The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-20

| check TO unconstitutional and highly lneIpedient
| legislation, thereby making the will of Congress
supreme and installing the majority OF that body
| in the full possession OF all the powers of Go
| vernment7 Or did you, or do you now still
cling to the opinion in which the qualified Veto
| originated, that a Government without checks
and balances is the worst form OF Ohgarchy,-
| and that too many guards, IN order 10 secure
public Liberty, cannot be thrown over its differ
ent departments If, indeed, you are advocates
OF change so vital as that proposed, then may
not only the Garrisons and Tappans of our own
country rejoice, but shout should ascend from
the Abolition Convention ''oi the whole world,
| at the fact that our Federal system had given
| way before the power Of a consolidated govern
ment, whose will, uttered forth by sectional ma
jorllles, was absolute, admitting OF no check or
resistance from any quarter whatever. If, in
deed, these be your opinions, then have most
grievously disappointed the hopes IN which you
INDUCED in connection with my election and my
| Administration. must, nevertheless, most So
emny aver that had been aware that such
would have been expected and required of me-
| if could have believed that you, whose candi-
date was peculiarly considered, and 10 concii
ate whom was nominated for the Vice Presi-
deucy, would have required of me in the con-
tingency which unhappy occurred, that should
commence nv Administration with an act Of
perjury, and sanctioned measures abhorrent TO
every principle Of my pas, life and at war with
the prosperity Of the country and the continu-
ance of liberty would not have suffered my
name, humble as il was, 10 have been breathed
in the canvass. No, claim the proud prveg,
of an American citizen 10 think for myself on
all subjects, and 10 act in pursuance Of my own
convictions-and it would require total change
of my nature in order TO convert me into mere
instrument of party, or Of party diclation.
| Iwould appeal not only to yourselves but TO
all my counlrymen to say, whether in the mat
tiers appertaining TO our foreign affairs, they an
| t,cpaled more success in the adj ustment Of diff
fcultes and in the formation of highly important
Treaties than ii has been my province TO cause 10
be negotiated. Long standing difficulties have
been djusted- difficulties which threatened most
seriously the peace Of the country. Nor has any
opportunity been lost for charging the commerce
of the country, and giving new markets to our
agricultural and manufactured products. If the
country has not reaped full fruilion of benefit
from all theTreaties thus negotiated, it surely has
no, been the fault of the Administration. The
loss Of two Of those Treaties through the sc-
ton of the Senate, cannot but be deploed by
| D. 81
with the German States, we had opened the
way TO more extended commerce with
100000 of people, in our cotton, tcbacco,
rice and lard, at duties on tobacco, rice and
lard greatly reduced, and with a stipulation for
| The free admission Of cotton; while We had
| agreed TO receive at somewhat reduced duties
articles from those States which entered into
| the most limited competition, if at all, with a
few similar articles of American product The
Treaty was particularly interesting frm the
fact, that for the first time, after repeated strug-
giles on the part Of my predecessors, 10 accom-
! plsh reduction Of duty on tobacco, the Gov
ernmeht had succeeded in dong so. 1t was ne
golialed under resolutions originating win the
| tobacco States, and with the Tesumed saictlon
of Congress, who had raised, as it is believed,
the mission to Vienna, from second 10 tirt rate
mission, with direct reference TO the toacco
interest, and had also appropriated sum mo-
ney, some years ago, TO enable the Executive TO
employ an agent in Germany to acquire nfor-
nation : TO the tobacco trade, the services of
which agent had only ceased a short time prior
to tn. negotiation of the Treaty.. My hope
still however is, that the benefits of the Treaty
and the Treaty itself may not be lost the
country. think Improper 10 add that tber was
no design 10 deprive the House of Representa-
times Of any righuful and constitutional nlion
over the subject, which 1t might properlyeSer-
else. 1t was, on the contrary, my intention to
have submitted the Treaty, and all paper cal
cuated to eucidate it, 10 the House of Req
resentstives, if 1t had been ratified by lheSea-
ate, for such action as they might have
deemed it proper to adopt-a course pusud
in all cases in which the action OF ID
House is required to vote supplies of monty, y
fulfil any other object falling within the scope {
their power
Ia negotiating the Treaty for the annexao,
of Texas, which was rejected by the Senate
motives have been sscribed TO the Admlnistra.
ton which had no place 10 its mind or heart
One gentleman, occupying a prominent place
10 the Democratic party, whether for good o
evil it does not become me TO say, has assigne
in an address recently delivered in Missouri
two prominent motives for its negotiation IL
Personal ambition, and, 2dly, purpose to d.
solve the Union. MIR Clay also, in recel
letter written to the editor of newspaperh
Alabama, has called the Treaty infamous, al
ascribed TO it, in its origin, sinister objects Il
repel both their assaults upon the Treaty apits
negotlators. What object of mere personal Inn
bilon in any way connected with Office buld
= IL IL A 4 = :. -. u.