The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-01-06
n ron THE MADlsoNiAN.
REASONS FOR NOT " DEFENDING THE
PRESIDENT.

PRESIDENT.
Ma, payne Of Alabama, few days since, IN
seech ON the bill for the repeal OF the Bankrupt law,
snong other things, quite german to the question:
| aid
Sir il is not my intention To defend The fresi-
| lent | am under no obligations TO him. never
asked personal favor Of him, and never shall up
ON two or three occasions have recommended per
sons for appointment to office, lie has invariably
failed to respect my recommendations ana upon one
occasion nominated a citizen Of Ohio TO I'LL an ofce,
The duties of which were obliged to be performed in
the States OF Alabama and Mississippi Possibly he
may have thought there no citizen OF any party
in Alabama qualified TO discharge the duties OF that
office. be that as it may, time VIII develoPei ana
the people will judge OF his mottre
No obligation was created, 6y ms course, upon me-
to defend him still, justice ought to be done"
| Members of both parties embrace the opportunity
Of speaking on this question, TO talk on " matters
and things in general" Their speeches are intended
not for the purpose of enghening the House on the
| question under discussion, but TO promote the
prospects of each ones avoriie for the sue
cesson TO the office of President. This evil
of wasting the time Of Congress in President
making, seems to increase every session, and is
becoming alarming and destructive feature in le-
gisative proceedings. No one would imagine that
the above extract from speech on the question
under discussion at the time, unless he told such
was the case. Mr.. Payne is not more censurable
than many others for the introduction Of matter so
entirely foreign to the question, but iii evil which
does more to prevent useful and sauary legislation
than all other causes combined.
Mr. Payne, after approving the Presidents vetoes
and his general course says he is under obligation
TO defend him. because he has received persona. ia
at his hands, and never will receive any.
This is not very ,raled position for honorable
Representative to assume. No matter how just and
patriotic may have been his public course, yet he
will not defend that course, because he has done him.
individually, favor He has neither given him
any of his friends office.
Perhaps the President did not understand The terms
on which he might have had the gentleman's support
Mr. Payne goes arther-he not only refuses " TO de-
fend but he attempts to prejudice the people of Mis-
sssipp and Alabama against the President, because
he nominated citizen of Ohio to fill an Office the
duties Of which obliged TO be performed in Ala
bama and Mississippi" This he consider heinous
offence presume he alludes to the nomination for
Commissioner to settle claims under the treaty with
the Choctaws. If this be the case, and the great
cause of complaint against the President, think Mr.
PAYNE has not reflected on the subject. 1t seems to
me that there was peculiar proprety, that at least
one if not all three of these Commissioners, should
have been from another State, not because there
were not persons both in Alabama and Mississp-
p qualified TO discharge the duti-s," but for
| the reason that these Choctaw ella IS have, for
several years, been a matter Of traffic and spe-
culation. They have been purchased from the
Indians for song, and it is said that many
of the Indians had been hired to claim under the
treaty. after they had forfeited all right from the
press benefit of citizens of Mississippi 1t also said
that very many persons there, abundantly qualified
to dischal &c the duties of commissioner have dealt
largely in these claims. If these statements true
| put it 10 Mr.. Payne himself whether there was
not strong probability that citizen Of another
State would be less under the influence of prejudice
interest, in deciding these claims than citizen of
Alabama or Mississippi OF course do not mean
that a lien Of another State would be more honest
or more capable of doing justice under The cir
etunsidncts.
Mr.. Payne must be resoired TO have cause for
condemniug the President, but think he will not be
very likely to obtain verdict against him from the
People, unless he maks out stronger than this.