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BY GRIEVE & ORME, Stats Printers.]
MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1840.
[NO. 30—VOL. XXI.
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POLITICAL.
SPEECH OF HOM. LOTT WARREN,
ON THE TREASURY NOTE BIEL.
House of Representatives, March, 1840.
The House being in Committee of the
\\ hole oti the state of the Union, -(Mr. Dawson,
of Georgia, in the Chair,) and having under
consideration the bill to authorize an emission
of Treasury notes, Mr. Waiiren obtained the ““
affects the more surprise that it should have
come from a Southern member, knowing that
it would produce a high tariff to pay off-the
debt, and with it all the mischiefs to the South
which are incident to a high tariff. Will the
gentleman, tell us how. much more money it
will take to pay a debt of the same amount
created by borrowing money, than if created
by purchase of property, both due at the same
time and at the same rate of interest] And
j j i i , r n ... huw much higher the tariff must be raised for
floor, and addressed the committee as follows : , => „ , , ,, ,
„ , c ,, • the payment ot the one than would be neces-
Mr. Chairman, our lot has fallen in stiange , . r ,, , .r
i , - t , ... i JY sary for the payment of the other! It these
tunes, and we have been destined to witness J . R * i . i i 11
’ ,. i „„ questions had been answered truly, he could
strairae thitras. Yes, sir, we have heard an^. , . . , r ,
, , * , ° , , , c not have had so much giound ot apprehension
ab e, and as yet, unanswerable argument from . _ V “ ^ 9 , Ir ,
, ’ , J 1 • f5 TJ-■> for the South! But, sir, when we remember
d^e.f'whfTha^beendeDOunDBj as aVederalistj *“ the gmtleman from Kinder!,,,ok has «.
, ' . . , . • j . rr. „ pressed his sorrow that he is a Dutchman, be-
showing clearly to my mind that these 1 rea- * .. . r» . i u u
. it u-u e r, »» j ,i , cause if he were not a Dutchman, he would
sury notes are bills ot credit, and that this t . „ , „ , . .• i j i.
r, J ^ . , then “ euess that some desire a national debt,
Government has not the constitutional power - s
to emit “ bills of credit.” Yes, siV, be met the
hereas a part of the Id section of .be let article of the
uilution is in the fullowing words viz: The Senate
4 N ACT to alter tbe 3d ,7th and 12tli section, of the first
,\ article, mid the 1st. 2d and 3 1 sections of the 3d article,
nd the 15th section of the 4th article of the Constitution of
his State.
Whei
'nnslitution is in me • " ' . , e
i.-H be elected annually ; and a part of the 7th section ot
|„. 1st article, is in the following words: The Uepresenta-
i v ,.s shall be chosen annually; and a part of the 12th sec-
i.vl'of the 1st article is in the following words: The meeting
f the General Assembly shall be annually ; And whereas a
,art f ill- 3d section or tbe 3d article is in the following
vnrds • There shall be a State’s Attorney and Solicitor ap-
,‘nted by the Legislature end commissioned by tbe Gov-
„ , r , who shall hold their office for the term of three years ;
, ,1 1 n-rt of the 15th section of the 4th ailtcle is in the fob
nwi.m words: The same shall be published at east six
ninth’s previous to tlie next ensuing annual election, for
iirnnhers of the General Assembly: And whereas the before
ecited clauses require amendments—
.SECTION l. Be it enacted bn the Senate and House of Repre-
ftitires of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met and
, js hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That so soon as
l,; s »«t shall have passed, agreeably to the requisitions of
|„> Constitution, die following shall be adopted in lieu ot
he foregoing clauses: In the 3d section of the 1st article,
i„. following to wit: The Senate shallbe elected bi-annually.
Per the passage of this act; the first election to take place
... the first Monday in the year one thousand eight handled
md fortv-thi.ee. In lieu of the 7th section of the 1st article,
lie following: The Representatives shallbe elected bt an-
tuallv. after the passage of this act, the first election to take
dace on the first Monday in October, m the year one l.Ou-
,and eignt hundred and forty three ; and ... lieu of die clause
n the 12th section of die 1st art.ee, the following: The meet-
n e of the General Assembly shall be bi-aunually, altet the
lassavr of this act, on the first Monday in November. And
n lien of die clause in the 3d section of the 3d article the
o'lowing to wit: There -hail be a State’s Attorney and So-
• lc itor elected bv the Legislature, who shall hold their office
■or the term of four years; and in lieu oi the clause in the
15th section of the 4ih article, the following a The same shall
published at least six months previous to the next ensuing
bi-annual election for members of the General Assembly -,
the provisions of this act not to go into efiect until the year
one thousand eight hundred and forty-three. _
Sec 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid,
That whenever it shall so happen that die term of office of any
,,f the J udges, State’s Attorney or Solicitors, shall expire at
■,r.v time during the recess of the General Assembly, then
and in that case it shall be the duty of Sis Excellency the
Governor to fill such vacancy, by appointment, until the
next General Assembly thereafter to be held, when sued
vacancy shall be filled by election by the Legislature, until
the next election of Judges, State’s Attorney or Solicttois
shall take place. j OSEPH DAY,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
1 ROBERT M. ECHOLS,
President of the Senate.
Assented to. December 23d. 1839.
Assented t CHARLES j McD ONALD, Governor.
Match 31, 1840. U 6m
(E.NTKAL BANK AfiESCY.
rriHE undersigned ofler their services as agents in the
1 renewal of Notes at the Central Bank. They will at
tend to all Notes entrusted to their care, for the customary
fee of one dollar; also, to the taking out .and forwarding
Grants at one dollar each. „
They will also attend to the offering of Notes for discount,
at the distribution of the Centra! Bank, advertised to com-
tnence on the ltilli July, and all orders in regard to the dis
position of the money will be promptly attended to
TT 1 Letters enclosing notes or money must be post paid.
^ THOMAS RAGLAND,
THO. H. HALL.
Milledgevtlle, June V>. 1840. tf !.
[Jjp The Columbus Enquirer and Sentinel and Herald,
will insert three times.
C'EATKaL BANK OF GEORGIA.
MlI.LEDGEVH.LE, 11 tli June, 1840.
EVOLVED. That a distribution of seven hundred and
i V fifty thousand dollars be made among the several coun
ties of this State, to be loaned on accommodation notes, which
may lie offered for discount on the days and in the order
stated in the foilwing table, viz ;
'ounty.
pliug.
ter.
dwin,
loch,
he,
imbia,
•eta,
wford,
atur,
Lalb,
ytb,
klin,
ier,
in,
me,
Thursday
16/h July.
Amount.
County.
Amount.
e-2,372
Camrien,
5.606
3.013
Campbell,
5.912
7,183
Carroll,
5.104
16,136
Cass,
8,251
2,904
Chatham,
21,354
3,836
Cherokee,
5,598
12,521
Chattooga,
4,224
b.106
Clarke,
11,403
Thursday. 30th July.
7,540
X> ,(i6H
11,534
8.712
5,546
I3,!96
1,119
Doolj.
Early,
Effingham,
Elbert,
Emanuel,
F ayetie,
Elovd,
Thursday, 20th August.
6.359 Gwinnett.
11.650 H abersham,
1,990 Hall,
3,899 | Hancock,
11,349 j
Thursday, 3d September.
14,863
5,602
14,762
13,177
2,182
Jackson,
Jasper,
Jefferson,
Jones.
Laurens,
ides,
jkin,
ogee.
horpe.
ling.
uonfi.
Thursday, 17th September.
3,510 | Marion,
6,912 i McIntosh,
6,179 ! Meriwether,
5^»49 i Monroe,
7,592 | Montgomery,
5.417 j Morgan,
5/13 I
Thursday, 1st October.
4,051 Pike,
17,641 Pulaski,
13,795 Putnam,
11,691 Rabun,
2,991 Randolph,
Thursday, 15th October.
13,975 I Tattnall,
5,132 I
11.463
4.882 |
15,844
5,006
4,991
4,953
2.775
12,479
3,621
7,513
4.224
13.493
9,972
9,881
10.099
13,962
12.010
6,087
10,473
6,035
5,179
5,266
16,123
15,594
2,521
9.977
10,191
5,399
11,507
2.494
7,137
question as a true strict constructionist ; as a
statesman should have done; and has shown,
not only that the power to emit bills of credit
is not to be found in the Constitution, but he
has also shown, from the Madison Papers,
that in the convention that formed the Fede
ral Constitution, a grant of power was report
ed to emit bills of credit, and was stricken
out. And, further, he has shown to us that in
the debate on the question of granting the
power to emit hills of credit, such men as
Roger Sherman and Benjamin Franklin said,
that if the power to emit bills of credit was
granted, the whole project would fail, and the
Constitution would not be adopted by the
States. I heard with great pleasure the ar
gument of the gentleman from Pennsylvania,
and for the light he has given us on the subject
he has my sincere thanks. But, Mr. Chair
man, on the other hand, the gentleman from
Kinderhook, (Mr. Vanderpoel,) a pure Demo
crat, is found contending for the power to
emit bills of credit. Indeed, sir, as to his ar
gument, I could hut agree with my friend
from South Carolina, (Mr. Thompson,} that
the gentleman may be a very good drill offi
cer, but a very unfit exponent of the Consti
tution. If, in fact, his new Southern associates
arc indebted to his teachings for the expert
ness with which they perform the most diffi
cult evolutions of “right about face, back and
lock step,” as the gentleman from South Caro
lina supposes, then surely he drills with great
; skill. And I would here suggest to them the
: propriety of taking him under their instruction,
j Indeed, sir, after the exhibition he has made
j of his total misapprehensions, and yet love, of
! what he is pleased to call the Southern con-
! struction of the Constitution, it may become a
question whether it is not the duty of these
new Southern associates to provide for him an
I instructed Yes, Mr. Chairman, I am inclined
to think that they have been delinquent in this
duty heretofore; for it would be a commenta
ry on the obtuseness of his intellect not very
\ flattering to his vanity, to suppose that he had
: even passed through the first lessons, as taught
I by Southern statesmen.
i Mr. Chairman, that gentleman (Mr. Vander
poel) says there is now a temporary want of
money by the Government, and that it must
be raised by tariff, loan, or the issue of Trea
sury notes /"and that the t ariff has been com
promised, and therefore cannot he touched.
Yes, Mr. Chairman, he would have it under
stood that lime is of the spirit of the compro-
1 raise ; that the South opposed the tariff to
i avoid the collection of revenue, which was,
and is, necessary to carry on the Government;
that the spirit of the compromise was to re
lieve the South from the collection of duties
on imports, as a revenue of the country, until
a given time. Mr. Chairman this is a mistake,
an unjust imputation on the Southern States.
In no part of the Union have the people been
more willing for the Government to collect
tariff duties for the necessaiy wants of the
Government, than have been the people of the
| South. But sir, we opposed, and will oppose,
a tariff made under color of the wants of the
Government, taxing the industry of the people
of one part of the country, at the expense of
oilier portions of the people. It was the tarifl
for protection, atid not a tarifl for revenue, of
which we complained, and which brought
about the compromise. r I hat time was of the
i spirit of the compromise, I admit, but it was j country, and would be perfectly understood
only to fix the time beyond which the prolec-1 But this is what the Administration fears—it
1 • ’ ■ ‘ ‘ - A - J 1 great and leading object being to hide and con
tion should not exist. And now, sir, he affects
to oppose any interference with the tariff, be
cause of the compromise. I would be glad to
ceal from the people the true state of our plun
dered and empty Treasury; and for this pur
2,949
3.147
6.591
16,624
8,827
2,935
Telfair,
T henna"-,
Troup,
I Twiggs,
iterro, 5,006 | Union,
Thursday, 29th October.
14,957 I Washington, 10,806
ier 5,484 Wayne, 1,704
on> 11 984 | Wilkes, 11.233
t 2,598 | Wilkinson, 7,653
reit, *bl40 |
GENERAL REGULATIONS,
e lew requires *har. the money appropriated to each
V ehall be loaned only to the citizens of such counties
■crively and ithat the .endorsers, as well as the makers
tes -shall be residents sf tbe county. The Boaid will
sW require in each ease a certificate of residence, both
- makers and -endorscre : which may be signed by any
officer of tbe-county. But if tl.e money appropriated
e c-KWties respectively, shall not be applied (or and
,-d wilbin thirty days from *he offering days ^vesper,-
then tbe above requirement o4 the law in relation to the
enoe of endorses ceases; and alter that time a ceruficate
sidence of.tlie maker only., will be required.
II notes UKist be made payable at the Central Bank of
rgia, three hundred and sixty days after dale, and mus
* two or uiore good -endorses*.
eery note presemod for diacownt mus! Be accompanied with a
ten affidavit of the rusher,in which he shail state that the note
ed is for the only use and benefit of hits., the maker, and not
•he use, benefit, or interest, of any ether person, or persons
•.soever; which affidavit shall be certified toy a magistrate or
' officer legally authorised to administer e aid oath.
ettificnies of the taxable property of tbe makers and en-
iers of tbe notes ofiered, wrih.be regarded as the best ev-
M-e of their solvency.
k> note iwiil lie discounted having u:i i t the name of any
ion iiulebied to die Stale,either as principal or security,
ch debt is due and tuist ued ; or who is the maker of or
orsef on, any in tie or bill heretofore discounted by the
tral Bank, and which is paatdoe end unattended to.
In t.oie will be received for diseoutu afier the l«our of nine
nek A. M. of the days -hove specified,
he proceeds of the disco acted notes will be paid to the
ck o’ die last endorser only
l> order ol the Board of Directors.
A. Ai. NISBET.Gash r.
one 16. 422 tf
dent is over. Is it possible the gentleman can
suppose the people of tlie bouth can be duped
into 1 the support of Mr. Van Buren by such art 4th of this month. What is the history of thi
and deception? If he does, Mr. Chairman, appropriation of one and a half million of dol
he knows as little of the people of the South,
as he does of their constitutional opinions.—
Let it not be understood that I desire to touch
that they may have a pretext to increase the
tariff—in this you discover that the gentle
man from Kinderhook desires that opponents
of a protective tariff may understand who are
the friends of such a measure, and would most
untruly insinuate that my colleague was for
warding their policy.
But I call the special attention of Southern
gentlemen to this outrage upon their intelli
gence and firmness. A Van Buren man tel
ling us that the opponents of Mr. Van Buren
are tariff men! Do not we know, that Mr.
Van Buren voted for that “bill of abomina
tion,” the tariff of 18281 And do we not
know that in this city lie excused himself to
Southern men, by referring to the instructions
of the Legislature of New-York 1 But, Mr.
Chairman, was there any palliation for the "act
in the instructions thus given! I once thought
so : but, sir, had I then known, as I now know,
that he had procured those very instructions
to be given that he might beguile the people
of the South into his support, instead of sup
porting him for Vice-President, I would have
avoided the sting of tbe viper, as I should have
hated the art and intrigue of the serpent.
But, Mr. Chairman, as the war has been
commenced by the drill officer of the Admin
istration, against Georgia, in the person of
one of her Representatives, it is not sufficient
that his course—honest, candid, and upright—
should be defended: but I will show that this
national debt, which is “a national curse,”
has been created by the mal-administration ol
i his Government. For, sir, it would seem that
the gentleman knows not that the nation is in
debt, though its Treasury notes are to be re
deemed for something like two millions ol
dollars. And the President and Mr. Secretary
Woodbury both tell us that the Government
has nothing to pay with; and we are now en
gaged in devising ways and means for the pay
ment of this debt, with others -which may
accrue, amounting in all to five milbons o;
dollars. All these facts are before the gen
tleman, (Mr. Vanderpoel,) and yet, sir, no na
tional debt! Why, sir, is it not to be consi
dered a national debt! Is it because the Pre
sident and his Secretary ask for a law autho
rizing the issue of five millions of Treasury
notes; and that this amount of Treasury-notes
may be kept in circulation, so that Treasury
notes may be paid, by the issue of Treasury
notes! I have said, sir, that the Administra
tiou has asked for this law; and words are
used which would ordinaiily be so construed;
but tbe midnight hour at which I find mysel
engaged in this debate, proves it to be a com
maud—a command which is to he obeyed be
fore we are allowed to Test. Yes, sir, a com
mand which the Administration members o
this House will not disobey. And, sir, be
cause my colleague, (Mr. K.,) open in hi
purpose, refuses to obey this command, ant'
as an independent Representative of an hones
and noble people, suggests a better policy, hi
is charged with an attempt to saddle this Gov
erument with a national debt. Is not the
course of my friend from Georgia, one of open
fair dealing! He admits what the Prcsiden
communicates is true, that the Government i
in debt, has nothing to pay with ; and says, le
us borrow the money and pay oui debts hon
estly; then we should know how much th<
debt is, and where to find our creditor whet
we are able to pay. This would be considei
ed a plain, fair transaction by every man in tli-
her, 1838, Daniel Kurtz, disbursing agent of
the office of Indian affairs, had in his posses
sion $154,146 61, and before the 1st of Janu
ary, 1839, he received 819,496 86, making
(after deducting the amount disbursed by him
of 63,777 89) 6169,865 58; this sum remained
in his hands up to the 1st of October last, and
in all probability is still there, and will remain
there until the election. Does not the Ad
ministration stand convicted of my charge,
that it is the corrupt and mal-administration
of the Government which has produced the
necessity !
But Mr. Chairman, I will now speak of this
necessity, not only as having been produced
by this prodigal administration, but as being
a permanent, fixed, and continued necessity.
If Mr. Van Buren had never meddled with the
currency of the country, his prodigal expendi
tures never would have produced the plea of
necessity for this measure. No, sir, the ruin
of the country can only be accomplished by
trammeling the industry and enterprize of the
people. It is the hard money experiment,
Mr. Chairman, which is the cause of this ne
cessity, and which will continue, by diminish
ing the amount received as duties on importa
tions, and in sales of public lands. And of
this, sir, he was warned with almost prophet T
ic wisdom. I call the attention of the com
mittee to the report of the Secretary of the
Treasury, made to Congress on the 24th of
February, 1820, on the currency, &c. It is
not a report from Mr. Woodbury, nor is it a
hard money humbug. It is an able State pa
per, such an one as might be expected from
William H. Crawford. Yes, sir, and Mr. Van
Buren had this blazing light before him; but
alas ! lie, like his friends in this House, at this
time, gives constant evidence that he “ loves
darkness rather than light;” the reason of this
may be found in a book to which I commend
his and their attention.- What is this light
before Mr. Van Buren ! It is to be found in
this report of William H. Crawford, when
Secretary of the Treasury, and which reads
thus •
“ An immediate depression in the prices of all commod
ities would be the inevitable consequence of an unqualified
return to a metallic currency, upon the supposition that
the quantity of gold and silver ani uallv produced should
remain undiminished. But, if this return to a metallic
currency should be attempted at a period when the annual
product of these metals, cither from tempurary or perma
nent causes, should have considerably decreased, all the
great interests'of society would he most seri >usly disorder
ed ; property of every description would rapidly fall in val
ue ; the relations between debtor and creditor would be
violently ond suddenly changed ; this change greatly to the
injury of debtors ; the property whieh would be necessary to
discharge his debts would exceed thnt which lie had reced
ed from his creditor; theoue would he ruined without tl e
| imputation of ciime, whilst the other would be eurichcd »ith-
1 out the semblanceof met it. Until the eogagementsexisting
j at the moment of such change are discharged, and the
i price of labor and commodities is reduced to the propor-
\ tio i which it must b’ ar to the quantity of currency employ-
j ed ns the medium of their exchange, enterprise of every
kind will be repressed, and misery nnd distress universal
ly prevail.”
Here, sir, is the torchlight before Mr. Van
slroy the people’s currency! It is to make
the currency of the office-holders worth more.
Again, sir, his partizaus in the United States
Senate have created a man of straw ; and, in
their Quixotic warfare against this creature
of their own imagination, Senators sharply re
prove the States for having borrowed money
and built railroads, canals, &c. And now, sir,
what is the pretext for this warfare against
the States ! Resolutions are introduced into
the- Senate declaring it unconstitutional for
this Government to assume the payment ot the
State debts. These resolutions were met by
a declaration that no such thing had been ask
ed for by the States. The Administration
partizans then say, in argument, that the dis
tribution of the proceeds of the sales of the
public lands and surplus revenue among the
States, is an assumption of the debts of the
States, And thus, sir, a censorious lecture
is read to tbe sovereign States of this Union.
If I were a member of a State Legislature, I
should very probably oppose the creation of
a large public debt for any pu rpose ; but I
should pursue such course as the interest of the
State in my judgment required, and should
not think the State subject to such lectures.
We should remember, sir, we are but part of
a Government, which was created, and now
exists, by the will of the States. This Govern
ment should treat the State Governments as
venerated parents, and not as disobedient chil
dren or insubordiuate servants. The Presi
dent has set the example, and his friends, his
party, have followed in his “ footsteps.”
But, Mr. Chairman, what has been the re
sult of this crusade against the credit, inter
est, and prosperity of the country ! The
gentleman from New-Y’ork, (Mr. Vanderpoel)
following in the footsteps of his predecessor,
it seems, visited Europe last summer, and I
propose we make a witness of him. His testi
mony will not be doubted by the Administra
tion, and is to the point. What is it ? He
says our credit is so low in Europe as to make
any American Mush. None should blush
more than Mr. Van Buren and his illustrious
comrades in this war against credit. Yes, sir,
i it shows that this war has been but tivo success
ful. That the victory, unlike those of Tippe
canoe, the Thames, and New-Orleans, and
others of like eharacter,has covered this great
people with gloom, misery and distress. But
what have been the means employed by the
victors iu this inglorious war against the ct ed
it, interest, and prosperity of the people!—
Deception and' false pretence on their own
part, and by art and cunning, endeavoring to
hide the result of the Administration from ti e
People, and the unsparing defamation of all
who could not be duped by their deception
into the support of Mr. Van Buren and this
war against the interests of the country. If
the evidence of this deception on the part of
theAd ministration should be called for,I answer
the call by reference to the solemn pledge made
_ by Mr. Van Buren to follow in the footsteps of
Buren and Mr. Secretary V\ oodbuiy ; and, in i Q. e | iera ] Jackson, and his continued declara-
defiance of all this truth, a metallic currency t j on t j, at jj e t h e footsteps ofhis illustrious
is attempted. Nothing but gold and silver re- p,- e( ii ce g S or, and his faithless disregard of this
ccivable by the Government, in the collection of i pIe( j ge . And in order to convict Mr. Van
have an assurance fiom that gentleman, when j pose deception is practised, and efforts ar.
the tariff is to he regulated, that the principles used, to convince the people that the iucom*
of the compromise would he cairied out by Q f the year will be sufficient for the expendi
him and his friends. But, sir, this is not to be ; tures of the yeai. And, sir, I arsert that the;
given. No, sir! and it shows how exceeding-1 know better, if they know any thing about ou
ly disingenuous is the course and policy of ( finances. But, sir, the gentleman (Mr. Van
this Administration. Here we have the mem- j derpoel,) says, the reason of this pressing am
her from Kinderhook expressing great regard unexpected call is to be found in the heav;
for the faith of the corapiomise, hut is very payments coming on the first of the year.—
careful not to understand the true ground of And, sir, I was by this forcibly reminded o
compromise. And he will now stay the regu- j the peculiar features of Vanism. The geu
lation of the tariff until the election of Presi- tleman mentioned, as a large item of payment
to be .made by tbe Government in the earl,
part of the year, the pensions falling due th«
lars for this purpose this session ! It wa
hurried through by a declaration that it wa
necessary, and without the appropriation, th<
the tariff question now. No, sir; but I have worthy pensioners could not receive their mo
thus spoken to disabuse the South on the sub
ject, aud to call the attention of the committee
to the true principles of the compromise, as
well as to demonstrate that the whole course
of his remarks on this subject, was uncandid
and disingenuous.
Mr. Chairman, according to the gentleman’s
arrangement, the next expedient to be consi
dered is to raise the money needed, by a loan.
And it seems that the gentleman is alarmed at
the very mention of this policy. Why, sir, is
this so alarming ! It is, sir, according to his
logic, because to borrow the money would
create a “ national debt.” And he would have
us understand, upon the authority of the Chair
man of the Committee of W ays and Means,
that “a national debt” is “ a national curse.
For my own part, sir, I hold the declaration,
that a national debt is a national curse, true,
without authority; but how it comes that the
borrowing money to pay an existing debt, is
the creation of the debt, 1 cannot comprehend ;
it. is a new theory to me. But it may be ac
counted for thus • my friend (Mr. King) pro
poses to borrow tbe money to pay w?hat the
Government owes, and in his remarks in oppo
sition to the Administration measure, he took
occasion to expose the misrule of the Govern
ment by the present Administration; and
hence it becomes important, in the estimation
of him of Kinderhook, to charge Mr King
with being the fiist to attempt to saddle the
Government with a national debt. And he
ney. The Opposition members, many of them
opposed the appropriation, and proposed thi
passage of a law transferring money in tin
hands of pension agents of another class, no
payable till September next. And I well re^
member the very sensible and feeling remark
of my friend from Kentucky, (Gov. Pope.)—
He referred to your far-famed Sub-Treasury
and said, you will have passed that befim
September, and may charge your Sub-Trea-
rurers with these agencies, and pay the pen
sioners with good hard money, not rags, as
heretofore. But, sir, they did not understand
Gov. Pope’s speech. Hard money to be paid
to pensioners ! They will be glad to get any.
Yes, sir, hard money is intended by them for
office-holdeis and favorites of the Administra
tion—not pensioners. Now, sir, after having
produced this necessity of issuing one million
and a half of dollars more than would other
wise have been wanting, they plead necessity
for the act, as Mr. Van Buren did the instruc
tion of the New-York Legislature for his vote
for the tariff. But how is all this to be ac
counted for! It can only be dona in the know
ledge Mr. Van Buren and his friends have ot
the°value of money in elections, and their de
termination to use the people s money to se
cure his re-election. Look into the exhibits
sent in with the message, as coming from the
Indian Department, and in one item (and how
many more of the same character 1 do not pre
tend to know) you discover that, 1st of Octo-
its twenty or thirty millions of dollars annually!
Banks suspend, restrict their issues, and call
i iu their circulation, and say that the operation
of the Government, in requiring specie pay
ments, makes this course indispensable to
their safety ; prices of labor aud produce, as
well as every description of property, have
j fallen most suddenly ; the relation of creditor
j and debtor is changed ; the creditor enriched
| without the semblance of merit, and the debtor
! ruined without the least imputation of crime ;—
i all by the operation of this Government under
! the Administration of President Van Buren.
: And, 6ir, this has produced w hat I contend is
the permanent deficiency of the revenue of the
Government. “ Enterprise of every kind is
repressed,” and “ misery and distress univer
sally prevail;” and in this misery and distress
the people are unable either to buy your pub
lic lands or to purchase and consume goods
which are imported ; aud large importations
have been re-shipped and seut to other coun
tries, and drawbacks on the revenue have been
the consequence. And not only this, but the
importations have decreased, and the receipts
! of revenue on imports lessened. And, sir,
while this hard money policy continues, the
importations and revenue will continue to di-
I miuisb, and the price of labor, with commod
ities aud every description of property, will
continue to fall, untilthe existing engagements
or debts are discharged. We have the evi
dence of this misery and distress, sir, in the
advertisements of the sheriffs, coroners, and
constables, of their sales, and in the letters al-
i most daily received from our constituents, in-
i quiring what Congress will do for the relief of
! the people. 1 will now answer this inquiry
of our constituents, and say to them what this
midnight hour tells us, that this is Mr. "V an Bu-
ren’s Congress, and, therefore, w hatever he has
said may be relied on. Let us hear him. 1
read from his message this insult to his aimost
ruined constituents: “ The People look to the
Government for too much.” All that my con
stituents desired of this Government, sir, was
that it would let them alone ; let their curren
cy alone ; let their credit and commerce alone.
Then, sir, the planter could purchase of the
country .merchant, and pay in the production
of his farm. The merchant could purchase
of the importer, and pay iq the production of
the planter, which would be exported to for
eran markets in payment of merchandise im
ported. The commercial and planting inter
ests being in a prosperous condition, mechan
ics would be able to obtain fair wages for their
labor ; and our constituents would have been
a prosperous aud happy people ; and the Gov
ernment wouid have had a full Treasury.—
Now, sir, among your people—yes, sir, the
most noble and confiding people the world has
ever knowm—“ misery and distress universal
ly prevail/’
But, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Van Buren, as if
he were afraid that Mr. Crawford's prediction
would not be fulfilled, to the ruin of his coun
try, without additional cause, has waged a war
against the credit of the States. Look to that
part of the message read by my friend, (Mr.
King.) Here it is. “ In a country so com
mercial as ours, banks in some form, will prob
ably always exist ; but this serves only to
render it the more incumbent on us, notwith
standing the discouragements of the past, to
strive in our respective stations to mitigate the
evils they produce.” This is the talk of this
“ State Eights President,” lecturing us on
banks. Well, sir, what have we to do with
banks! They are created by the Legislatures
of the different States. These Legislatures
have the right to grant or withhold charters
without the permission of Mr. Van Buren.-^-
And, sir, they afford tbe only currency to
which tbe people can have access. Why de-
Buren of this, I ask the attention of the com
mittee to the state of our finances when the
present President of the United States came
into office, and (according to his own account
of it) entered upon the footsteps of General
Jackson. And, first, sir, I remark that 1 have
before me the act of Congress, of 23d June,
1836, assented to by General Jackson, direct
ing a distribution of the surplus revenue
among the States to be made, commencing the
1st of January, 1S37, retaining 65,000,0000
in the Treasury. One-fourth of this surplus
was to be distributed the 1st of January, 1837
one-fourth the 1st of April ; one-fourth the
1st July; and the remaining one-fourth the
1st day of October, 1837. And I also have
the report of the Secretary of the Treasury
before me, dated the 3d of January, 1837,
showing 637,468,859 97 surplus money on
hand, after tetaining 65,000,000 for the use of
the Government, making the last quartei of
Genetal Jackson’s Administration, 643,468,-
959 97 on hand. The first distribution was
made among the States while General Jack-
son was in office, and tbe two next after Mr.
Van Buren came into office, and the fourth
has never been made. Well, sir, we will sup
pose the two distributions made by Mr. Van
Buren as following two steps after General
Jackson. But, sir, between the second and
third step, that movement, once so difficult,
was most easily performed, and Mr. Van Bu-
ven faced right-about, and has been running
ever sinco on the back track with a speed that
has well nigh ruined the country, and will, if
the proper remedy be not applied. If it be
asked, what is this remedy ? I answer in lan
guage which will he understood by sportsmen
of tbe chase. It is to call off; or as we of
the South sometimes say, blow off. This pto-
cess is going on ; and 1 verily believe our sal
vation from pecuniary ruin depends upon its
success. And even now, amidst the gloom
and distress of my countrymen, the hope—
yes, the lively hope—which I have, that the
work will be well done, and that the day of
the deliverance of my constituents from their
embarrassments draws nigh, cheers me on in
the discharge of my duties here.
But, Mr. Chairman, to what result has this
face about movement brought us ! In debt,
sir—largely in debt! General Jackson march
ed straight forward, and paid off a heavy pub
lic debt, leaving a large surplus for distribu
tion among the States ; fourteen millions of
dollars on hand when he left the office, and
all that has been collected since, Mr. \ an Bu
ren has disbursed, and created a public debt,
for the payment of which, we are now devis
ing ways and means. Still, sir, gentlemen
tell us that he is in the footsteps of his illus
trious predecessor.
But, Mr. Chairman, there is one other false
pretence.to which this Administration has re
sorted, which may be considered worthy of
notice; and, the.more especially, as it has
many new recruits from the nullification ranks.
It is this sir : a sort of under current declara
tion that Mr. Van Buien is now and always
has been, opposed to the proclamation against
South Carolina, and the force bill enacted for
the special benefit of that State. If so, why
not come out openly and make it known !—
There is no danger of the loss ofhis head, un
der the second section. Why, then, keep si
lent 1 It is, because he knows that lie is in
office under the lease of General Jackson, and
at the will of his friends; and having lost his
friends at the North, he must make new
friends at the South. He is aware of defeat,
unless lie can obtain the support of the mends
and opponents of Gen.-Jackson at the South.
To his friends, he is represented as the great
est and best; but to his enemies, the President
can merely hint, that the General was very fal
lible. The proclamation was very bad. The
force bill was wrong, and very unnecessary,
as the patriotic compromise had taken place.
By this secret declaration of his disapproval
(as bis new converts say he has made) of the
principles of General Jackson, he has obtain
ed the support of the most violent opposersof
the old General, and still expects the support
of General Jackson’s friends, by a simple huz
za for General Jackson, and that I am in his
footsteps. But, sir, General Jackson’s friends
know that he left tbe Government in good con
dition ; out of debt; a large sum of money on
hand; the commerce and industry of the coun
try encouraged and rewarded by the good
prices of production and wages of labor. That
Mr V an Buren has reduced the wages of labor
prices of commodities, and value ef property
of every description ; the commerce and credit
of the country are iestioyed, and misery nnd
distress universally prevail. This they know,
sir, is but the result of the sudden change from
a paper to a hard money currency, or rather
no currency at all.
But, Mr. Chairman, allow me at this time to
call the attention of the committee to the ex
pression of regard for our Southern construc
tion of the Constitution, made by the gentle
man from Kinderhook. fjHe says the more be
sees of the practice of this Government, the
more he approves of our doctrines; and that
he will not act on implied powers. He ad
mits that ttiere is no express-grant of power to
issue or emit bills of credit rand that these
are bills of credit. And, further, that it
was proposed in tbe convention which form
ed the Constitution, to give an express grant
of power to emit bills of credit, and that it was
refused. How, then, does he derive the pow
er to emit bills of credit ! Why, sir, he says
that the Government bad the power before the
Constitution was formed !
Now, I ask Southern gentleman if this ex
position of the Constitution, and of our creed,
is not past all endurance 1 Does he not know
that the formation of the Constitution, and its
adoption by the States, was but the creation of
this Government, as their agent to do and per
form certain acts, for the security of certain
rights and interests, and to enable this Gov
ernment, their agent, to carry out this mrpose,
certain powers were delegated, and e -'♦h-
er powers withheld ; that before the Constitu
tion existed, this Government did not exist,
and of course could have no power to emit bills
of credit ? But still worse, sir; he accounts
for the refusal of the convention to include in
the Constitution the power to emit hills of
credit, that Mr. Morris, of the Convention, be
lieved that if the power was expr«ssly grant
ed, the power would be abused. This only
proves what is true, in fact, in relation to
abuses. But it does not prove that power ex
pressly delegated, is more likely to be abused
than implied powers : for there is no original
power, or powet existing before the Constitu
tion. It must be either express or implied ; it
is not expressed. The gentleman says he I
not act on implied power, and he will support
the emission of bills of credit. I cannot con
ceive of a power more likely to be abused
than that which he claims, it being of the worst
possible derivation. I must here, Mr. Chair
man, take occasion to enter my protest against
this quack exposition of Southern doctrines,
and to say that 1 trust his exposition will not
be taken fora fair representation-of-Southern
constitutional opinions ; and will be consider
ed simply as of Kinderhook growth, without
advocates at the South. And, sir, I call upon
Southern gentlemen, who have recently asso
ciated themselves with this member from Kin
derhook, to dismount him from the drill horse,
and place him in the rank and file, with a fug
leman before him, and indoctrinate him in the
creed of the South with as little delay as pos
sible. And as you love your Constitution^ and
profess to believe that yours are the conserva
tive doctrines of the Government, Dever, no
never, trust their exposition to him again.—
Our cieed will be brought into disrepute by
such advocates. Cannot the gentleman ^iVIr.
Vanderpoel) as easily prove that the Govern
ment had the same right to establish a nation
al bank, before the formation of the Constitu
tion ? And do you not hold that “war, famine,
and pestilence,” with a national debt, would
be an inconsiderable curse upon the country,
compared with a national bank ? Then you
will see the necessity of instructions being af
forded him of Kinderhook. If he cannot be
improved, you will find it your highest duty
to preserve our creed from his touch.
That reform may be commenced, sir,. I am
decidedly in favor of borrowing the money in
a round sum. Send forth Mr. Van Buren’s
officers to borrow, for the payment of office
holders and favorites of the Administration,
and, my word for it, all the little talent, and
the art and cunning of this Administration,
and which has (with the money power under
their control) prostrated the credit of the coun
try, will be exerted to obtain the loan, aud in
doing this the credit of tbe country may also
be restored. At any rate, 1 would place them
on their resources, and hear from them what
they can do.
It was, indeed, amusing to hear the corn
plaint of the gentleman from Kinderhook,
against the Whigs, for their profligate expen
ditures. The wrapping paper and franking
privilege, has cost tbe Government so much!!
And this, too, without making mention of a
certain franking room established in Richmond,
and the blank franks sent there from thiucity.
It is all right, sir, for the adherents of tbe Ad
ministration members of Congress to do so
but for the Whigs to do it, is monstrous. For
the comfort of him of Kinderhook, I would say
that these Whigs are like those who have borne
the same name in all time. They are bard to
manage, and will not be scared from their pur
pose. They will expose the corruptions of
power; and you have made it necessary they
should establish tbe intelligence fund of which
you complain. It is a free-will offering of
their own, not from the people s purse; no,
but it is to counteract the slanders put forth by
your hireling press; a press paid and sustained
by the people’s money; by your power the
money of the Whigs and their whig constitu
ents, go to support and sustain your press.—
.Yonr press is slandering tbe candidate of the
Whigs. The patriot soldier, and the states
man, and gentleman, is slandered and misrep
resented. The object of this fund, made up
by the volunteer contribution of tbe Whigs, (l
suppose, but do not know, except as charged
by him of Kinderhook,) is to set forth in their
tru^character, theopposing candidates for the
Presidency. Who is it that should complain
of being brought to the light! Those only
whose sets cannot stand the light. Mr. Van
Buren’s friends have commenced a count of