The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-31

House. The people have sent us here TO do certain
things. We are responsible, not only for the sue
cess Of those indicated by the public wall,
but also for the time within which they may be act
ed upon The country is anxious and impatient.
We are accused, fear justly, of needless delay ln
| 1914 we told the people that James X. Polk was a
''Young Hickory"--that he had force of charac-
ter, and would Ego ahead"
And now, sir, the good democrats of the land,
having been fully convinced by his communications
to Congress that he is what we represented MN,
are, nevertheless saying that zoe, IN this and the
other hall, anything but prompt IN our action.
They give US credit for good speeches, but be-
| eve they would rather see our measures The as
sembly in the other hail. they ofopInion "creeps
on the trigger" 20 painful extent. IL Is time we
were doing as we'll talking; and IL is 10 be hoped
that some OF the old saltsn of the House will spring
resolution upon tomorrow morning TO close this
debate. repeat that we on this side Of the House
responsible for delays for measures passed, and
for measures neglected. We are enough, II united.
Our constituents united. We ought to be 30.
| Mr. LEAKE did not intend TO make a speech, but
merely to set right the gentleman from Indiana,
| Mr. SauH,l upon few matters Of fact. The gen.
teman asserted that the Baltimore convention in Its
resolutions had made ausion TO the sub-tressury
| But the eighth resolution Of that convention de-
csred emphatlcally that the party was IN favor Of
the great fundamental principle upon which this bill
il based-that IL was In favor Of an entire separa-
ton Of the government from all connexion with the
banks Of the country fact which he presumed
the gentleman overlooked in hissagsrasss and great
zeal 10 arragn the democratic party.
Again; the gentleman adverted TO the defslcauon,
or the detection rather, Of Samuel swartwout in
| 1897, and Of Harris, Boyd, and others, as argu-
ments agsinst the independent treasury The
gentleman was, ought TO be, aware that these
dsfalcsons took place two years before that meas
ure was adopted, and under the operation Of the
bank system. As soon as Samuel Swartwout de-
falcated, he turned round and became whig, as he
| (Mr. L. understood.
! Another fact not one cent Of the public money
was lost while the sub-treasury system was in ope-
ration.
| But the gentleman told them that whilst il re-
NAMED on the statute book il a dead letter. and
never was carried out. Then certainly the evils he
says are incident To this system do not belong to IT,
but are the coneomitants and results Of the bank
system. He informed the gentleman that now
they intended To carry il bona fds into operation.
The gentleman entered his protest against the hur
rying Of this bill through under the previous ques-
ton. He asked the gentleman under what circum-
stances the independent treasury was repealed by
| the wings in the memorable extra session Of lS4li
They hurried il through in the shortest time posi-
BILE; and their "fscalty" bank bill introduced
on day and passed the next Legislative day
And be il always remembered that to the wings be-
longed the paternity of the one-hour rule, which
democratic Congress, not very much TO their cred
it, as he considered had adopted
Some conversation took place between Mr.. T.
B. KING, Mr.. SEAB0RN JONES, and Mr.
LEAKE, to the precise time allotted to the con-
sideraon Of the repeal ofthe independent treasury
Mr.. HOUSTON inquired of Mr.. KING how long
the first bank bill was allowed TO be discussed by
the wing majority in the 9th Congress'
| Mr.. KING. The gentleman will very easily as
certain by referring to the journal.
Mr.. HOUSTON was glad to see that the gentle
mans memory was 30 seryiceable when il would
| 4 i H. -. Al II
go against them. From the examination he had
been able to give, il appeared that the BILL instead
Of being allowed three weeks, taken up on the
I'd Of August and passed the 9th of August under
the previous question; the gag of which the gentle
man and his party now found it 30 convenient to
complain.
Mr. HOPKINS (Mr. LEAKu still giving way read
| from the journal Of the 9th Congress before him.
that the ball for the repeal of the independent treas
ury taken up on the 7th Of August, Saturday,
and that on Monday, the 9th, the Committee of the
Whole on the state Of the Union were discharged
from It's further consideration. under the previous
question, moved by Mr.. KNo, Of Georgia, and that
the bill was passed that day.
| Mr. LEAKE (resumng) stated another fact upon
the authority of the journal before him. that that
bill was not even read by sections, and that point
Of order taken by democratic member, Mr.. James
w. Williams, that the previous question would not
take effect until the bill had been read according to
universal custom and rule was voted down-Mr.
|
actually voted for and passed (as appeared from the
journal) without being read. He threw back upon
the gentleman from Indiana the charge made upon
the democratic party that they not disposed to
accord sufficient time for discussion and debate.
Mr., KING How many sections were there to
that billi
Mr. LEAKE. l do not know.
Mr. KING | will tell the honorable gentleman:
there section only.
Mr.. LEAKE So much the worse. They could
| not read even that one.
The gentleman from Indiana accused the demo-
cratic party in 1874 of having shrked the treasury
question Mr.. L. would take occasion to say that
down to ls40 he had been opposed to the sub-treas
ury; and that he then became an example Of "the
sober second thought" to which the then President,
Mr.. Van Buren,, appealed with much confidence.
The gentleman charged that the democratic party
had not declared openly their ground, thus leaving
| the inference to be drawn that the wings had
avowed and maintained consistently their own
ground But in 1910, after their general conven-
ton had met and djourned without preparing any
address, or laying down any principles, the wing
convention in Virginia, and he was told in North
Carolina, Ohio, and elsewhere, solemnly avowed,
that General Harrison was opposed to national
bank and yet one Of the first measures resorted to
on this floor by the 9th Congress, the attempt
to establish and fasten upon the country national
bank.
Mr.. s. JONES (Mr. L. yielding the Aoor) in
qured of his colleague Mr.. KMe] il wing com.
mttee of Georgia. in which the gentleman himself
included, did not prepare address to the peo-
pie Of that State, in which they declared General
Harrison "and Tyler too" opposed to n national
banki
Mr.. KING. They made no such assertion
They simply compiled the declarations Of these
gentlemen, and left them to stand for what they
were worth.
Mr.. JONES. Was not the compilation intended
to show that they opposed to bank of the
United States, and that General Harrison and Mr..
Tyler had voted against establishing bank of the
United States1
Mr.. KING replied in the affirmative to the latter
inquiry, and said that the extracts compiled showed
also that Gen, Harrison believed bank to be wise
If the people Thought il proper and necessary.
Mr.. LEAKR resumed, and concluded by noticing
| one more remark ofMr. c. B. SMITH The gentle
man had told them that the result Of this tnkering
with the currency from 1894 to 1910 was to pros
trate the great financial and commercial interests of
the country, and that the country has now recovered
and is in prosperous state. Mark that; and the