Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-19
Extract FROM Ma. ARcapn,s SPEECH.

dismiss, sir, all useless invocation Of that spiri,
/ which party seems 10 have utterly extinguished-
the spirit which once, in this country, knew no sec,
| or form of opinion, when the highest public inter-
esis at stake, when u was barely ina zined
that nvasions OF the general freedom, OF the le
gisntive privileges, were about to be attempted. I
speak longer as 10 Senators around me, but sim
ply TO declare my own iee'ing', ns the delegate
agent Of these who sent me here. Until few days
since, | would have voted on this land question IN
any way that might secure revenue TO the pub
lie necessities, and redeem our endangered national
faith. But oil this is past. abandon oil fnodera.
ton, in view OF assumptions like ihs.
IL is, Mr. President, no longer a question Of q
lesser supply OF revenue from this inconsioerabie
| land fund, and full and adequate supply from
loan Li; between the value Of this petty portion
| Of revenue, and the main provision which all
adequate public income must fepOse. The question
has now taken shape Of far higher import, a
character Of far deeper interest and alarm, than
matter Of mere revenue can wear. The great rule
/ Of oil free Institutions that the People alone
shall lay taXes-a vital principle " oil constitutional
| government-an essential guaranty of all safe pub
/ lie ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS become involved, is az stake;
tblt solemn canon Of republican cresds-thai high
| fundamental lav-nO SIR, not q law, the mere part
Of code or constitution; Il is iself constitution;
for give but that, and real constitution must fol
low; take 1t away, aud there IS on end Of all prac.
| teal freedom.
Such, sir, is this present attempt and this by .
Chief Magistrate who had jus, litle while before
Informed you in another message that be stood pre-
pared to surrender, and had surrendered, ewes hi.
constitutional seTuples in Difference TO legislative
opinion point not thus set apart and sacred 70
the representative will alone. Its he who now on
question Of mere eXpediency, and q question Of sup
plies, defeats oil legislative action, and puts a vel,
on the most mature and deliberate provisions o
your prudence, on n ground which he himself ad
mrs 10 be mater Of temporary ezrelcncY alone
. Add this he docs with the most obvious purpos,
(iniimations Of which multiplied all around us
Of forcing you, Ivy thoso hazards OF public dsaste
and disgrace Of which he himself IS totally insensi
be- 70 turn your legislation into the shifting AM
winding track Of his personal opinions and interest.
The appalling necessities Of the public service or
10 co cropping about the county through hedges on
quagmres in pursuit Of the ignss Catui Of his eK
c pectatonsl
But what as 70 this matter ofsupyliss, is the rul
j. Of that great country from whose institutions an
10 ideas all are dsrive61 There the free con
troll Of whatever belongs 10 toX and supply IT, an
ever has been, he'd the imprescrptiyo right Of tt
H. peoples representatives. IL Is the very law an
Is canon Of oil English Liberty. No English phn,
if has ever dared TO outrage this principle. Outrag
did sayl No; uone has ever dared 70 question !
When was bill Of supply ever held there que
ton for kingi Never by the rashcst or tho srongs
IN Of their rulers. About that matter the temper
a Eng sh freedom has traced Circle like that " MI
c. the exoreist draws with words Of such treoendo
n power that the fercest OF all the spirits that "a,
o. not psssit. That magic ring, the most daring
d, England's most despouc race, the Tudor, nev
DO once attempted TO overlap Henry the VIII L
p fore whom heads fell at pleasure, and who con
even, by his single decree, change the religion Of
realm, never felt himself strong enough 10 overs
TO this sacred limitation. Ills lion like daughter nc
nd absolute still, because bold aud for ADLER We
,ss ured az Ile, throughout her whole unresisL yvo
10 invade, Tbs, the lssI recess Of English freedom