The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-01-18

$1,000, as proposed by the bill which had
been reported to that House, with interest
on it from the month of March, 1915, there
was but one consideration that would in
duce him to vote against it--and that was,
he should not like to set the example OF
pensioning an ex.President OF the United
States, for that was the principle on which
this bill was to be passed, if passed at all.
The real object was to make present to
General Jackson in his latter days. He
did not know what his circumstances were,
IA voice "Rich enough 5" but il they were
such as to require it, (though he would not
grant it as pension or gratnIsy Tor that
service,) he would do what had been done
before-he would make up subscription
among the members of Congress to make
present to the old man in his last days. 1t
had been done before, and there was no dis
grace in it and if it were now done that a
donation might be made to Gneral Andrew
Jackson. he. for one, would take his share
oft.
But he could not consent to employ the
public money, in order to testify the aaPpro-
baton of the people of this country of those
acts for which the sum of s 600 was levi
ed on him bv the regular officers of the law,
which he had violated in its tenderest parts.
His colleague had changed entirely the IS
sue upon the question in this bill. 1t was
not TO refund the fine imposed on the Gen.
for his Imprisonment of a judge-for his eau
sing citizen of the United States to be
ieoparded in his liberty and life, and for 9TH
er acts subversive of law and justice; but
for glorifying the battle of New Orleans
The gentleman from Mississippi Mr.. Gwinl
had stated a number of facts in the pamphlet
lately published on this subject, which were
contradicted by General Jackson. Ifa bill
were to pass, giving General Jackson mon
ey upon disputed facts, they should he previ-
ously cleared up. But he was speaking ofthe
extraordinary circumstances under which
this bill could be brought forward. 4 bill
on the same subject was acted on in the
Senate at the last session, and, after being
amended so as to comprehend clearly the
facts of the case. it was rejected by General
Jackson's friends, because it did not con-
tain a condemnation of the judge who i'm.
posed the fine and, if he was not mistaken,
he had seen letter from General Jackson
himself, in which he says that he would moi
have received a dollar unless the character
of the Judge was blasted. Such was the
history of that proceeding at the last session
of Congress. The bill was actually passed
or would have been passed; but was rejec
ted by the Generals friends coinciding with
him, insisting that not only his character
should be justified, but the character of the
Judge blasted. 1t was very grave and Sc
rious question with him,whether the charac
fer of the judge should be censured anC
condemned by the Representatives of the
people of this nation, for the purpose of ma
king a donation to Gen. Jackson. Perhap;
he might express himself more strongly by
saying that the bill ought moi to pass; tina
if we are to give this donation to Genera
Jackson, it was not by casting reproach up
on just and honorable judge, that We
should do justice and vindicate the honol
and glory Of the country. Again: wha
were the grounds on which his colleague
was pressing this bill Why, the great ant
glorious victory of New Orleans Because
we whipped the British, that nobody elst
could whip-because of this great and Clio
, rious victory, this bill must be passed. Tina
was the reason given by his colleague, ant
that was the reason why he wished the bill
passed OH the anniversary of the victory
That was not the question of justice invol
we'd in this grant-this donation. The vic
tory of New Orleans undoubtedly was ;
Ill -, ,,,b.nh ,at .
Just pride but he could not, on account o.
that victory, sanction the acts alluded t.
in the Kentucky pamphlet, and which wert
there designated as treason. This remind
ed him of an anecdote he had heard many
years ago of General Arnold, a man yer,
celebrated in our revolutionary history
After his exploits here, Arnold went to Eng
land and finding himself generally shun
ned there, he sought the society of the
Americans whom he found in the country
Being in company with one of them whom
he had known in this country, he asked hin
what the Americans would have done witt
him, had they caught him instead of An
DIRE. The American answered him BY
saying, "We would have buried with the
honors of war the leg that was mutiated in
our service.& then we would have hung the
remainder ofyour body" He should think
that this sort of justice would be rather
more complete than of his colleague, who
was for rewarding General Jackson for the
battle of New Orleans, at the expense oil
law and justice. He wished to have this
matter fully discussed when it came I'D
and deliberated On without any of your gag.
laws, to stop the investigation of the prin.
ciples involved in it,
If you pass this bill (said Mr.. Az it will
not be for the honor and glory of the battle
OF New Orleans, but for the honor and glo-
ry of the exercise despotic power over your
own citizens; 1t would be for the extreme
of martial law, when there was no necessity
Tor 1t. Mr.. A. wished the subject discus.
sed. because of this very pamphlet, to which
their attention had been called by more
than one Of the members from Kentucky,
and who stated the author In be n distin-