Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-23

contrary to imaCne That they such 'nvaluaoie pro-
POSITIONS that oUce they are proposed, II IS 'he GUY
q. the Senate IN vote uron them IN s!lsn"e aud ~ re
yerence And y Ia. 81 jects do lacy !tFosge: sub
iects or The gTaySst ana nost mom7dtnus ciG;ds'VF
touching the re5y foundations ri the whole iAa'e o!
our Government and institutions ihese wt'| h2t
questions b. ia5tiiy and hufFedly ro:sd uPoh ana
without discussion. YET it WAS obvious no t'ne re-
manned OF the session discussing any one branch q
these subjects
These resolutions are put forward as OF vital and
pressing necessity, to ares, The doctrines sprcaaine
abroad IN relation the assumption OF tH debts OF The
States What effect Of that KIND can they possibly
have; Viii they arrest public opinion: Is the Senate
of the u. 5. constituted Tor the manufacture o pnbic
opnion' Is it to be the Pf'paganda oil pubic seat
ment: If gentle:en expected t's, they w"atd - is
appointed Tney could neither maze nor crush pnbic
opinion. The. resolutions, csen II they we're passed
would amoant TO nothing They would haze ~ les,
latve effect a:.3 could not manufacture thf PG.c opt
MON expected ;.cra them The they a.e discus
sed the Discussion they wa! cTeS'e &:HGaS the
people; ;hs, instead OF crushing the sentiments they
intended 10 extagG;Sa, they wi! excite tier aeve-
lopment aud extension. He Tor che, lad TO opinion
TO conceal or shrink from avowin- IN the lace o! 'he
world 1t gentlemen wanted n expression OF his sen
tments tins subject, they should have IT. vote or no
He told them tiiat IN his opinion, thus Go
ve.ument under obligation whatever, moral or
LEGAL TO the debts OF The States, incurred Tor
their own individual purposes II has opinion that
the faith OF the General Government was not commit
ted the slightest degree By The obligations oil the
States TO their creditors He trusted the day was lar
DIS when OF things coald exist IN which
it would tie expedi,n 10. t.c General Govern
men entertain The subject any shape or form, OF
Interfering for the adjustment o! State ohi'Ealioos-
But much and decidedly as he was opposed 10 such N
reference he not prepared say that, III The long
hereafter which may be viewed perspective,
may not possibly in which the embarrassmen,s OF
States may be such that, # not relieved
they may endanger the General rnment itself and
the whole Unicn. And viewing that possibility
hao ntv nlAil Al AZ n d..
possbility-he not prepared 10 plecgs hinse by
any obligatory vote, agans, such lane OF coneuc, as The
best policy aud best interests Of the country might de.
mand al his HANDS.
After reviewing the whole subject in gres. variety
ofhgbrs Sf G concluded by remark ~ '!ai he could
not vote for the amendment Of the Senator from GeoF
GIN nor d he see how auy friend 10 the great pttnci
pie OF 3,fisa,ioa coald vote Tor - he Q1es"h oil
the Distribution Of the proceeds OF se a:es 81 the pan
lie lands Ia the several States, wss oGs whea lie 8"c
ms friends had maintained wh all The gal ana emery!
OF winch they caplol' they hat MEYER d"nh;sd
the constitutional power 10 make that distribution
They considered II question placed beyond the post
b,luy of doubt Bat the amendment oil The Senator
from Georgia al sanctions doubt upon that point
in the outset by stating that this resolution is II be-
understood os neither off'mng denying the power
OF The General G .vernnen to The Distribution
surrender TO the States ni the public lands he could
vote for IT, and he trusted The irienos OF distribution
would not.
Mr. BAGGY explained; and, in The course OF has
explanaii"n he d. n'ed tina, he had attempted 10
facturr public cp'n,n by anything Which he had sad;
and he asserted that he tux al plica! Pr"pa
gand,si ,hn SeM from Kentucky nm.elt. Slncr
he had had the honor OF srat tue S"Ua!r, lie had
played the part attempted p!sy lte part oil
political propagandsi lie had never introduced nln
this body what The gentleman was pleased t" csnom'
abs propositions; and. II he ADHERED To his
present impressions, IN all human probability he never
should. Indeed, he lad gone further Tor lie bad not
only not introduced abstract propositions there, but he
had not even entered INTO Their discussion until he
driven to it by the remarks of other Senators THIS
floor. Great, ard vial, and important as these and
kindred propositions we:s aad entered THIS
discussion To manufacture pubic opinion; Ter lie
enough TO believe that he could manutaciure
public opinion, for those wto generally ,l:h with
han; much less, Cor others gsr trred from ism -
But, !,t!e as he expcc's1 anything WHICH he sad
have any etfrct the s na,or from ken'urky NJ.
Crenden.1 h. must say he was ii.tlc fs'anshtd :,
the small Importance that Senator seemed uo.y
tach 10 the introduction and discussion Of propositions
like this; for, though se did ecoecl any
which the Senator had troubled the Sena.c with
resolutions OF this character, he DID rcollsct notable
instance hen, whatever the fleet might be before the
country, or IN other quarters, he d:d not expect e
eh-ct would have been entirely lost the Senator
from Kentucky himself. What was the of that
gentleman lustrIoas rradscessor:-and when he SAID
illusiro u.s. ne hat he said a the last session,
that individual (M:. Claw introduced e!er-r sbstrarI
propositions; ard they occupied the Of tbs body
for five calender months, and not "nly So but wien BE-
(hr Clay retired from His body valeGictury ad
dress, he beqGeahed these resolutions as legacy 20
the Senate
MIR CRlTTENDEN made some remark, which was
not distinctly heard but he understood say that
he did not vote Tor those resolutions.
SIR BAGBY continued. Perhaps lie was mistaken;
but he could not be mistaken in tins tina, uhen such
doctors disagreed as some Senators 10 whom he had
alluded, subjects ike this might b. excee dinghy
difficult for bin 10 decide correctly. The oil the
last session wa9 10 consume five mon,hs-even that
time not deemed too !auch ;hen-on abstract pro.
positions. But now, a short time shor; day
vas considered an unreasonable appropriation Of
lime sublec; Ike this. And What gave rise 20 the
dIscnssion OF this question 4 iu-igur day Whg,
they had been told after Gay sscn aiel session
and fron sources wdout Number. Mart the c;edi: III
number 81 these S.a'cs !oG become bad; aud .g;aut
sou!e interference ri The General Cuy.Ian;tIi--i: not
10 pay the debts O. those States al least assist them
the lalnt OF the creci; Of Tic States would extend tc
The Federal credit Nov, re cid rtt wls! 20 ~ay-it
would not be becoming his position there and iS
ton forbade it. that lie should rene Ike PROPOSITION Cf
the Senator ffcni Virginia. tut ne asked what those
propositions were How much did those resolutions
contain that was right, ard how much contain
ed in them that was wrong II gentlemen could
show HIM anything IN them that wrong he would
pledge himself 10 20 against them. But they merely
Contained great and Fundamental principles. What
were they: Some Of them we're, that this Coye.u-
ment had no constitutional power prnv.de for the
II would be a dangerous power, and >s exercise wouJ
be 'nexpedient IN tic extreme. Thai, he b.syod,
Their substance aad he asked the Senate If these pro.
positions and not connect hemfercs intimately, deep
ly-nsy, Vally with the condition &C The country and
the position of the public credit; And Il such was the
condition Of the credit of the country, what, W. asked
il the duty Of Senators 10 do: The Senator from
ksnncky (Mr. Cr,,enden) told them that he
prepared to record his vote enactment, but lie
would not ac, on ahs'Eac, propositions Now, lie ask.
ed that honorable Sena;o5 where the difference
between expressing opinion resolution invcIv-
ing great and important principles, ard expressing
opinion lay Involving The sane great sud
important principles Il Il. ght he sad these
lulions not within ,he sphere ri their action
Well, If On the resolutions wA'oh he advucaec, and
which h. believed coniained The true IL Org Of tie
Constitution ~ thgi sGhiac, ADD on lic vote On ihr
adoption the reiect' If which he did believe lie
Perpetr'y o. onr iusutunrs dspeadtd-if, lie seia
on Questions Ike THIS, gen cta up ard toe thc
marx there mus, b. some reason lJr II. Ana w5ai
y rpcSOus He ecOlp from; he d., tr.o