Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-10
Fridau. February 4
SENATE

Fridau. february 4.
SENATE.
After the presentation of petitions and the reception
of reports from committees during The morning hour
several resolutions were submitted
pAfc Of T mHss SoTEs AS6
Mr. BENTON rose TO offer n resolution, and to pre-
cede it with some remarks, bottomed upon paper
which he held in his hand, and which he would read.
He then read follows
COMPENSATION NO. 1897
Ogyicr OF SEckIraRY SENATE Or THE U. . a.
Washington, 3lst January, 1872.
Cashier Of the Bank Of Washington hundred and
; sIss dollars tsigned,, AsBuRy DICKENS,
Secretary o the senate.
tEndOrsed3 ar"TAs hard, rd r,%,s, = prxroxn
Washington County, Set ,.a
BE- IT xsow That on the y mrs. Jay o. ny commits
sworn dwelling in HE County an District aforesaid
the Bank of Washington the original whereof the above
copy demanded there payment Of The sum oil money
Bank answered. Ihe whole paid specie,
Treasury have been deposited here 10 meet the
tay of the senaes checks but ann ready !" pay lhs check N
one Treasury hundred DOLLARS beading SIX per cent
interest, and the residue in specie" .s ,aros,,d have
protested by these do soemny protest. asas. wv.
drawer and endorser Of The SAID check anu a n
may concern, fol- all Costs exchange re
damages, and interest," suffered and to OF suffered o % " 10y
In testimony Whereof have hcrennc set my hand
[,E.Ll aixe my Seal Noarial this rs' day Of Fe-
O'uA'y' i' GEORGE swEENy, Notary Public
Recorded In Protest Book. G. 5. No. 4, page 3l5.
Mr. B. SAID THU paper explained itself II was check
and protest The check was headed, compensation,
and was drawn by the Secretary OF the Senate Tor so
much paw due to him (Mr. b. for his per diem attend
ance in Congress- Il had been presented at the pro-
per place for payment and il would be by the pro-
test that paymen, was refused, unless he (Nr b. could
consent receive twothrds paper and about thru
specie. He objected to this, and endorsed upon the
check as an instruction TO the messenger who carried
it, these words: "he hard protest. Under instrnc-
TONS the protest came aud with 1t notarla fees to the
amount of 81 75, which were paid in the hard. Mr. b.
said this was what had happened TO himself, here at the
seat of Government and he presumed the same thng
was happen ming TO Others and all the over Union. tie
presumed the time had arrived when paper money pay
nents and forced tenders OF Treasury notes, were 10
be universal aud when every citizen would have TO de-
eide for himself whether hc would submit to the mpo
stion upon his rights and 10 the outrage upon the Con
stitution which such state OF things involved Some
mi ght be situation TO submit Necessity, stronger
than any law might compel many to SUBMIT but there
others who were in situation to resist and shoug
attended with loss and inconvenience, 1t was then
duty 10 do so. Tyranny must BIZ ressted oppression
must be resised violation Of the Constitution must be
resisted folly wickedness must be ressted otherwise
there is an end Of law of liberty and Of right. The Co
becomes omnpoent, and rides and rules over
PROSTATE country pleases Resistance to the y
ranny or folly of Government becomes sacred duty
which somebody must PERFORM and the performance Of
which is always disagreeabe, and sometimes expensive
and hazardous Mr.. Hampden resisted the payment OF
ship money in England and his resistance cost him mo
ney time labor, losses of every kind, and eventually
the loss of his lie His share of the ship money was
only twenty shngs and suggestion OF self-interes
would have required him TO submit 10 the imposition
and put up with the injury. But feeling of patriotism
prompted him TO resist for others, not for hlmself-to
resist for the benefit Of those who could not resist or
themselves and, above all, to resist for the sake Of
the Constitution Of the country, trampled under foot
by weak King and prohiga'e Minister Mr.. Hamp
den resisted the payment of ship money TO save the PEG
pie of England from oppression and the Constitution
from violation Same person must resist the paymen
of paper money here, to save the people from op
preston, and the Constitution from violation aud
persons in station, and at the seat OF Governmen
will not do il, who shall Sir, resistance mus
be nade-the safety of the country, and OF the Con.
sttuton demands it. II must be made here: for herr
is The source and presence of the tyranny. II must
made BY some in station: for the voice OF those II
private life could not be heard Some must resist
and for want of more suitable person, find mysel
under the necessity of doing -and do with less re
luc lance because is in my line, hard money man
and because | do not deem it quite as dangerous Il
resist our paper money Administration as Hampder
found il 10 resist Charles l. and the Duke of Buckng
ham.
There is no dispute about the fact, and the cas
which present neither first one, nor solitar,
one The Wing Administration, in the first year Of it
existence is without money, and without credit, ant
with other of keeping up but by forced pay
ments Of paper money which 1t strikes from day to day
TO force into the hands and 10 stop the mouths OF III
unfortunate creditors This is its condition and i
is the natural result OF The folly which threw away ht
land revenue which repealed the hard money clause
of the independent Treasnry-whicb repealed the pro
hibition against the OF small notes by the Fedora
Government-whIch has made war upon gold ant
protected paper-and which demands the esab
III. a m nj
for the general and permanent use of the Federal Go
yernment. It's present condition IS The natural result
of these measures; and bad as II is 1t must be ia
worse f the people do not soon compel return 10 TIT
hard money and economy of the Democratic ad
minstrations. This Administration came into powe
upon promise to carry the Government upon thir
teen millions per the first year IS not yet out
it has already had revenue OF twenty-odd millions
Loan bill for twelve millions, Tax bill for eight or tel
millions Treasury Note bill for FIVE millions; and will
oil this it declares deficit, and shows its insolvency
By denying money to i;s creditors, and forcing them
receive paper, 10 20 without pay. In season o
profound peace, and in the first year OF The Wing Ad
Ininis,ration, this is the condition Of the country!
condition which must fill the bosom Of every friend Il
our form of Government with grief and shame.
Sir war upon the currency of The Constitution ha
been going on for many years; and the heroes OF tina
war are now in power. They have rdicued gold, ant
prosecuted it in every way, and exhausted their wit
in sarcasm upon il and its friends The humbug golf
bilions in contempt of this bill and its authors
couple of public dspays-onrin May, 1887, the othe
in the Autumn Of lSI0-at Wheeling, in Virginia. b,
two gentlemen high functionarles in this Govern
meni, in which empty purses held up to The con
temptation of the crowd in Gerlsion of the guild bill ant
it's authors Sir, that bill was passed in June, 1884
and from that day down to few weeks ago, we wer
paid in gold. Every of US had gold that chose ii
Now the is reversed, gold IS gone, paper ha
come. Forced payments, and forced tenders OF paper
ia The law Of the Wing Administration! and empi
purses may be held up with truth and with sorrow
m The emblem both ofthe Administration and its credI
tors.
The cause of this disgraceful state Of things, Mr.
B. said, he would not further investigate at present
The remedy the point now to be attended to. Thu
Government creditor suffering; the Constitution
was bleeding; the character of the country was sink
ing into Disgrace and was the duty of Congress
apply the remedy to SO many disasters. lie, Mr.. B.
saw the remedy; but he had not the power toapply
it. The power in other hands, and 10 them he
would wish 10 commit the enquiry which the presen
condon or tbinos imneriously REQUIRED of CONGRESS.