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

that the Justice of their country about TO place one
more wreath upon the tomb OF Their loved conhahuai'
Every hill every valley instinct with but one icei-
| ing lie wished The member who had spoken such
things could have been in Mr.. WIS State when tue
news Of Harrsons death was first received lie MN
self riding at the moment in company with an
aged man. but who We meriled the title Of an old
| Roman-a man of iron nerves aud of hon heaTt-a
man who, perhaps, had never shed tear since ms
| childhood but when the dolefu sound entered his
ears that Harrison dead he wept like boy; they
were manly tears-the tears of mourning patriotism.
| Did the member from Ohio ever shed such There
was this act of appropriation the beauty OF retbu-
tive Justice. When similar appropriation had been
moved for another William Henry Harrison had stood
up on the floor of Congress- and tie tones OF his clear
and manly voice made walls e-echo as he advoca-
ted the Justice of the deed And were the base ieei-
nps and of party To be brought IN upon the sa
credness OF an hour like this What was party hut
that fend accused which was destined to rcnd asun-
der our union and strength which, II II could oul &C
complsh momentary triumph, chrea NOT though
should lay nation in ruins Mr.. w, recognised no
such influence, he would belong to no party that uiu
| He worshpped nj the altar of his country alone
He would appeal to gentlemen ofopposile potIcaiseh
tments and would say 10 them, consent but To 90 WIN
/ us now mar not the unity of this act, and wtli 60
with you for almost any thing you ask Forget Tor
moment your party feelings, do this act OF justice TO
the memory of man who loved and served ms couh-
try and fear but the nation will sustain YOU
| Mr. BRIGGS of Massachusetts, after succnctly
stating the object OF the BILL entreated gentlemen on
all sides of the House not To desecrae an occasion
like this by gcing OIL from the question into wfetch
ed party The People of the United states
by such expression of their will as they had never
uttered before had elected William Henry Harrison
to be their President; and in one short monih at'er
he had taken his oath OF Office before hi9h Heaven
and in he presence of thirty thousand OF his exul'ng
countrymen, a voice from that Heaven had demanded
him. and in a moment, had cast his family into dis
may and desolaton. The blow had smitten all hearts
with sorrow il had left nation IN tears. And could
any here speak of William Henry Harrison,
think of all that he had been, and remember all mat
he had done and at the same time admit the Impulses
of party into his bosoml Mr.. b. would as soon think
Of entering the cold and silent vault in yonder Gene
terry and tearing the Wondering body from ITS wind
ing sheet Both fit TO him as being alike sacrliege'
Mo- let the dead sumber in their long reposei break
not their rest by the dscordan sounds OF party wrang
ling. The House were now dealing with the living
with the living, who, alas had been deeply Affected
by his death.
RI Ii gentlemen entertained constitutional scruples
Mr. b held these scrupes in respect II they had OBJ
jecons honestly founded in principle he was ready
E patiently to listen but let not gentlemen mar lhe
gravity and solemny of an occasion IKE ms nor
sloop for the sake of any party object to dshohor
themselves before the civilized world Congress mad
made similar appropriations on other occasions, anu
y Mr.. b thanked the honorable gentleman who had re-
called the fact to their recollection The Government
had stood now for more than half century, anu no
Chief Magistrate had been smtten while occupying
the Presidential chair bu, an officer OF tins iioust
had died while in the discharge of his official duty,
q and they had all checTtuly voted To MS WIDOW anu
L children the residue of his years salary Since then
another officer had fallen like manner and the House
Il had passed similar vote. Still later the Sergeant
arms OF the Senate had deceased the Senate voted
I the same allowance besides granting sum sufficient
: 10 remove his remains from the Seat OF Government
! To his distant native State So when beloved and
distinguished general IN the United states service ha
3 died here the Seat OF Government Congress had
voted his widow years pay OF her deceased nus
y band He thanked his friend from New York Mr
i Ward) for recalling with much feeling, that just
act to the remembrance Of the House, ana ne thank
ed that gentleman for another thing that although ne
belonged personally party opposed to me tate IRE
i siden, he came into this Hall in the ulness OF the
a most generous feelings, avowlng his purpose TO
e for the bill Whatever might be the case ~ the
districts Of other gentlemen MI D wen Knew ,ha' 10
D his but sentiment prevaed-in TINS all men
r of all parties united Many and many an opposition
man had said to Mr. B. " Give his widow, at least
d one years salary" OH il this question could be put
il that they would show the generous and noble
"a feeling of sympathizng grief which they had mani
Id Tested when, like knel of desolaon the pass
n ed through the length and bradth of the land the
N President is dead2' At that sound how quickly
how instantly all party feeling died Men forgot that
n Harrison had been elevated by the vote of party
e they saw only the holt from above, and they were
n bowed awe-stficken before the dreadful blow AT
once the sympathles Of all hearts drawn towards
n the family of The deceased-there had then been but
opinion throughout the land he believed there
Il but now, and he hoped that Congress- with
united voice and act, would respond TO the sentiment
d Of grateful and generous People
l. Mr.. PENDLETON, of Ohio said that it had not
been his intention TO take any part IN this debate
d should he now, but that his friends urged upon him
Re the consideration that the objection had from
4 citizen Of Ohio il due 10 that Safe that some
d should be heard from among her Representatives
! here IN support Of the bill not that he thought
ID cessary before American Congress- and in the pre-
q sence of the American people to urge such
&c that introduced by the gentleman from Massachu-
D sets.
Air p. vndicate the memory &C the illus
trious dead from uttered in quarter from
n whence surely such sounds should never have been
ID heard Did he stoop 10 task like this his voice
ot would be quickly lost in the swelling tones Of an in
. suited and an indignant people This was the less
. necessary after what had fallen from his friend on the
e right from the great and glorious State of Indiana
y State whose promise was fall, and whose per-
n formance would soon than redeem it, While
u Mr. /. had listened, not without delight TO the Ian
e guage of honest Indignation which had poured from
= the lips OF that gentleman he could but feel some
n surprise al the excitement he had manifested Mr. y
II was aotuoted by such feeling The remarks of rs
e colleague had produced in him anger nor any thing
y allied 10 IT, lie had listened TO them in NIL the calm
I ness OF unalloyed contempt Ii il were indeed true
Y his colleague had said that there was not a man in
: his district who would the bill unless it might
. he some distressed Wing or old Fcdcrasi Mir p
thanked God that this could not be said of the district
he had the honor to represent. There you could find
7 no man, OF any party, he he Wing lie he Democrat
u who would not lift his hand 10 express his estimation
the services of the ustrous dead Ey appropaiinr
y the ve-y moderate proposed be inserted IN
TINS hlll. Mr. i. SAID this deliberately. There was
e not single exception. No there WAS not one man
not q human being among the fifty thousand in Gin
cinnall, not those OF bis colleagues party
u who would not repudate and utterly disown the sen
tinehts he had uttered here. a gratuity Why did
I u not strike his colleague while he was alludnr TO
the three old soldiers whose petitions were in his k
I and implicitly arguing the proprie,y of remuneratng
thor ~ hs I,.tr T.