The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-07
Communications.
FOR THE MADIsoNIAN
MR.. HUNTINGTON'S SPEECH.

MR.. HUNTINGTON'S SPEECH.
Will you grant me much space in your valuable
columns, Mr.. Editor, will enable me to notice
briefly the speech Of the Hon. Mr.. Huntington of
Connecticut, in the Senate, on Monday Twas the
surprised to the lance Of Mr., Fl. in rest and
he da. hing peu NELL at the Exchequer BILL from
having, within the last ten days ha an opportunity
to learn something o: public sentiment on this
subject in New England and especially among the
gentcman's constituents in Connecticut. Crossing
the State twice, and visiting most Of its principal
towns, took occasion to learn as much as could be
gathered in flying visit Of the opinions of its intel
ligent population in regard to the rea question which
is the subject, alike Of absorbing interest and Of
general conversation throughout the country, and
confess that surprised to o. the unanmity
of sentiment every where prevailing among the people
on the subject OF the Exchequer bill eve must adopt
the scheme recommended by the President or some
thing like it," says one Bank il. out Of the ques
tion says another, the people here have suffered too
much by banks to hear one named with patience
These and other similar expressions, met the ear on
all hands and in several instances they fell from lips
which, only year ago gave utterance to very dife-
rent sentiments Depend upon it, Mr.. Editor, the
people with Mr. Tyler in this matter; and though
politicians may yet for brief prefer to be
governed by party dscipline-which they call poHi-
cal consistency-rather than by the interests and
wishes Of their constituents, they will find that they
Kicking against the prcks for, repeat sir, the
people-they who are the Of all power in this
GoveInment-they whose interests are permitted to
suffer, while their representatives are employed In
hunting up captious objections TO plan designed for
their relief, and ofei nothing as substitute for it
they who cannot long be msled or deceived as to the
true character ofmen measures-are becoming every
day more satisfied Of the wisdom and patriotism of
President Tyer's in regard TO this question:
and as to the character and of that opposition
which certain politicians striving to organize
against his Administration No where is this truth
more apparent than in Connecticut.
Having recently the indications of public SEN
timent to which have alluded, was not little sur
prised to read, the morning of my arrival in the
city the compl mentary remarks Of the Globe on the
well disested speech of the Senator from Connec
ticut
will not ask to resptss on your columns, Mi
Editor FAR as to attempt an analysis OF the speech
but permit me to refer to two passages which
strike me being rather too swell digested
"And what (sad Mr. II } was meant by the purse
and sword, Of which SO much had been said 1t
meant, was generally supposed, the power of
moving and appointing without cause.
Is not this new version, Mr. Elitor2 lfnot, then
have been sadly blind to the and beauty of this
celebr ated figure Of Speech hitherto. The appoint
ment and removal of tdewaiter lighthouse keeper
then is that terrible union purse and sword Of which
We have heard SO much | have heard this
cap-trap phrase applied to almost every thing else
but before to that 1t has been used by pothousc
politicians, substitute for argument, in great va
rcty of cases hut it remained for the Senator to
clothc it with power and etlcacy-by means of
which the Excheqacr bill might be considered as de-
moshed and detunct but that
at bath heen spoke too often,
The spell hath lost its charm
Again, MIR. Fl. says, in regard to the sale of e1-
change, This bill, too promised not to take more
than two per cent. month, (thirty days being the
time limited under the billy as rate of exchange
and this it would be SEEN twenty four per cent
year-a rate as high any paid in the most disas-
tIous times
Now it seems hardly credible that the Hon. Senator
could have been gnorant of the nature Of premium
as distinguished from interest and yet, the only al
tentative is, that this remark a paltry al
tempt to mislcad and deceive the public 10 the real
design and tendency of this clause of the bill Sup
pose bill of exchange payable at one days sight is
drawn at New Orleans on Boston, and sold at two
per cent premium to the Senator'S theory
this would be seven hundred and thirty per per
annum and yet two per cent. is not large premium
for such bill. But tn argument against the mea-
sure is too rid cuonS to dwell on and only alude |
ol for the purpose Of showing the capious and unfair
spirit which pcrvades the speech. Every who
knows any thing of the matter, knows that it would
be as correct quote cotton or beefat a certain price
per annum, as to quote exchange in the Same way
The whole speech is unworthy the man who de-
liycred it, He begins by condemning the me sure
er .cathedra as Government Bank and undcrt axes
to fortify this ground by further assertions rather
than by any course of reasoning. No man knows
better than Mr.. ii. that the opposition Of the p ople
to the Sub Treasury scheme principally from
certain provisions in it, calculated to increase the very
evils which the bill under consideration designed 10
remove. 1t hated for its bolts and bars, which
separated the interest ofthe Government from The peo
pie, and for its specie cause-givng 10 the Govern
ment the better currency, while it left that the peo
pie unmproved and unregulatel. The main obec-
ton 10 the bill, urged by Mr. Ii. is one which may
with equal force, be brought against any human inst
tuition, and is, for that reason, unworthy Of states
man. II, because, there are rogues in the world
and plenty of them the lawgiver should fold h
and despair of doing aught for the protection of
property, he would act as wisely those who would
delegate no power lest il may be abused The belief
IS gaining ground among the people that if their r.
devoted half as much industry in ex
,mning the bill submitted to them with the view 10
improve and perfect IT. as in hunting up and arrang
ng arguments to justify their opposition 10 it, it nigh.
speedily become ameans Of relieving the country from
much ofthc prevailing distress and if ii be rejected