mote, but are, from the nature of their deal
ings, .best able to know when specie will bp
. needed, and to ptocure it with the,least diffi
cufly or sacrifice. Residing, too, almost u
niversally in places where the revcjui'eis re
' ccived, and. where the drafts used by (he
Government for its dibbnrsmenfh must con
ccntfate; they ; haye eycry opportunity to ob
tain and use them in place of specie, should
it be.for their interest or inconvenience.—
Of the number of these drafts, and the fa
cilities they may aiford, ns well as the rapid
ity with which the public funds are drawn
and disbursed, an idea may be formed from
the fact that, of nearly, twenty, millions of
dollars paid to collectors and receivers du
ring thepresent year, the average amount ifi
their hands at anyone time has not exceeded
a mil lion and a half; and of the fifteen mil
. lions received by the collector of N. York
alone during, the present'year, the average
amount held by him, subject to di-aft during
each Week, has been less than half a million!
The ease and safety of the operations of
the Treasury in keeping the public money,
are promoted by the application of its own
drafts to the public dues. The objection ari
sing from haying them too long outstanding,
piglit be obviated, and they yet made (o af
foid.to merchants and banks holding them
an equivalent for specie, and in (hat way
§ rcatly lessen the amount actually required,
till less inconvenience d'ill attend the re
quirement of specie in purchases of public
lauds. Such purchases, except when made
on" speculation, arc, in general, but single
transactions, rarely repeated by the same
person; and it is a fact, that for the last year
and a half, during which the notes of sound
banks have been received, more than a moiety
of these payments has been voluntarily made
in specie, being a larger proportion than. .
would have been required in three years un
der the graduation proposed.
ft is moreover a principal, than which none
is better settled by.experience, that the sup
ply of the precious metals will always be
found adequate to the uses for which they
are required. They abound in countries
where no other currency isallowed.i In our
own States, where small notes are excluded,
gold and silver supply their place. When
driven to their hiding places by bank jns
pensions, a little firmness in the community
soon restores 'them in a sufficient' quantity
for ordinary purposes. -Postage-ami other
public dues have been collected in coin,
without serious inconvenience, even in States
where a depreciated paper currency has ex
isted for years, and this, with the, aid. of
Treasury notes for a part of the time, was
done without interruption during the sus
pension of 1837 - . At the present moment,
the receipts and disbiirsments of the Govcrn
rtient are made in legal currency in the lar
gest portion of the Union—no one suggests'
a departure from this rule; ami if it can now
be successfully carrier! out, jt will bo surely
attended with even less.dififcftjty when bank
notes are again redeemed in specie.
Indeed 1 cannot think that a serious ob-
jeclinn would any where bo raised to the re
ceipt and payment of gold and'silver in mil
public transactions, were it not from an ap
prehension that a surplus in the Treasury
might withdraw a large portion of it from
circulation, and lock it up unprofitably in
the public vaults. It would.not, in my o
pinion, be difficult to prevent suc.h an incon
venience from occurring; but the" authentic
statements which I have already submitted
to you in regard to (he actual amount in the
public Treasury,at any one time during the
period embraced in them, and the littleprob
ability of adiflerent state of the Treasury for
at leaft some years to come, seem to render
it unnecessary to dwell upon it. Congress,
moreover, as I have before observed, will in
every year have an opportunity to guard a
gainst it, should the occurrence of any cir
cumstances lead us to apprehend injury from
this source. Viewing the subject in all its
aspects, I cannot believe that any period
will be more auspicious Ilian the present for
the adoption of all meastiics necessary to
maintain the sanctity of, our own engage
ments, and to aid in securing to the commu
nity that abundant supply of the precious
metals which adds so much to their prosperity
and gives such increased stability to all their
dealings.
In a country so commercial as ours,:banks
1 in some fonn will probably always exist; but
this serves only to render it (lie more incum
bent on us, notwithstanding the discourage
ments of the past, to strive in,our respective
stations to'mitigate the evils they produce;
pi take from them as rapidly as the obliga
—tionsofpublic faith~and a careful
atipn of the immediate interests of the com
munity,will permit.; the unjust character of
monopolies: to check so far as may be prac
ticable by prudent legislation, those fen. pta
tions of interest and those opportunities fori
- their dangerous indulgence.wbich beset them i
on cyery side, and to confine them strictly
to the perfonnance of their paramount dutyf
that of aiding the operations ,of commerce,
rather than consulting their "own exclusive
advantage. These and other salutary-re
forms may, it is believed, be accomplished
without the violation of any of the great
principles of the social compact, the obser
, vance of which is indispensable to its exist
ence, 'or interfering - in any way with .the
useful and profitable employment of real
capital.- - . :
...Institutions "so framed have existed and
still exist elsewhere, giving to commercial
intercourse all necessary facilities, without
inflating ..or depreciating the or
stimulating speculation. Thus
ing their legitimate ends; they have gained
the surest guarantee for their protection and
encouragehaent In the good will of the com
munity. Among a people so just as ours
the same results could not fail to attend a
course. The direct supervision of
the banks belongs. frnrn (he nature of our
Government, to"the‘States who authorize
• the®. ■ It is to their Legislatures .that the
people must mainly look for action up that
subject. Bat as.the'conduct of the Federal
Government in the management of its reve
nue has also a powerful though less immedi
ate influence upon them, it .becomes onrdu
ty to see that - a proper direction is given t<i
it.; While the kceping of the public revenue
yin bj.separate amj ;Independent Treasury,
and rif collecting if in gold and silver, will
haye. a salutary influence-on.;the system of
piper cre.flit with which all banka are ,con
.nected, and thug aid those, that are sound
and well managed, it will at the same time
sensibly check such' as are otherwise, by at
witliholding tho meanpof extravagance
; afforded by tho public funds, andtestraining
them from excessive issues .of notes which
they would be constantly called upon to re*
deem. • , ' ■ *
; I am aware it has been urged thai this
control may be best attained and exerted by
means of a National Bank. The constitu-
tional objections, which I am well, known .to
entertain; would prevent me in. any event
from'proposing or assenting to that remedy;
but in'addition to this,, I cannot, after past
experience, bring myself to think that it can
any longer be extensively regarded as effec
tive for such a purpose, . The history of the
late National Bank through ail its mutations
shows that it was not so. ' Oil the contrary,
it may, lifter.a careful.consideration the
subject,“be; I think, safely stated, that at
every period of banking excess it took the
lead; that in 1817, and 1818, in 1823, in
18Sl,.and in 1834, its"vast expansions, fol
lowed 1 by distressing contractions, led to
those of the State institutions. It swelled
and maddened the tides of thc banking sys
tem, buTseldohi allayed,”or safely directed
them. At a few periods only was a Salutary
control exercised, but an eager desire, on
the contrary, exhibited for-profit in the first
place; and if, afterwards, its measures were
severe towards other institutions, it was be
cause its own safety compelled it to adopt
them. It did not differ from them in princi
ple or in form; its measures emanated from
the same spirit of gain; it felt the same temp
tation to overissues; it suffered from, and
was totally Unable to avert, those inevitable
laws of trade, by which it was itaeTCaffccted
equally with them; and at least on one occa
sion, at an early day, it was saved only by
extraordinary exertions from the same fate
that attended the weakest.institution it pro
fessed to supervise. In 1837 it failed, c
qually with others, in redeeming its notes,
(hough the two years allowed by its charter
for that purpose had not expired, a large a
uiount of wlpch remains to the present" tiiiie
outstanding. It is true, that having so vast
a capita), and strengthened by the use of ail
•the revenues of the Government, it possess
ed more power; but while it was itself, by
that circumstance, freed from the control
which ail banks require, its paramount ob
ject and inducement were left the same—lo
make the most for its stockholders, not to
regulate the currency of the country.. Nor
has it, as far as we are advised, been found
to be greatly otherwise elsewhere. The na
tional character given to thc'Bank of Eng
land,has not prevented excessive fluctuations
in - their currency, and it proved unable to
keep off a' suspension of specie payments,
which lasted for nearly a quarter of a cen
tury. And why should we expect ft to be
otherwise? A national Institution, though
deriving its charter, from a different source
than the State, banks, is yet constituted up
on the same principles; is conducted by men
equally exposed to temptation; and is liable
to the same disasters; with the additional
disadvantage that its magnitude occasions
an Mtent of confusion, and distress which
the mismanagement of smaller institutions
could nut produce. It can scarcely be -
• doubled (hat the recent suspension of the U.
Stales Bank of Pennsylvania—of which the
effects ate felt not in that State alone, but
over half the Union—had its Origin in a
course 'of business commenced white it was
a national institution; and there is no good
reason, for supposing that thOame conse
quences would not have followed, had it still
derived its powers from the General Govern
ment. It is in vain, when the influences
and impulses are the samc, to look for a dif
ference in conduct of- results. By such cre
ations, we do therefore butincrease the mass
of paper credit and paper currency, without
checking their attendant evils and fluctua
tions. The extent of power and the effi
ciency of organization which we give, so far
from being beneficial, arc in practice posi
tively. injurious. They strengthen the chain
of dependence throughout the Union, sub
ject all parts more certainly to common dis
aster, und bind every bank more effectually,
i'h the first instance, tw those Of our commer
cial cities, and, in the end, to a foreign pow
er.. In a word, I cannot but believe, that,
with the full, understanding of the operations ■
of our banking system which experience has
produced, public.sentiment is notless oppo
sed to the creation of a National Bank for
purposes connected with currency and com
merce, than for those connected with the fis
cal operations of the Government.
Yet "(he commerce and currency of the ;
country are suffering evils from the opera
tions of the State banks.which can not and
ought not to be overlooked. By their means,
we have been flooded- with a depreciated pa
per, which it, was evidently tne design of
the framers of the Constitution to prevent,
when they required Congress to “coin mo
ney and regulate the value of foreign coins,”
and when they forbade the States “to coin
money, emijt.billsof credit, make any thing
hut gold.and silver a. tender in payment of
debts,” or “pass any law impairing the ob ;
ligation of contracts?’ If they did npt guard
uiore explicitly against lhe ; preserit State of
things. It was because they could ndThave
anticipated that the few banks (hen existing
wereio swell tojm extent which would ex
pel to so greatn degree the gold and silver,
for which they had provided, from the chan
nels of circulation, and fill them with a cur
rency that defeats the objects they had in
view. The remedy fm'this must cliiefly rest
with the States from whose legislation it lias
sprung. No good that might accrue in a
particular case from the exercise of powers,
notiobviousiy conferred on the General Go
vernment, would authorize its ipterfcrence,
or justify a course that, might, iri thfe slight
est degree, increase, at the expense of the
States, the power of th.e Federal authorities
—nor do I doubt that, the States will apply
the reihedy. . Within-tlie last few years, e
vents have .appealed to them too strongly to
be disregarded. They-have seen, that the
Constitution, though .theoretically-adhered
to,; is subverted in practice; that while on
the statute books there is no legal tender but
gold and silver, no law impairihg the-obli
gations of contracts, yet that, in-tobint of
fact, the -privileges conferred on banking
corporations have-iniido-their notes the cur-,
reticy yf ‘ the- country;\that' the obligations
imposqd by these are “violated under
tlie impulses, ofinterest or convenience; "and
that the number and power of-the persons
connected with these corporations; or placed
under their.influence; give them a fearful
weight when their interest is in opposition to
the spirit of aUd lawa. To
the people it is immaterial whetHerCthese
results are produced by open- violatiotia'oF
the latter, or by,"the working of a ! system 5 of
which the result is the same.' An inflexible
execution even of the csisting i statutes of
most of the States, would redress mainy evils
How endured; would effectually.show- the
banks the dangers of mismanagement which
impunity encourages-.them to.,repeat; and
would teach all corporations the useful les
son that they are 'the subjects'of the'lawand
the servants ofi.the people. What; is still
wanting to effect these objects must be sought
in additional legislation; hr, if that be inad-'
equate,.in such further constitutional grants
or restrictions as may'bring us back into the
path from which we have so widely wander
ed. . •
In the meantime, it ia: the duty of the Ge
neral Government to co-operate. with tiie
States, by a wise exercise of its constitution*
nl powers, and the enforcement of its exist
ing laws. The extent to which it may do
so by further enactments, I have already ad
verted to, .and the wisdom of Congress may
yet enlarge them. Out, abovc all, it is in
cumbentopon us to hold erect the princi
ples of morality and law, constantly execut
ing our own contracts in accordance with
the provisions of the Constitution, and thus
serving as a rallying point by which onr
whole country may be brought back to that
safe and honored standards '
Our people will .not long be insensible to
the extent of the burdens entailed upon them
by the_ false system that has been operating
on their sanguine, energetic, and industri
ous character; nor to the means necessary to
extricate thqmselves from these embarrass
ments. The weight which presses upon a
large portion of the people and the States,,is
an enormous debt, foreign and ’domestic!.—
The foreign debt of our States, corporations,
and men' of business, can scarcely be less
than-two hundred millions of dollars, re
quiring lUore than ten millions of dollars a
year to„pny the interest. This sum has to
be paid out of the exports of the country,
and must of necessity cut off imports to that
extent, or'plunge the country more deeply
in debt from year to year; It is easy to see
that tiie increase of this foreign, debt must
augment ihe annual demand on -the exports
to pay the interest, and to tiie same extent
diminish'the imports; and in proportion to
the enlargement of the foreign debt, and the
consequent increase of interest, must be the
decrease of the import trade. In lieu of the
comforts which it now brings us, wc might
have our gigantic banking' institutions, and
splendid. b.Ut, in many.instances,'profitless,
railroads and canals, absorbing to a great
extent, in interest upon thp capital borrow
ed'to construct tliem, the surplus fruits of
national industry for years to conic, and se
curing, to posterity no adequate return for
the comforts which the labors of their, hands
might otherwise have secured. It is not by
the increase of this debt that relief is to be
sought; but in its diminution. ‘ Upon .this
point, there is, I am happy to any, hope be
fore us; not so much in the return of confi
dence abroad, which will enable the States
to borrow more nioney, as in change of pub
lic feeling at bpme,'which prompts our peo
ple to pause in their career, and think of-the
means by which debts are to be paid before
they are contracted. If we would escape
embarrassment, public and private; we must
cense to-run in debt, except for objects of
necessity, or such as will yield a certain re
turn. Let the faith, of the States, corpora
tions, and individuals, already pledged, be
kept withrthe most punctilious regard. It
is due to our national character, as well as
to justice, that this should on the part of each
bo a fixed principle of conduct. But it be
hooves, us all to be more chary in pledging
it hereafter. By ceasing to run in debt, and
applying the surplus of our crops and in
comes to the discharge of existing obliga
tions, .buying less and selling more, aqd
managing all affairs, public and private, with
strict economy and frugality, we-shal l see
our country soon recover from a temporary,
depression, arising not from natural and per
manent causes, but from those I haveenum-
eraled, ami advance with renewed vigor in
her career of prosperity.
Fortunattily for us at this moment, when
1 the balance of trade is greatly against us and
the difficulty of meeting it enhanced by the
disturbed stale of our money affairs, the
bounties of Providence have come to relieve
us*from the consequences, of past errors. . A
faithful application of the immense results of
the labors of the last season will afford par
tial relief for the present, and perseverance
in thC'Same. course will, in due season, ac
complish the rest. We have had full expe
ricnce. in times past. of the extraQi dinary ig
sults which can, in' this respect* be brought
about in a short period, by the united and
well directed efforts of a community like
burs. Our surplus the energyand in
dustry of our population, qhd the wonderful
advantages which Providence lias bestowed
upon our country, in'its climate its various
productions, indispensible to other, nations,
will,.in due time, afford abundant means to
perfect the most useful of those objects*" for
which‘the States have been [dunging them-'
selves of late in embarrassment and debt;
without imposing on ourselves or our chil
dren such fearful burdens.
But Jet it be indelibly engraved qn our
minds'that relief is not to be found in expe
dients. Indebtedness cannot be lessened by
borrowing more .money,, or by changing the
form of the debt. The balance of trade is
not to be turned-in bur. favor by creating new
demands upon us abroad. Our currency can
not be improved by the creation of new banks
or more issues'from those , which now exist.
Although these devices sometimes appear to
give temporary relief, they almost invariably
aggravate:the(evil;in the end. ■ It is only by
retrenchment and reform, by curtailing pub
lic and private expenditures; by-paying our
debts, and by reforming our bankihg system,
that we are Inexperteffecitual, relief, i secu
rity for the ijitare.'and anlenduripgprosper
ity.' In shaping the institutions.and- policy
■asdar.asit Can vytb its limited powers;these,
bihjtertant.ends, you. may rely on ray most
cordial co-operation. - 'i" ‘ - i
1 That there' should- have' been, in the pro
gress of repentevents; doubts in many'quarr
terS, nml in somc a heated opposition to ov
erycliangOj/caniiot surprise-us. -i'-V ..
Dtfubts are properfy attended-on'all reform;
and it is peculiarly in the nature of such abu
ses as weare now encountering,'to seek to
perpetuate their power, by means of the inf
nueiice they have been permittedto acquire.
It is'their resijlf, if nottheirobiect, to .gain
forthe few.an’ascendency oyertne, iiiaiiy, by
EEcuringto thpiiiH monopoiyofthe currency;
pip'nvpd;unr4jirpugh<tvhich (iihst of, iliowahts
of mankind aresupplied-to produce through
out society a chain of dependence which leads
all classes to look 40 privileged associations
(or the means of speculation and extrava
gance—to nourish, in preference to tlie'manly
virtues that give dignity to human nature, a
craving desire for luxurious enjoyment; and
sudden wealth, which renders those who seek
them dependent on those who supply them—
to substitute for republican simplicity and
economical habits a sickly appetite fo.r effem
inate, indulgence, and' an imitation of that
reckless extravagance which enipnverished
and,enslaved' the industrious people of for
eign lands; and at last, to fix upon us, instead
ofthuse equal political rights, the acquisition
of which was alike the object and supposed
reward of our revolutionary struggle,'a sys
tem of exclusive privileges conferred by par
tial legislation. To remove the influences
which had thus gradually grown up among
us—to deprive them of their deceptive ad
vantages—to test them by the light of wis
dom and truth—to oppose the force which
they concentrate in their' support—all this
[ was necessarily the work of time, even a
mong a people so enlightened arid pure as
that of the United States. ■ ,
In most other countries, perhaps, it could
only he accomplished through that series of
revolutionary movements,' which are ton of
ten found necessary to effect any great and
radical reform; hut it is the crowning merit
of our institutions, that they create and
nourish in the vast majorityiol bur people, a
disposition and a power peaceably to remedy
abuses which have ilsewhcre caused the
effusion of fivers of blood, and the sacrifice
of thousands of the human race. The result
thus far is most honorable to the self denial,
the intelligence, and the patriotism of our
citizens; it justifies the confident hope that
they will carry through the reform which has
been so well begun, and that they will go
still farther Ilian they have yctgune in illus
trating the important-truth,,that a people us
free and enlightened as ours will, whenever
it becomes necessary, show themselves to be
indeed capable'of self-government by volun-s :
tarily adopting appropriate remedies for cv-'
ery abuse,'and submitting to temporary sac
rifices, however great, to ensure their per
manent welfare. . ' •
My own exertions fur the furtherance of
these desirable objects have been bestowed,
throughont my official career with a zeal that
Is nourished by ardent wishes for the welfare
of my country, and by an unlimited reliance
on the wisdom that marks its ultimate deci
sion on all great and controverted questions;
Impressed with the solemn obligations impo
sed upon ipe by the Constitution, desirous
also of laying before myfcllotv citizens, with
whose-confidence and support I have been
so highly honored, such measures as .'appear
to me conductive to the'r prosperity—and
anxious to submit to their fullest considera
tion the grounds upon which my opinions are
formed, 1 have on this as on preceding occa
sions, freely offered my views on.those points
of domestic policy that seem, at.the present
time, most prominently to require the action
of the Government. I know that they will
receive from Congress that full and able
consideration which the importance of the
subjects merit, and l ean ropea't the assu
rance heretofore made, that .1 shall cheer
fully and readily co-operate With you in ev
ery measure that will tend to promote the
welfare of the Union.
M. VAN BUREN.
Washington, December 2, 1839.
Twcnti/-Si.i'th Congress.
HOUSE OF
Monday, Dec. SO, 1839.
After the journal was read,
The CHAIR announced the following
standing committees;
Committee on Commerce. —Messrs. Cur
tis, Hillen, White of Louisiana, Burke, Tu
land, Habersham, Parris, BTitts, and Weller. :
Committee on the Public Lands. —Messrs
Corwin, Reynolds, Lincoln, Crary, White
of Kentucky, Fisher, Garland of 'Virginia,
Hubbard, and Thompson of Mississippi.
Committee on Ciaitfis. —Messrs.’Dawson,
Russell, Banks, Giddings, Williams of New
Hamsphi’re, Gentry, Hill of North Carolina,
Galbraith, and Mallory. .. ,
,- Post , Office and Post Roads. —Messrs,
McKay, Hopkins, Chapman, Marvin, Lead
better; J. L. Williams of-Tenncssce, Ander
son of Kentucky, Butler of South Carolina,
and Brown of Mississippi.
District of Columbia.-^ Messrs. Johnson,
of Maryland,~C.-H.-Williams of Tennessee*-
Bel me, Clarke, Davee, Graham,. Cranston,
Black, and Hawkins.. ' .
- Judiciary.——Messrs." Sergeant", Crary,
Hoffman, Turney ~.Mason of Ohio, Samuels,
Colquitt, Storrs, and Barnard.
Revolutionary Claims. —Messrs. Craig,
Randolph,'. Hall, Taliaferro, Parmenter,
Montgomery, Rogers of Carolina, Ely,
, andSwearingen. • "
Territories, —Messrs. Pope, Jenifer,Ram
sey, Campbell of Tennessee, Stewart, Brew
ster, Davis, of KentUcky,' Montay ne, & Fine.
Revolutionary Pensions. —Messrs. Talia.-
ferro, Carr, Andrews, Steenrod, Rayner, E.,
Davis of Pennsylvania, Brockway, Taylor,
and Hand. ——
Invalid Pensions. —Messrs. S. Williams,
Morris of Ohio, Crittenden, Doan. Strong,
Randall,- Morris of Pa. Palen, and Edwards.
JtoadsandCanals. —Messrs.Ogle.Gravcs,
Carroll, Hill of Va., Smith o/ la., Starkwea
ther, Rayner, Colquitt, and Blackwell.
Patents. —Messrs. Fletcher of Vt. Beatty,
Prentiss, Ncwhard, and Payntcr.
, Public Buildings and Grounds. —Messrs.
Lincoln, Petrikin, Leonard; Keim.and Hast
ings of Ohio. i
Bevisal fy Unfinished
Peck, Parish, Jackson; James, and Dana.
• Accounts.—Messrs. Johnson of Va. Law
•jence,-Johnston of N. Y., Marchand, and
Floyd. '• .• , :
J&a««^ac/Mre»i—-Messrs.-John-Q;AdaniBi
Tillinghaat.Worthington,
'Dromgonle, 1 Mitchell,- Eastnrnn.and-John
Dayis of Pa. .
• Mesira, Deberry, Dennis,
MqClellan of -TennesaeeySmith ofVermnnt,
-Hammond, Shaw, Sweeny, Dnig; arid Hook.
Dell.L. \Vil
liamaPofjaNorth Carolina, Alford,- Cross,
Ghmn,S|ieDard,Luca3,Hunt, and JohaWl
.'Davis of Indiana. ' ■ -
| ■ _ Williams of Connect
ticut, Williaina of Miissachusettaj.Morgan,
Leet, atfdeAUdjipf Jfc v ¥v„*lvi;, ; r . .<.<
i Expmdiiureiiwtha DepaHmentof
—Messrs.Underwcind, Bynum; Crabby l»o
-vvell; and - .
Expenditures in the Department of the
Post Office,— Messrs. Marvin, Boyd,Lowell,
Davis of Kentucky, and Brown of N. Y,
Expenditures on the Public Buildings. —
Messrs. Stanly, Fornance, Gates, Henry,
and Earle.
. Foreign Affairs*— Messrs. Pickens.Cush
ing, Droomgoulc, GfShger, Bynum, Hawes,
Howard, Clifford.'
Nqval Affairs. —Messrs. F. Thomas,
Holmes, Reed, King, Grinnell, Anderson of
Mel Robinson, Hollemnn, arid Proffit..
Private Land C laims, —Messrs. Casey,
Garland of Louisiana, Calhoun, Dillett,
Wick, Butler of Ky., Hastings, Jameson,
and White. ;
Military Affairs. —Messrs. Cave Johnson
Tliompson, Miller, Coles, Kemble, Allen
Monroe, Sumter, and Goggin,
Militia. —Messrs. Kcim, Carter,- Gridin,
Wagner, P. F. Thomas, ol
S. C. Triplett, and Ridgway.
Elections,— Messrs. Campbell of S. Caro
lina, Fillmore, Medill, Crabb, Brown, Fish
er; Smith of Conn., and llotts.
Public Expenditures. —Messrs. Briggs,
Smith of Maryland, Bond, Rariden, Duncan,
Crockett, Hall, Watterson and McCulloch.
Ways and Means,— Messrs. Jones of Va
Biddle, Atherton, Lawrence, Rhett,_ Van
derpocl, Evans’, Conner,+and Cooper.
.The Democratic Republican Standing
tee of Cumberland county, arc requested to meet
at the public house of Mr, John Cornman, in the
Borough of Carlisle, on Monday the 13lh of, Jan
uary, 1840, at 2 o’clock, P.- M., on business con
nected with the ensuing Presidential election. A
general attendance is desirable.
APPOINTMENTS. BY THE COMMISSION
Robebt Snodgrass, Esq. to bo Treasurer of Cum
berland county, '
John Irwin, Esq, to bo Clerk to Commissioners.
James H. GbahaM, Esq. Attorney to Do.
.Keeper of. the Public Buildings.
APPOINTMENTS BY THE DIRECTORS
Michael Fishbubn’, Esq. to be Steward of the
Poor House. ■
J Ames Loudon, Treasurer to Do.
Dr. Jacob Baughman, Physician to Do.
Hugh Gaullacher, Esq. Attorney to Do.
“One if the People ” will bo attended to in our
next.
Wo this week conclude the President’s Mes
sage, and again ask fpr it an attentive perusal;
is certainly one of the ablest documents of the
kind .that has over issued from the Executive man-,
sion. Clear, convincing,. satisfactory—it cannot
fail to carry conviction to the minds of the reflect
ing and considerate of all parties.
“Desperate political nnd .moral ’ blaek-legs,”
says a.-writer in the New York Evening Post,
“who. wish to avail themselves of, the credit arid,
money of the nation, to carry out their base de
signs^—bankrupt speculators in fancy stocks, and
swindlers of all classes and denominations, will
of course assail the message with their verjuice
and gangrene; and the old story about locofocoism,
and die war of- the government against the mer
chants and the banks, will be ebaunted iq all the
places, of debauchery and villainy of yonreity, by
the trained and desperate adventurers who never
had aught of decency; br.of worth to sustain them;
but who live by their wits, and will die either by
hemlock or the halter,” • ’ .
The Sovereign people'however—thehanl-work
ing honest and industrious yeomanry of tho coun
try—hail the message,with joy, and utter q hearty
response to the measures recommended by the
President.’ Mr. Van Buren has nobly thrown
himself into the breach* and bravely will he bo
sustained by a free and intelligent people.
The Governor’s Message entire Shall appear in
our next.
Report of, the Secretary of War.—This annual
state paper is drawn Up withgrcat ability and does
Mr. Poinsett much credit-'.. Amongst Otket things
the Secretary recommends h hew organization of
the militia. The United States to be'divided into
eight military districts—each district' to have an
active force of 19,500, and ah equal; number of re-
the total making2oo,ooo men J These troops
to bethoroughly drilled, andlco'ntihue eigh t’years
in service, for which they are to reoeive a certain
rate of compensation, to be fixed by law; .at tho
expiration of which.timo they are to bo exempt
from jmilitik'.duty,.except In cases.of invasiohof
imminent peril. •, This .cprpa is tobe embodiedas
the. National Guatd.and willconstitute ontrseventh
ofthe wholemilHiabflho Onion. The other six?
reuen/Aiwill have no military duty to perform, on-,
ly. tobe mustered.at long and seated intervals*•• c,
The Hoh; Charlbs i\-Mdx«ef, of Virginia, ;(S
feJerarwhigeftho most labldkindi) resigned'his
seat in,Congress, on. the 37th ult. • His district is
are entertained of Jt sending a. ‘‘goM #nd. true’*
friend of the administration to fill his place.; . '
■•‘"pokßlekaid'MJtihiiifo; ytOO'Kfcsideht ;bf thti
.U ? States; ;tapk : th£f|tt&^^
atai ’oh Friday tho : 9?tb.,ul».:. vr>; . t h. ■ ’ ! ' '['■
Expenditures’ in the '■Department .of the
Treasury.— Messrs. ( . Evan's, Atherton, Os
borne, Warren, anti,Jones of N.Y.
. Enpenditur'es in the Department of War.
—Messrs. B. Garland of Louisiana, How
ard, Wagener; Holmes, ami Cooper of Pal
— Expenditures, in the - Department of the
Navy. —Messrs. Saltongtall, Vanderpoel,
Simonton, Greene, and Gerrv.,
CARLISLE:
tiurn.siMV, j.vxuAit v ». leoio.
OfTK FJO.tG.
“Now_our.fl.ig is llunK to tlie wild win'd tree;
Let it float oVr our ‘father hind,”
And the piiai'd otHts spotless fame shall be
Columbia's chosen cm ml.'"
FQK PRESIDENT IN 1840,
MARTIN VAN BUREN,
• AND AN
INDEPENDENT TREASURY.
STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING,
TWO OF TUB COMMITTEE;
December 24, 1839.
ERS FOR THE YEAR .1840.
OF THE POOR FOR 1840.
. . CONGRESS.—Nothing of importance hasyct
been done in Congress. . On Monday,, the 30tb
ult., the Standing Committees were announced in
the House—after which Mr. Wise made an inef
fectual effort to suspend the Rules to enable him
to move Resolutions against the consideration of
Memorials, touching tlie question'of Slavery with
in the District of Columbia. .This brought on an
animated discussion which lasted until tho ad
joumment. . ,i -
Od Tuesday, both housesjadjourned to meet a
gain on Friday last; in ordffllio afford the mem
bers an opportunity of taking a Now Year’s/ro/if.
On Friday, tho day was principally occupied in
tho Senate with a longhnd eloquent Sparring match
between Messrs. Calhoun and Clay'onjtbo. sub
ject of a’land bill, which distinguished for its
personal abuse, wit and satire. Mr. Clay was
worsted in the. intellectual combat,' and'acknowl
edged that his race, physical and political was
almost run.
In the House the day was also spent in an an
gry debate between Messrs. Bynum, Jenifer and
Stanley,.which was finally put a stop to by tho
Speaker. Bynum and Jenifer, it will be recol
lected by many of our readers, fought a duel some
three or four years since, which will account for
the present disgraceful Jlarc-up.
THE SPEAKER AND THE STANDING
We, presume that by this time those democratic
papersjlmt boasted so much of Mr, Hunter’s friend
ship for the administration, are pretty well satisfied
that they have been “barking up tho wrong tree. 1 ’
fhe fact is, that, with the exception of being friend
ly to tile Independent Treas'ury, lie is to all intents
and purposes as much of a federal whig as the ‘
most fastidious of that piebald party could desire.
To prove this just .cast your eyes over tho
list of Committees, and you will at once perceive
that the democratic party has little, if any thing,
to expect at his hands. Of the thirty-three Stan
ding Committees, twenty-two have Federal
Chairmen —-hea have nine only
have Democrats! His actions ever since he took •
the chair, have inclined againslthe administration;
and the federalists do not hesitate to claim him
(and justly too in our opinion) as their Speaker
exclusively.
The democratic members were caught napping
for once when Mr. Hunter was elected, and they
will have to submit with as good graceas possible.
They have a clear and undisputed majority of six
in the House, at the .present time, a. d after the
lapse of a few weeks it will, in all probability, bo
swelled to eleven by the accession of the N. Jer
sey democratic members. With such, a majority
at its disposal, tire Administration party can easily
reverse the decisions, of the Speaker, when neces
sary-—and if select Committees ore to be raised,
tho House can very readily takc-the appointment
out of his hands and elect them itself. So that
'after-all, notwithstanding the Speaker is against
its, if the democratic members are hcreaftef united
such measures may bo carried through as the peo
ple require at the hands of their representatives.
New Yeab’s D.vv in Washington.-Tlic Nation
al Intelligencer says: “New Year’s day was ob
served as a holiday bjr Congress and all the pub
lic offices, and pretty generally by others. The
President received visiters as. usual cn that day;
and many members of Congress,'including the
leading men of all parties, with the members of
the Foreign Legation generally, tire Heads of
Departments, and officers of the Army, and Navy
and citizens, strangers as well as residents, paid
their respects to the Chief Magistrate, by whom
they were courteously received.”
«, Horace Binnty,-Esq. (cue of the great federal
bank lawyers in Philadelphia,) has refused to re
ceive the depreciated paper of the U. S. Bank,
from tho city autlioritics, in payment of a debt of
$30,000 due him by tho corporation, and insists
thatJlie city shall pay him in “lawfitl money”—
alias gold and silver, .Verily tlieMamihoth must
be In bad credit indeed, when a refusal to receive
its paper comes from aUch a source. ’
liurtal of. a Warrior.— A letter from an officer
of the U. S. Army, dated Fort Towson, (Ark,)
-Bth Nov., states, that. Gen. George Culvert, tho
head chief of the Choctaw nation, one of their grea*.
cst warriors; was. the' day previous, buried with
militaiy honors._ 110 was a revolutionary veteran;
had served under Geri. Washington in. our strug
gle for independence, from whom ho received a
commission of Major of militia in the U. States _
service, and a sword. He also served under Gen.
Wayne—and .likewise.under Gen. Jackson in. the ,
Florida war of 1814 against the Seminolcs. For
hiabravcryGcn., Jackson vprcscntcd-hini-with-a
Colonel’s commission, and .afterwards a.sword,
when President of the U. States. At the time of
his death the old chief was 95 years of age.
(hnftssion of Murder. —Ptiiibo (Ann Simonson,
wife .of John, Floor, of New Vork, who was ar
rested last week'on suspicion of cansing the death
of her husband by .a poisoned cake,:has sinco made
a confession of her guijt. She alleges as a reason
for her crime, that ho had been faithless : to her,
.and woul^riot furnish her with the necessary
means of getting aiiyelihood. She had purchaL
ed arsenic, and put it into the fatal cake.
Deep Snout.-—The Baltimore Sun of Saturday *
says:—“We learn from a gcntleman.who. arrived
here yesterday, that the.snow in the road for Some
distance along side the mountain,between Freder- '
ick and Hagerstown, was twenly~onefeet deep! and
that it was impossible to get the mail through un
til a road was cleared by carting tho snow away.
Abmmcdh Sheet, —Alexander’s Weekly Miessen- -
gerof the Istinst,, marked the new year ,by ap
pearing ina double sheet of enormous dimensions,
something.simiiar in size to a
a sufficient'quantity of matter, to keep an ordinary
reader- employed for a week at lea Bt Its appear
ance is also considerably enlivened with several .
well executed woodcuts and other embellishments,
T’akih^tllasheet its
prise on the part of the publishers.
.... The Mesgewmrjs published in Philadelphia, at
thalow annum payablo m advance. ■ '
Jjxia, the swiadling?Pr6aidcnt sf!tbp Schuylkill
Bank, is slillafiigiubo from, justlte. Somarc
!ports say that he has.goriq'to keep com
pany with SwariWbut, arid Priest;,'x’ : - V .
-7 Sev. Geerge G- Coetmim, fotmerly pastor of tho
Methodist EpiacoparGhureh'ihtKiS'borough, has
‘
etafe'have^
M^ori(dem;jaleOt«d<lftTOinofbya.maJeri^of7.
COMMITTEES.