The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-14
VICE PRESIDENTS.

Peter L. townsend, William w. kldder,
Charles II. Ring, Benjamin Brown,
William IL. Crawford, Dr. NJ J. Bailey,
Edward Vincent, Clinton Haring,
William w. Gilman, Frederick E. Mather,
Francis Tlou, James ii. Raymond
Aaron Swartz,
SECRETARIES.
J. Hopkins Stewart, DR.. Benjamin C. butcher,
Daniel P. Barnard, Edward Gallagher,
John B. Harng, George F. IL. Youngs.
The following address was then read by COL
MATHER:-
FELLOW CITIZENS The present alarming and cr-
teal state of public affairs, calls for the energetic
and united eXerion of all who wish success to the in
terest and prosperity Of our rising and happy Repub
lie. The singular and melancholy spectacle Is now
presented of country favored with health and peace
surrounded with every blessing which can make it
Free prosperous and happy, and enjoying privileges
social, political 'and religious, without parallel in
the history of mankind and yet in the midst of these
multiplied blessings is involved in accumulated Pc
cuniary embarrassments and wide spread distress
Our public Treasury nearly exhausted, and no mea-
adopted to replensh tour credit at home and
abroad impaired and Frustrated, without single eff
fort to restore and establish it, by those appointed by
the people to discharge that important dutya large
debt incurred to sustain the necessary wants of the
Government, without any means being provided for
its repayment while measures adopted squander
the only treasure left us to meet the accommodating
demands upon the Treasury to meet the wants of the
public service. When we take survey of the scene
around us, we see commerce paralyZed, trade
in state Of stagnancy, the labor of the country
productive, every branch Of business more or less
Frustrated, and yet in this state of unparalleled de-
preston and embarrassment, not single measure
has been adopted during the present protracted
sion of Congress to meet the wants and expecta-
tons of the people.
For this deplorable condition of our national affairs,
no blame can be attached to The administration of
President Tyler. More than seven months ago,
he recommended plan of finance and currency,
which, while it would contribute to relieve the Trea-
sury, would furnish circulation equal in value to
gold and silver. He also al the same time urged the
adoption of tariff of duties, which, while it would
sustain public credit, would afford to the manufacture
ing interests ample aid. He also invited the aten-
ton of Congress most urgently to the condition of
our public deences and invoked their active agency
in giving to the two great arms of national Defence
the army and the navy, complete efficiency and he
has repeated to them urgent solicitations that mea-
should be opted to restore the public credit,
and to elevate the standard ofpublic faith"
Notwithstanding these earnest appeals to the duty
and patriotism of Congress, what have they done3
We answer, they have been in session upwards Of
long months, and yet they have done compare
lively nothing A tariff for revenue and the Incl
dental protection of the labor of the country, so
strongly and eloquenty urged upon them by our pa
neglected. No appropriations have been made for
the support of the army navy, whose comfort and
interest deeply and injuriousy affected by this
shameful neglect; efficient action has been had to
establish the Exchequer, or any other plan for the
safe keeping and disbursement of the public moneys
But the time which should have been devoted to Gle
vate and strengthen the PROSTATE red of the Trea
sury to animate the dropping energies of the
try, has been employed in trivial objects, personal
controversies and electoneering projects for The next
~. Il. e
that office is of paramount importance to the credit
repose and prosperity of seventeen millions of free
men
In this contest for supremacy, the President has
been assailed in the most and contemptuous
terms his motives have been impugned his actions
misrepresened resolutions of inquiry passed. whose
only object to embarrass the operations of the
administration and a temporary tariff bill hastily
forced through Congress, with provision annexed
wholly alien to the character of the BILL and to which
it was well known that the President could not, with
any regard to his honor or consistency give his
sanction. For having declined to unite in giving
away fruitful source of revenue from Treasury
which has become nearly exhausted, he has been
charged with desire 10 dictate to Congress, when
his sole object is to carry out law of this very Con-
gress on the subject of the pubic lands The wekin
is made to resound with charges of Executive dica-
ton because he has not any to approve the
repeal or the suspension of an act passed late
September last-an act which if it was ight to pass
then, it must be wrong to repeal now when the
Treasury requires the Of every dollar which it
right fully claim He has repeatedly assured the
country that he would gladly harmonze with Con-
gress in the tnactm nj of all necessary if
the majority would permit him; and most gladly
would he approve any bill having for It's OBJ
ject and the protection of the manufacturing indus
try as its incident which should be presented
nected with matters having affilia ion, and which
are only calcuIa ed TO embarrass Executive action"
" The position of the President is surrounded with
difficulties and embarrassment, such as no one OF his
predecessors was called upon to encounter Suspect
ed without cause, traduced and vifed without mea-
sure and in style shocking alike to the charities of
opinion and the decencies of well bred society, his
measures condemned without trial and his motives
impugned by those who refuse to understand HIM,
his consolation is derived only from the recttudc Of
his intentions and he looks )r support to those alone
whatever be their party ties, who are willing to hear
him with patience and to Judge him with candor.-
The country which he has served with ability in
such variety of public stations, and whose highest
trust he is at this moment dischargng with faith
full and unring zeal, will ultimately do him full JUS
tice."
Fellow Citizens: In this state Of our public affairs
it becomes us to reflect seriously upon the course
proper to be pursued. Congress, instead of respond
ing to the wishes of the people, regarding the uni
versal expression of dissatisfaction manifested in
cry section of the Union still bent upon adopting
measures to embarrass the President. Threats have
been frequently uttered, and secret meetings held to
devise measures to mpeach him for faithfully dis
charging the high trusts reposed in him by the Con-
sttutiJn. We owe it to ourselves-to the President
of the nation and to our country and its institutions,
to speak out in terms which cannot be Mistaken of
the disgust which we feel towards the majority in
Congress- who will permit the great interests OF the
country to be sacrificed to the shrine Of party and
call upon fellow citizens of every party who
feel with that country is dssraced and its
prosperity disregarded 10y their Representatives to
let their voice be heard in the Capitol, even before
the present long and disgracefu session of Congress
closes. The public veal, at this crisis, summons to
its aid every man who prefers country to party And
where will that summons be more promptly obeyed
than in the Commercial Emporium of the Empire