The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-17

KENTUCKY LEGISLATURE.
SECOND SPEECH
OF
uIcKIIEEE Ia.

OH me y ef0 P0losT, deHreFeu =" S""'"''''SSV
the Whole of the House Of Representatives,
January, 1912.
Nh CHAIRMAs: My recollection OF the history OF
the American Revolution has been refreshed by the
member from Mason, MIR. Chambers.) For the
benefit Of that gentle man will point the attention
of the House TO another incident In the annals Of
the evenlful period. In the reign OF George
Ill. the purlieus OF the British court were haunted
with sycophants aud hatteIers who fawned upon
the ministers and leaders of the dominant party,
and by their evil counsels and bad complances dis
menbered the British Empire and contributed to the
establishment OF that Constitution Of which have
been the humble but undaunted defender. The race
Is not extinct. Even in this Hall Is found man
who gories in sacrificing the interests and tearing
down the Constitution OF his country 10 advance the
purpoes of his political leader, and thereby subserve
his own. No member touch my feelings by IN
shutting comparison between Henry Clay and my
self. Certainly The Senator from Kentucky stands
in the foremost rank OF American statesmen Tor po-
lica talent and public service. advance no high.
claim ability and distinction than the humblest
member this floor. While, however, | have no
cause to thank for the intellect she has la
Wished, art Tor the cultivation she has bestowed,
| am not false 10 myself as to forget that am
sill the ndepend mt representative OF an indepen-
dent constituency. The gentleman admits that he
has no judgment opinion of his this i'm
portant question: and that all subjects he is proud,
bllndy to adopt and zealuusy 10 carry out the
men,s of Henry Clay Ii had made such
avOWa snOuIu tnlnk tuat uau impaired the stunu-
ing Of this House. lowered my dignity, and de-
graded the proud constituency TO whose confidence
| am indebted for seat on his floor. He who &C
knowedges he is the mere mouth-plece OF another,
breathes an atmospheric and moves IN region to
which cannot descend. The committee must excuse
me- it, in my response, conhne yself TO the mein-
Der from Louisville, Mr. Bullock who has not given
up all claims to free agency, and who therefore, IN
some degree at least is responsible for the positions
he has assumed.
Mr.. Chairman The member from Louisville
charges we with Inconsistency in Introducing upon
this aoor any question of national policy. II Is true
that the first time addressed this House IN favor
Of economy and in opposition to the unnecessary
sumption Of and vxtravagant expenditure of the
public money which the dis :ussion Federal affairs
would produce Tins position | assumed before my
constituents this position assumed before TIN,
House When, sir | battled at the threshold, un
aided and alone Tor short session. and united de
spatch of business, where was the distinguished gen
tleman who has SO suddenly converted hun elf into
legislative schoolmaser and has ecturcd the members
OF this House upon Paria nentary courtesy and poll
tical consistency The first lime his graceful elocu
ZION displayed to the eyes, and his neodious
voice sounded upon the ears of this House, was in
the presentation of resolution lauding the Land Bill
and its great advocate the skies. Why id the
member rally TO my rescue then, and thus hiu
self from the dis greeable necessity vi delivering
discourse my sins as long as the moral law W by
could he not orego, for the time the pleasure OF
ing his name IN PRINT, and abae little OF that Zeal
paternity of the Land Bill with his political chief
Why did he not Content himself with the humber
and limited duties he elected by his consti-
tuents to discharge, and deny himseft the grahcalon
OF launcing his lutte bark upon the broad ocean OF
national politics w hen was rrued by the gen
tIeman and by this House still hoped that the Lee
gisature after dsPoslng OF the resolutions on the
Bankrupt Law and the Land Bill, would al last pur
sue the course which had chalked out for myself
As il evident however, that the gentenan's APP
petite not sallsf with slight taste OF nation
al politics, as was apparent 10 his friends that ano-
Their display upon the affairs OF the nation was neces
say for his health and as another opportunity was
ind. pensab Tor the political leaders prescribe the
scIsi's which this House -L~.'d 0i.r,.ain, ana
the course Il should pursue, The gentleman's friend
and heighbor, MI. Ihomasson) in happy time and
with conImen 'Sble humanity, Came to his relief, and
grafed his yearning for dlsp ay, by pre- enting
dry propositions to demosh the Federal Constitution
They who had look ed in vain tor originality in the
resolution Of the member from Louisville me! with
equal DISAPPOINTMENT IN that proposed by his less dis
ting uished not less pretending neighbor from JEFF
ferson (Mr. Thomasson) Winnie il is of
great annoy and grielhat these gentlemen should
entertain such slight regard tor the opn ms, and
place 50 low an estI,Da upon the abilities OF the mem
Der from Fayete, it matter OF consolation that all
the sentiments they have advanced this floor, and
all the political ideasthey have entertained for the last
twelve years. have been borrowed from one OF his Con
stituents.
Mr.. Chairman The member from Louisville con-
tends that the abrogation Of the Veto power has al
ways been a cardinal principle of the Wing party,
and is amazed that any gentleman processing to be a
Wing should dissent from his political brethren on
such a vital point. In all the speeches which the
member heard in the Presidential canvass in all the
harangues that he delivered in the Middle Market
this radical and dsorganzing doctrine ever adj
vocated With the exception OF MIR. Clay, In his
speech at Hanover, will he designate any man OF the
least distinction in the Union who planted himself
upon such hollow ground Will he point out sim
gle expression in any Speech letter, or conversation
either of Harrison Tyler, by which this principle
was regarded as an article of Wing faith Even
when the Wings of America were smartng under the
ceaseess yetoes of General JACKSON the Legislature
of Kentucky could not be induced to adopt such re-
volutionary dogmas. The very idea of tampering
with the Constitution produced such an excitement,
that the whole subject was dropped amidst the great
est uproar and confusion AT the late extra session,
when the business of Congress prescribed and laid
out, and the representatives OF the people were told
that they should take into consid, ration only those
great and leading measures which the Wings had
pledged themselves to the country to carry out when
the Land bill, the Loan bill, and the Bankrupt law
were passed trumphantly through the National Lee
gisature, why were these amendments to the Const-
tuition forgotten Why the Executive power so
harmless, long it was subservent to the Legis
lative' Why was the abrogation Of the tribunition
power thought of, or at least never proposed
until John Tyler had vetoed the Bank BILL and thrown
off the controlling influence of Congressional leaders
May not political asprant be anxious TO destroy
the power of department of Government which he
despars of attaining in order to increase those
of the branch which he knows he can control
Should the fundamental law of great nation bend
to the purposes of single individual, so as to enable
him, by indirection, to grasp that supreme power
which the people are resolved he shall never pos
sess. The member from Louisville is at once his
torian and a philosopher, and will doubtless remem-
Der these facts, and inquire into their and eff
fects The pliancy and versatility of talent which
distinguish the mind of the member from Louisville,
also characterize his opinions. No man has read
Ter faculty in catching the ideas and mbibng the
doctrines Of his political superors than the dstin-
guished gentleman; and he should have some COM
passion for those whose dress may be out of vogue,
and who have not equal facil ty in adapting them
selves to the latest fashion. The member from JEFF
ferson in denying that his resolutions were an echo
to those of the Senator from Kentucky, exclaimed