Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-06
hen there is danger of Henry's apprehens

then there is danger of Henry's apprehens
being realised. lie had been accustomed
hear it said by aged men that it was an illusl-
ry power granted to Congress--that the real
power was granted to the Executive, who CON
ducts our foreign negotiations--whu paarrcls or
not, and when he docs quarrel, onr pco, ID will
fight, 50 that We consider the power OF tue sword
which Patrick Henry dread us having passed
away from Congress. With respect to Che pow
er OF the purse, We have constitutional clause
which confides to this body the power to origi-
nate burdens on the people. Where did we get
it From the British nstitution-from Magma
Charta No. The British Government GOT it
from their Saxon ancestors, who carried it to
Britain from Germany. The English have ven
Grated this privilege, and their House of Com
mons alone has imposed burdens on the people.
1t is the pride, boast and glory of England that
she has always preserved it. He referred to
history in proof OF this fact So help him God
he knew nothing worth saving in the Constitu-
ton II the President and Senate can take when
they please money from the people as they pro-
pose by this bill. Ii anything he could say
could induce the representatives of the people
to think on this subject he should consider it
one OF most glorious days Of his political life,
and should rejoice in the circumstance which
brought him here this day to plead the priyi-
leges of the people and the Constitu tion-to
plead for the only thing which being lost there
was nothing in the Consultation worth preserv-
ing. The contest OF l64O, between Charles the
First and the British Parliament, which brought
on the overthrow of the Monarchy, was the
identical cause which they now have before
them. lie referred to treaties in former days to
show the action of the House on such subjects,
contending that when u treaty acts on mattcrs
within the Legislative power of the House, that
very moment the right or the House attaches,
and which has the authority, and it becomes its
duty to examine into all tho circumstances and
consider the expediency or incxpediency OF the
treaty itself, precisely us the public good re-
@quifes. The IS power the President and Sen
ate have, anu the more power the people have,
the better 81 If ,rson thought) for the Govern
lnent and the people. The message of the Presi-
DENT lately communicated, precluded the House
from the power of acting on the treaty. The
message was noS,,Iing in the world but damned
for oar checks for Sl0,00OO0O and that on
brief notice, and without any days of grace.
Give me the money by tomorrow. This is
like the highwayman command, Z" Stand and
deliver y The President says he must have the
money soon, without giving lis reason or re.'-
SONS. We are to 60 it blind and do what he
calls on us to do, because he says it is ncccssa-
ry. He considered this ~ high avasion of the
privileges OF the House. The President frat
undertakes to negotiate treaty without con-
sulting the House as to the burdens to bc i'm
posed on the people and having done this tc
deprive them of the power of saying Yea OF
Nay as to the admission Of now States, he sends
here treaty, and such treaty as it is. Ii
gives SIC, 0OO, 900 for mere selvage Of territory
Robert j. Walker has just informed the worlt
that before he heard of the Gadsdcn Treaty, hi
paid only $4,000 for the pivlcge of making {
railroad through chihuahua and Sonora, Will
we are to pay $l0,000,O00. 1t would be I
curse to us to have such territory. A man re
sides on a poor piece of ground; friend whit
st,id all night with him, next day seeing hin
looking on the poverty-strcken country, though
he could define what WAS in his mind. But til
proprietor said i" | am not so poor as yo'
"tlink am; l don't own all this poor land.
(Laughter.) And this is what we may say Of tina
God-stricken country through which the treat
proposes the railroad to pass. Kit Carson say
q wolf cannot make his meat there. Laugh
ter.) The report is that this is military spec
ulation by what they call scientific corps.
must b. West Point science, for who else cOul
think of putting national railroad outside {
the country to which it belongs, 50 as to roquir
an army to protect it. Putting it outside {
the United States, SO that the enemy may cut
up WHEN he pleases. (Laughter.) As to til
Mcsilla Valley, that question was decided unde
President Fillmore administration. The ora
tor then commented on several points in til
new treaty, saying BY it We arc to get rid {
the eleventh article of the treaty Inf Guadalur
Hidalgo, but we are not bound to pay one fal
thing under that. When he was in the Sena'
he voted to strike it out, because he foresa
that it would give rise to quarrels; he had r
idea, however, that a bill would be tendert
against us for expenses. We were only to Vi
force, if necessary, to prevent Indian iucursic
from our side Of the line lie was against 81
ing $40, 900 900 fora route for IA railroad on
side of the United States, and against invofvr
ourselves with private railroad spectators.