The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-04-25
NUMBER 5.
FRIDAY, January 10.

Mr. WELLER, beng entitled 10 the HooI, pro-
cecded to address the committee as follows.
Mr. CmAIRMAx: For the reason assigned at
the adjournment last evening, here to-day for
the purpose of paying my particular respects to
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. STEW
ART do not propose discussing the immedi-
ate question before the committee. To that
had no opportunity of speaking some ten days
snce but intend TO confne myself to a reply
TO the remarks which have fallen from that mem
ber, Mr. STEWART He shall not, after the par
ticular attention he has bestowed on me, have
any cause to complain of neglect on my part.
He has made, as the House will bear me witness
an unprovokcd, an uniustifed attack on Mr. Van
Burcn and his friends, and endeavor to place me
in false position before the country He has,
with vast deal of selfcomplacency, told the
House he was ready to meet me; and, by show
ing that his statements, which pronounced on
a former occasion untrue, were sustained by the
proof, thus fix the brand Of falsehood on my brow.
| am now ready for the contest, and will not
shrink from the position | have assumed.
In order that the committee may properly un-
derstand the difference between the member and
myself, it is necessary TO go back to the origin OF
this difficulty.
The debate sprung up upona motion TO recon-
slider resolution submitted by the gentleman
from Kentucky, Mr. THoMAssoN.l instructing
the Committee of Ways and Means TO report
bill to keep the snag boats on the Mississippi and
its tributaries in operation during the ensuing
year. The author of the resolution spoke 10 the
question and nothing else; he was followed by
the gentleman from the Pittsburgh district, MI.
WILKINs,l who also confined his remarks to the
subject. My friend from Missouri Mr.. BowLINl
succeeded him in an able speech upon the I'M
portance Of these western rivers, their commerce
and the necessity for the immediate action oil
the general government. Thus far the debate
had been strictly in order, and not remark made
TO rouse the party feeling Of any member on tins
floor. The gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr..
STEWART then took the floor, and inflicted
stump speech upon this House, denouncing the
friends of Mr. Van Buren, in unmeasured
terms, discussing the subject of the tariff,
internal improvements by the general gov
emment, the expenditures of the past admins
tration, and all the political topics upon which
the parties are divided. The main object Of that
speech evidently was to place western gentle
men in a false position, and produce the impress
sion that Mr. Van Burcn was opposed to all the
Improvements we were so zealously advocating.
He told us, in his insolent manner, that we must
abandon our man or our principles win my
sympathes deeply aroused by the recent calanl-
ily on the Mississippi, and feeling the most anX-
ious soIjctude for an appropriation to guard a.
ganst such disasters in future, was provoked
beyond measure at the course and low attack OF
the member from Pennsylvania. am aware that
the member has since attempted to find JUST
icaton for this outrage upon propriety, III the
fact that some remarks of party character iell
from my friend from Missouri, MI. JAMEsoN.] In
answer to this, have only to say that the speech
TO which he alLudos was made not IN the House
but in Committee Of the Whole-not on the res
olution of the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr.
TuoMAssoN, but on motion to refer the Presl-
dents message; not by way OF attack, but IN an
swcr to an assault made on the democratic party
by the gentleman who proceeded him, from New
York, Mr.. HuNT The Committee OF the
Whole therefore, Gin order atall, was the pro,
per place to make his stump speech. Satlshed
in my own mind that his misrepresentation, I'M
less contradicted, would make false impression
on the public mind, did rise in my place, and
say that would, at the proper time, show that
that member was an ccoHomi=er Of truth, and
am ready to establish it.
The member from Pennsylvania labored an
hour on yesterday to maintainhis charges, which
had pronounced untrue, and declared that he
had succeeded in fixing the brand Of talsehood
on me. After have been heard on this subject
am willing to leave this House and the public
to decide the matter.
will now take up the report of that members
speech, as found in hisown party organ, Qhe Ma
tional lntelligencer,) aud will show that, in many
particulars, he has attempted palm untruths up
pom this House.
In the first place, he says, (for quote his own
anguage3
"Mr. STEWART said he concurrod in much
souri, Mr.. JAMIsoN ast the general importance
of the commerce on the Mississippi, and Of i'm
proving its navigation. But the gentleman had
told the House that Mr.. Van Burcn had ne
yer refused TO sign bill for any works of in
ternal improvements That might be all very
true but did he not withhold fiom Congress
the estimates for the Cumberland road? And
was it not under his administration that these es-
Inmates we're so withheld for the first time? He
told his Secretary Of War not to send in estimates
for The continuation Of that road, because, IF he
did, and Congress made the appropriation, he
must retO The BILL"
When quoted this the succeeding day, what
did that member say? give his answer:
"Mr STEWART said he had made no such
statement as ttc gentleman repersented.n
There is no "presumption,n no "inlerence,"
in the matter; it is positively asserted as tact;
and, when the remarks were read, he denied
them. This denial, sir, in the presence Of this
House, spronounce untrue If there is gen
tleman on this side of the hall, who listened 10
his speech, who will now rise and say that he did
not use the language imputed TO him, / wiu re-
tract all I hare said. Yes, sir, ifa single mem
Der sustains his denial, wllyeld the floor, and
abandon the contest.
M MI