The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-16
CONGRESSIONAL WING MEETING.

At meeting Of the Wing members Oh the
Senate and House of Representatives oil the
eth Congress Of the United States, held IN the
city Of Washington on the llth Of September
lS41-
The Hon. NATHAN F. Dixon, OF Rhode Isl
and, on the part Of the Senate, and the non
JEREMIAH MoHRow, of Ohio, on the part Oh inc
House, were called TO the chair, and KENNETH
RAYsER. of North Carolina, CHRIsroPHER NOR
aAs. of New York. and RICHARD w. THoMP-
SON, of Indiana, were appointed Secretaries.
Mr. MAsouM. Of North Carolina, offered the
following resolutions:
Resolred That il is eXpedent for the Wings Of the
Senate and House Of Representatives Of the United
States to publish Address TO the People OF the
United States containing succinct exposition Of Tue
prominent proceedings OF the extra session OF Con-
gress, Of the measures that have been adopted ana
those in which they have failed and the causes OF such
failure, together with such oth,r matters as may ex-
hib truly the condition OF the Wing party and wing
prospects,.
Resolved, That a committee of three on the part OF
the Senate and five on the part OF the House, be ap
pointed to prepare such Address, and submit II TO a
meeting of the Wings on Monday morning next; 'ne
18th inst, at hafPasi eight o'clock
And the question being taken on said resolu-
tions, they were unanimously adopted.
Whereupon the following gentlemen were ap-.
pointed said committee: Messrs. BERRlEN, OF
Georgia, TALLMADGE, OF New York, and SMITH,
of Indiana, on the part OF the Senate; and
Messrs. EvERErT, Of Vermont, Mason, of Ohio,
KENNEDY, Of Maryland, JOHN G. CLARK, OF
New York, and RAYNER, of North Carolina, on
the part Of the House.
When on motion, the meeting adjourned, TO
meet again on Monday morning.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1S41.
The meeting assembled. pursuant to adjourn
ment
Mr. KENNEDY, Of Maryland, from the commit
tee appointed for that purpose, reported the fol-
lowing Address:
Fellow CITIZENS The Extra Session Of Congress
has, at length, been brought to close. The Incl
dents which belong the history Of this session, and
especially those which have marked its termination,
OF nature to make SO strong an impression upon
the country and to excite much interest IN the iu
ture action and relations Of the Wing party that the
Wing Representatives in both Houses Of Congress
have thought il their duty before separating, to adj
dress their constituents with brief exposition OF The
circumstances in which they conceive themselves 10
be placed by the events which have recently Tran
spied.
This session of Congress called as almost the
first measure Of that Usrious and iamented citizen
whose election 10 the Presidency was no less sgnin
cant of The general sentiment OF condemnation OF the
acts of the preceding Administration than was ex-
pressve Of wish for imne diae and radical change
In the public policy. The improvidencc OF those VINO
had Just been expelled from power had rendered IN
e,itabIe; and the country hailed the meeting Of new
Congress as the pledge Of relief from all those
evils which the disastrous lncomPeiency Of the men at
the head Of affairs had brought upon it.
The People desired the early adoption Of the
policy which had been promised them by the Wing
party That policy had been brought to The consider
atlon of the country throughout contest Of nearly
twelve years duration, maintained with unexamped
devotion; and its principles were illustrated by the
precepts and practice Of the most eminent and patriotic
of our citizens in every form by which they were able
to address themselves the intelligence of the People.
No one misapprehended these principles; they were
identified with the labors OF that great party whose IN
paraleed success both the token and the reward
of the general confidence Of the nation. They pro-
missed reform
ls In the restraint Of Executive power and patro-
mage; .,. g ~ .,..,.v
and the advancement of the interests of industry
Sd. In the establishment of an economical admins
traton of the finances.
They proposed to accomplish the first Of these OBJ
ects by limiting the service Of the President to sim
gle term; by bidding all officers Of the Government
from interfering in elections and by voluntary self
denial On the part Of the Chief Magistrate, in that ex
cessvc use Of the Veto power which had recently be-
me so offensive TO the country instrument Of
party supremacy.
They hoped 10 achieve their object by the es-
Enlistment Of National Bank by an adjustment
of the system Of duties upon moderate and pertna
nent SCALE adapted nearly practicable to the in
tel est and coniorma BILE with the views of every por-
ton Of the Union; by the establishment OF uniform
system OF bankruptcy and by the distribution OF the
proceeds of the public lands amongst the States-a
measure recommended not only by considerations OF
justice the States themselves but also by sad
perence of the embarrassment produced IN the curren
CIV resulting from the admnisr alton Of fund of such
variable amour an item in the ordinary revenues
of the Government. The establishment OF an eco
n,mical administration of the finances they expected
attain by cutting down all useless offices; by en-
forcing strict apiliiy Of the public agents
and, mon consplcuously, by making exact and ade
quate provision for the ascertainment and eventual IL
quotation of that public debt which the past Admins
tration had created by permitting their expenditures
TO their receipts, and which they had con-
cealed from public observation by the easy device of
repeated issues of Government notes.
These were the prominent points to which the poll
cy Of the Wing party had been directed, and which
constituted the great issues before the country in the
recent Presidential election. We are aware that
adversares in that contest now deny these issues,
founding their denial chi fly upon the fact that
formal manifesto put forth TO declare the terms
upon which we insisted. We chose rather to appeal
to the ely-diffused knowledge of our principles
which had been impressed upon every mans mind IN
that long struggle Of years gone by; with which one
party had been identified and Of which It's very
was an exponent
Il need not be said that, in a representation spread
over a territory of such that compehcnded by
our Union and exhibiting interests diversified,
what might be called the characteristic principles OF
the Wing party, throughout this wide sphere, should
be subject TO occasional notifications dependent up
local influences and that il was incumbent there
FORE upon the party to move together in spirit OF
mutual concession and accommodation Of sectional
differences of opinion. 1t need not be told that, nthe
system of measures which we have enumerated, con-
fllcng views might naturally exist between the Rep.
rescnta,ves of distant portions of our Republic, and
that only by the yielding OF minor interests to the estab
lisbment OF the general good entire harmony was To
he obtained in the action of Congress This was