Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-08-10

W Tue enme peuy oolect aGcmcntcu puouc uccc1si-
ties heightened yet further by the mischief not for
a moment to DO encountered Of leaving no law for
your system OF public revenue except the arbitrary
will Of the Executive.
Sir, sail MIR. A., 1t is no extravegint and ex
uems opinion Of an individual which l advance,
when say tina, your entire system ofthe collection
oil public revenue was then at stake, and Is yet in
extreme doubt. Gentlemen cannot, nay I will de-
berately say, dare not affirm that put the case too
strongly. The opinions OF the sblest men in either
House OF Congress, OF the members ofthe bar who
have the widest reputation, and twhat IS OF little
inferior import) Of the most intelligent merchants
completely versed in such matters, are all In con-
eurrencc on this point. There can be little doubt
that, since the 30ih June, your entire revenue laws
have become void. Yet the Executive, tender as he
is Of every constitutional scrupc, and "cavlling on
the ninth part OF hair Of whatever Congress does
this fuucIionary 80 made up of disiinc ions and
diffieut,es-whose aPp.rehensive eyes detect Jaws
every where-procecds here ut once TO cure, by his
own Interpretation and the supplementary legisla-
ton of his Secretary, the failure of Law and the alb
senee oil regulation. He decides singly what law is
IN force, how to be interpreted, where il is in
complete, who is to supply its defect; and oil this
in the face OF the concurrent action OF both these
Houses, alarmed at this state Of things and hasten
ing to provide for it by the preservation merely, the
legaiizing preservation OF previous law, all which
he sets aside, TO substitute for your enactment his
own nat. This strange, this unexamplcd sort Of
law, now constitutes your entire system OF laying
and collecting taxes Nor is that the worst even.
The law which these bodics-the competent power
over whatever regards revenue qucstions-are now
about TO make, 10 almost certain be ncgatived by
him, and the present incredible condition of things
TO become permanent, unless we, the legislative
power, succumb TO the terms he openly imposes
upon US, and surrender, OF discretion to what our
known principles disavows and our whole sense Of
public duty forbids.
dismiss, sir, all useless invocaons of that spirit
which party seems to have utterly extinguished-
the spirit which once, in this country know no sect
or form OF opinion when the highest public interests
were at stake, or when IL was barely imagined that
invasion Of the general freedom or Of the legislative
privileges, were about to be attempted. | speak
no longer as TO Senators around me, but simply TO
declare my own feelings, as the delegated agent OF
those who sent me here. Until few days since
| would have voted as to this land question in any
way that might secure a revenue TO the public ne
ccssities and redeem endangered national faith.
but all this is past. / bandon all moderation,
in view OF assumptions like this.
IL Is, Mr President, no longer a question of a
lesser supply Of revenue from this uncomfortable
land fund, and full and AIDE quate supply from
loan bill or between the value Of this petty portion
OF revenue, and the main provision on which all
adequsts public income must repose. The uues-
ton has now taken u shape Of far higher import n
character OF far deeper interest and alarm than any
matter OF mere revenue can wear. The great rule
OF all free institutions, that the People alone shall
lay taxes-a vital principle OF all constitutional
sovernment-an essential guaranty of all safe pub
lie ndministration-has become involved, is n,
stake that solemn canon of republican creeds-tha.
high fundamental law-no, sir, not a law, the mere
part OF code or constitution; il is itself consti-
ution for give but that, and real constitution must
follow; take way, and there is end of all prac~
teal freedom.
Such, sir. is this present attempt; and this by n
Chief Magistrate who had Just little while before
informed you in another message that he stood pre-
pared To surrender, and had surrendered, even his
constitutional scruples in Difference TO legislative
opinion on point not thus sc, apart and sacred to
the representative will alone Ii is he who now, on
a question OF mere expediency, and ques,son of
supplies, defeats all legislative action, and puts
veto on the most mature and deliberate provisions OF
your prudence, on ground which he himself admits
to be matter OF temporary expectancy alone, And
this he does with the most obvious purpose Unit.
nations Of which multipl ed all around us) OF
forcing you, by those hazards of public disasters and
disgrace of which he himself is totally nsensible to
turn your legislation into the shifting ana winding
track oil his personal opinions and Interest," The
APPALLING necessities Of the public service to go
cropping about the country through hedges and
quagnirss IN pursuit of tbs isnis fatu Of his expec
tntions!
But what, rs to this matter of supplies is the rule
oil that great country from whose institutions and
ideas all our own are derived1 There the free con-
troll OF whatever belongs to tax and supply is, and
ever has been, held the impresclipiive right OF the
peoples representatives. Ii is the very law and
canon Of all English liberty. No English prince
has ever dared to outrage this principle. Outrage,
uIo sdyf NO none mas uareu even 10 question a.!
When was bill OF supply ever held there ques
ton for kingl Never, by the resaest the
strongest of their rulers. About that matter the
temper OF English freedom has traced q circle, like
that which the exorcist draws, with words OF such
tremendous power that the fercest Of oil the spirits
that fall PASS it. That magic reign the most
daring Of England's despoiic race the Tutors,
never once attempted to overlear. Henry the VIII.
before whom heads fell at pleasure, and who could
even, by his single decree, change the religion of
Inv fall
step this sacred limitation. His lion-ike daughter
more absolute still, because bold and far ADLER
-ventured as little, throughout her whole unrcsst
ed sway, to invade this the last recess of English
freedom. single monarch of that periinacious
race, the Stuats, hazarded, under the pretence of
some falsely alleged presidents, an assumption TO
raise tax without Parliament. He paid for IT with
bis crown, his life, and the oulawry of his family
Sir, we have 40 Executive of the temper, but not
the intellect OF that unhappy family Who upset n
weak throne by their fondness Of asserting lille
gal power.
Finally, Mr. President, have TO say, in all So
leinnty, that will sooner suffer this Govern ment
to 60 TO dissolution Than by my act allow any in
dividual to put bride these legislative bod es
and by motion Of his finger or heel, with spurs
to urge and rein TO turn or check us, ride this Go
vernnent which way he WILL IL there are men OF
any party ready TO sioop 10 such dication, will
not TIC found amongst them. lit be necessary,
will sooner say not only in those words once heard
with such dismay throughout the land, "Perish
commerce, perish credit" but let the Government
fall TO pieces and the Union be dissolved rather
will sanction, by my act, measure which would
abrogate the privileges oflhese Houses, and annihi
late the independence ofthe Peoples Representa-
tiyes.
iD9 The above may not be literal version Of
Mr. A. speech. 1t is made, however, from careful
notes and good memory, and will be found, we
think, by all who heard it, faithful to the spin, and
style Of his remarks.