The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-21

Re..l.ed. Thai the Committee Naval Affairs %
instructed inquire into the eIpetiency OF Pfos"ins
b. Law for ths appointment Of the commissioned ON
Gers employed in the revenue cutter service Of .hs
1 United States by the President and Senate IN ths
same manner that commissioners officers IN the nav
s<rslce Of the United States ATE appointed and ass
Of psescribing By Law just and proper fank a. DC
tween them and the officers Of the Navy when both
are enployed together upon the same service; and
that the committee report by bill or Otherwise at ihs
next session Of ccngfe .
The resolution OF Mr.. WOODBURY. directing
the Commiifee the District ID Columbia TO inquire
into The nature and extent Of Disturbances an the gal
ery OF the Senate two instances, this session, viz
the passage Of the Fiscal Bank bill, and the reading
of the Presidents Veto on said ball and also Of the
disturbance the Presidents House The night
ensuing said yeto and also the measures that may be
necessary prevent the different departments VI Gov
eminent from violent moIestaion at Washington, was
/ taken up
Mr. MERRICK thought il was not the appropriate
/ business OF Committee Of this body 10 nsesiigate
dsorJerIy proceedings tia. might have taken place in
this city it belonged to the civil authorities and il
they had not sufficient power for this purpose Congress
ought 10 pass the requisite laws their assistance
Ii also inappropriate and unnecessary 10 60 back
To inquire into past disturbances, which the Senate
had acted al the time, and passed II might
be proper 10 take measures TO prevent future occuen
ces Of this kind IN the Senate galleries or Icbbies
| Mr.. WOODBURY. advocated the resolution.
/ Messrs. KING, PRESTON, and others, briefly
gave their views, concuning in the importance OF ne
cessary laws peace at the seat OF Govern
ment, and security to public officers.
| The resolution then laid the table, to next
session.
The Distribution bill again taken up, the ques-
ton being the amendment providing for the dstri
bottom according 20 the respective representation Of
the States in Congress, as may be fixed under the
The amendment rejected by tie vote Yeas
81, nays 81.
Mr.. SEWER offered an amendment, providing that
all the public lands, after remaining unsold 20 years,
shall be ceded TO the States in which they situated
This, after discussion, was rejected Yeas ID,
nays 80.
MIR. CLAY, of Alabama, moved an amendment,
providing in case of the public lands remaining
sold for specified time, for the reduction of their
prices, first TO dollar, and then to sesenty-fse
cents per Which rejected Yeas Is, nays 81.
BANKRUPT BILL--A Law.
A message received from the President that he
had this day signed the Bankrupt bill
FISCAL BANK BILL AND VETO MESSAGE.
The hour Of twelve having arrived the Bank bill
which had been returned with the objections Of the
President was taken up, the question being Shall
Mr.. CLAY addressed the Senate, with reference
TO the message Of the President, accompanying the
Of this BILL and criticisng the Presidents
ton inconsistent with the declaration made in his
Inaugural Address, that he should be guided by the
lessons and examples of the fathers of the Republic
with regard ITO his sanction of financial agent that
| might be established by Congress He referred to
Washington, Madison, Monroe, and Jefferson, whose
opinions those of the constiutionaty of Bank
and loss to know the example of what fathers
Of the Republic the President had followed in reject
ing this bill He said the President in his message
had proceeded on the ground, that there was but
alternative before hm-to approve or dlsapproye but
| he Mr.. C) pointed out two other courses which
might have been taken one have let pass without
ACTON for ten days and thus according 10 the Consti
tuition become law, or to have resigned his commits
sion. This latter he did not desire, far from it, but he
spoke of these two ether alternatives actually
listing, although they appeared not to be recognised by
/ the President. He commended that majority of the
people of the United States in the late election had
distinctly declared In favor of Bank. Its constitu
tonaty had been maintained by the ustrious fathers
Of the Republic above mentioned, by the decisions OF
five previous Congresses together with the present,
when Congresses had declared against il, and also
by repeated Judicial decisions Under these circum
stances he dwelt upon the propriety of the former
he bad pointed out-of letting il remain for
days and become law, thus avoiding all constitution
al scruples the President might entertain and at the
same time ahording the desired measure of relief 10
country. In concluding be reprobated the idea OF
suffering the loss Of this measure to dissen-
sions among the party, to which the country was
aDxiously looking tor measures of relief and express
ed the hope that they would their other
and return To their constituents with the conscious
ness though having accomplished all they desired
yet that they had done all that could do under
similar circumstances He had heard that some of his
1 friends were engaged IN devislng some financial
scheme which would the Of the several De-
partments Of the Government and which would af
ford, if not all yet Of the advantages To be de-
rived by the country from such an institution. He
would not hinder them in this undertaking, but babe
them 20 on He could mol say that plan which they
might devise would secure his support it should re-
ceise it if its form and principles admitted
Ar RIvES replied seriatim to the remarks Of Mr.
Clay aod made an able defence of the course pursued
by the President accordance with the prime piles
long maintained and openly avowed bv that disn.
gushed individual 10 ncu patton of whose course
on this subject twothirls of the Senator's remarks
had been directed The President could not consc,-
en,iousy isn the bill and he frankly returned il TO
the body where II originated with his objections He
| maintained the Presidents consistency in pursuing
the ca sons and examples of the fathers of the Repu-
he and directed his remarks particularly TO the
opinions OF Jefferson and Madison, both Of whom
held the unconstitutonalty of Bank The Presi-
dent was possessed OF too much Of those hiIh and
manly principles OF Virginia prompness and DECISION
SO shrink from fearless discharge of a solemn duty
| imposed on HIM, to avail himself OF dshonorabe
back-door retreat from the necessary functions of the
Presidential office by Withholding action this bill
for ten doys-thus suffering to become law. Such
course was not contemp ated by the Constitution,
which made II the duty OF the President preserve,
protect, and defend" the CONSTITUTION He was ever
ready To obey the wishes Of his constituents as was
demonstrated by that high minded act of patriotism
in which he resigned his in the Senate of the
United States, when he could comply with the in
sruclons of his constuents-the Leg sature of that
State. The passage of,the Bank bill not an esi.
dence the will OF the people TO whom he &C
countabe, nor Of Congress itself Il was a mea
sure not approved in all lis parts by a majority
of either House of Congress, and il was especially
known 10 be in minority in the Senate The
people had not decided for Bank; no such Is
sue had been presented them but the contrary,
II had been shrunk from, and was made question
at the late elecion indeed, William Henry Harri.
son and John Tyler had been elected, with opinions
adverse to a Bank The measure which was present