The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-07-09
SPEECH OF MR.. WATTERSoN.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 2, 1912.
OF TENNESSEE,
ON THE VETO MESSAGE.

Mr.. WATTERSON remarked that II was Blu
seldom he attempted TO speak In the House. especially
during the present session. he had not Intended u
have spoken now, nor would he have done %, but io
the very extraordinary speech OF his honorahie col
league, (Mr. Caruthers )-exuaordinary not only
for It's bitter denuneiaton Of the President as traitor
but for its unprovoked attack the Democra''c par
~. Sir, (said MIR. WATERFOWL 1t Is no business o
mine here to become the champion OF the riesiaent
there others here more able To vindicate MN he
is President of my choice he was elected py
those who now abuse and denounce him: But SIR
should be false TO truth and TO honor II were not 70
say, that, this occasion, award to the President
my warmest appreciation for this Veto-not only LOT
this one but for the two Vetoes of the called session
On all three of these OCCASIONS the President has no
bly, stepped forward and indicated the Constitution
and sustained the just expectations of his beat
friends Sir, | repeat that applaud he President
for his course these memorable occasions. On
others, have differed with him. widely differed, and
expect still to be compelled to differ from him on ma
ny more. But hope the time will never come when
could consent 10 JOIN In an indscrminate and unjust
war upon the character and public services oil any
President, only because had not aided in his cleo
ton. Sir this charge of treason and deserton
against the President has not even the merit OF nov
city to sustain it, Ii was sung from one end OF me
Wing party to the o,her-through this Hall and all
this country-durng the called session of Con-
gress On the breaking up of that body, the cee-
brated Manifesto sent out in every direction and
all the flaming orators Of the party proclaimed II
wherever they went. But sir, mark the resuit-not
IN the destruction of John Tyler, but in the utter
overthrow and destruction Of his accusers. But |
must return TO my honorable colleague, General Ca
ruthers, who, taking no warning from the past now
repeats this bold and reckless charge against the Pre-
sident and directly charges a coalition and bargain
between him and the Democratic party. My col
league is the last man here who should have charged
John Tyler to be traitor. In 1886 he voted for him
TO be Vice President of the United States. He did
the same thing in l84O For four long years he held
49, . ~nI mn nor.
thy to ill the second office of the greatest Republic in
the world In 1886 he voted for John Tyler through
his party electors, the ticket of Judge w hile
He must therefore have voted for him he did for
Judge Whits-as Anti-Bank, Anti-lnternal I'm
provement, Anti-D Distribution, and Anti Tariff man
Ii so, they then together, harmonzing and
agreeing on all these great topics. But John Tyler
is still An Bank, Anti Distribution, and Anti Pro-
tective Tariff, and for being So my colleague joins IN
denouncing him a traitor Traitor to what To
his old principles No; for he holds them now as
he did in 1886 when my colleague warmly sup
ported him the White ticket One or the other,
then, must have changed and my colleague admitted
frankly the other day that he had changed and seemed
proud of it. Sir, this admission shows at once the
secret of all this denunciaon against John Ty
Ter by my colleague and many of the Wing party.
They were once good Jackson men, and opposed TO
all the leading measures OF Mr.. Clay-they were OPP
posed to National Bank to distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands, and TO high Protective
Tariff and as such they nominated Judge w hite and
john Tyler as President and Vice President of the
United States. In the course of time and by evil as
soclaons with those to whom they had always before
been opposed, they changed their oplnons-they uni
ted 'hemse YES to the Clay party-like all new and
awkward converts, they shouted louder for Bank,
for Distribution, and for high Tariff, than any
OF the old Federal professors who the fathers
of the church But John Tyler, when brought to
the test under oath, and acting under all the
responsibilities OF his station, could not did not, and
would not chanye sides with them. He stood by the
Constitution, by his conscience, by his recorded opin-
ions in the Legislature of his native State, in the Sc
nate of the United States, and Mould not desert
them. Sir this is his only treason He would hot
like them desert his ancient principles, and for this
he Is now denounced by my colleague and his other
Wing associates. In confirmation of all this, want
TO show you what good Jackson and White and
Tyler man my colleague was in 1885, and how violent
ly he was then opposed to those with whom he is
politically associated. l refer you to few extracts
from able speech made in the Legislature of Ten
nessee to which listened with the highest sasfac
ton. Mr.. Speaker, fwhiIst read, you shall conclude
that my colleagues speech of 1885, rather better
than that of yesterday you must remember that he
was then speaking on the right side and in better
cause-a that was natural to him-the old cause
in which he was raised-the Republican, the De-
mocratic, or the Jackson cause Now he is cramped,
fettered by associations which lie once abhored and
espousing doctrines which in that very speech he was
eloquent in denouncing
The truth is, the race is between White and Van
Buren, the candidate Of the People, and of the Bal-
more Convention These gentlemen both talent
ed, and have both fought in the republican ranks.
They have been good Jackson men, White to be
sure has done him more service, for he commenced
sooner by many years, and has fought harder for he
always has been in the hottest of the action, and the
old chief has sounded his political war-trump
but White was in the field, nnd at his side he has
never called for vanguard but White has stepped
f,rward.
hite has out on all the vetoes and mes sages
and every leading measure of Jackson's adminislra-
ton; and is therefore pledged in PRINT and under his
own hand upon them, and will, he Is an
honest statesman, carry them out if he should sue
coed. Mr.. Van Buren's situation has not been such
10 make necessary that he should take sides upon
these agtallng questions; and It seems to be admit
ted on all hands, that he of those politicians
who will not obrude his sentiments upon the public,
questions which have two sides, but modest and
retiring in his policy there is Perhaps exception
in this course. 1 would not do an injustice. On one
occasion, in toast if mistake not, he hid say 'un-
compromising opposition TO the United States Bank.
Since what little Of his sentiments good what
pity Is we cannot get more, in toass,
solid way. But White has made lengthy argument
that subject for which he has been auded to the
skies by the very men who abusing him. He
has, ever since 1917, been standing upon the strong
ground, that the Bank Of the United States and all
the banks of that kind, iIutional well
as inexpedient.
IfJudge White cannot be elected would much pre- fer
his election Mr.Van Burens) TO that OF any opposition
man, notwithstanding my objections to him for you
have seen, sir, from what have said, that have
ny objections 10 him, when compared to White but
still would much prefer him to any man whose prin-
cpes are adverse to those which have characterized
and made glorious the present administration"
Mr. Speaker, this extract leaves shadow of doubt
about my colleagues position in 1885. He was a
Jackson man. Now he is Clay man. lie was
White man, and Van Buren, man, because they
were both good Republicans-they had fought in
the Republican ranks" All! both so good that they
had fought in the Republican ranks. Who did they
fight aganst1 Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Clay. What
did they fight agaipsli The Bank, Mr.. Clay's Dis
tribution bllI and his protective Tariff System For
these noble deeds, my colleague much preferred that
either should be elected to "any opposition man." To
defeat these, when the election of 1886 came on he
voted for Judge White and John Tyler Now, where
is he2 For Clay, against the world Not only So
hut he is for MIR CLAW measnres-h,s National Ban 4