The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-17
CONGRESSIONAL,
sPEEcH ov nR, WALKER,

psy Ds ssfwa oeepsnts only IN lsmitsd 2uan-
,,as' Jor CO... q ssrvsy t.an;fsy aad ~. m..n
lsvs and l5th Of January, 1851.
Mr. WALKER ssid Mr. President, it will not be de-
MED by any 0so that the from Michigan Mr..
side r Is subsc. under consideration But his side
a. sxpec46d il would bcls the financial money side
only; and be has shown but side OF that but has
thai which hes deep in the principles Of political economy
and the rights OF the citizen not however, dsregadiag
bst secondary d the other. In presenting these shall
present the view neglected by the senator He shall
also hear answer 10 everything he has said. in the re-
marks propose 10 submit; but any spesia aaswer
or reply, il will be but Incidental in passing My main
object q this time 10 advocate the rights OF abog as
conD:cled With the measure under discussion aust
hereiote crave the senator's pardon and forh <arnnce
when take leave Of his speech, able a is of
lis kind. with the observation that it was such con.
es oi nsonmsn for debt and sill nro.tas,.s as psaS !,
to aAy the right o the ere dor to tear the
feeble and defenceless infant ia the rusi u"on
motto upon the shield Of the pre- 1ea,e" Onward ON
The doctrine and theory of all civilized governments
have been, that the absolute positive rights OF the nco
PIE PIE saod no % deemed o. Grst ard importance
has al ways been. however that this principle was Known
IN doctrine and theory only, but never carried out in
ruhs and statesmen discover and acknowledge another
which mean life and personal freedomLthere result
in all men, whether afuent destitute and which can
not be ressled-sucA as OF food lohing. and shelter
1As wants and necessities should receive the rs care
and attention OF government while such desires merely
as are o relative or incidental kindly which mean
such as concern and pertain rade commerce wealth
and lux1ry--shoud receive but secondary consdera.
ton. The first cannot be neglected and man enoy his
posus rtgs but the second ay and his pleasure ONLY
sniisf Buteyery political historian and economist knows
mans absolute wants asd necessities have been conpara
lively neglected while The relative incidental wants and
have been met and provided for by
me bestencgcs OF government Hence find under the
British in Great Britain and Ireland
ha' while hoasands upon thousands have starved or
gone wihout necessary food, clothes, shelter, and edu
cahon-wealth andluxury, trade commerce aud manuac
lure nave been promoted. protected, and osered by all
.ne maminefy of summary eviction and clearance dis
usss ipr rent; prmogenture and strict entail game laws
ehnrcA rates and tthes uncomfortable banks, with
more uncomfortable national debts the most expensive
navy Of the world with burdensome taxation and oner
o1s dueaDd these, too, upon the very bread OF life
until recently. TN
The crushed condition OF the people, so far as re-
Eaids their positive necessities, will be found uader all
'he governments Of Europe and, contemn the idea as
WILL the lact exiss-lhat the great cause of this is
ths disregard sh0tcn 10 these Necessities of tie people, an
%ss sD .oso,or o,o o. .sn . by ESOnr
thus implied censurc upon England and Europe, when,
turning our eyes 70 our own country, find little
less TO complain Here, a. in Britain, thousands
and will be millions, in want and destitute misery Here
as there, the mere incidental and desires OF wealth.
luxury. class. commerce. and manufacture fast
crossing the fosterng and protection of government
to hs snre exclusion ssd dsegaxd OF the resistless
wants oi human nature. In pursuit OF this policy you
have already created naval abshment the expense
of which Tor this year s estimated NINE AND HALy
AIALIons DoLIARs Your customs establishment has
coat AAndred miis0as and the administra OF
Your customs COSTS IN addiOn too millions annually
Your army list and war establishment cost and half
nisons more, and increasing time and years roll
protection OF commerce on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
ior haIbors foruhcaons, walls, beakwaers buoys
bescons. light houses. dry docks. and surveys God
only knows! But when you come to lakes and
sverst0 the region OF agriculture and sbowhere the
producer interested in facilities for shipping his pro
dac.s and IN receiving with facility safety and cheap
sunpton. there you would have it unconstitutional to
pend dollar for the protection of commerce. You have
established institutions for the education of your military
aad naval ofnces AZ gouernmsM sxpene while you have
but grudGlngly doIed the a1eenh seldom for the
sdscaion OF laborns mullitndes Millions upon millions
OF the public domain have been expeadedchiehy Tor the
benefit OF capital and corporations the construction Of
railroads and canals but has been APP
popssted TO promote the direct interests OF agriculture
Yosr clsss lsSsla,ion and favorsm are OF the same
tendency and character here in England and Europe,
but ts les szssanle for here you pross' the doctrine
naval ofhcer for his invention of an apparatus with
which 10 elevate and point your cannon, and hundreds
of thousands more TO enable another 10 experiment
with his invention Of q submerged wheel for your
stssmsss Bot the other hand, poor. but inge-
Nous smechanicA-Wrght Il Banchard-have been liter
beassfui inventions OF the day You appropriate $4,000
TO professor enable him to experiment with
and pfe his invention OF the telegraph,
and $4,000 10 snothsr-snd government officer,
aisofor sxpsrrmsnt with his electromagnetic sngin<
But when the destitute mechanic and makes his
appsanncs-havin9 expended his last arthing, and the
toll OF years, to perfect has nventonhe is referred to
the Pasai Once for the only favors and privileges be
ob%ainsd There after having pad the lee OF thirty dol
ars which. perhaps, he has borrowed and onethrd of
which hs must forfeit he s informed that his spe
siAsadon and claim are informal; that bis drawings
and mo4eo insufficient; that he must employ
"patent-agenr TO perfect his papers and drawings,
xnd mOdel-maker 10 construct new model He
has more money for these purposes, but he has
good Aeusb. He inquiries what has been doee with
the mnonse fund which have accumulated from
the paid into the Office by inventors Is part Of
appropriated TO employ persons 10 draught papers and
drawing for those who cannot DO II themselvesl He
saswesed 10, and Is informed that up st January
l6lo surplus fond had accumulated to the amount Of
e9loy<es, 4 small part of which would have answered
the purposes mentioned, bat that Congress had higher
49, tos the fund, and appropriated - 400 Of il pay
Tor collecting agricultural ssfiwes-sof Advance the
irsress Of agriculture, but simply to collect statistics OF
whos TIcaluse had reached by its una,dsd and
sWc0UvaGed sasvGssss thousand dollars for 81
chemical analyMs OF the various substances used food
by AAa and hsast"not TO furnish them food facilities
for obtaining n-oh nobut simply analyze what they
dM ses4sS furnish employment and support for another
professor while he ascertaned for the common herd OF
men and beasn the qusnhty of gelata, albumen, and
hbsin In b<ers shank p'gs foot Of Gun and starch
in waery potato and Of prussic acid IN red cabbage
He 10 furher inormed hat the whole remainder ot the