The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-19

and Ii they had, was proper 10 dc 80 Mr.. 4. VIA
one of those who believed that Congress had no con-
sttuonal right 10 appropriate the publc money for
such an object He quoted the language of the Con
stiuon, and then inquired whether tins an ap
preparation 10 pay the debts Of the MON the
cannon defence or 10 promote the general welfare
e denied that presidents ever ought be considered
- settling constitutional question II they could,
then the People had no remedy II whs not pretend
ed that this money was TO be gwen as reward Tor
Gen. Harrisons public services, bui to reimburse hun
G,r the ex pense of an eeconeerlng campaign This
was infinitely worse.
If it was a reward of his services IN battle, then
how many others had shared The same peril and were
entitled to the same rewardl The humblest man
among those gallant spirits who had stood side by side
with Harrison in the bloody fields were equally emu
tied with him to the gratitude of the country Mr 1
denied that there any privileged class IN tins coun
try but IL some humber family had been deprived of
its head would bill have been reported here making
giant for their relief II the dead man had lost has
life IN endeavor to better his situation, not by an
electioneeIng canvass not by some hazardous enter
prise, would his family demand pension Surely not
Why then grant it ia this case What was the con-
don OF the families OF other Presidents The de-
scendents OF Jefferson very poor, II not insolvent
and had not they as good claim upon Congress as
the widow OF Gen Harrison Mr. p. concluded by {
observing that he neither TO be caJoed on one
hand dragooned the other into voting Tor what
he believed to be wrong. Ills constituents would be
pleased with any thing he should do in 'he case and
he should take that course which he believed to be
right.
Mr.. STOKEIEY said that when be came here,
he had determined not 10 trouble this House at the
present session but, coming from the State OF OHIO
he did he felt himself called upon TO enter his pro-
test against the doctrines advanced by his colleague
MIR. Dean) He had not expected to hear any OBJ
jectlons raised by gentleman coming from that quar-
ter of the country but he was under the impression
that there might possibly be some made by those who
came from the South, and who were sometimes desg-
mated Is the guardians of the Constitution. In short,
he had expected any objections except from those
who dealt in constitutional objections.
Ii appeared TO him that the gentleman from Ala
| bama (Mr. Payne) had entirely mistaken the argu-
ment of the gentleman from Massachusetts Mr.
! Adams) who did not say, as the gentleman supposed
that the appropriation asked for 10y this bill pay
the expenses of the late electioneerng campaign but
| the gentleman from Massachusetts did argue that
appropriation ought to be made IN order to dersy the
extraordinary expenses of General Harrison and
family consequent upon their journey from Ohio 70
the of Government and also for services rendered
by the General assuming the reins of government,
| as President the United States Now, he (Mr. ;
proessed to be great stckler for abiding by the
provisions of the Constitution of the ned States
the gentleman from Alabama himself and be would
not give his sanction to any measure which, IN his
Judgment would be in violation OF it. Bat he would
ask If il would be unconstitutional 10 give an outfit and
years salary TO ambassador to foreign Court,
who did not happen to remain abroad that time IN hat
capacity II minister put his foot on board the
ship that 10 carry him TO foreign Court, his out
fit ond salary were paid him. by the constant practice
II
equal q years salary, for expenses which were not
incurred but which were iikely to be incurred in the
performance ofhis duties Was this unconstitutional
, lie apprehended not
Other presidents have been cited, equally concu-
siyc in favor Of the proposed 10 be pursued in
The case Of the late lamened President; and among
the that Of the widow Of the late MAJOR Gc-
neral Brown who allowed the first quarter Of the
salary received by her deceased husband. This was
precedent that deserved to be followed. And was
there he asked any danger to be apprehended from
| Congress following this example, or OF It's becoming
precedent in relation to another President lie I'M
agined not for he regarded il as next TO an lmpossib
tv that a like calamity should befa the country, and
particularly under such circumstances those which
had attended our late lamented President. With re-
gard TO the petitions which the gentleman hadsa he
had in his possession from old soldiers, praying for
pensions for services rendered their countr", he MIR
5 would say that he would 90 with him to do them
Justice, and he would relieve them matter whether
they officers privates. This was of that
class of duties which representative of the People
could not overlook and which he was bound to attend
to- And, as his friend from Cincinnati Mr.. Pendle-
tonl had observed if we could pay the privates we
He wished to make remark or two to the gentle
man from Pennsylvania MIR. Snyder) who had made
an attempt 10 break down this bill by proposing an
amendment 10 II so to make appropriation
, for the widow of the late Mr.. OgIe He (Mr
I s. would say that no man entertained more respect
for the memory of the late Mr.. Oge or sympa,hized
more with his family than he did But, he would ask
! of Gen Harrlscnl He imagined not The services
Of the two men were very unlike and dissmllar in
their character Mr. Ogle was not at the time Of his
death IN the discharge OF public duty and he died at
nome during the recess OF Congress. A nd neither
had he incurred heavy expenses like General Harr-
son when called upon by the People to fill high and
responsible station in the Government Indeed the
two cases were totally different in their character nd
ne would say that honor, patriotism, and proper re-
spect Tor the ilustous dead prompted US to renume
rate the family of the late President for the expenses
To which they had been necessarily put on the occa
sion OF the elevation of General Harrison He hoped
that this bill would be passed without any amendment
beng tackled TO H. and in order prove that the com
mon remark that Republics ungratefu is not
true, He had sincerely hoped that the bill would
have been passed sub Suentio
Mr.. ,. next adverted 10 the pension laws which
grant IN many instances to the widow of pensionar
The same compensation that her husband received put
ting her IN his place, rs II Were, after his death
axe one instance also where YOU 1--WE PENSIONS To
widows whose husbands never were on The penson
list In the times Of the Revolution the Continental
Congress promised hapay for life To those brave men
who entered the service to remain it and who did
remain In it, To the end of the Yet this plain
promise committed for fulI-pay for five years But
this the hardy did not receive during their
life time. But your tardy justice has at length given
this pay, and justly and honorably redeemed ,his
promise to the surviving and unmarried widows OF these
Revolutionary patriots pom what principle was this
done Undoubtedly upon the principle that the wife of
the officer or soldier partook in some measure ofthe
merit ofthc husband often the partner ofhs nrya
IONS Or took care his family during his absence IN the
service of his country. Does not the presen, M
SIT on 81 Mrs Harrison address itself, ,bn sa,na c
Ings, and to the same proper humane and patrlo 70
principle Gentlemen will remember that She va.
N the West before Gen. Harrison that her fathers
mouse became his home in the West; and when his
s"ord alone was ms fortune, and his commislon In,
dependence, she married him
MI > SAID that, suspecting and fcaring that nj.