Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-08-26
BON the Hous. adjourned.
whSTIINGTON. Aue. %. ne.
DEBATE ON THE REVENUE BILL
IN ruE HousE OF REPRESENTATIVES.,
FRIpAr, Aueusr 10, isi2.

The House being in Committee Of the Whole,
and having under consideration the Bill reported
from the Committee on the Judiciary "to supply q
temporary defec; or failure in the laws relating to
the collection Of duties imports" with the amend
ments pending thereto--and Mr. ADAMS and Mr..
Gu HING having addressed the Committee
| Mr. GRANGER said that when he came into the
Hall he had determined to take no share whatever
in the discussion; but the gentleman from Massa-
chusctts IMr Cushinsl had proceeded but few
minutes In reading the committee lesson on the
legislative prophecies Of this House before he ren-
pushed that determination; and as the gentleman
had gone still further and had undertaken 10 point
out to the House and to tho nation the inconss,en
cies Of MIR CTS public course, he the moro gladly
embraced the opportunity Of addressing to that ho.
norable gentleman few words in reply.
But, before he proceeded 10 notice the remarks
of the gentleman from Massachusetts,, as the gentle
man from Virginia, from the Accomac district, was
now in his place, he would ask leave. after reading
a paragraph from the National lntelisencsr, to pu;
| TO that gentleman question or two.
| Mr. g here quoted the following from the Intel
| lieencer Of Saturday last:
"Mr w. sid he knew his friend from kentucky
| mir Underwood did not mean TO insult him when
| he asked whether the President would sign the bill
| without the land clausel But he should not
| swer that question. He would put a stop TO this
thing at once: he should answer that question TO
man; he regarded IL as insulting TO the President
But there was one member on that floor who had il
in his power TO say whether the President Just
ly charged with selhshness and ambition in veIoing
! either the bank bill or this.
Here Mr. WIS hour expired.
Mr. w. was understood TO refer to MIR Granger
and admitted TO MIR q. that he did; whereupon MIR
G.. said he should talk with him about il another
! time.l |"
Ali this he believed to be very correctly stated.
The Reporter added that the hour had expired; and
SO it had, if that expression related the hour
the close OF which the bill to he put the vote
in coumittee; but in point Of fact the gentleman
from Virginia had spoken but little over half hour
when the time arrived that the bill to come out
OF committee, which not only cut of the gentle.
mans speech, but all opportunity 10 reply.
The statement he had read might TO some gentle.
men seem unimportan; and, so far respected
any use which the gentleman from Virginia himself
would desire TO make OF 1t TO MrG 's disadvantage.
it certainly was So for he entertained fears that
that gentleman would do any thing OF the kind; but
it due 10 himself and 10 truth TO guard against
the wilful Misrepresentation ola corrupt and pen
stoned press.
Now, although the gentleman from Kentucky
| (Mr Undervoodl was not TO be permitted TO ask
the genllemon from Virginih whether the President
would or would not sign tsrd bill without the
land distribution clause, and although MIR G's past
relations 10 the Executive had been OF some hat
Intimate character, sui he took exceptions the
genleman's having made personal reference 10 HIM
in the manner stated in this report. That gentle
man must be aware, however, tha; the parasra ph
was susceptible OF two different inference; the one
being that il might be inferred that MIR G. had ed
vsed the Presidential bank vetoes OF the called
sion, which he was quite sure the gentleman could
not intend. The gentleman might answer now, Il
he preferred to do so; and then Mr. G.. would pro
pound 10 him another inquiry.
| MIR WISE said he had rather wait and hear the
whole before he made any reply.
/ MIR GRANGER resumed. The other query he
| wanted TO put TO the gentleman was, whether he
was desrous OF questioning him as TO what assed
in re alton TO those vetoes, either in the Cabinet or
between him and the President personality IT the
gentleman did present TO Mr. G.. such inquiry, be
trusted that he should, in answering his 100 uires
be exonera' ed from the blame Of a breach of Cabi-
net confidence, particularly lie had absiained
/ from all previous disclosures Of the kind. lie did
not say whether he had any thing to state that
wovld have an unpleasant bearing on the Presidedt
or not.
! Mr. WISE said he would reply 10 the gentleman's
questions with great pleasure; but he base his
answer the declaration that he had had no inten
ton at all Of turning the insult which he refused
| TO impute to his friend from Kentucky (hr Under
| woody upon the gentleman from New York.
! MIR GRANGER said he had not understood
the genrIemln.
MIR WISE went on TO soy tina; all would bear
/ him witness that, IN reference 10 every doubtful
question which came up, there were gentlemen who,
not with view TO information, nor even in q spirit
| of idle curiosity, but with disposition TO taunt
both the President and himself were in the habit oil
putting to him interrogalores as to what the Pres
dent would would not do, as if he the keep
| or Of tho Presidents conscience. In repulsion Of
this habit. which he thought had gone quite far
enough, he had said TO the gentleman from Kentucky
| near him MIR Underwood) that although he
aware he meant II in no unfdendy sense, he should
answer queries Of that kind TO no man, as be con.
sdered them insulting both to the President and
| himself No longer ago than yesterday friend had
told him that, when q gentleman in addressing the
committee had used these words, 'f we had a wise
Administration" it had been tauntingly remarked
"that we had q WISE Administration already."-
| lie knew how these things would appear TO the
| world; and no therefore determined 10 put a
stop TO lhem-inasnuch as he would not admit that
he had any control Whatever over the President OF
the United States. That Individual had exhibited
to the whole world, and especially 10 the unreeht-
ing gentlemen Of the Wing party, how hard it was
| to control him. They had moderated the mar,
both as TO ability and nerve. They had underrai-
cd
Here Mr. GRANGER said that he had yielded
the floor for reply to his inquiries, but he could
not consent that the gentleman should avail himself
Of IL for n speech.
Mr. WISE hoped the gentleman from New York
would be patient with him. flo never tad sustain
ed such relation to the President as 10 know init.
rpately his Cabinet secrets. He never had been ~
the Cabinet closet with him, acd he wished TO pu
no questions TO those who had. Sons Of them
howevcr-he did not alude TO the gentleman from
New York-had shown sufficient disreg ard 10 those
confidential rea'ion1 which ought ever 10 subsis
between a President and bis Cabinet lie should
put no inienogatofieS 70 the gentle man ION NOW
York. lie meant his remark for those Of the gen
tleman's own feather, poiiicallyi no desired that
they should ask the gentleman from New York
whether from tho near intimacy which had subsst-
ed between him and the President, he had any foun
dalton to believe the iuiimaton that tho Executive
founded the whole Of his public policy on his
own &c FISH aspirations. lie had not inquired oil
the gentlemln whether such nimalion we're true
false; bu, had observed that from the relations in
which he had stood TO tie President, he could an.
swer II inquired Of by those Of his own party. MI
, w. hoped the gentleman now understood him.
, Mr. GRANGER said he was fully satisfied, oil
he wanted had been 10 have it understood that II The
gentleman expected TO make any political capital fo
, the President by his remark which lie (Mr G) dc
not believe, he had, 10 use lawyers phrase, "aker
' nothing ny his notion"
fIe had now word TO say TO the gentleman ffon
Massachusetts,, (Nf Cushng.)
y That gentleman had voted Tor every Till the Pre-
sdent had vetoed aud had then defended every vcu
n which had come fsom tho palace and yet again vOt
- ed for the bills when q second time presented inso
7, much that he was really puzzled TO define the gen
,, tleman's posi'ion. The genteman's course remind
Z, ed him often Of tho reply Of an old Wornin who wa
= asked what she thought Of ono Of ternoghbors b.
, the namo Jones-not The Editor Of the Mndisonio
y la laugh and with very knowing look replied
!, "Why, don't like 70 say any thing about ny
v neigbbors; but as 10 Mr. Jones, sometimes think
and then agin I don't know-but, ater all, rathe
~ guess he'll turn out 10 DO good deal such sort
o, a man ssl take him 70 be-" Much lsugh,erl
DO The gentleman himself said Mr. O., makes m
~ lhnk Of smart fellow saw IN the circus The 9th,