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


ADVERTISEMENT inserted at the usual rate $.
SPEECH OF MR.. RATHBUN,
9dle & OF NEW YORK.
aInthe House of Representatives. June 4, ls44--On
US the civil and diplomatic appropriation bill. 5
in, Mr.. RATHBUN said: aa:a 1.r
80 Mr.. CHAIRMAN :: i hadhoped that the attention
of this body might have been continued to the
BUSINESS of thecountry, and that this House would
not be converted into political arena. The peo-
Pile of the country, SO far as know, desired it
For few years past it has been the practice of the
opposite party, to convert thishalI into political
camp, and to fghthere, at ttfe expense Of the peo-
pie, and to the injury of the public interests, the
battle ofpolitical power. This practice was reviv-
ed early in this session, by old and experienced
caInpaigner from Pennsylvania, (Mr. Stewart
He seemed ambitious to initiate if not to excel, his
'iustrlous predecessor, (Mr. Oge.) Nature has
bestowed upon him prolific inagination-from
which he draws boundless supply of facts and
igures suitable to any emergency, ready coined
forevery occasion He delivered TO the House a
funeral Grafton over the dead carcass ofthe "Amer-
ican system;" charged Mr.. Van Brren with the
destruction; arraigned him before this House for
destroying the tariff, which he claimed was plo-
ducing surplus revenue of $lS, ,0G0 900 annually,
and which. at this time, he says, would have pro-
duceda s'surplus OF $3.50 900 900; and which,
under the American system, or Clay SYSTEM"
ought to have been dsburscd in internal improve
ments, in the construction of roads and canals in
the several States. The American system, or
Clay system, the gentleman says, ''was in part
high tarilf;'' tariff which would draw from the
pockets of the people-from the labor OF the coun-
try, sufficient to defray the expenses of the gov
ernment and leave asurplus of $lS ,O0o, 900 annu-
ally, to be squandered in national internal improve
ments, Mr.. Van Buren, destroyed the tariff, he
AYERS. But sir, where is his proof? Where and
how did he destroy it, This charge is one of the
gentleman's facts 1t is the principal count in this
Indictment No proof is offered--none can be
found to sustain it The high tariff Of 1928 and
1892 were destroyed in 1888 by a tariff act, known
, as the "compromise act" Was Mr.. Van Bnren
the author OF that bill' No, sir, that law derived
its parentage from another source. 1t has been
claimed to be the brightest gem in the dladem Of
the royal dictator Of the gcDiIeman's party This
act for which Henry Clay is almost deilied by his
foIlowers-for which he is cuosized as the enbod-
iment of whig principles. is charged by the mem
Der from Pennsylvania, upon Mr.. Van Buren, as
a high crime.
The next grand effort here, in the same vein,
came from the honorable member from Buncombe,
North Carolina. [Mr. Clinglman He has cnt- !
lied his speech tho "PIincipes Of the Wing and |
Democratic parties" He has dealt very unlindly
by his friend from Pennsylvania He charges Mr.
Van Buren, with supporting the high "ariiS OF
1924 and 1928 the highest tariffs which ever ex-
listed in the country. and which, because of their
very excess, were condemned by MeSsrs. Clay and
Webster" These gentlemen contradict each 9th
or directly. They are both whigs-o course, both
honorable men, both correct-because wings can
never be mistaken. 1t is to be hoped that this un-
pleasant difficulty may be amicably adjusted without
bloodshed. The country, and particularly the
party, which is the country, cannot afford to lose
either of its champions. The member from Bun
combc enlightened the House with specimen of
whig arithmetic. He says, ''the administration of
Mr.. Van Buren left the government liable for the
sum Of 1888 ,O6337S, and all means provided to pay
it amounted to but $l3, 1862 1855, leaving $2i ,2O3,-
323,'' the debt of his administration. Now, the
truth is, that if the whig administration had not
convened Congress in extra session, and had made
no new and unnecessary appropriations, but car
fied on the government economically, at the end of
the year 1911 there would have been only S2,26i.-
2S of debt. The actual debt of the administration
Of Mr. Van Buren, existing when he retired from
office, was only $5,O95, ,55s,4O. Take from this
sum the real deficit at the end of l8il if the extra
session had not been called, and it leaves charged
uponthese economical wings to pay only $S2,s3i.-
106 H. Yet with all these facts before him, the
gentleman, in his Buncombe speech, and with his
Buncombe arithmetic, has fguredi up to the round
sum of $24, ,203,32i Sir, it is old saying, that
figures won't lie. This, of course, does not apply
to misfigurng in the hands of a politician, who
speaks from Buncombe, or for Buncombe 1t I
would be safer to say they seldom tell the truth
But, sir, this debt has been increased under whg
administration, and by whig Congress, over
$25 900 900 in two years and nine months, This
is the fruit ofthc whig victory of 1910.
Another gentleman, [Mr. Hardin, of Illinols,]
afew days since, and again yesterday, addressed
the House, not upon any question before it. Mr..
Van Buren, was his first text, and Mr. Polk his
last. Sir, shall not attempt to initiate his classic
taste, by applying epithets to any man, much less
would in reference to Mr.. Van Burcn. The
gentleman calls him ''little Matty." Yes, sir,
gentleman who has occupied the highest stations
in this oyernment--universaly honored aud re- |
spected throughoutthe civilized world-possessing
talents of the highest order-whose name, when {
the history Of this country shall be written by an