The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-08-23

1
tons by which the value Of goods shall be
ascertained, although the law expressly de
claTes that thes, regulations shall be made
by Congress. That he has done. And
how will he stand before the Peoplel We
are told that this is question of law, and
must be settled bv the U. States Supreme
Court. or by jurics of the country. trust
it will be jurles who are TO decide whether
the President shall thus levy hundreds of
thousands, aye. millions of dollars. on the
People without the authority Of law. Ii
their defence against such an exaction is to
depend solely and exclusively upon the Su'
preme Court, shall feel little hesitation
as to the course that tribunal may take; for
! well remember that when the question on
ship money was trieG in England against
john Hampden, who had refused to pay it,
the judge-a British Judge decided that
the power to levy it was in the King, and a
fine of 100000 was laid upon Hampden,f for
which he was imprisoned. have moi. {
conf s the most entire confidence as 10 what
the result may be. The Court may posi-
bly, consider here, as the Court considered
in England, that it is case where stern ne.
cessi,y snpercedes all law. But. if ! am
not mistaken, it is question which will be
settled by the juries of the country. | am
willing TO wait the issue.
But, ask. on whom will rest the respon.
sibiliiy7 Not on Congress-Congress had
provided for the case; but no, the Executive
would not consent to wait for one short
month. Who then, again ask, is respon.
slbIel
And now as 10 the distribution of the land
fund That is the last point shall refer TO,
for excep, for the present. all reference TO
the subjrct of our foreign affairs, because no
issue has, as yet been made between Con.
gress and the Executive on that subject.
But as 10 the lands. On what principle
have the two Houses determined that the
proceed, of the sales of the public domain
shall he distributed among the States TO en-
able them 10 pay their honest debtsl On
the principle that they are the property Of
the nation; and they are the inheritance Of
the nation; and that, after the revolutionary
debt has been paid, they ought justly 10 be
distributed to the people Of the nation. 10
enable them TO improve the country and
make the desert blossom as the rose. This
was the object originally in view; and in
reliance upon il the States. mostly, have
contracted debts TO the amount one hundred
and ninety-fve millions Of dollars. have
here list showing the result, but will no;
consume the time allotted me by reading ii
now. Some portions Of this debt have,
perhaps, been contracted for objects ofques
iionable propriety, especially whers it has
been for banks; but the great mass OF This
idebleGness has been incurred for improv-
ing the face Of the country, and the improv
ments made amount in actual value to the
citizens of the United Ststes TO ten times
what they cost. Why, what is the time ii
now takes to go from this city TO Charles
toni and what to Boston? We have rcdu
ced distance Of a thousand miles 10 ride
of four DAYS. How long woAl the same
space have consumed in passing over it be
fore these works of internal improvement
were projected and accomplished
But my waning hour. which see is fas,
elapsing. obliges me TO omit many things J
could here desire 10 say.
And now to the question Of responsibility;
the comparative responsibility of Congress
and of the Executive.
A gentleman got up here and threatened
as if we we're to be buried under the noun
tains, while the Executive was raised high.
err than the stars Now this Congress had
a, best but a short time TO live on the .hird
of March next it dies: at that day every
man here will be politically dead, save The
comparatively few who shall be re elected.
" hat are we TO losel Our seats in this
House? II is very possible. know, that
shall lose mine; for you have declared thai
of the delegation Massachusetts has now on
this floor, two shall be screwed out.
la Ugh. Yet two must go; and | may be one
of them. Besides, how many of the distin-
guished members of this House, and on
both sides, have already siguified their in
tention 10 resignl There is gentlemen
from South Carolina, very distinguished
member Of the Democratic party, and here
is the chairman of the Committee Of Ways
and Mean.-both have voluntarily rcceded
end Welded their places to successors. Are
you going 10 appal these gentleman with
threats of responsibility and tremendous
RECKONING PSOPN' -'N' 10y
will 20 home and be received with open
arms by their own constituents, whatever
NAV be The fate Of those who seek re-elec-
ton. In the succession of one Congress
to another every body knows that, as gen.
eral average, not more than one half the
members survive at least half Of them are
always left politically dead.
In the next Congress, then, at any rate,
and according to the usual course of things,
not over one half, possibly no: more than a
third, of those now occupying these seats
will be found here. Where. then. will be
this tremendous responsibility What is
the responsibility of dead menl Men are
often dropped at elections for very trivial
offences. Where then is the responsibility
which is to pile up over US Pelion upon Us
sal Possibly it may give certain gentlemen
vast qualification to see the coming cleo
lions result, in bringing into this House an
abundant harvest of good Democrats ietH
come | saw heauliy,let it come. VIII mere