The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-24

honor of the country and defend the rights of its cit
zens without making II calculation Of dollars and
cents and he believed that the time was fast approach
ing when they would not only be obliged 10 make APP
preparations for defence, but make them before the
ioar Of the cannon of the enemy. He hoped il might
be otherwise but he thought that the signs of the
times pointed towards such event. Look at their
position the African coast and what going
on there; leok OF Nassau, and let Americans ask
themselves whether they prepared to submit to
violation of their rights and propertyl With regard
to the public lands, Alabama would not accept of the
bounty proilered TO her. The people of that State
considered this OF reYenue necessary prevent
the Government from running into debt and avoid
the necessity Of high tariff. He would appeal to
gentlemen who voted for the Land to say whether
the time had not now arrived when they should re-
peal it, that the money derived from the sales ofhe
lands should into the Treasury and be appro-
priated To defend the rights Of the country2 lie
would ask Senators to reflect that the measure had
been rcpudiated and condemned by the people in the
recent elections. For himself he thought that the
country ought Immediately 10 be placed in state OF
defence, and he would not hesitate vote an appio-
priaion for that purpose, even il he had 10 tax his
constituents in doing He hoped that gentemen
would, in all the spirit and character which belonged
TO Senator'S admit that the passage of the uni
wise and mex pedent, and with becoming mag ma
nlmy vote with him for lis repeal II asked md
expected by the country and, II should not be done,
the people would be disappointed in their expecta-
tons.
Mr. MANGUM said that they were called on to
commit this bill (not OF detail but the naked ques-
ton Of repeal and reversal of the solemn Judgment
of the Senate and place this subject in the hands OF
gentlemen unfavorable 10 the Land act, who would
thus have opportunity to emharrass its friends and
he protested against the commtlal of this question to
the hands of its enemies. For himself he should hold
to his measure and he preferred get by the present
difficulties in the Treasury the best way they could
for was certain that the rccupeatye energies OF the
anil x seaI nf thnir,
baton upon the injurious policy of certain portion
of the country. lie did not believe that the pub
lie judgment had condemned the Land act and
that an isolated question, the people would be
found in its favor. With regard TO the question Of
war there was eyerish excitement in the country,
but he did not believe that any man seriously thought
that we were in immediate danger, and he did not
believe that il the policy Of the two countries to
launch upon the bosterous surges Of open war, when
their interests so intimately connected, II it
were he should imagine the world TO be as mad as
was France during her bloody revolution. They
must, however, get by their present difficulty
How; Was il by Notifications: Was it by placing
an armed steamer ~ every creek and IN every sea
MOI but by calling the attention of Congress TO the
necessity of bringing back the expenditures of the
Government To their proper limits, and let economy
and retrcnchnient be the order Of the day. II was
important that they should abandon their notions Of
visionary glory, get back to their habits of economy,
and endeayor 10 reclaim the purity of the Govern
ment. lthad been said that the ma jory here would
be held responsible for all the public measures of the
session If this were so, il was their first duty 10
meet the responsibility. Instead Of appropriang
thirty millions, called for by the estimate from
the Departments, they must come down To a smaller
amount He knew the difficulty of bringing back the
Government but they must begin at once, and re-
move the prurient desire Of every head Of the De
partments TO distinguish himself, and to gain ecla
Mr.. CALHOUN remarked that the question was
simply whether the subject should be referred to
lect committee. The parliamentary rule was that
such committee should be favorable to the measure
entrusted to its Therefore, he trusted that the
Chair would do his duty.
Mr.. KING thought that if this bill should be re-
ferred to of the standing committees it would be
committing the lamb TO the wolf for the parlamenta-
nv awrequired that measure should berefcrrcd to a
committee who were favorable to il. But let the
bill be referredi and if favorable report should
be made, il would be in the power of the majority 10
adopt or toreject IT,
Mr.. LINN asked for the yeas and NAYS the
motion To refer the bill TO select committee, and
they were ordered. 5.
Mr. MANGUM said that he was not very learned
in the rules of order but he thought that they ought
not To commit tho lamb the clutches of the wolf
by referring the measure TO a select committee.
Mr. BARROW thought that the better plan would
be to refer the subject TO select committee composed
of those calling themselves Democrats and ther
they could ascertain the precise position which the
opposing party intended to occupy on this great and
important measure and be the better prepared to
correct, by an open debate the erroneous impress
sions which had gone abroad with regard 10 the en-
tire subject.
Mr.. WOODBURY. conceived that this measure in.
yolved variety of questions connected with the
finances of the country, and he thought that ought
to be treated in a manner which would give saistac-
ton to all the parties concerned. He thought that
his friend from Pennsylvania Mr.. BucHANAN) was
wrong i'll the impression that the exports of the
try for lS4l, had exceeded the imports. He saw no
thing of the kind in the Report Of the Secretary Of
the Treasury in fact this information could not
probably be ascertained with any kind of accuracy
Mr. RlVES said that some gentlemen had spoken
the necessity of referring this subject to some
committee, but, Tor his own part he necessity
whatever for doing SO; and he would remark that
while he was anxious give perfectly fair consde
ration to this question, he was perfectly unbiased
in his Judgment. He had said that there sort
of propriety in committing this bill to a select commit
tee And why Because they wanted an nves,iga
ton and presentation of this subject in form free
from particular bias and if il should be referred to
select committee the majority Of must according tc
Jefersons Manual, be friendly 10 the bill and that
was the parliamentary law. his bill entitled An
act to repeal an en, an to distribute the pro
ceeds of the sales of the public lands and to grant
pie-cmption rights, and TO appropriate the land
nue. therein named to the defence Of the country ,.
Now there no kind of control in the committee
over the title of the bill and where there mt
particular provision which gave rise to general scope
there should be commitment at all. The necessa
~ consequence, therefore, of sending this bill to the
comlnittee simply to obtain report in favor of re
pealing il and, he asked Senators the other side
il they would counenance an CT pdrte proceeding %
this sort But Senators said that the people had de
clared against the Distribution BILL but he had no ev
denoe of such result and he free to say to III,
Senator from Alabama, that if he thought thai
he had not the confidence of Virginia in this
matter he would be prompt to reverse his steps
But where was the evidence that contrary scntl
ment was entertained by that State II no where oX
stcd But if he could be convinced that, (howevcl
proper under the circumstances might have been Tho
enactment of the law y there was necessity for re-
pealng it. he would go hand IN hand with others who
advocated its repeal What he wanted was an i'm
partial and deliberate Investigation OF this question
and he did not desire to send the bill to any commit
tee committed beforehand. If it should be place
with the Committee on Public Lands, they wotl,
simply report against the repeal, aud if select con
H. IL. Io,. t,o toll