The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-17
IN SENATE,

THURSDAY, July Is, l84l.
Mr.. WRIGHT presented resolutions of meeting
of citizens of New York city, held the Park at that
city, few days since, soliciting the interference OF
this Government for the release of those American cit
zens, now British prisoners of State al Van Dieman's
Land He said the resolutions We're entirely mild
and temperate and he moved that they be printed and
referred to the Committee Foreign Relations which
motion was carried. ~
Mr.. TALLMADGE presented memorial of citi-
zens of New York city, and of citizens of Rich
land Oswego county, New York, for Bankrupt law;
which laid on the table,
The resolution of Mr. BUCHANAN was taken up,
calling the President for list af removals of pub
| lie officers since 4rh March, lS4l with amendment
offered by Mr. MANouM, calling, also, for list of re
movals and appointments from 4th March, 1929, to
| 4th MARCH,, lS41.
The amendment was adopted and Mr.. BENTON
intimating desire to speak the subject at his re-
quest the resolutonSwas laid over.
Mr.. CLAY, of Kentucky, said he would be very
glad Senators would consent generally and unani-
| mousy 10 take up the Loan Bill from the House,
the necessities OF the Treasury such REQ
| speedy action on this subject.
| Mr.. CALHOUN hoped the Senator from Ken.
lucky would press this. They had been engaged
for some time another subject and he hoped to dis
| pose of it before this taken up.
| Mr.. CLAY had quite much repugnance TO post
| poning the Bank Bill the gentleman had; but if
gentlemen would reflect one moment and see the
was an imperative necessity to act on the Loan Bill
He begged Senators the other side, well Sc
majors generally, to recolect that there will be expen
ditures during this year not less than twenty mil
lions dollars, independent of new appropriations that
| is two mil ions per month; and he informed,
from statement he had from the Treasury, that there
was at the command Of the Treasury the 18th inst
but about nine hundred thousand dollars which
not sufficient to last more than fortnight Now, if
the Loan Bill could pass it evident that it ought
| IN mt nly N of NEE he
wants of the Treasury, but for another obvious reason
that time should be given to contract the loan
Or portion Of it which shoud be considered necessa
ry He hoped therefore, that gentlemen would allow
to taken up this mornings but if they objected he
gave notice that he should move TO take it up
| as they got out of Executive business.
| Mr. CALHOUN wished TO know why if the ne
cessity urgent, the Loan bill had not been press
ed on them before. The Bank BILL the Land bill, and
| other measures, had been pressed on them and he
wished now to let this matter lie over, till the sub
ject under consideration disposed of and then, if
the necessity existed, which the Senator from Ken
tusky had spoken Of he would propose another pro-
position-for a committee to bring in bill for the tenn
porary issue of Treasury notes it could pass imme-
datey and afford relief much sooner than by the Loan
bill.
| Mr.. CLAY had stated to the Senate, at the COM
mencement of the session, that should be behind
the House, that was now their condition. What
was then said I" No No. We shall have plenty of
time" How stood the matter nova The House
had passed the Loan bill, the Pension bill, and the
Fertilization bill, which their table, and
they would have all the important bills from The House
in the course of few days. 1t was asked, why was
not this brought in earlerl But really from the
which he would not state, they had not been able TO
get along with business That the truth, that the
minority controlled the business and to the gen
tleman's proposition-could he he serious in II p
{" Certainly -certainy - said Mr.. Calhoun) No
CONTINUED Mr.. CIay,) we 20 for an old fashioned
loan, to let he people see how much the Government
L. "A - oxl h,
gentleman persisted in his objections he (Mr. Clay,
must give notice to to take up the bill, as soon
as they came out of Executive session.
Mr. CALHOUN asked why the Loan bill was not
taken up before the Land bill in the House? And
now they came on US force down our threats, what
we object to-a funded permanent debt. Between
the two schemes the Treasury notes were infinitely
SUPERIOR and would afford relief much promptly.
The House of Representatives had got before them
but by what means By destroying the liberty of de-
bate-by assailing the right of speaking-by nsti-
tutng a most DANCE rule, by which the minority
held the right of uttering one word, only at the per-
mission of the majority. He objected TO the system of
| machinery by which this had been carried on
| Mr. CLAY said the Senator had asked why the
Loan bill not sent here sooner, from the Housel
| He would refer him to the House for answer. As 10
the complaint about the destruction Of the liberty of
debate by the House, he had waited expecting to hear
the President of the Senate call the Senator to ORDER
for alusion in this to the House. So far from
its being want of freedom of debate, by the rule of
the House. he venured to say that this country, from
one end to the other, would approve of and for one
he ready at this moment to-morrow, or any time
and he they would find it necessary-to
resort to similar me ans. He had a very good OBJ
servation in paper published in Boston, being an
answer to the complaints of some paper belonging to
the Opposition about the abIidgement of the freedom
of debate by this rule The editor very properly re-
marked, that " there abridgement of the free
dom of debate but of the length of speech )" an
abridgement which he Mr. Clay) thought the people
would hail of the great improvements and re-
form in the transaction of public business Here they
had been three weeks and they told by the other
side if they would let them 20 with their amend
ments they would be able to get through by Saturday
night; and then of the great measures not
gone through no, no for they told that after
| all these amendments are gone through, then il to
commence the work of discussion and that all prior
t. this has been merely preliminary. If this debate
going to take place, after three weeks and half
had elapsed, in the consideration OF amendments, he
thought the people were not going to complain
account of stopping speeches One of the wIsest and
most intelligent men he had ever seen made remark
that sensible could for his life speak sensbly
any question whatever longer than one quarter of
hour. They gave an hour in the other House; and
| this allowed to every one of A2 members, they
would see what time it would take to debate every
question. No-one Of the great grievances which the
peop'e had to complain of, was the unnecessary pro-
traction of debate-the consumption of public time
increased expenditures and the delay and ury which
the country labors under; and it would be griev
ance if Congress- under the operation Of such rule
having dispatched all the public business appertan
ing to it, return home, in two or two and a half
months.
| Mr. KING was not little amazed that the Senator
from Kentucky got up here and talked about the
sumption Of lime-about three weeks and a half
spent on this bill Did he not know that his friends
had consumed most of the time 7 and they were
told that the Senator was prepared to enforce gag
law on the Senate Well, sir, let him attempt it,
(Mr CLAY: willy and tell the Senator, whencv-
or he does he will find, far from taking the ques
ton under consideration, he may make his TRANCE
ments at his boarding place for next winter. They
not going to submit to any species of dictation
from any quarter, such was held out by the Sena