The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-23

uss forcble and favori phrase of my friend Govern
Pope) 'unconslit utional superstition" The Con
stulion designed to provide for contingencies
remote and improbable not to be contemplated
Indeed, if such thing should ever occur, it would
give evidence of state of feeling in the country
which, ofsef would destroy the Union. And why
should the President wish to oppose majority,
md act with a minority II can only be when he
believes that minority to be right else when he
thinks that majority of he people believe them to be
So. Congress and tie Executive hold mutual checks
upon each other and this was designed TO force
each to compromise something to the views OF the
o her There can be prosperous Legislation mere
without some of this spirit OF concia'ioh
But, Mr.. Speaker, if there must be war, and no,n-
ing less than satisfy the majority 10 thls
House let them wage upon the President let 'hen
wage upon the minority, II they VIII upon 'hoseo u
who sustain the Executive In this particular
But spare the Constitution; spare mat sac'eu su"
lure with whose altars now familiar, ana un,
der whose shelter we have reposed IN peace, anu
grown in strength, for more than halt century
been said, of England that It's meahest eo'
tage defended from the Invasion OF sovereignty
itself by 'the mighty but invisible barriers OIL Tue
law ~ Sir, how much that Is noble IN freedom, anu
useful in art and ornamental IN cvilizatlon nave we
not already secured behind the moral dfe noes and IN
visible bulwarkS of our great syste OF organic ID"
have somewhere seen commended the zea w''n
which Dutch burgomaster hunts rat In uihe'
because as was said that rat might flood province
this mad splIt Of change, which would lnrow uo"h
ur deences, and let in the wild waves OF human pas
sion, without limitation or restraint to desolate-ahu'
it may be, to desioy-every vestge ol cultivated ne;
or of social freedom, whose blessings nave auofhe"
wonderful progress under what, believe, oeiore
God is The best and frees form of government winch
any people enjoyed And has II not been WEI
said that il indulge this wild spirit OF the MAJOR
ty in this House which is impatient OF all restraints
upon its Will we stop short at the trst step
h.ichi he me
and destroys the Executive veto, will also overwhelm
the Senate 1t will free itself of every check imposed
by the Constitution on its will. One by one, the nm
itations of thi. precious instrument VIII DC ue
sroyed until the majority of this House sha''
reign supreme, absolute, and uncontrolled -
Give any Government unlimited powers, and care
not how it may be elected, or by whom chosen, that
Government will exercise absolute mastery over the
people. If it be the despotism OF one man. that desc
potism will be at least mtigated oy those feelings u
ownership which temper the relations between mas
ter and Slave. But for legislative despotlsm, we
have never yet seen either the remedy or palllatlon,
until it has consummated its destructloD or tfat
of the people whom it cursed. The world,has seen
one instance of this absolute and irresponsible power
in legislative majority too awful ever to be forgot
ten-I mean the assemblies of revolutionary France
If its measures had conceived by hends, ana
furies had been summoned to administer them, the
curse of hat awe-stricken nation could scarcely
have been greater.
But, Mr. Speaker, pass away from subject
which can have no pleasure In contemplating elm
er as an American or a man. We all ADMIT tnat tue
President is responsible to the nation for the adclous
use of this great conservative power vested IN M IN
by the Constitution Was he justified in refusing his
assent to the bill before u.s. This is the only
question which have left to consider 1t seems 10
me- Mr. Speaker, that the President owed 1t to public
credit, and the country, to Use all the means with
in his power to recall the proceeds OF the public
lands to the Federal treasury. regret that ne ever
signed the -starred distribution bill. But having
done So he is bound to do all that in him lies to re-
rieye that error. The land is already rife with the
clamors of the public creditors. The wheels OF gov
eminent are nearly stopped. To meet these pressing
demands we have authorized loan upon terms
which deprecated the stock and disgraced our ere
dit This stock has been hawked about tn markets,
and, as vet no terms have been offered which it was
reputable to accept Does any man doubt but that
this loan might be obtained at par If we would
pledge the lands for its redemption? And yet this
Hase obstinatey refuses to take that necessary step
for the restoration of pubic credit But, Mr.. Speak
err how is it possible that We can conduct TINS Gov
eminent upon the scale of expenditure now proposed,
without resort to the land revenue' Indeed, i
might ask how is it possible to satisfy the estimates
either Of the departments or OF the authorized lead
ers of the majo. ty i'll Congress, even with the aid
of this money, without resort to direct taxation or
| internal duties' For one, sir, cannot be brought
to vote for the estimates of either, In the present
4 condition of the country The chairman OF ways
and Means estimates the amount OF uutlabe imports
at S79 600 000 and he proposes to raise upon this
amount S27 800 OF revenue; besides, presume,
| the expense of collection, which will probably be
81 100000 more. Does any man suppose that 1t can
be done by either of the bills before this House
believe Ihazad nothing in predicting that neither
of these bills in the present state of the currency
would produce twenty mil ions, exclusive OF the eX-
pense Of collection. Twenty per cent. will more
than nav all the expenses of smuggling Insurance
i incuded) upon the vast line of our Northwestern
frontier The facilities for smuggling along that line
are known to be great and there Is reason to believe
that it is already practsed there to very great ex
tent Indeed, the scale OF duties now proposed
would soon lessen the revenue, if they could be col
cted, by des roying to great extent the subjects
of taxation. Is it possible that collect as
revenue nearly hall the amount of the dutiabe i'm
ports of this country, as the chairman proposes'
/ absurd to expect it. The effect would be to throw
the vast commerce of the Northwest into English
hands The exports and imports would be made ir
English bottoms; and the trade would be free from
all charges except those which the smugger would
impose upon them. And is It supposed that those
who live upon the Atlantic border will agree to sea-
it Theoretically, whilst free trade pours its richest gift
into the lap of the great Northwest? Never, sir
never The bill of the gentleman from New Yorl
is no revenue bill. 1t ma be very good bill fol
Buffalo; but what will New York say to it? Nay
what will Boston, or Baltimore, or Philadelphia OF
Charleston, say to measure OF this sorti How
then, are we 10 Hlcot VIC PioPooou
out or even with, the land revenue, except by re-
t sort to direct taxes and internal duties
Mr.. Speaker it is indispensable not only to restore
this fund to the Federal treasury, but to cut dowr
the expenses also, unless to resort to the
, system of direct Or internal taxes And upon whom
sir will these taxes weigh most heavily They will
fall, sir, with a sort Of retributive ustce--as fal
they must, if the present mad policy is persisted in
upon the heads Of those who will be the real authors
Of the national calamity. They will fall, sir, mos
heavily upon that section of whose wealth and powe
the gentleman from New York Mr. Granger] boast
where most wealth has accumulated; and thu
houses the furnture the plate the carriages, ant
the uxures of those who have gathered wealth, il
part, from the taxation imposed on others, will bea