Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-02-08
SPEECH OF
EEOEa. D. "A. MCClernand.

| 'oOtueH annual message 70 me carl.
T Gus standing andspeciGl committees.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: It is due, perhaps, to
the committee, that I should renew the
apology now, which / felt constrained to
offer the other day when | appealed to the
committee to adjourn this question tenn.
porarly, to enable me to speak upon it
under more favorable circumstances. Ger.
tainly, sir, upon no other ground than
that of physical indispositicn, would
have ventured so far from my humble
course here as to have asked so great
concession. In returns, gentlemen, for
your kindness and consideration, | can
only offer you the humble tribute of my
thanks and gratitude, which beg you to
accept.
These, Mr.. Chairman. are critical and
portentous times; and accidental conlunc.
ture threatens the success of the cherish.
ed principles of democracy. and all who
are friendly to the present republican ad.
ministration are imperiously called upon
to come forth promptly and boldly in its
defence. All who profess TO be democrats
should now prove their faith by their
works. For one, sir, propose to do this;
and, that may do it with the more sue.
cess, shall indulge in a somewhat ex-
tensive range of debate.
First, sir, it is my purpose to review
the great measures that distinguish the
internal Or domestic policy of the present
executive administration, and in like man.
ner, on some future occasion, its external
or foreign policy-especially the justice of
our cause in the existing war with Mexi-
co; thus attending, as whole, general
survey of the conduct of our government
on the most important events of modern
times
Proceeding. sir, at once TO the first and
present branch of my pregnant theme, !
will be allowed to premise that great and
fundamental changes have occurred in
the administration of the. government
within few years past. Upon the ac-
cesslon ofthe democrlic party ofthe con-
troll of Congress in 1913 and 1874. they
found the policy lately before established
bv the federalisis in full operation. True,
President Tyler. as if directed by some
divine power, arrested that fearful and ia.
tai consumation-a United States Bank;
but other measures little less mischievous
survived to afflict the country. The man.
damus and distribution acts still blotted
the statute-book; the question of the pol.
icy and power Of this government to en-.
gage in schemes Of internal improvement
remained to be settled; the black tariff to
be replaced by revenue tariff; the con-
stitutional treasury to be restored; and
the graduation principle, ifpossibIe. en-.
grated upon the present land system. In
short, thorough work of reform and re
storation challenged our best efforts. And
how was that work performed! We shall
sees
, Upon The meeting ofthe twenty. eighth
Congress in ls43 and 1914, the members
Of the House of Representatives found
themselves much embarrassed by seri.
Gus and important question. that stood in
the way Of the very organization Of the
body, which forced them to choose be.
tween disregarding what purported to be
law, and excluding several of the States
froma voice III the proceedings ofthe body.
This was the work Of the mandamus act,
which deserves 10 be explained. The
constitution declares that "The times,
places, and manner of holding elections
; for senators and representatives ahall be
, prescribed in each State by the Legislature
thereof; but the Congress may at any
time, by law, make or alter such reguIa
tons, except as to the places of choosing
senator's"
F This provision of the constitution is o
plain and obvious import; but federal
Congress was not content to obey it
Rendered arrogent by the possession 0
i'll gotten power, they assume the dictate
rial authority to demand of the States t.
make such regulation" as the consti
. tuition left only to Congress to make-ir
y other words, they ass6sned to do indirectly
what they were afraid to do directly
They passed law requiring Of such o
: the States as elected representatives b,
s'gereral ticket" to cease 10 do so, ant
. elect by .'districts." The design of tb,
: law was obvious; it was to force New
Hampshire. Georgia. Mississippi, an,
: Missouri--four democratic States--io a
. bandon the mode of electiDga by gener
al ticket, and to elect by districts. Ant
the immediate effect of the law woult
have been to exclude the representative
from those States, almost all of whom
were democrats, from seat in the House
Such. sir, would have been the effect o
the law. Well. what was the result? Tn,
States compromised by the usurpatioh
disregarded the law; and.a democratic
: Congress: true in their devotion to th,
constitution and to State rights, repeale,
ct it. They repealed it for numerous rea
sons, any one of which would have BEEF
sufficient tojustify the act. 1t was uncon
g stitutional, because il affirmed s1bor