The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-31

intimates an intention to point out ms errors W.
know the writer-as that patriarch OF the pohucai
press-Richie-says "we can track him through al
his snowsn He lends us helping hand occasionally
and we wish il were continually
Correspondence Of the United States Gazette
WASHINGTON, January, 1912.
TO the Editor of the United States Gazette-l have
been some weeks locker on in Washington. Truly
singular spectacle IS now before the people oil tlis
country In March last the Wing party came into
power. They found bankrupt Treasury, disor-
dered currency suffering and complaining people,
All these evils they charged upon the misconduct OF
their political opponents and in hot haste they caed
extraordinary session of Congress to provide the
necessary remedy The Sub-Treasury was the parti-
cular theme of their denunciations, and the Sub
Treasury was repealed before any substitute ior II
was provided. After session Of three months, ooh
gress passed law for the establishment OF Natonai
Bank, which the President refused TO sanctioh oe
cause in his opinion--an opinion ayowed over ana
over again and perfectly well understood-it was an
indirect violation of the Constitution OF the unitea
States They passed another bill processing TO avoiu
the Objectionable features OF the hrsi Du' III Po' Vi
fact merely changing the name, without changing
single important principle Inc fiscai CorPora'ioh
was but the Fiscal Bank re-baptzed
The President, who saw good reason to approve
measure which he had declared to be unconstltution
al only twenty days before, vetoed this bill The ell
fort was not again renewed, and Congress adjourned
leaving the Treasury still more exhausted by their
own ,uselessy protracted session, and without any
provision whatever for its relief In little more
than three months they met again. The President,
redeeming the promise which he made at the Extra
Session, presented to them the plan OF financial
agent, which, in his opinion, not only provided amply
for the collecting afekeepng, and disbursng of the
public moneys but held out at the same time all the
aid and facilities which the Government could pro-
perly afford to the commercial exchanges and general
business of the country. He offered this plan with
no oyerweening confidence and with of the pride
of opinion which often causes the best to persist
in error. He asked the closest scrutiny he invited
the severest criticism, assuring Congress and the
Country that although the scheme which he suggest
ed, was in his opinion good one, he would gladly
sanction any changes or notifications OF H. when ihe
wisdom of Congress might suggest not violating his
known opinions of their constitutional power lie
told them the time, that there was an abso-
lutte necessity for action upon the subjects that
there would be, on the lst day of January, deficit
in the Treasury of more than 5000 00o and that un-
less some provision should be made to supply this
deficiency, the daily charges of the Government could
no longer be paid He also told them that the rea-
tions of the country with England were unsettled,
and in many respects very delicate and precarlous
that although there was no reason to apprehend an
immediate rupture with that power-a result which
he would use all honorable means to avod-yet that
it was the part of prudence to begin to prepare for
by the adoption of suitable means to replenish the
Treasury and put the defences of the country in
proper condition
With this information not only explicitly given, but
most mpressvely urged, the representatives of the
States and of the people,, commenced their session
early in December last The people hailed their as
semblng the harbnger of good things to come the
hope deferred" which had so long sckened the heart
of industry and enterprise seemed to be its
alzation. All eyes were turned to the Capitol, and
expectant multtudes in all parts of the country
watched every mail for the welcome intelligence,
that their Representatives and servants had gone
faithfully to work, to relieve them in their dstresses
and help them in their difficulties. Week after week
passed away and nothing done, still the new ere
ated hope lived and report, which was circula-
ed that better feeling was going to prevail in Con-
gress, and that disposition would soon manifest it.
self among moderate men of all parties to do some
thing for the country without regard to party.
AT length when the absolute deness of Congress
could longer find excuse or apology they took up
the Presidents plan of finance. And how did they
treat it2 That it would be denounced by The utras
of both parties expected thing of course
the matter against all appeals But it was at Ieas.
be expected that the ordinary courtesies of legislation
would not be withheld from so important measure,
recommended by the President under circumstances
so impressive and controlling. And yet instead OF
sending the subject to committee to be examined al
tered, corrected, and reported in the usual way
it was assaed by the orators-God save the mark
as thing they would not condescen1 TO consider, a
fit subject for any legislative action whatever.
The usual copid rerborum has been exhausted, and
American oloquence has received new graces from
new applications of all the ephets Of abuse Still
the Treasury remains empty and not one movement
has been made insure the safety to vndcate the
honor of our menaced country Senators of both par
ties have reasoned themselves into conviction that
the Presidents plan is the sllest thing in the world
and yet not of Them has condescended to propose
better plan. They have at least the glory of hav-
ing made speeches. and Of having their praises trum-
peted FORTH by partisan newspapers, with an impu-
dence of adulation disgusting to all good taste.
Having won the Immortality of a newspaper puff,
their utmost ambition is gTati6ed and their suffering
country is longer thought. 1t seems to be thefI
settled policy to do nothing to cmbarrass the admin
istraton by Withholding the necessary means OF car
ryinp on the Government; and thus to throw upon
the President and his advisers the odum which justly
attaches to their own criminal delinquences.
So much for the Senate. Let US cross the Rotund6
and peep at tile other House Be careful, however, te
collect your well about you, for if noise dso
der and uproar can confound you, here you will en-
counter them in their greatest exhibiting There il
a redeemng quality in the Senate, which reconcile
an idler TO the waste of an hour in their chamber
they have the grace to speak only one at time, bu
in The House of Representatives the gorles OF al
American ococracy burst forth in their full splendor
Here YOU have a redundancy of that invaluable Con
gressonal commodity speeches; they burst upon yo'
twenty at a time, couched in language which "set
the galleries in roar, and which uckles the ears 0
the groundiings." We are told that the Temple o
Apollo, at Delphi stood close upon reaking stream
and it holds the position in our land if we ma,
Judge by the facility with which his votares at th
Capitol spatter one another with dirty water. As
school Of good breeding, gentemanly decorum ant
dignifed craftsmanship, commend me TO the House o
Representatives Of the United States
But let us contemplate these honorable and mos
talented gentlemen, as of business. For tn
four first weeks Of this session. they did literally moth
ing at all. Two three hours each day, were spen
in useless contentious about points of ORDER in con
tempt of all order good taste was shocked and pub
lie decency outraged by endless TRADES, remarkabl
only for coarseness and vugarity of languages EN-
barrassments of every kind were thrown in the wa
Of the few who were seriously disposed to perform tn
duties of their station every day ended it begun
in uproar and confusion-without single attempt L
despatch the public business was not until the sc
cond week in January that the reports from the read