The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-10-04

in the proud temple Of fame e,--the accomplished
gentleman from Illinois exhibits his discernment
and refinement by calling him "little Matty."
He amused himself and his friends for an hour,
by repeating the stale fabrcations, and worn out,
and often repeated ISLANDERS against Mr. Van Buren,
in order to send them again revamped and newly
dressed, to the people, to impose on them; and
thereby enable the personilcatioE and embodiment
Of whig principles, (Mr Clay,) toreach the pres-
dental chair. Why, sir, he went seriously to work.
to show that Mr.. Van Buren was opposed to the
war of 1872 This stale, miserable, unfounded
charge, known by every man and boy in the State
ofNew York, and by every reading and intelligent
man in the whole nation, to be utterly untrue-con-
fessed and acknowledged by leading journalist in
his own party recently, Mr. Stone, to be false lis
his most serious objection to Mr.. Van Buren,, and
his strongest charge against him. will not pur-
sue the subject of his remarks, the truth of his
statement but little further. This is his best point,
and this like all his minor points, is base coin, long
since condemned as counterfeit Such compounds
of fiction are worth no other notice than silent con-
tempt. One other point in his printed speech is
worthy of a passing notice, and that is the picture
with which he has illustrated the darkness ofhls
ideas. He has placed Mr.. Van Buren in the at
ttude ofreceivng the vote ofa negro, and rejecting
| that of two old soldiers of the revolution shall
find more appropriate place for bis picture, with
some slight alterations, before get through. He
complains because Mr.. Van Buren did not veto an
appropriation in 1898, of upwards Of two millions
for the Improvement Of the roads and rivers of the
West The member from Pennsylvania, GMr.
STEWART, ] and gentleman from Kentucky, (Mr.
DAVIS 1.-THE representative of Mr. Clays district,
and one OF the opponents ofhis views--have made
it matter Of serious charge against Mr.. Van Bu-
rcn, that he did nothing for the West during his ad
ministration. They have appealed to the people of
the West to come over to them, because Mr.. Clay
will do them justice. Sir, will show these gen.
tlemen, before have done with Mr.. Clay, what he
says and thinks of the West, and western men.
All the gentlemen have named have been harping
upon the extravaganza of Mr. Van Buren's ad-
ministration. He expended, they allege, from
twenty-eisht to thrtY-two millions annually. Sup
pose either to be true what them Upon whom
should the censure rest? Without the appropria-
ton by Congress, he could not expend dollar
Congress having passed the laws fol expending the
public money, he was bound, byh his oath OF Office,
to see that it expended for the objects specified
in the law. He had no discretion, no right to
withhold the money. Itmust be expended This
all these members know perfectly well; this, every
man acquainted with the duties and powers of the
President knows. These members also know the
factor ought to know t-that during his admin
istraon, Congress appropriated S6l ,73S ,562, be-
yond the estimates of expenditures sent in by the
Secretary of the Treasury, and more than Mr..
Van Buren and his cabinet desired Whose fault
this' 1t may be said that he should have Veto
ed the bills. Even now we hear the jacobncal
cry, Down with the veto.
Sir, an honorable member OF this House has said,
during this session, that the President was not re-
sPonsible for the amount of expendtures-only for
the manner in which they were expended. His
age, experience, and high character, ought to have
been some restraint upon his junior friends; they |
should have yielded in some degree TO the truth,
coming from him. allude to the gentleman from
Massachusetts, [Mr. ADAMs.] But if they would
not heed him, the admonItion of the gentleman
from Virginia, [Mr, NEWTON, who attributes all
the disasters and calamites Of his party and the
country to the ''want of candor and fairness of the
wings of 1910" and who has strongly recommend
ed to all of them "honesty as the best policy"
ought at least to have had some influence with
them. I ask of these honorable gentlemen, what
appropriation, during the administration of Mr..
Van Buren, was opposed by Mr. Clay! What
one was opposed by the whig party' have look
ed through the journals of the Senate and of this
House, to find such case, but in VAIN. do not
believe such one can he found. II IS cardinal
principle with them to vote for all appropriations,
and for all purposes, and always for the largest
amount. This is Mr. Clays creed, as derived from
his votes and speeches. Large appropriations and
extravagant expenditures demand high tariffs and
oppressive taxes. THIS is the American or Clay
system, for which he has been so much eulogized
lere. Ifits true, as | assert, that Mr.. Clay, and
he wings in Congress generally, voted for the larg
,st appropriations during Mr.. Van Buren's admin
stration, with what propriety can they now turn
ipon him, and charge him with extravagant ex-
,endiures' lie was the agent to execute the laws
If Congress-their laws. 1t was their duty to
zee that all appropriations were reasonable, just,
md necessary They are responsible to their con-
ttuents and to the country for their acts. They s
controlled the strings Of the public purse If they
opened them too wide-voted too much---they
,ught to be honest, and take the censure which ,
hey are now endeavoring to throw upon one sub
ect to their CONTROL and executing their laws. 1t
not only true that they were formerly in favor of
xtravagant appropriations and expenditures, and /
opposed to retrenchment and reform, but they |
AVE been so during the present session in every
orm. A large potion Of the whig party voted q
gainsl the army-retrenchment bill, passed few |
lays since, by which half million of dollars will
'e annually saved. They were unwilling to re- '
luce the salaries of military officers to reasonable