The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-07
SPEECH OF MR.. WELLER.
OF OHIO,
IN SUPPORT OF THE PRESIDENTS VETO
MESSAGE-JUNE 80.

Mr.. WELLER SAID he should not now say wOru,
but for the remarks which had been made by gentle
party to which he attached in principle and IN
feeling But a number of the leaders of The doml-
nan party here had said that the veto OF the Presi
dent upon the little tariff was the contamination oil
the treaty which had been long in progress between
the President and Democratic party. The chairman
Of Ways and Means-a man occupying no ordinary
position and whose decarati )ns entitled to
respect and consideration had told the House that in
yetong this bill the President only contaminated the
treaty which had been pending during the last six
months Here then, was declaration from a
sponsible gentleman who ordinarily paid great re-
spect to the opinions of Others and who ever
careful in the utterance OF his own. The gentleman
said that the Democratic party now had their man
they had what they always commended for, and what
it was their character to seek-the spols. Did the
gentleman MIR. FILLMORE recolect the 4th of March
l64l when this city filled with hordes of Office
seekers? Did he remember the thousands from his
own State, who then came on TO Washington hunting
for the spoiis? What authority then had he for charg
ing the Democratic party with longing after the
spois The gentleman must have judged the Demo
cratic party by his own; or it might be, If he had
gotten his share of those very spols he would be IN
better humor than at present.
But Continued Mr.. W. could the gentleman from
New York + Mr.. FILLMoRE] show that member
of the Democratic party in the House had been an
applicant for any appointment whatever under the
present Administration! Was it not known that the
very men now most hostile to the Presid mt were
those who had been rejected were, in fact, disap-
pointed applicants for the spoils; There would, he
imagined, have been no complaint against MIR. Tyler
had he shaped his measures to suit them, and gwen
them the offices which were asked his hands. In
that case, there would have been no complaints, and
charges OF perfdy from the universal Wing party.
If he recollected rightly the gentleman from New
York, MIR. GRANGER, who left certain cabinet so
mysteriously, said that he stood were he stood
in l840 when he fought the memorable battle OF that
year with the universal Whig party. He stood then
by cider barrel, upon the broad platform of coon
skin. Laughter ! Where does he stand now !?
[Laughter.] What were then his principles He
did ask the question in jest, but earnestly-what
were the principles avowed in that contest? Did the
universal Wing party pledge themselves that a land
bill should be passed? No; not, at least, in this
section of the country. There the question of the
distribution of the land fund not discussed at all
Yet the party tell the House this is one of their
principles. All he had to say was, that they never
avowed them when they were seeking power.
The gentleman from New York (Mr. Granger)
said he stood up here defence Of his fixed princI-
pies What were those principles when that gentle
man entered the cabinet of the PIesidentwhat
they when he went out2 Laughter The gentle
said the Democratic party contended Tor the
spoils Will h. tell Us how many victims gull
o,ined whilst he remained in the Post Office Depart
men,? Were there spoils then for which the gen.
tleman himself commended
Mr.. GRANGER said he would answer the question
which had been put to him. The number sew
enteen hundred
turned of Office during the short career OF the
gentleman and had he remained in Office two
weeks longer
Mr. GRANGER would also give the gentleman IN or
nation this head Had he remained two weeks
more, three thousand would have been added to the
lit; making 4, 700 in all.
Mr.. WELLER. These seventeen hundred men
vctimzed to This lust after the spols before the
gentleman himself became victim, laughter This
too, is the gentleman who talks about the spolls I'm
agine the honorable chairman of the Committee of
Ways and Means with his pockets full of recommen-
datons going to the Post Office Department TO get
| the gentleman Mr.. Granger) to remove men whose
only crime was, that they voted for Mr.. Van Buren,
for President? He (Mr. w undertook to say that
numbers were removed for no other reason, except
their having voled for Mr.. Van Buren,. The gentle
man Mr.. Granger) said TO himself when debera-
ting upon a proposed removal, did this vote
FOX Mr.. Van Buren, 2-that is the question" laugh
| ter He put it to the gentleman to say, whether he
did not remove numbers on that ground alone.
Mr. GRANGER SAID he was not now prepared to an
swer the question; but the Post Office Department
would show nice set Of records ever
kept, prior to any execution.
Mr.. WELLER said that might be considered an an
| swer by some, but he could not regard it. He
wnu d show the gentleman Of removal the
ground he had referred to, but that he supposed the
! gentleman aware of all the circumstances He
Had he gentleman from New York (Mr.GraDger)
retained his share of "the spoils" probably he
| would not have broken out into such an nvective
against the Executive He meant dsIespect to the
honorable gentleman; for, personally, he entertained
| kindly feelings towards him.
Some gentlemen had discussed the question before
| the House, if rhe House of Representatives had
all the power of the Government fit was designed
by the Constitution that the House alone should en-
act laws, why all bills sent to the Senate and
| III ,Inp tt,airDn
ture of bill by the President mere matter Of form
Was he bound to sanction every measure presented
| to him 7
The advocates of this junior tariff bi-ths twelve
line, or half an hOnr, measure-had said that it had
the sanction of people; that it was the Of the
popular will and that in vetong it, the President
had shown disrespect the will of the people, as ex.
pressed through their Representatives The Presi-
dent he thought, had as much right to say that he
acting in conformity to the will of the people as
Congress. That the majority here msrepresent their
constituents, we had evidence from the baot-box
| re recent elections throughout the country. There
not reasonable DOUBT about the fact. The peo
| pie might have voted the Wings into power in l64C
but they had right to change their opinions and the
result of the elections showed that they bad changed
1t was strange, passing strange, that gentlemen in
discussing the important principles of bill like this,
could not do so without reprovng the Democratic
party. The Democratic party have had to answer
| for what were called the sins of the Executive
Whilst the Wings had all the distinguished offices
and posts Of honor, and nearly all the patronage of
the Govern ent, they still persisted in charging the
Democratic party with an attachment and banker
ing after the spos. He (Mr. W. took occasion to
say that he had not been applicant for Office from
this Administration. Yet, he believed that the Pre-
sdent was actuated solely by the desire to advance
the interest of his country For this opinion he might
be called friend Of the President, and his peculiar aduo-
cate But he cared not. He ss,tld go the rich
bailey of the OHIO, and there make his appeal 10 the inL
igent people Of that country II he should be put doom,
he should take pleasure in going out Of Congress
| than he euer had IN coming here.
| He referred to the various charges made against
the Democratic party, who were called Jewellers,
agrarians, barn-burners, &C. He disregarded lhese
charges, because they were brought against every