Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-15
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TUESDAY. JANUARY Ill. Is4s.

Ia tne ca anu proceeded TO the consideration OF the
nual message OF the President of the United States and thu
resolutions offered by Mr. VISTos referring the same to thu
various appropriate committees.
Mr. STEWART, Of Pennsy vania said that when he OBJ
tanned the floor had been with design or desire reply
TO the remarks Of the gentleman the way from Illinois
Mr. McCLERSASD) in audation Of the President and the
policy OF his administration. He had had very different
object in view But lie felt strongly tempted to say few
words IN reply that he could not wholly refrain, but would
occupy only few minutes in making few passing remarks
on some OF the positions the gentleman had taken.
The eloquent gentleman from Illinois had pronounced
most splendid and wrought euogum on the President
the United States. 1t eulogy on any of The
depaed but on the living, ruling, egnng President Of the
lay The gentleman informed the members of the House
aat ours was " President Aso such President
ashington and Madison, and Jefferson they sank
utter insgncance before the finished perfection of James X
Polk, the model President" living And the gentle
went to say that it had been reserved for this
model President, to build up the great Democratic column
that to SAND the bright md enduring monument of
his administration. Well, sir, inquired Mr. s., and what
sort Of column is And how has ii been erected In the
first place. norder to clear place for it stand on this
del Presde began by tearing down and utterly demoishng
the great DEMOCRATIC column which Washington and Jeer-
son, and Madison, and Monroe had by their Joint labor
built up. Ind when he had got this down. then he him
self to work to build up in its place-a column Of
military glSy Built of what Why, sir Of the bones Of
the best potion of the American people, victims Of the eli
mate and the sword in foreign land and he has cement
ed it with Aer blood The old Washington and Jefferson
of wisdom and of peace-had long stood
amidst the storms of political atmosphere and when and
how that erected AT the foundation lay the great sys
tenn of internal Improvements, recommended first by WASH
ington hfe and sustained the policy of every subse
quent harbors, and all (1he gem
teman quc forgot tell us that in knocking down the old
column, had utterly demolished the only system by which
his constituents and his district and State ever had
wod receive single dollar of the United States
Treasury this he entirely omitted to menton) The
cond stone in this glorious old Washngonan column was the
hp fat
that he night replace by system which takes off taxes
from the o OF foreigners 10 impose them the neks and
the strong arms OF our own native aborng popuaon-a
system which must to direct taxation in order to
sustain the extrayagance and crafty the ambition Of this
model PRECEDENT The old Democratic column OF Jefferson
and Washington being thus demolished how is this new Polk
column coastructedhis magnificent column which has call
ed forth enthusiastic degree the admiration OF the ho
norabe gentleman from Illinois. The first, the foundation
stone of this stupendous structure was the SuJrtasmy
and wohy this Of lis important position that in lit
lie while he Administration would have single dollar to
place IN ito vaults not bit of Jingle against
another md Congress would be refreshed appeal
from this model to repeal the great Subt,easury law
The next stone in this modern Democratic column the
gentleman from Illinois boased the present glorious
WAR. Inthat the gentleman certainly right The war
brought by the President alone BY his own individu
Al act without submitting the question Of its proprety to
Congress- then in session at the other end of the
For all th has followed that act he is responsible and he
nay have the glory and the responsibility together Next
'ame great and oveshadowing navy And the stone that
next was laid tremendous national debt les, that
ais Jaffersonan democracy that his admiration for def
ersonian doctrine. Next built into this column
standing army of ninety hundred thousand men and
o crown the whole system of oppressive taxation to dis
charge the debt imposed not foreigners but labor
and domestic industry Of the people of the United States Here
stood the magnificent Democratic column Of Mr. Folks adj
column built up with the skulls and bleaching
bones Of our best citizens cemened by their blood 1t
for the admiration Of mankind And the gentleman from
Illinois reyel, with his model MASTER the contem
plaon of sublime piece Of Executive architecture They
seem to reve in delight the vew But they have quaed
heir of glory 10 its very dregs its dregs Of bitterness and
gall Now let them swim in the Of blood that had
been split Let them sport their pleasure boat the rivers
Of tears shed by orphan children and their widowed mothers
They appeared delighted look around them they listened
With rapture the music of the groans of the dyngof the
Of children made fathcreso the agonzed shreks and
iesparng cries of the widows which the sword had made
But, while thus gaiy sailing and listening music CRATE
ul 70 their ears, there phantom ghosta horrible
shadow which suddenly TO sear their eye-bals in the
midst Of this Joyous fevery. What il The gentleman
ased his eyes and looked the way this side OF the
House, ard cried out us in hollow voice. that seemed to
shake with sudden fear, " Don't get behind that military
;hietan ~ Aye, sir; he a shadow dressed in arms,
with noddng plume, and he turned pale the sight And
why gather behind this "nobe old chieNan 7"
Was il because he led his followers but victory
But sir If the shadow Of that noddng alright
ID the gentleman, how will be sustain himself when he be-
holds the living reality in breath and being How will his
when the Of small arms and great guns falls upon his
ears What will be the feeling at the white house then
Sir, the gentleman and his party, his model President aud
ILL., will fly before him did the Mexcans Buena Vista.
The gentleman told another thing. He not content
with holding up Mr. Polk the model President he said he
was the "relex of popular opinion" Yes sir that was il
9 the reflex Of popular opinion. Aye, indeed Mr.. Polk
he reflex Of popular opinion in this country Why, sir
will point the gentleman that subject to another " reflex
IAN humble one may be public opinion. Let him cas-,
is eyes this side of the House and that side at the
asst session Mr. Folks majority this House nearly two
o but where is the majority now, sir Here lite
reflex" for the gentleman look on, and for the Pcsi
lent too
Mr.. McCLERNAND interposed to make some remark in
epy; but owing his position and noise in the hail.
vas wholly lost to the Reporter
Mr.. STEWART resumed Yes, sir here is one ''rehex,"
md there will be another reflex" when old Rough and
Ready He will drive the gentleman and his party
where they will be again. leave this reflex to
he gentleman and his reflections let him contrast with the
splendid column which his model President has built Of the
bones and blood Of armies and naves Of debt aud taxation
Pulled up mountain high, for the admiration OF poery.
but enough OF this for the purpose of examining
recent Report Of the Secretary Of the Treasury which has
5een auded here and elsewhere the greatest production
= the age !, document which has been pnted in the
5erman, and in don't know how many other languages and
has been pofusey circulated among the people and il
working in every direction that effect for which twas intend
d by misleading and dcceivng the people the subject Of
he tariff Of S46. will here say, in my place. that
I'D an official paper emanae from any civilized Government
Inc world which contained many isthoodS, q cannot
my miider erm) falsehoods numerous and gross
taisehocd not in hundreds in thousands mssa,cJ but
asehoods in millions and hundreds of millions Of dollars.
hat It's statements false prepared prove from the
secretarys reports will show from his figures
80 otrb