The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-02-04
1Dolitifdl.
SPEECH OF MIR. STEWART,
OF PENNsYLVANIA,

OH He COHStueFuCtOH " He AHHuut heo
sage Of the Presidcnt Of the U, State'
and tie resolutions c6tred BY Mr.. Vim
ton referring the same TO tie rariOas ap
propriate committees.
Mn. STEWART said when he obtained
the floor it had been with no design OIL
desire to reply to the remarks of the gen
tleman over the way from Illinois, (Mr.
McClernard) in laudation of the Presi-
dent and the policy of his administration
He had had a very different object in
view. But he felt so strongly tempted
to say few words in reply that he could
not wholly refrain, but would occupy on.
ly few minutes in making few passing
remarks on some Of the positions the gen.
tleman had taken.
The eloquent gentleman from Illinois
had pronounced most splendid and
high wrought eulogium on the President
of the United States. 1t was eulogy
not on any one of the departed, but on
the living, ruling, reigning President of
the day. The gentleman informed the
members of the House that ours was "a
model President" AS for such Presi.
dents as Washington, and Madison, and
Jefferson, they sink into utter insignif-
cance before the finished perfection Of
James X. Polk, the "model President"
now living. And the gentleman went or
to say that it had been reserved for this,
our model President, to''build up the great
Democratic c0l0mH that was to stand as
the bright and enduring monument of his
administration. Well, sir, inquired Mr..
s., and what sort of column is itl And
how has it been erectedl In the first
place, in order to clear place for it TO
stand on, this model President began by
tearing down and utterly demolishing the
great Democratic column which Wash
ington, and Jefferson, and Madison, and
Monroe had, by their joint labors, bull
up. And when he had got this down
then he set himself to work to build ur
new one in its place--a column of mil
itary glory. Built of WHAT Why, sir
of the bones Of the best portion of the A
merican people, victims of the climate
and of the sword in foreign land, ant
he has cemented it with their blood
The old Washington and Jefferson col
umn-a column of wisdom and Of lpeac,
had long stood amidst the storms Of ou
political atmosphere; and when and how
was that erectedl At the foundation
lay the great system of internal improve
ments, recommended first by Washing
ton himself, and sustained as the polio,
of every subsequent Administrations
rivers, harbors and all. (The gentleman
quite forgot to tell US that in knocking
down the old column, he had utterly de.
molshed the only system by which hi'
own constituents and his own district anc
State ever had, or ever would receive
single dollar out of tine United State
Treasury; this he entirely omitted to men
tony The second stone in this glorious
old Washiuglonian column was the grea
protective system. This he has laid fla
with the ground that he might replace i
by system which takes off taxes from
the labor of the foreigners to impose then
on the uecks and the strong arms of ou
own rative labOring population-a sys
tenn which must soon come to direct tax
alton in order to sustain the extravaganza
and CRAFTY the ambition of this our mod
ell President. The old Democratic col
umn of Jefferson and Washington bein,
thus demolished, how is this new Poll
column constructed. this magni6cen
column which has called forth to so en-
thusiustic a degree the admiration Of tn
honorable gentleman from Illinois? Tn
first, the Foundation stone of this stupen
d0us structure, was the Sub-treaSury, an,
so worthy was this of its important posi-
ton that in little while the Admins
tration would not have single dollar
place in its vaults M, not one bit of col
to jingle against anotherj aud Congress
: would soon be refreshed by an appet
from this model man to repeal the gret
Sub. treasury law. The next stone i
this modern Democratic column was tn
present glorious war--a war which, q
the gentleman from Illinois boasted, ha
been brought on by the President hin
self. In that the gentleman was certain
ly right. The war was brought on b
the President alone, by his own indivi(
ual act, without submitting the questio
of its propriety to Congress, then in SCI
sion at the other end of the avenue. FL
all that has followed that act he is re-
/ ponslble, and he may have the glory an
e the responsibility together, Next cam
d great and overshadowing navy. An
8 the stone that next was laid was tr'
!. mendous national debt. Yes, that WI
his Jefferson democracy; that was his at
miration for Jefersonian doctrine. Ne
was built into this column vast standir
army Of ninety or one hundred thousan
. men; aud to crown the whole, syste
of oppressive taxation to discharge Il
debt, not on foreigners, but upon the !
}. Dor and domestic industry of the peop
e Of the United States. Here stood Il
!, magnificent Democratic column of M
d Folks administration-a column built
with the skulls and bleaching bones
:, our best citizens, cemented by their bloc
e 1t is set up for the admiration of ma
: kind. And the gentleman from Illinc
g seems to revel with his model master
the contemplation ofso sublime pie,
of Executive architecture. They see
= to revel in delight of the view. But tn,
have quaaed their cup of glory to its We
IS 1rees. its dregs of bitterness and gall,