effigy the President of these United
States, 10 the utter disgrace OF the actors, their
applauders and instgators; 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 denounce 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 Cover nment 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; il 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 70 Con-
gress that they are but one branch OF the Govern
ment, and thattheir 1.-The people, will not al
low them to usurp powers over the Executive de-
partmen, and trample ii under foot, and that Con-
gTess will ask in vain for the power from the peo
pie, TO enable them to do so. What brilliant ex-
ample Of firmness and greatness does John Ty
Ter exhibit to the world, of the value Of our insti
<utions and Of the reverence due TO constitution
al government! Yes, he proves well, what a
man, strong in the affections Of the country
strong in the moral frmness Of his character,
and IN IA HI
conflicts Of party strifes assa him on every side,
and domineering majority demands of him to
sacrifice on the all OF party the Constitution he
has sworn to support and protect, he standsforth
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.
II Congress can levy taxes and pay debts
through partnership with individuals for 20
years, they incorporate the Government I'M
der an act ofincorporaton for twenty thousand
years; and If Congress can grant TO the Gene
raj Government the right 10 deal in promissory
notes, bills of exchange, and gold and silver bull
hon, and TO loan money at discount and usury-
10 buy chattels, and to deal in the lands Of the
States, in partnership with other corporations,
Congress can, on the same principle, 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 It's late dog days session, on Constitu-
tlonal grounds, there are other and further OBJ
Jectlons to them in moral and political point of
view. In most civilized nations as in our
States, laws exist against exorbitant usury con-
tracts exceeding scale of interest fixed by law
are not only violable, but offenders against laws
prohibiting usury are punished crimindiiV; and
yet each of the Bank bills vetoed by the Pre-
sident created (by bank charter) the Govern
ment Of the United States not only into an enor-
nous usurer, but into usurer Of the most obi
Gus and detestabe 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-third Of all the usuries 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.
qured for the corporate privileges was what the
corporation could squeeze out OF the people over
seven per cent Thus did the ma jorty 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-
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,