The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-07

language, in justification of the defence ! am now
making for am acting purely on the defensive
will give the gentlemans own language CORRECTED as
understand, by hlnself
Mr. PRoFFlT then read The following extract from
Mr.. Filnore's remarks:
" Mr. y. could not conceive what was tie object OF
the attacks which OF late had almost daily proceeded
from those said To be the peculiar friends OF Inc Pfesi-
dent So frequent had they beeni that quartet ha'
he was almost induced to believe that there was "
deadly game playing that floor to Aill one oI tue
political parties here. II not, why lhis continuai op
position from those gentlemen 10 all measures oiouen'
forward for the public service Why did the party
press hroug hout the country, under ne eoh'fo' VI M
Administration pour out the was OF wrath upon e
majority of this House for neglect delay 0, ,ne
public business without The least notice OF the oos.e
cles and Interruptions continually thrown IN oy the
President, prcnlar friends here, who did more 10 re-
ard and distract the of the public business than
both the other parties put together was mgr 'iie
that gentlemen OF both parties 10 the House shoulu
look 10 this that they should take warning from ihe
course of these peculiar friends oil the huhihis'ia'
ton"
Mr. PaoFFIr continued There, sir, is specimen
of the concentra ed venom with which the chairman
of the Committee of Ways and Means assalls the
friends OF The Administration. II Is not only charge
against those whom the gentleman is pleased to cal
the 'pecuar friends oil the Presldehi but an Attack
on the President himself inlimaton that, through
the action of Congress. Sir, deny that any one o
the friends Of thu Administration has, at any time OF
in any MANNER delay ed the progress OF business by
faclious opposition call SIR, upon the gentleman t'
make good the charge thus wantonly made
He says, too, that he believes we q" are playing
deadly game on this floor to Kill of the polca
parties Sir envy not the feelings OF the man WAC
could conceive thought SO exec.able; and most SIN
cerey do WISH for the honor of this House, that tht
chairman of one OF its most Important committees
who could harbor suspicion weakly wicked, coulc
at least have the prudence to keep ranking in its 81
depository, his own heart.
scorn to defend myself OF friends from an imput a.
ton SO palpahly absurd Ii il possible for us SC
far TO forget due 10 our own characters and u
the honor OF the country engage in such design
il required NO acton IRON us. The gentleman and
his friends are destroying themselves fast enough 10
CRAFTY even their most deadly enemies. they seen
to have been Intenty bent on committing political
suicide from the moment they obtained power ana
now, in their delrun, they madly aud ravingly
rail at those who would stay the upeu poW, or uasu
the poison from their lips
| call upon the gentleman TO make good his asser
ton that party press throughout the country unuei
the con rol OF the AdnlnlsIl alton. deny II; and
more particularly do deny that any part Of The press
at the nstig alton OF the Administration or It's friends
IS msIepresenting the course of the majority on inns
floor or improperly accusing OF delaying the pubic
business The gentleman and his friends are IN q
large majority how comes it that little nothing has
been done They have the presiding officer ol tins
House the control Of every important committee
officers Of their own selection; printer OF Their own
choice they bold undispuled command of the leglsa-
tive power They, at the extra session, could pass
bank bill in two three hours, without amendment
debate; bill, sill, aPproprlang millions VI the
pubic money, and grant ng exclusive privileges Tor
twenty years PoIiucul objects were then 10 be ac-
cumpshed and hey could act with lightning speed
n0p, when the country demands action, they can or
will do noh hing.
They then could pass revenue bill, imposing taxes
10 the amount of millions, without the alteration OF a
word, and scarcely with even decent consideration
Now, sir, they are poweress tor good, and indus
tously active only petty schemes and party obey
They could then hurrledly pass bankrupt Drl, bill
for the distribution OF the proct eds of The public lands
torlifca ion and navy bills, &c. The sane members
compose this body; the friends Of the Administrator
stood then upon the some ground they now occupy
and yet The gentleman says that We otslrncl the pubc
business.
The truth is that he and some of his friends are
determined that nothing sha be done. They want
excitement 1t is the element in which they lve and
he only one IN which they exist and the only
difficulty with them Is, how they may best conceal
their policy.
The gentleman feels the force of these truths.
The thunder-tones Of the People, echoing from all
quarters of the Union, have at last startled him and
his friends from their fancied security, and, in the
extremity of despair he exclaims that the peculiar
friends of the President retard the public business
more than both the other parties put together" Sir
to what weak and shallow devices will some men re-
sort and low indeed must be their estimate OF the
intelligence of the People for them to hazard such
declaration. Why, sir, It is but few hours since
that the friends of the Administration were 'leri-
syely named as g corporal's guard | think the
gentleman himself sneerIngly called us half dozen
lmpractcabes And now, sir, he attributes TO SIX
members the power 10 thwart hco hundred and thirty
SIR all anxously bent on speedy despatch OF bust
ness. What very influential and powerful men must
compose that guard I" Why, sir, if it were to
combine with the entire Opposition it would still be
in a lie n minority and yet the gentleman ventures
declarations such as have just read
But the gentleman, not content with these unjusti-
fable assertions and nuendoes, says that the Com
mttee of Ways and Means, though reluctantly ac-
uuescing in the views of the Secretary have thought
il proper to guard against sale of the bonds with
out notice so that the administration might not hare
the opportunity Of selecting It's o,cn Jaro,es, and roc-
ing The scales into their oacn hands Sir, the respect
due to this body prevents me from using the Ian
guage of rebuke justly due the gentleman for this
insinuation. The Secretaryof the Treasury did not
express wish to sell the bonds oiihoM notice. He
is high-minded, honest man. And by what right
does the gentleman intimate that the Administration
would, if it could, throw these bonds into the hands
of its peculiar avorites, add thus play into their
orn hands" And this language is used by the gen.
tleman, as Chairman of the Committee OF Ways and
Means BY his course, and by the temper he has
manifested, the country must judge why it is that
the public business is delayed, rather entirely
rested. And can any man of spirit, either IN this
House in the country expect that the friends Of
the Administration will submit to hear such language
coming from such source' Can any one attach
blame to us for replying to III Is it not rather ar
imperative duty to reiute such charges, and expose
the authors of present troubles, even in their
naked deformity
Sir this task shall be mine; but before proceed
to review the conduct of the gentleman at this anc
the extra session. and give to the country the real au
thors of the mschievous policy pursued, will read
one more extract from the gentleman's remarks for
as he has commenced the attack, am determined tc
put him on trial before the People.
Mr. PRoFFIT then read the following from MIR. Fill
more's remarks:
"We had tried one loan bill and had listened to a
voice which counseed the House to consult public
a.ln halt tafL rna