The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-03-18
CONGRESS-.


The fifteenth week of Congress has passed,
and. with the exception of the bill to remit the
fine of Gen Jackson, that is about all that has
passed in the Capitol since the members came
together The party in power however, have
brought forward some important measures--of
destructive tendency-which they probably in
tend to act upon one of these days, unless they
should be deferred by circumstances from the
people. But as yet, the whole time of the House
has been spent in debating the subject of the
rules-abolition and anti-abolition-the bill max
ing appropriation for the support of West Point
Academy, the Rhode Island Dorr instruction
question, the bill to regulate the election Of cleo
tors of President and Vice President of the United
States, and some other subjects, brought into the
House as some Of the above were, merely to an
swer the purpose of pegs to hang Buncombe
speeches upon.
The subject Of the rules. or right Of petition,
has occupied more of the time of the House in
debate than any other, but to what purpose? Sc
veral members from the North and West, calling
themselves Democrats, came out at first with hot
zeal in favor Of the right Of petition, and even
spoke against adopting the odious 2lst rule;
others Of the same party voted against the adop-
ton of that rule. but contented themselves with
giving a silent vote. All this was doubtless for
effect, the aboionists of the North, East, and
West, we're to be conciliated, coaxed, wheedled.
Probably it was supposed that the desired effect
had been produced
D.. - ~, <oh o lick
ed, namely, securing the South; and this could
only be done BY adopting the rule against which
they had detained with such fervid eloquence
and indignant denuncia,ion. But here was a
dilemma the rule could be adopted only by the
votes of the very men who had spoken SO elo-
quently and voted SO decidedly and honestly
against IL! What was to be done2 The Cal.
houn men of the South said, the preservation Of
this rule, and the passage Of a bill, which we
shall mention presently, are the only condition.
on which our support will be given TO the party.
These are the price of our adhesion to the nom-
nation Of the Baltimore Convention There was
no aternative--the Calhoun men could not be
spared-the rule must be retained, even at the
expense of the consistency Of a few members,
and even though it should subject them to the
charge Of insincerity, dishonesty, double dealing.
of looking one way and rowing another, Of voting
against their avowed opinions They had made
speeches, however and given votes in favor of
the right Of petition: this, it was supposed,
would answer every purpose at the North they
might now vote against the right of petition, by
which means the South would be conciliated and
retained; the South having their votes, and the
North their speeches, neither could complain.
The other measure we alluded to as being
par, Of the price Of the Calhoun men, is the Ia
riff bill lately reported by the Committee Of
Ways and Means and very properly denomi-
mated by Mr.. Stewart g the British Tariff bill"
This must be passed, though probably without
debate, and under the high pressure Of the pre-
vious question, as the bill to repeal the Distribu-
tion act was: its passage in the House at least
is demanded by the party at the South, and the
North must yield.
What then has been done, we again ask, and
reply. In the fifteen weeks which Congress has
been in session, the bill to remit the fine Of Gen.
eral Jackson has passed both Houses. In the
House of Representatives, where the Locofocos
have majority OF two to one, the right of petit
tion has been amply debated and the twenty first
rule retained; a Tariff bill, calculated to pros
rate the reviving business of the country, has