Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-10-09

| OF legislation winch inc tlilleS TequlIeu, we
have been enabled to achieve all. and even
more than all, that our constituents could
have demanded at our hands. The lead
ING and great measures of this session have
been under discussion, in Congress and out
of it, for many years past, and little re-
manned to be said beyond repetition of
former debates. There was nothing in the
circumstances or position of either party
in Congress to require, or even to justify,
protracted discussions; and the majority,
| therefore, felt themselves entitled to give
to the extra session the character of Con-
gress of action and decision, rather than
one of debate; and we feel assured that
in this effort we have done no more than
respond to the just expectations of the
People.
First i'm urgency amongst the bills passed
during the session, and that to which the
public command most imperatively drew
the notice of Congress, was the repeal of
the Sub-Treasury law. Our next care was
the enactment of the Land bill. This was
followed by an act of converting the debt
which the preceding Administration had
entailed upon the country in a loan of
twelve millions of dollars, which is limited
for its redemption to period of three
years. Associated with this measure
was the Revenue BILL rendered necessary
not only as provision towards the extin-
guishment of the loan, but also as indispen-
sable for the supply of means to meet the
ordinary and necessary appropriations of
of the year. The Bankrupt act, so earnest
y and 50 long solicited by large and mer-
itorious class of our citizens, has been pass
ed under circumstances which cannot but
reflect the highest honor upon the Repre-
sentativcs of many sections of the country.
Asameasure standing alone ,itmight perhaps
have been destined to further delay; but
being brought, as it was, into that series of
measures which were supposed to embrace
the scheme of relief which the nation at
large required, it met from Wing Con-
gress that support of which the chief argu-
ment and highest value arc derived from
the respect which every one felt to be due
to comprehensive policy. whose scope
should include every interest in the nation.
1t is a trial for the benefit Of the country.
and remains to be altered or improved. as
the public wants may be found hereafter to
require. The importance, in the posture
VI Oul dlldlIS, VI dlIcllulnS W llC IldlIOlldl
dcfcnces suggested the measures of esiab-
fishing Home Squadron, of repairing and
arming the Fortiticatons, of providing for
the defence of the Lakes: and Of bringing
the nation at large into Il state of readiness
against hostile aggression-in regard to
which measures, as great unanimty pre-
valid in Congress, we may safely assure
ourselves they will meet the undivided APP
probation of our constituents throughout
the who. Union.
This rapid review, fellow-citzens, will
exhibit what we have done. What we
have failed to do remains to be told.
1t isowith profound and poignant regret
that we find ourselves called upon to invoke
your attention to this point. Upon the
great and leading measure touching this
question our anxious endcavors to respond
to the earnest prayer of the nation have
been frustrated by an act as unlocked for
as it is to be lamented. We erievc 10 saw
TO YOU that, by the exercise of that power
in the Constitution which has ever been re-
garded with suspicion, and often with obi
um, by the Peop!e-a power which we had
hoped was never to be exhibited. on this
subject by Wing PreSident--we have
been defeated in two attempts to create a
Fiscal Agent which the wants of the coun-
try had demonstrated to us, in the most alb
solute form of proof. TO be eminentlv neces-
sary and proper in the present emergency.
Twice have we, with the utmost diligence
and delibcl alton, matured plan for the col
lection, saie-keeping, and disbursing of the
public moneys, through the agency of {
corporation adapted to that end. and twice
has it been our fate 10 encounter the oppo
sition Of the President, through the appi
cation of the veto power. The character
of that veto in each case, the circumstance.
in which it was administered, Il the grounds
upon which it has met the decided disappro
baton of your friends in Congress, are sui
ticiently apparent in the public documents
and the debates relating to il. This sub
Iect has acquired painful interest with us
and will doubtless acquire it with you, iron
the unhappy developments with which it il
accompanied. We are constrained to say
that we find no ground to Justify us in tn,
conviction that the veto of the Presden
has been interposed on this question solel,
upon conscientious and well-consdereC
opinions of constitutional scruple as TO hi
duty in the case presented. On the con
: trary, too many proofs have been force,
i upon our observation TO leave us free from
: the apprehension that the President has pei
L mtted himself to be begulled into an opin
> ion that, by this exhibition of his preroga
: tive, he might be able to divert the POI
{ icy of his Administration into a channt
: which should lead to new political comb
III