The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1842-08-27


cries Of pinching economy, TO suckle
armies and dry.nurse the land. To yield
these lands 10 the general government,
would be the only lrretrievably giving
away that which is cruelty and perfidiously
attempted 10 be wrested from their hands.
The report goes on TO state that nine.
teen of these States have, by their ardor in
the cause of internal improvement, involved
themselves in debt. Ii was notorious that
the greater portion of this debt had been
contracted in the improvement Of public
works and in increasing the facilities OF
travel and communication from place to
place. 1t was no exaggerated estimate OF
the value Of these works to say, that the
saving of time, labor and expense OF the
mutitudes who are enjoying the benefits
of those works, is more every year than
would be necessary 10 defray the total cost
of their construction. But these nineteen
States have contracted more liabilities than
they arc at present able TO bear. Where
should they look for relief! Where should
they expect to find that relief but in The
sympa,hies OF the Federal Government
To what should they look but TO the pro-
ceeds from sher own lands, to enable them
to pay their debts, and 10 retrieve them
from the present pressure. The measure
Of relief desired, is solely the distribution
among them of the proceeds Of their own
property. The report regrets that the short
time allowed has not permitted the commit.
tee TO touch upon many others important
matters, but the majority concur in the
belief that the distribution in the lands
fund among the States would be infinitely
more conducive to the end Of justice, and
the relief of the country, than for il to
be swallowed up in the Unsuitable gulf of a
system of expenditure like that of the last
| administration, where j. would soon disap-
pear, leaving no, mark behind.
The report says. it remains now only
for the House to take the veto on the final
passage of the bill, and the Committee
leave It to the House to determine what
other measure Of relief they may deem
necessary and practicable. The report
proceeds 10 say, that for the last ls months
The legislative power of the Union has been
in state Of supended nimaiion-sirangle
by the cords of Executive dictation. II
claims that Congress has, III the face of
these multiplied insults and injuries, be-
haved towards the Executive with the most
respectful forbearance. Ii then stated that
the majority of the Committee believes that
case has now occurred in which it is the
prefer articles Of impsacRmste sssnsi Tie
President. But they are of opinion that
impeachment in the present state of public
affairs, might prove abortive. Great
laughter. To the people, therefore, alone
must the final appeal be made. 1t was a
cheering consideration to the majority OF
the Committee, that the termination of their
own official existence, and that of the pres
ent Congress, was near at hand, and that
the Legislative power of the Union would
soon be placed in other hands, on whom
would devolve the duty of providing rev.
enue, &c. The repor! proceeds to say
that implicit obedience TO Executive will is
lhe only condition on which the present
Congress can act. Also that the President
has assumed the exercise of The aohOle Leg
islative power of the Union in leyying
money from the people without authority
of law. &c. The report concludes by sub.
hitting a joint resolution recommending an
amendment of the Constitution SO tha. in
those cases when the President returns a
bill with his veto, majority instead oi
two thirds shall have the power to pass
it,
! The Protest and Report of the Hon. T.
W. Gilmer susiains the Veto, and pursues
the same line of reasoning that was adopted
by President Tyler in his recent Message
MIR. G. regards the course pursued by /;
majority of the House, in raising a Selec
Committee, as unprecedented and extraor
dinary, contrary TO established usages, anc
in violation ofthe Constitution. He think.
f that when Bill is returned with objection:
it should be subjected 10 another veto. He
says:
Encouraged by the present embarrassed
condition of the country and our public
affairs, deriving fresh political hopes from
the general gloom and despondence which
, their own proceedings have cast over the
Union, it ls attempted TO extort from the
sufferings of the people, some sanction fo
the principles of government which theil
judgment has never failed TO iepudiate. The
history of our government. abounds in ex
amples of conflicts between The severa
departments. II has sometimes happened
that all the departments combined TO over
throw the constitution, but for the intell
| pence of the Deonla and the controlline