The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-06-11
THE POSITION OF CONGRESS.

THE POSITION OF CONGRESS.
1t would be a hard task for any one, even
mathematical politician, to define, now or here
after, the position of the present Congress. In
the Senate, the Wings claim thirty members
out Of the fifty composing that body; and in
the House Of Representatives, the Democrats
have only one hundred and three out of two
hundred and forty-Messrs. Gushing, Profit,
Irwin, Mallory, Gilmer and Wise not counted
with either party. The tally, however, shows
that, for purposes of public good or bad, the
" Wing" party have all along had sufficient
power in their hands to carry out those mea-
sures of relief" which were so lavishly prom
ised at the late elections. 1t is useless to say
that the other party could retard the public BUSH
ness, for the House, by bare majority, has
the power of finishing every measure in day,
should it think proper to do so. Without half
of these advantages, the Van Buren, party in
the last Congress succeeded in passing the Sub
Treasury, Notwithstanding all the difficulties
that political legerdemain could throw in their
way.
! The great gun of the party was to establish
a uniform system for, or regulation of, the cur
rency-a Bank was never mentioned even in
the murky regions where its marble palace
seemed to frown on the humble dwellings by
which it was surrounded. Knowing this, does
it not look little queer, if not dishonest in GER
| tain politicians to neglect the opportunity afford
ed them of considering the Exchequer plan 2
We were all told, and are still told, that the diff
6culty Of obtaining exchange is the only draw
back on the mercantile business. If So here is
plan for the gentlemen. If they do not like
it, let them amend it. The President, it is well
known, has no objection to the object avowed
| of regulating exchanges" except so far as re-
CARDS the powers that may be granted to heart
less spectators under any bill for that purpose,
not properly guarded by the laws and the Con-
stitution. EG9
The common folks among the Wings and
Democrats have been for some time marvelling
at the dilatory course of Congress in regard to
the currency, and the question has naturally
arisen, Why is this Is there not an influence
working beneath the surface on both sides
Neither seem disposed to give the President the
least chance of being heard, although he has
waited patiently for nearly seve,a months Who
is to blame2 Certainly not Mr.. Tyler. 1t can
not surely be that those high-minded patriots,
Messrs. Mangum, Benton & Co., the leaders of
the two great parties, had any hand in the de-
lay. Their motives, so far as expressed by
themselves, are of pure and noble character.
No one can doubt the same purity of motive in
Messrs. Bolts, Stanly, Arnold, and others, in
the House The thing is as clear as mud.
The rapid progress of animal magnetism has
placed these. distinguished men in a state of
clairvoyance. and they forget that " well-regu-
lated currency and exchanges" is at all neces-
sary for the safety and well-being of the Re-
public.
| But what will our friends, the merchants, say
to this? Exchanges have all along been the
cry-the odor of nationality left by the late U.
S. Bank was little too strong for even the
most ultra Federalist to think of advocating
such a thing as discounts before the People.
The cry for exchanges was said to have come
| from the merchant, the manufacturer, the ira
der &C. Well, if these parties have debts to
pay and money to pay them, the Exchequer, or
|
accommodate them; and how can our peculiar
ewing" friends expect to face these constitu
ents of theirs, on returning home, when they
are well aware that every effort has been made
by the President to carry out their own doctrine
of "Preserve and regulate-not destroy"
| Falsehood will not answer the People at this
time. They have become accustomed to the
reckless peccadilloes of politicians, and now ex
anime before they believe.
| This will not answer the purpose of politi
clans, however. They wish the People to take
their ipse dinits for facts, without either exam
nation or belief They wish them to believe all
that is promised, without exactipg its perform
ance But the day for that belief has gone by,
as they will find to their sorrow-perhaps dis
grace The Tippecanoe Raisin'," sung by
the Buckeye Blacksmith, will be mere circum-
stance to the "People's raisin'" which few
months will display.
| Let the free press throughout the country
free from Bank pay and political dictators-
continue their bold and manly course by whip
ping such demagogues "naked through the
world" and every honest heart will lend hand.
Light is all that is asked, and light the People
shall have. What, then, is the position this
Congress occupies2 Is it noble and exalted,
or mean and disreputable? We pause for a
reply. e
| We copy, with pleasure, the following letter
from member of the Ohio delegation in Con-
l L. IL L IL