URA - GO & EXPOSITOR.
CARLISLE; "PA.
Wednesday,' Jug. 3, 11.542.
SPEECH' or, HENRY CLAY.*
'll the G nut Barbecue al Lexington, Jane 9, 1842
Ma; Pausines.r, LA DIES 'A ND GENTLE:If:EI:
was given to.our countryman, 'Franklin, to
1;. Mg down Ire lightning from Heaven.' To &ha
- ble inn to be heard by Ibis immmense multitude,
01°101 have to invoke to my aid, and to throw into
my voice, its loudest thutders. • As I cannot do
that,.l hope, I shall likexclised for such. a use of
my limes
.• • ix Practicable, and not inconsistent
- with the preservation of my health. And I feel
. that it is our first dirty to express our obligations to
a' kind and bountiful Providence, , for th e e o rop t i s .
.uitl general shoWers with Which hedies just blessed
our land—a iefieshment of which it stood much in
need. For one, I offer to Him iny.liumble and dais
ful thanks. • The incenvenience to us, on this fes,
five 'occasion, is very slight, while the sum of go,.d •
' which these timely rains will produce is very great
, and encouraging. •-
,
Fellow-citizens; I find myself now'in a situation
, somewhat like one in which I was placed a few
years ago, when travelling through the State of In
(*loin which my friend (Mn-Rantrica) near
me conies, i stopped at a village containing some
• four or five hundred-inhabitants, and I had scarce
ly alighted before I found myself surfounded in the
liai-taint by every adult mule resident oftho.place.
After a while, I observed a group, consulting tot
gather in one corner of the room and shortly after,
• I was dillitimitly approached by one of them,.a tall,
lank, lead, but 'dote and sober looking person,
With a long face rind high check bones, who, atl
, •
iiressing Inc, acid he, was coMmissioned. by his
neighbors to request that I would say a few words
t 'to theta ,Why, my good friend, said I, I -should be
vv.... ) , haat iy to„ dmany thing gratifying to yourself
nrkneiglibers,.bu t t I Mn very much fatigued and,
hungry nail thirsty, and I do not think' the arca
. . Mon its exactly suitable for a speech, I wish you
would excuse me to your friends.. Well, says lie,
Mr. Way, I confess I.ilwught so IPYReIf, especially
as we have no wine to offer you to drink!
Now if the worthy citizen of Indiana was right
'in supposing that a glees of wine was a necessary
preliminary nd precedent condition to the-delieery
of . a speech, have no just right to expeef one
from me at this time; for during the sumptuous, re
. past from. which, we have just iisen, you offered - me
-not/Ong to drink but cold water—excellent water;
it is . troe. from the classic fountain of our lamented
- friend Mr. MAXWELL, which has.so erten regaled
n 8 on'eelebtatiens of our great anniversary. [Great
laughter.).
1 protest against any inference of my being
naval to the Temperance Cause. On the contrary,
I think it an admirable cause that has.dons. great
'good ill continue to do good as . lobg . as legal
coercion is not employed; and it rests exclusively
• 'esnii,persilasion amt Rouyn intrinsic Merit's.
I haVe.ri great and growing repugnance to speak
,, • big , hi -the open- sir to large assetnblage; Det
1 whilst the I . :n.1116; of spee • ch remains to inr, leen
• never feel that •rcpugnante, never fed other, than
gratefiil sensations, in ittakineiny acknowledge
' mcnts under such circumstances as those which ,
bare, brought. us together. Not, that I am so pre
, suinpthous as to believe that-I. have been the ocean
/ion solely of collecting this Vast multitude—Among
the intlueements,l cannot help thin,king that the
fat white virgin heifer of my friend' Nl*. Demur
s, tiTRCco4FS - 601T, - Which has j
and' the ether good things' which have been so
liberally spread before us, exerted some influence in
swelling this unprecedentedly large meeting.=
(Great laughter.] - •
I cannot but feel, Mr. President, in offering my
re.sacetful avkliotaleclgernents for the honor done
me, in the e oquent address havolust
delivered, and in the. sentiment -with which you
concluded it, that your warm , partiality, and the
• fervent friendship which has so_long existed_bm
tureen us,-and the kindness of my_ neighbors rind
friends around ine: have prompted an exaggerated
thiseripti tn, ip too glowing colors, Of my public
services and my poor abilities,, _
'I seize the opportunity to present my heartfelt
thanks to whole people of Kentucky, for all ,
• -the high hipsters and' distinguished favors which I
Itao reeeived, during a long residence with them,
at their hands; for the liberal patronage Wilich I re
ceived. from them in my professional 'pursuit; for
the einitient places in which they haVaput me, or
enabled me to read.; for the generous and unbound
ed confidence whi'eli they. have bestowed upon me,
at all times, for the gallant.and unswerving fidelity
and- attachment with Whieli they stood by toe,
throughout all the trials and vicissitudes of an'
eventful and arduous life; and, above all, for the
is-wilful indignation with which they repelled an
infamous calumny directed against my name and
facie at a moniennions.period of my public career.
I:I recalling to our memory the circumstances of that
periad, one cannot but be tilled with astonishment
at the indefatigaliilily with which:the calumny was
propagatial and the zealous partizan use to which
is - was applied, not only without evidence, but in
the face of .a full and complete refutation. Under•
whatever deception, delusion or ignorance, it was
received .elsew hero, with you, my. friends and neigh
. hors, and with the good people of Kentucky, It re
served no countenance; hut in proportion to the .
,vettom and the malevolence of its circulation was•
the vigor and magnanimity with which I was goner
ousiy supported. - Upheld iby a consciousness of
the injustice of the charge,,l should.have borne my
self with becoming ; fortitude, if I bad been aban-,
aimed by you as I was by so large a•portion of my
countrymen;• but to have been sustained and vintli
-rated as I was by the people of my own State, by
you who know me best; and whom I had so many
reasons to hive and. esteem, greatly cheered and en
' ernrragecl me in my onward progress, Eternal
gratitude and thanks are due from me.
• • I thank you, friends and fellow-citizens; for your
• distinguished and enthusiastic'reeeptio'n of me this
day; and for the excellence and abundance of the
arbutm that has been provided for our entertain
-- intent - And - I "thank; - froni the Bottom of my &Wrt,
_countrywomen for honoring and .gracing
and adding brilliancy to this - oceiiiiion - by their nu
merous attendance. Ifthe delicacy anti refinement
of their sex will not allow them to mix in the
rougher scenes , of human life, we may be sure that
whenever. by their presence,their smiles and appro.-
Litton are bestowed, it is no ordinary occurrence.
.that presence is nlwitys nn absolute guaranty of
order, decorum and,. respect. take the greatest
pleasure in bearing - testimony to their value and
their virtue. I have ever found - in them true and
steadfast-, friends, -.generously sympathizing to dis
tress, and, by their courageous fortitude in bearing
thernselves,onepuraging us to imitate their example.
And we all knOw and remember how, as in 1840,
they can powerfully aid a great rind good • cause,,
without nny . departure from the propriety - or dignity
of their sex. • • .
Ire looking back upon my origin'and progress
through life,' I have great reason to be thankful.—
My father died in 1781, leafing me-an infant of
" _ too tender years to' retain guy taco action of hie
' smiles or 'endearments. my surifiving parent remov.
ad to this State in 1702, leaving me, a briy of fir
- teen years of age, In the office of the High Court of
Chancery, in the City of Richmond, without a
guardian; without pecuniary means of support, to
steer my course ne I might or could. A neglected
education was 'reproved by my own irregular -exer
tions, without the benefit of systematic instruction.
I studied law principally in the office of a lamented
frfand, 'the late Gov. Banottz, then Attorney Gen
eral of Virginiis, and also under the auspices of
the venerable and lamented Chatic•lor
for whom I had acted as an amanuensis. I obtain
ed a license to preetice 'the' profession from•the
Judges of the . Court .of Appeals of Virginia, and
established myself in liexingtonl in 1797, without
patrons, without .the fiivor or countenance of the
, great or ciMlent,,Withrtut the - Mans of paying my..
weeltly- s hoardomd in,the midst of a Bat laticont.
Jaunty distingni;hedi by its members. I remember
how comfortable I thought I ,should be 111 could,
make £ lOO Virginia money per year; -and with
-• • what delight 1 received the first fifteen shilling fee.
lay InmesWeremore than realized. I immediately
en shed into re successful and lucrative practice.
• Afterwards, when I was absentYrom the County.
of Fayette, at the Olyinplan Springs, without my
'knowledge or grevious contain l was brOught for
; ward as a - candiate and'eleeted to the General As
vernblY of this State. , 'I served in that body se v eral
--'-yearerand-Was-theri-tMnsferre&to-the-Sentite i -and- 1
•
afterwards to the House of RepreSentedirea of the
Jlnitcal States. 1 will not now dwell on the aubse
(pent events ef my politiell life; of- eilunieritte the
• . offices which have filled; During. My public
. career. I have 'hail bitter,iniplicable,reekleas enemies.
• Dut if I have been the object of misrepresentation'
and unmerited calumny; rid- man hits been beloved
or honored by snore , devoted, faithfutand • enthti.
siaatio friends.' I have •no reproaches—none—tO
make, towards my , country, which has ditilinguialied
amlelevated me far beyond whit I had any right
to expect. I forgive my enemies, & hope they-may
live to obtain the forgiveness of their awn_hearts.
It would neither be fitting, nor is it my purpose
to pass judgment on Millie acts 'of my public life;
but I hope I shall he excused for one or two observe:
tione, which the occasion appears to me to authorize.
I never but once changed my opinion on ant
great limas* of National policy, or on any great,
principle of construction of the National Constitu
tion.. In early life. on deliberate consideration, I
adopted the principled of. interpreting the Federal
Constitution Which had been so ably developed and
enforced by Mr. Madison; in his memorable Jepurt
to the Virginia Legislatute, •and to them, mil un.
derstood them, I, have e•,nstaritly adhered. Upon
the question coming up in the Senate of the United
States to rccharter the first Bank of the United
States thirty years ag0,.1 opposed the recliarter up ,
oh convictions which I 'honestly entertained. The
experience of the War, which shortly followed.-the
condition into which - therrency of the country
was thrown, without a Bank, end; I- may now add,.
. later and more disastrous, experience, convinced me
• I was wrpng. I publicly grated to my Constituents,
in a speech in Lexington, (that which I had made
' in the House of Representatives of the United
Slates net having been reported,) my , reasons - for
that' change, and they are preserved in the archives
uf,the country. lappeal to that record; & I am will
ing to - he judged now and hereaft'cr by theinvnlidity.
Ido not advert to the fact-of this solitary in
stance of change of opinion as. implying any per
sonal merit, but because it.is a fact. I will how..
ever,'aay that I think.it very 'perilous to the utility
,ot enY 'public man to make frequent changes of
opinion, or arty eharige,bet neon grolinds so suffi
cient mid palpable that the Public can. clearly see
and approve then': If we- could look' , through a
window into the human breast, and therediacover
- the causes which lead to changes of opininn,•they
might ho made without - lozara. But as it' is it'll-
Posaible,,to penetrate the human heart, and 'distin
guish between 'the sinister and honest Motives
which prompt it, any public man that changes. his
opinion, once, deliberately formed and promulgated,
under other circuntstances than those which I have
stated draws around him distrust, impairs the pub
lic confidence, arid lessens his capacity to serve
his country.
• . _ .
I will take this occasion now to say,- that Lam
and have long been satisfit d,. that •it would have
been wiser and rrore politic in me to have- declin
ed accepting - the office of Secretary ofState in 1825:
Not that my motives were not as pure and as pat
ric t.c - as - ever carried any man into public office- 7
not. that the calumny "which w as applied to the
fact was nut as gross and . astinfotinded as any that
was ever propagated.
(here somebody cried out that Mr. Carter Bev
erly; who had' been made the organ of announcing
it, had recently borne testimony to . , its being un
founded. Mr. Clay said it was true that he had
voluntarily borne such teatimerry. But with great
earnestinais and emphaeis, Mr: Clay said i want
no testimony : lierel-- . .lterti—nenz--(repeatedtv
•totichiiwhie heart, amidet.trentendous cheers)-here
iSthe best of all Wit nessee'ef my innocence.).
.1.
Not that valued , frichds and highly eriteithed Pe;
pinciits did notunite in urging my acceptance
the office; ,net that the adinirristration'of •Mr. Ad.'
sins will not, I sincerely Icliem advantageously
compare With that of any Of his predecessors, in
economy, purity, prudence and wisdom; nor that
Mr. - Adams was: himself wanting in any of those
high qualifications and upright and patriotic inten
tions which were suited to the office. Of that ex
traordinary man, of *rare. and varied attainments,
exigt to hie
recent coursein the House of Representatives (&
candor obliges me.to'say that there are some things
in it which I 'deeply regret,) it is with no less truth
than pleasure that I declare, that during the whole
period alibi administration,Thied,essailetrand
assaulted et , Akan cpuld have-slicoina
'more - devoted aqachnient to the Union and. all its
great interests; a more arde nt desire, faithfully to
discharge his whole duty.. - or brought to hie aid
more useful experience and knowledge than he did.
I never-transacted business with any man in my
life with more ease, satisfaction and advantige
than I did with that most able and indefatigable
gentleman, as President of the United States. And
I will add that more hurtnnny never prevailed in
any Cabinet than in his. ' • •
But my error, in the office, arose out
of my underrating the power of detraction and .
the force of ignorance, and abiding, with too sere
a confidence in the conscious integrity and upright
ness of my own motives. Of that ignorance, I
had a remarkable and laughable example on an
occasion 'Which I a ill relate, I was !ravelling. in
.1828, through, I believe it was Spottsylvania in
Virginia, on my return to Washington. In compa
ny with some young friends. We halted at night
at a tavern, kept by' an aged gentleman, who I
quickly perceived, front the disorder and confusion
which reigned. had not the happiness to haven wife.
Aftera hurried and bad supper, the old gentleman
sat down by me and without hearing ,my, name,
hut understanding that I wax from Kentuckyoe-
Marked that he bail four sons in that State, and
that he was very.sorry they 'were divided in poli
ties, two being for Adams and two for Jackson; he
wished they were all for Jackson. Why'? I asked
him. Because, be said, that fellow Clay and Adams
had cheated Jackson out of the Presidency. Have
you ever seen any evidence, my old friend. said I,
of that! No, he replied. none, and he wanted to
Woe mine. But', I observed, looking hint directly
anti steadily in the face, suppose Mr. Clay were
to come here and assure you, upon his honor, that
it was all a vile calumny. and in t a word of
truth in it,would you believe him! No,rcplied the old
gentleman promptly and emphatically. I said to
him'in • conclusion, will you be good enough to
show me to bed, and hid• him good night. The
next morning, having. in :the interv al- learnt- my
'name, he came came to me full of apologies, but I
at once put him at his ease by assuring him that I
did notice! in the slightest degree hurt or offended i
with him.
Mr. President, I have been accused of ambitbin,
often accused of ambition. 1 believe, bowever,thaf
my_ acctisera, will.be_generally. found- to be political
opponents,or the friends of asp irants in whose way
I was supposed to stand, and it was thought there
fore-necessary-to-shove-me aside. I defy my ene
mies to point out any act or instance of my life, in
which I have sought the attainment of office by dis
honorable or unworthy 'means. Did I display inor
dinate ambition wheneunder the administration of
Mr. Madison,! declined a eireign mission of the first
grade,and an Executive Depart:tient, both of which
he successively kindly tendered to me? When.un
der that of his succeseor,Mr. Monroe,l was first im
portuned (as no one liiFieWiTiatter than that sterling
old patriot,Janathan Roberts, now threatimed,as the
papers tell us, with expulsion from an office which
was
,never filieirivith more honesty and uprightness
because he declines to lie a servile instrument,) to
accept a Secrete ryship.and was afterwards offered a
carte blanche of all-the 'foreign missions! At the
epoch of thd election of 1826.1 believe no one doubt.
ed at Washington that, .if I had felt it my duty to
vote for Gen. Jackson, lie would have invited me to
take charge of a department. And such unoubtedly
Mr. Crawford would have done,if he had been elec
ted. When the Harrisburg Convention assembled.
the general expectation was that the domination
would be given to me. It was given to the lamented
Harrison. Did I exhibit any extraordinary amlition
when, cheerfully acquiescing, I threw myself into
the canvass, end made every exertion in my Tower.
to insure it &Micas? Was it evidence of 'unchasten
ed ambition in me to resign, Oa I recently did, my
seat in the Senate—to resign the BictatorshiNwith
which my enemies had so kindly investedome, and
come home to the quiet walks of private life?
But I am tmkitious Weenie some of my country.'
men have seen fit to associate, my, name with the
succession for the Presidential office. Do those who
prefer the charge know what I have done.'or not
done, in connexion 'with that Object? Hive die) ,
given themselves the trouble to inquire at
all into any agency of mine in respect to hi -I be
lieve not. It is a subject which I approach with all'
the delicacy which belongs to it, and with a due re
gard to the dignity of tire, exalted station; but on
which I shall at the same time. speak-to you, my
friends and neighbors, without reserve,anti with the
utmost candor:
I have prompted none of those movements a
mong the people of which we have seen accounts.,
As far as! am concerned, they are.altogether'spon.
tanenus, and not only without Colleen with me,
but most generally, without any sort of previous
knowledge on my part, That I am thankful tind.l
eful—profoundly-grateful—for--those-manifes-•
tations of confidence and attachment, I will not
conceal or deny. But I have been and mean to
remain a passive if not indifferent spectator. I
have reached a time of life, and 'seen enough of
high official stations to enable me justly to appre
ciate their value, their csrespliteir • responsibilities,
their ceaseless" dutiel. That estimate' of their-I
worth; in a personal point of view, would restrain
me•from seeking to fill one; the higheaCtif them,
in a scramble of doubtful ,issue' with , political °P•
ponents, much•less with, political friends: That
I 'should feel greatly honored' by a call from' a
filajority .of the people of this country to the highest
office within their gift, I shill not deny; not if my. . 1
health were preserved, might I feel atfibeity4Ode.
cline a summons adauthorative and ion : nending,
- But I declare, most solemnly, that I have not. up
to this moment, determined whether - I will consent
to the use of my mime or. not as a candidate for
the Chief Magistricy. That, is a grave question,
which 'should be decided by. all attainable tights, •
which I think, is not necessary yet to be decided,
and a decision of which I reserve to myself, when
it ought to be solved. , period has not,'es I
think yet arrived: *hen it does. an impartial
`survey of the whole ground should be taker.; the
state ot public opinion properly considered, and
one's personal condition, .physical and intellectual,'
duly examined and weighed. •In their announcing
a course of conduct for myself, it is hardly neces
sary to remark that it is no part of my purpose to
condemn, or express any opinion .Whatever upon.
these popular movements which have been made,
or may be contemplated, in respeet to the next
election of a President of the United. States.
, If to have served my country, 'during along se •
ries of years, with fervent zeal and unshaken &deli
ty; in seasons of peace and war, at-horrie and. a...
broad,.in the Legislative Halls end in en Executive
Department—if .to have labored most seduously to
avert the embarrassment and distress which now
overspread. this Union; and when 'they came. to
have exerted myself . anxiously, at the. Extra Sea-.
lion arid at this, to devise healing remedies ; if to
have• desired to introdce economy and , reform in
the general administration, curtail enormous •Ex
ecutive power, and amply provide at the same time
for the wants'of the Government and the wants of
the People by a Tariff which would give it' rave.
nue „Bed . them _protection ; if to ,have -earnestly.
sought to 'establish the bright but too rare exam
ple of a party in power,-faithful to its promises and.
pledges made when out of power—if these services,
exertions and - endeavars justify the accusation of
ambition; I must plead guilty to the charge.
have wished .the good opinion of the world;
but I defy the most malignant of my enemies to
show that I have Otterepted to gain it by any low
or'grovellingarts, by any mean or unworthy sac
rifices, by the'irialatidn of any of the obligations of
honor, or by a breach of any of , the duties which
I towed to my country. I titm, Sir, from these per
sonal allusions and,reministerces,to the vastly more
important subject - of the present actuaLconditipn of
ttie country. If they could ever be justifiable or
excusable it would be on such an oecateon as this,.
when I ern addressing those to whom I am bound by
so Many intimate and friendly t -• • •
In speaking of the present state of the country,
it will be necessary for me to touch with* freedom
and independence upon the past as well as the
present, and upon the cenduct, spirit and principles
of parties, I doing this;l assure my• democratic
brethren end fellow-cit'zens, of whom I am told
there are many hero present, (and I tender them
my cordial thanks for the honor done me by their .
attendance here this day, _with as much •sincerity
I and gratitede as if they agreed-with l ine in political.
sentiment.) That nothing is Turthei from my intent
lion.than' to say one single word that"ought..to
wound their feelineor give offence to them. But .
surely if-theremier were a period in the progress
of any
- people when all were called upon, with
ealMness and candor, to consider thortimihly the
present posture pf public and private affairs, and
deliberately to enquire into Causes and remedies of
this unpropitious state of things,• we have arrived
at that period in the tinitelLStates—.And-ifiver-a
people stood bound, by the highest duties to them
solver and to their posterity, to sacrifice Upon the
altar of their country, cherished .prejudices and•
party predelictions and antipathies, we irenel, :
called upon to make the sacrifice if necessary. 1 .
What is our actual 'condition?
,Ttis'ene. tif.Mn.„
mxamidedrdistreturand'embarrassment, as universal
as it is intensi,pervading the whole com,nunity,and
!paring none. . Property of all kinds, and every
where, fallen and falling.in value; agricultural pro
duce of every description at the most red'uc'ed prices;
Money - unsound and at the same time scarcer and
becoming more scarce by preparations, of doubtful,
and uncertain issue, to increase its soundness; all
tWit departments of businesa inactive and stagnant;
exchanges extravagantly. high and constantly fluc
tuating; credit, public and privet", at the lowest ebb
and confidence lost; and a feeling of general-dis
couragement and depression. And what darkens the
gloom which hangs, over the country, no one can
discern any terminappp of this sad state of "hinge,
nor see in the future any glimpse of light or hope.,
Is not this a faithful, although appalling, picture
of the United States in 1842 1 I appeal to all pm
sent; Whigs and Democrats, Ladies and Gentle. I
men, to spy if it be at all too highly eitlorr , d.
Now let us see what was our real condition only
the short time of ten years ago. I had occasion, in
February, 1 832, in the Senate of the United States,.
when I was defending the American System against
the late Col. HAIN': of South Carolina, to describe
it; and I refer to this description as evidence of
whet I . believe to lie the state of the country at that
time. That itMonformed to the truth of the case,
I appeal with confidenre to those now present. On,
that occasion, among other things, I said:
•
"I have now to perform the more. pleasing task of
exhibiting an imperfect sketch of sthe existing ewe"
of the unparalleled prosperity of the country. On a
general survey', we behold cultivation extended, the
I arts flourishing, the face of the counirj, iniproved,
our people fully and profitably empinyed, mid the
public countenance exhibiting intrepidity, content
'
meat and happiness. And, it we descend into parti
culars, we have the a„, , treeablecontemp'ation ofa peo.
ple out of debt, land rising slowly in value, but in a
secure and salutary degree; a ready, thoughtiot
ex
travagant, market for all the' surplus productions of
our industry; innumerable flocks anti 'herds brows
ing and gamboling on tee Omand hale and plains,
covered with rich and verdant grasses; our cities ei
dainted, and whole villages springing tip as it were,
ry enchantment; our exports and riurtinports he.
encased and increasing; our tonnage, firreign'and
coastwise, swelling and fully occupied; the rivers or
our interior animated by the perpetual thunder and
lightning- of countl, ss steamboats- the currency
sountand abundant; the public debt of .two wars
neprl redeereed;_and.to.crownall, , the-public trea
sury overflowing, embarrassing Congress not to find
subjects - of taxation, but to select the subje'ets 'which
shall be liberated from the impost. It' the term of
seven yearaiVere_te_lte_selected, or the givalest_proit_
perity which this people have enjoyed, since the es
tablishment of their present Constitution, ii would
be exactly that period of seven years which imme
diately followed the passage of the Tariff a 1824."
The contrast in the state of the country, at the
two, periods'of 1832 ,and 1,842, is most remarkable
and startling. What has precipitated us, from that
great height of enviable prosperity down to the
lowest depths of pecuniary embarrassment? What
has occasioned the wonderful change? No foreign
foe has ;needed and desolated the country. We
have had neither famine nor earthquakes. Thai
there exists a cause there can be no doubt; and I
think it equally clear that the cause, whatever it
maybe, must be a general one; for nothing but a
general cause could have produced such wide
spread ruin; and everywhere we behold the same
or similar effects, every interest affected, every sec
tion of the Union suffering, all descriptions of pro
duce and property depressed in . value.. And whilst
I endeavor to find out that cause, and to trace to
their true source the disastrous effects which we wit.
ness and feel, and lament, f entreat the Democratic
portion of my audience, especially, to listen With
patience and candor, and dismissing for a moment
party Noses and prejuilkees, tikdeeide with impar- -
tiality and inc spirit of genuine 'patriotism.
It has been said by those high in authority,that the
People areto blame and not the Government; that the
dietresaes of the country 'have proCeeded from veva',
cation and ovekrading. The people have been even
reproached for exp_ectingtoo nittch from Government
and not relying sufficiently upon their own exertions.
And they have been reminded that the highest duty
of the Government is to take care of Itsell,leavieg the
People to shill for themselves as well ea, they can....•
Accordingly we have seen the Government retreatingi
from the worm which, it will beiteen irt the sequel,
itself created ondtaking shelter - 4 mine the .9 üb-Trea
saw That. there Nave been some speculation and
overtrading may be true; but all have n , t speculated
and overtraded; whilst the distress reaches, if not in
the same, degrees- the captious and the prudent, as
well as the enterprising and adventurous. , The er
ror of the argument cameos in mistaking the effect
rer'the manse. What predated
,the overfeeding?...
What was the cause of speculation? llow Were the"
people tempted to abandon the lndustrionsandaccurst
pursuits of life,and embark in-doubtful and perilous,
'but sedUchtgiaMterprizeri? That is the important
question.
Now, felledrhiltisene, I take upon myself to show
that the people have been.far less to blame than , the
• General Garernmentsind that whatever of error they
committed,was thenatural consequence:of theunwise
policy of their relent. To the action of Goirerriment`
is mainly Mbe sweribed the Aitiordera, elnbarrPo*
manta and distress which
all,fiave now so mush nsa
snn to depio'ee. Anti& be yet More speeificel think
they are to lee fitirlpattributed.to the
. actton or. the
Executive brauch.,ef the Federal Gorerioracut. •
. .„ .
'Threetitt4 or events,all happentegUbouttlie same,
lime, it Otertikamitdiate erects are, duly: othisidered,
will afford, aVeartind satisfactory solution dull the
PeceeittrY 3 ' kills which now unhappily sect Allis
etow.try, , 'NKfirit`waethe'veto 'or thereoharter of
the us thelji;',States; the second. Was the.remo ,
ci pb
tat , of ' erefepositelt. from that Hank. to local banks.:
And the third was the refusal of the.PreSideni of Mel
United States, by an arbitrary stretch of power, to
_OittionAe:passage of the Land Hill. -These events
e'ecurreth in quick succession, in , 18.32 , --33;' and each
of them deSerrapal
rticuar c o n s i dera ti on.
icl •
1. tiltitithe Batik of the United states Irad•fully 1
recovetetlViom its early adininistration, and at the
,period Vflt it was proposed to re-Charter it, if furl -,
unshed th e best currency that ever existed, possessing
not merely-unbounded confidence in the U.States,but
throughout the whole commercial siorlptits institu- - -
tion was ei)er more popular,and the ut - of a Bank
of the U.Statei Wasacknowledged by President Jack
son in his Veto' Message,in winch he expressly stated
tharlieriiiiiild 1104 suggested to Ctingress the . plan of
artunexceptionable charter, if application had been
made to him.. , Arid I state as alact e what many,( tun
sure, w4l lucre remember and sustain that during the
canvass theiii - gOing on for the Preardency,many of his.
friendi in this State tutie assurance that; in ti e'eveut
ofhisre•election, a J3:uik of the 'United States Wallet
he, establish...ol; It was held out to the people dines
better'ettraney 'should be supplied, and a more safe .
anti &Wife' execution - of the fiscal clUtiestowards the
Government would he performed by the local banks
than by the Bank of the United States, -
Whitt Witt Abe immeditute -effect of the overthrow
of that institution? The estabi i shment of innumerable
local banks,'.whiell'aptung up everywhere with a ra
pidity to which we catinotiook back withoutartnize
'meal. Areikotable document which 1 now bold iii
my bandjlielieve etirretrly 'sMtes that "in 1890 the
asSretMtsiiiidtitig capital of the'Union wa55145,190,-
268. ' Within tie yea; a slier, the removal of the de
litositeS, the banking capital had swollen to $331,250,;'
1 337. While theU. S. Bank was in eXistence,the lo
cal banks', net a spiring' to.the regulation of the cur
rency ,were chartered with small capitalCas occasion
and business required., After 1893, they werechar;
treed withnut neceisity,and multiplied beyond exam
ple:. in December 1837, there were no less tlitin 709
State Banitikr..,Nearly_four Itundre:d_bwaks sprung .up..
upon the ruins of the U. S. Bank oind $250,000,000 of
capital wee incorporated,to supply the uses formerly
itisclosoged by the $35„U00 000 of capital of the flank_
of the U.States. The impulse given to extrayngance
and speculation by this.etiormous increase of bank
ing capital Wei qklieked by the circulars of the Trea
sury Department to the pet State Banks that -were
trade the custodiers of the National Revenue."
A vast proportion of these new banks, more 1 be
lieve than four fifths,were chartered by the Legisla
tures in which the Democratic party had the undis
puted ascendsOicy. I well remember that!i this state
the presses. 01,4 hat patty made a grave charge against
me.of being inimical to the' establishment but of
State Banks; and fags opposed to their establish
ment,until all Prospect vanished of getting it United
States Bank.' The effect upon the country of this
sudden increase. to s u ch an immense amoont of the
banking capital of the country. 'could not fhil to be
very grentif not disastrous. It threw out, in the ut
most profusion, bank accommodations itt all the va
riety of formsowdinary book tiotes,post notes checks,
dratts,bills,&e. 'I lie currency Alms put 101111111 e peo
ple bad been assured was better - than 'that supplied
by the U. S. Bank; and after the removal of tlic de
noshes, the I.ocal Banks were urged and stimulated
by the Secretary of the I;i:ea:airy freely to discount
and accommodate upoti the basis of those deposites.
i Flooded as the country was; by those means fi l l in
this way,witli allapecies of batik inotiVjfiMilliieilitlea,,
is it_ surprising that they should have rushed into
'. speoidafion,and freely ,adVentured in the most drape;
rateenterpises? It would have been better to have
:ornitted them; it would have -been IWtierthat the peo
ple should hays been wiser end more prudent thaii
the but who is Most to blame, thriy,n ho
'Yieldee' to temptation so thrown out before them—
they who yielded 'confidence to their curers—they
who'coold not see when this inordinate issue of Illp
ivy was to cease, or to become vitiated; or Goverli
that It-- ted seduced and betniyed them? '
rvv-eitizens, do let us,in calmness mail
,or a moment to some of the meant
toyed to break alowla the U.S. Batik,
II the country all the_sad consequett ,-
, I. I shall not thip to expose the met
.tvca of the assault) upon that institution, and to show
dint it was because it refused to make itself basely - -
Intl servilely instrumental to the twomotion. of.polit--
jest views and objects.'Aie - Drilik - ii in's - denounced as
a monster, stiming,as - v aiftleclared,to rob.the people
of their libeities,and to subvert the government of the
-coot try. The Bank to subvert the Government!—
Why,how could the Batik continue to exist alter the
overthrow or that Government to which it,aasin
(fettled for its existentle, stud in -virtue of whu7ie-au
iliority it could alone successfully operate! Convul
sions, revolutions, civil wars, are tint.the social con
ditions most favorableto Bank, prosperie.i; but
flourish-most when order, law, regularity, pimetuali
iy.ntid soccessfut business prevail. - ,
Rob the pebple atheir liberties! And pray allot
would it do with them after the 'robbery was perpe
trated? It could act put them in its vaults, oe make
interest or profit upon them, the !endive; it not the
sole subject do Bank. And how could it destroy the
liberties of the peeple,w ithout, at the slime time, de
stroying the liberties of all tit-wins interested or con
' cerned in the Bank? What is a Dank? It is a eolith:
rntion, the aggregate of v. liose.ctip:tat ix couttilitited
by individual share-holdersond employed in lies ittii
ary operations, under the managoinent.of President,
Directors,CtialikWl'eller and Clerks. Now,all these
persons are usually citizens of the United Stitten.jost
as much interested in the preservation of the liber
ties of the country as shy other eitizeitn. What earth
ly motive could prompt them to seek the destruction
or the liberty of theie fellow-citizens, and with it
their own?
'fie Ede of the Bank of the United Stales clearly
demonstrated- where the real' dance to Alit; public
liberties exists. It was not the bunk. Its poptilari
ty had !welt great, and the conviction of its utility
strong and Rehml up to the period of the Bank Veto.'
Unbounded as was the - influence of President Jack
.arm, soul undisguised ashiis hostility was to the Bank.
he could not prevent the passage through Congress
of a bill to re-charter it. to such fitvor and esteem
week twill, that the Legislature of Pennsylvania, in
which his -friends. livid uncontrolled sway, almost
imattiteolisly recommended the re.yliarter. But his
Vt - to came; he Mew his whistle fir its destruction;
it was necessary to sustain his part., whickcould on-.°
ly be done by sustidoing liim,sind imtantly,and every
where-down with the ILA and !maxi-16r the Vct , t,
....
became the watchwords and the rallying cry of his
partizans. That same Legislature nt Petinsyltania,
now, with equal unanimity, apprOved the destruction
eau institution whieli they hail believed to be so
indisliensable to the Wilk prosperity, and deluded
people felt as if they had fortunately escaped a great
National calamity! •
The Veto notwithstanding., the House of Repre
sentatives, by a large majority, resolved that the pub
lic deposites were safe in the custody of the Rank of
the United States, where they were placed under the
sanction and hy tlw commantiof_thc lawp and-it--was
- weir known at Washington, that this resolution was
passed in anticipation and to prevent the possibilit)
tf their removal. In 4W face and in contempt of this
decision of the Representatives of the People, and in
violation of-a-positivelawytlie removal-was ordered
by the Preslifent a fear months after, the Secretary of
the Tress; ry haying;been previously himself reniov
ed to :accomplish the object. And this brings me to
consider the effect produced upon the interest of the
country by thy. •
2l event fn which I ',Sit. alluded. It k well known
to be the usage of 13a to act upon the standing
average amount of deposites as upon a permanent
feud. The Bail of the United States had so regula
ted its transactions Minn the dew - mites of the 101.ited
States, and had granted accommodations and extend
as far as could be safely done on that
basis. Thetleposites Sevre removed and dispersed
among various local banks, which were urged by an
mithofity not..likelv to be disregarded, especially.
when seconiling r as it did; their owro'pectiniary in
terests, to discount 'and accommodatefreely on them.
They did so; and thus these deposites performed a
double office, by being the basls of Bank facilities,
first, in the hands 0 the batik of the United/States,
and.afterwards itt 'the pnesession of the local hanks.
A Va.l addition to the circulation nt the colours: en
sued, to that illreatly so copiously put forth
by the multitude of new Banks, whirl' were spring
ing•np like mush-roans. Thisfspeculatiou and mer
trading should have followed were to have been na
turally expected. is surprising that there were
'riot more'. Pricesirose enormoubly.,avaiiodier ears
setpuencei wild thousands were tempted, as is always
the ease in advancing market, to hold on or to
make purchases , under the hope of. prices .rising
still higher.. \ A rush of speculators was made upon
the public Wide, and the money invested in their.
purchase, coming back. to the depoSite banks, was
apin and againicianed on' to the music or other spe 7
etilators,to make other and other purchasers..
Who . was to blame:for this hifloted and artificial
state of things? Who for. the speadation which was
its naturaltApringl The polies of Gmrernroent which
produced it, or the people? The seducer, or the se
diiced?, The People; who only used the 'means so
abutidantly - supplied in virtue ofilie ;Odic authority,
or our rulers, whose unwise polies tempted them in
to 1111110USepecuyimi! * . F
3. There was it measure. the passage.' or which
Would haie greatly mitigated this unnatural state
of things. It was not diffibult to forme alter the
Veto of the BankOnime of the consequence' that
would folloW; The multiplication of Banks, a su
perabundant ourrenity, rash, and inordinate ',peen.
lation,Vind probable ultimate suepaysion ofapeeie'
payments:, And the piddle domain waeloti.bril-
Haut and-tempting a prize not to be among the drat
objects that -would attract speculation.. In March
1833, a bill passed both Houses of Congiess to die. •
Iriblite among. the: States the proceeds of eales of
the public lands.' Itwas, a measure ofstrict jus
tice to - the States, and one of sound policy' as it ,
respects the revenue of the United States; but the
view I now rook° to take of it applies altogether , .
to the Influence which it would have upon
circulation and speculation. It was the corictitu
;
timid duky.ofthe President to have returned the
bill to Congress: MA his objections, if he was op.
posed, to it; or with his sanction if he approved it;
but:the bill fell by his arbitrarily withholding it
from Congrese. '
• Let us,here pause and consider what would have
been ,the operation of that most timely and saluta-
ry measure, if it had not been arrested. The bill
passed in 1633, and in a short time after,the sales
of the public lands were made to an unprecedented
extent; insomuch,. that in one year they, amounted
to $25,000,00Q, and in a few years to an ag.
gregate of about $50,000,000.: It was manifest
that, if this fluid so - rapidly accumulating, remain
ed in the custody of the local banks, in conformity
With the Treasury Circular, and with their inter.,
h:sts, it would be made the basis of bow loans, new
accommodations,fresh bank facilities.. It was man
ifest that, the same identicabsum of 'money might,
as it in fact did, purchase many tracts of kind, by
making the circuit from the: land offices to' the
banks and from the banks
,to the land offices, be
sides stimulating speculalion in other forms.
- Under the operation or the measure of the die.
that great flind would have been -semi
annually returned to the States & would have been
applied, under the. direction of their respective le
gislatures,to various domestic and useful purposes.
It would have fallen upon the land, like the rain of
heaven,in gentle; genial & general showers, pass
ing through a thousand rills, and fertilizing and
beautifying the country. Instead of being em
['toyed in purposes of speculation, it would , have
been .applied to the mien mon . benefit of the whole
people..Fintilly,when the fund had accumulated
was aceumblittirigin an alarming degree, it was
distributed among the States by the deposite act,
but so suddenly distributed in such large masses,
and to a inanner so totally in violation of all the •
laws and rules of finanre,thiit the crisis of suspen-
Sian in 1837 was greatly aCeeleiqed. This would
have been postponed, if. nqt altogether avoided, if
the handbill of 1833 had been approved.Scexecuted.
• To these three causes, fellow-citizens, the Veto
-of-the - Bank' of the - United States, with tlk CORSO
quent creation of innumerable local hanks, the re
moval of the deposites of the United States from
the 'Bank of th 6 United States, and their subse
quent free use, and the. failure of the land-bill or
1833, I verily believe, all, or nearly all of The pt
teuniary embarrassments Ofilte, country nre plain
ly attributable. If the hank-had been rechartered,
the public depe,sites %Offered to remain undisturb
ed where the law required them to be made,& the
land bill gone into operation, it. is my firm convic
tion that we' should have had no more individual.
distress & . ruin than is coninion,in brdinory & re;'
gular times, to a trading and commercial commu
nity. And do just now take a rapid review of the
experiments of our rulers. They began with in.
contestibly the best currency in the world; - and
promised a better. That better currency was to
be Applied ley the local banks; and, in the first
.stages of the experimein, after the removal of.the
deposites,
.they were highly commended-from
high authority, for the benefiei. 1, and" extensive
operations in exchange, the financial facilities
which they afforded to the. Government, &c. &c.
But the dayal trouble aoffdifficultY which had
been predicted, for the Want of a United States
4-3ank, came. They could pot stand -the shock,
bat gave way, and the suspension, of 1837 took
place.-- Then What Was the course of these same
rulers? They had'denouneed and 'put rdoWn 'the
the U.S. Bank:: It was monSter. They laud ex
tolled and lavished praises on the local
Now, they turned round against the
,objects
.of
their. Own creation and comthendation. Now - they .
were'? limed of little iininaters,,corrupt amt.-cur.*
rolling, with separate privileges, preying neer' the
vitals of the State. They vehemently mill out ftir
it divorce of Stateeind Bank, and meanly retreat
.lug under the Sub-Treasury, from a storm - which
theniselves;hael-raist..elrleav i ng.thepeupletoruffcr
_under all its kiting and pitiless rage, they add in
sult to injury, by telling them that they unreason
ably expect . toomuch-from„Government,thatthey .
must take= cureellheenselves, and that it is, 1.)).
highest and most patriotic duty of a•frecGoverti 7
mein to take care.of itself,without regard .to.thie
sufferings and distresses of the people;
They began With the- best currency,promised a
better, and ended by'gleing none!..Por-ive might,
as well resort to-the costumes ()four original par
ents in the Gurtien'of Eden,Jonttempt in this en
lightened age, with, the example of the whole-corn
.mercial world holier°. us, to cramp this energetic
and enterprising people by a circulation exclusive
ly eiftlic precious metals. Let us see how the mat
ter stands with us here in Kentucky, and I believe
we stand as w.Chl as-the people; do in most of the
States. We laws a circulation in Bank notes a.
mounting to about two millions arid a half, found
ed upon specie in the vaults amounting to about
one million and a quarter, half the actual circula.
tion. Have we too much money? [No, no! ex
claimed sunny voices.] Hull Banks were put doivn
end all paper annihiletted,we should have just.onc
half the money that we now have. I am quite
sure that une of the immediate , causes of our pre-
sent difficulties, is a defect in quantity as well as
the quality of our circulating medinin. And it
would be impos4 hie, if- we,were reduced to such
a regimen 'as is proposed, by the hard-moneyed
theorists, to avoid stop laws, relieflaWs, repodia
bankruptcies, and perhaps civil commotion. -
1 have traced the principal causes oldie present
embarrassed condition of the the country, I hope
with, pander arid fairness, and without giving.oe
fence to uny of my fellow.citizens, who may have
differed in political opinion from me: It would
.have been ,fiir more 'agreeable to my feelings to
have dwelt, as I did in 1832, during the. third year
of the first term of President Isekson's Adminis
tration, upon bright and elteerilig prospects ofgen
eral prosperity. I thought it useful to contrast
'that period with the present one,and to inquire in
to the causes which have brought upon us such
a sad and dismal reverse: A much more inipor
hint object remains to me to attempt, and that is,
to point out remedies finexisting evils & disorders.
rich 'tiro first.] would .suggest requires the co
operation of the Government and the People—it
is economy DWI frugality; strict. and persevering
economy, both in public tied private affairs. Gov.
ernment should incur or continuo no expense that
can be justly 'or honorably avoided, and individu.
l eis slieuld do the same. The prosperity ,of the
country has been impaired by causes operating
throughout several years, and it will net be restor
ed in a, day or yeur,.perhaps not in a_peyied, less
than it has taken to destroy it, But we must nor
only be economical, we must be industrious, inde
futigably industrious. An immense amount of
capital has been wasted'and squandered in vision,
ry or-unprofitable enterpriae,.pu idle and private.
linen be reproduced by littler road saving. •
The second remedy which I would stsgest,and
that with Out which all others must prove abortive
pr ineffixtual,is a sound currency,of unitnim val
ue throughout the Union, & redeemable in specie
upon the donned:orate holder. I know of but one
modeler which thatobject can be accomplished,,
and that has stoi.d the test of time and practical
experience. 'fatty other,cati be devised than an
U. S. Bank, which should be safe anff certain, &
free from. the in fl uence of Government, and espe
dially net under the control of the Executive de.
.Partment, I should, for-one, gladly see it embrac
ed. I am not exchesiVely wedded toe U.S. Bank,
nor do I desire tii see ono establisled against the
will and without the consent of the People. But
all my observation and reflection ha t ve served to
strengthen aim confirm my conviction, that such
an institution emanating from the authority of the
GencrielGoverepent,properly restricted & guard
ed, With such improvements as, experience bus
pointed out ,
. can alone supply a reliable currency.
Accordingly, at the Extra Session, a bill passed
both houses of Congress, which, in my opinion,
contained an excellent - charter, with one or two
slight•defects, which it was istended to curb by a
supplemental bill, if the Veto hatl.not been exer
cised. -That charter contained two new, and ig
think admirable features; one was to separate the
operation of issuing a circulation. from that of
banking; confiding these faculties"' to different
boards. ' and the other was to limit the dividends
of thebinit, bringing,the excess, beyond the pre
sent.preseribed amount, into the public treasury.
In the preparation of the - charter, every sacrifice
was made to accommodate it, especially in regard
to the branching power; to the. reputed opinions
of the President. But instead of Teeting us in a i
' mutual spirit of conciliation, he fired, as was apt
ly said by. a Virginia editor, upon the flag of truce
from the capitel.
Congressibeing anxious to fulfil the expectations
of the people k a. Bank bill was prepared, in confor
mity with the plan ofa bank sketched by the acting.
~Presidentin iisVeto messageeter a previous con
sultation between him and some • distinguished.
members of Congress, and t(vo loading members
of hie cabinet. The bill. was eloped in precise
conformity tehieriews,as communicated by thOse
members of.the Cabinet,ond as communicated to
othere,Und . wairernhinittedetv hiS inspection after it.
Wes no prepared; and he gave assurances that he
would approve such •a bill. I was no party to the
transaction,but 'I donut entertain a doubt of what
I state. The bill passed both houses of Congress.r
without any alt4ation or ainenchnent'whatever.
and the Veto was again employed.' . •- • .
'l s t is painful, for _meto advert to a grove occur- ••
rence k =irked by. such dishonor and bad faith.
•Although, the President * through his reeognlzed
organ; derides aud . donounces the Whigs, and dis
owns being one; although he administers the Ex,
ecutive branch of the. Government in contempt of
their feelings and in violation of their principles;
and although all.whem he chooses to have demon
inated • as ultra Whigs', that is to 'say the great
body of the. Whig pal ty,have come under his ban,
and those of them in office ate threatened with h is
expulsion, I wish not to say of him one word that
is not due to truth and to the country. I will,
however, say' that iti o nly opinion, the . Whigs can-.
not.be justly held responsible for his administra
tion.Of the Executive departinent, for the mea
.surea•lie-niiiy recommend, or for his failure to re
commend others, nor esp9cially for the manner in
which he distriblites . the public patronage. They
will do • their duty,,l hope, towards the country,
and render all good - Mid proper support to Govern- .
went; but they ought not , to' be held accountable
tot hip conthict. They elected him, it is true, but
for another, o ffi ce, and he aura into the present
one by a lamentable .visitation of Providence.--
There had been no such instance occurring under
the Government. If the Whigs were :bound. to
scrutinize his opinions. in reference to an offide
which no one ever afiticipited liawould fill,he was
bound hi honor. 'and.good faith to - ffeeline the Har,
risburgnoinination,,if he could not conscientious
ly co-operate with them in sustaining the..princi:
pies that brr ught him into office. Had the Free!:
dent who was dlccted lived, had that honest and
good man, en whose face, in that picture, we now
gaze, beim spared, , I feel_ perfectly confident that
all the measures which the principles of the Whigs
authoebed the country to expect,ineiuding a Bank
of the United States, would have been curl ied out,'
But it may be , said that a sound curreney,such
as I have described, is , unattainable during the'
administration of Mr. Tyler. It will be, if it
can only he obtained through the instrumentality
of a Bank of the U.States, unless he changes his'
opinion, no he has done in regard to. the luncLbill.-
- Unfortunately, our Chief Magistrate possesses
more power, in some respects, than a King or
Q.neen of England. The crown is never separated
om 'the nation, but is obliged to conform to its
will. If the Ministry holds opinions adverse to
'the nation, and is thrown' into minority_ in the
House of Commons, the crown is Constrained to
dismiss the Ministry, +&. appoint one whose °pin
icina coincide with the nation. . This, Queen Vie.
toria has recently been obliged to do; and not
merely to cliangeAlie Ministry, but to dismiss the
official attendant upon her person. But here-, the
President.holds•opiniona adverse to that of' Con
' gresS and the nation upon important public meit.
sures, and there is no remedy but upon the periodi
cal return °Nile rights of tine ballot box.
-:Anotins remedy, powerfully demanded bf the
.necessities of the times, an i requisite.th maintain
ing the'currency 'in u sound state,ia a Tariff which
will lessen importations from abroad, and tend to
increase supplies at home from domestic Induetry.
I have so, often expressed my views on this sub-'
ject, and soreeently in the , Senate of the U. States,
that I do not-think- there ienny„oceasiondor my-
I enlarging upon it at this time. I do not think That.
a high tariff is riceessary,liut one that shall insure
an - adequate .revenne,and reasonable protection;
and it so happens that the ititerestabfthe Treasury . .
and the wants of the people now perfectly ceineide,
-Union its our highesland greatest hiterest., No
one can look beyond its dissolution without horror
and dismay.. harmony, is essential to the preaer.
vatioirof the [Wen. It was the leuding,althOugir '
not the only motive, in proposing thp compromise
act, to preaerve that harineny, The power of pro
tooting the interests of our own country_saniieVerd
be surrendered to.foreign natione,withofit a culpa
ble dereliction of duty.. Of this trutli,.all parts of
the. tuition are every day becoming more and more
ensible.- - Irrtireirreautlihejliis indispensable pow..'
er should be exercised with a discretion & inoder.
etion, and in a' form least calculated to revive pre.
indices ; or to check the progiess . of reform noiv
going on ire publicopinion.
In connexion with a system of 'remedial mea.-
sdres.l only - allude without ping.tod well
d
on the distrihntion bill,thai just and equitable set
tlement of a great National question,whicir sprung
up_durink.the-Revolutionary - Warm 1101 has seri
ously agitated-the country; and which it is deeply
to
.be regretted,had not been settled - ten years ago,
as then praposed: Independent Of nil other con
siderations, the fluetTktion in the receipts from
sales of the public lands. is so ,great and constant,
that it is a resource on which the General Govern
ment' ought not to rely for revenue. It is far bet
ter that the advice of a Democratic land Commit
tee of the. Setinto,at the head of which was-the,ex
perieneed.and diqinguished ingiofAlabanni,
given some years ago, should be followed, that: the
Federal Treasury be replenished with duties on
import , , without bringing into it any part of the
land mad.
I have thus suggested measures of riliceadapi
ed to the present state of the countiy,' and 1 hav
noticed sonic of the differences which unfortunate.
ly exit t between the two leading parties into which
our people are unhapfdly - divided. Lt considering
the qiio , tion whether the commis of the one or the
other of those parties are wise.4,and best calcula
ted to advance the interests, the honor, and the'
prospority of the diation,which every citizen ought
to de,wc should discard ull passion iiiiirkejuilice,
and cx,reiscos lilt - as possible,a pet feet impartiali
ty. And we shouretnuteuntine our attention 1110.T
ly tot particular measures which those parties
respci lively espouse or oppose, but extend it to
their ••eneral course and conduct, and to the spirit
and purposes by which trey are sniinxted. -We
should anxiously enquire whither shall we be led
by following in the lead of the one or the other of
those parties—shall we be tarried to the achieve.
merit ‘tf the glorious destiny, wlikilt patriots here,
and the liberal portion of mardtind eyery w here,
have fondly hoped awaits no? or shall we. inglori
ously terminate our carecr,by adding another mel
ancludy einmplcof the instability of human
and the folly with which bele-government is ad
ministered?
- I do nut arrogate to myselfmore impartiality,or
greater, freedom from party bias, than belong to
ether men; but unless I deseive Myself, I think I
have reacluld4l time afire, and am now in u posi
tion of retirement,trom which I can look back with
calmness, and speak, 1 hope, with candor and jus
tice. Ido not intend a general contrast between
the two parties, as to zheiZ course, doctrines and'
- spirit - Thitt would fie tin) expensive and laborious
an undertaking for the occasion, but I purpose to
specify slew recent instances, in which, I think,
our political opponents have exhibited a spirit find
bearing, disorganizing and dangerous to the per
manency and stability of our institMions, and I
invoke the serious and Holum attention to them, of .
all who are here assembled.
The first I would notice is the manner in which
Territories have been lately a,dinitted,as States,in.
to the Uniom---The early and-r - Ogular practice of
the Government .vas for Congress to puss previ.
nusly a law authorizing a Convention, regulating
the appointment of members to it, specifying the
qualification* of voters, &c. In 'what way most of
the States were received. Of late, withoutany
previous Sanction er authority from Congress,sek•
end Territories have proceeded of themselves to
call Conventions, forth Constitutions, and demand
admission into the Union; and they were adinittAl.
I do not deny that population and condition . enti.
tied then/ to admission; bht I insist:that it should
have been done in the regular andestablished mode.
In the case of Michigan, aliens wore allowed to
vote, as aliens have been allowed to became pre.
emptioners fettle public lands. And a majority in
Congress sanctioned the proceeding.. When for
eigners are naturalized and incorporated, as citi.
zens,-in our community,they, are entitled to all the
privileges, within the limits of the Constitution,
which belodzs to a .native horn citizen; and, ifne.
cessary, they shotild be protected, at home and a.
broad--the thundezef our artillery 'Should roar, as
louland effectually. in their defence as if Weir
birth were upon American soil. 'cllßut icashint+tit
think it wrong and hazardons,to allow aliens,who
have just landed upon our shores.who have not yet
renounced their allegiance to Foreign potentates,
nor sworn fidelity to otir constitution, with all the
influences of monarchy and anarchy about tbere,to
participate in our elections,St affect our
.9. The New Jersey Elm:titan—the great seal of
the State and the decition of the local euthurPl us
were put aside by the House of Representativesok •
a majority thus secured to the Dernocratic party.
• 3 Nullification, which is nothing4nore er less
than an aesumption by one State to abrogate with.
in its limits ti law passed by 26 States in Congress
assembled. •
4. A late revolutionary attempt in Maryland to
subvert the "existing Government. without any
.authority oflaw. . ••• ••
5. The refusal oft minority in the Legislature
of Tennessee to co-operate with the majority (their
Constitution requiring the presence of two-thirds
of the members,) to execute a positive injuction of
the-Constitution of the U. S. to appoint two U; S..
Senators. In principle,that refinial was equivalent
to announcing the willingness of that "minority to
dissolve the:Union. 'For,lll3 or l 4 of the 26 States
were to . refuse altogetherto elect SeMitors, a dis.
solution of the Union•vvould be the •consequenee.
That minority. for weeks together, and time after
time, deliberately refused to enter •urintthe elec.
lion. And, if , thelinion ie not in factdissolved,il
is not because the priieiple involved would 'not lead
to a dissolution, but•beCunsa 12 or 13 other States
haye not like themselves refused to perform ahigih
constitutional duty. And why did they refusel
- because they apprehended the election to
the Senate of political opponents. The seats of the
two Tennessee Senators in the U. StatesSenatiaile
now vacant, and Tennessee has no voice in that
branch . of the general legislation. Oneof the high
cet compliments which 1- ever received was to have.
been appointed, at a popular meeting ln Tennes.
see, ono of her Swink conjunction -with-a die- -
tinguislicd Senato"froin 'Su - nth Carolina, with all
the authbrity that such an aPpointment could be.:
stow. I repeat here amexpresnion of my (tawny- .
t tea a i t g a n s ed a w K l e ie n ri tu l ck g y ave ir At a
generalt l," and
g m h y .l
lodgments for an honor,' which most ambitiously
s
uP
Senator. y
• 6. Theo there is repildiation,that foul stain upon the •
American eharacter,east chiefly by Democrats of
iisissippiartid which it will require, years to efface
from our bright escutcheon.
7. The stipport given niEsecuilve osurpation,and
he-expungirig the records of the Senate of the U.S.
8. 'the.recent refusal of State legislatul•es to pass
laws to carry iota effect the Act of Distribution: An
' Act of Congress, passed aceordiegthall the forms of
the constitution,afterample discussion and deliberate
eimaideratioisitund of the lapse of teflyea vs from the
period it was first proposed. It is the duty of all to,
submit to the laws reglarly passed. They may at
tempt to get them repealed; they have a right to test
their validitymbinission to them is not merely a con-'
stitutional and legal,but a Moral duty: In this case it
is true that those who refuse to abide by diem duly
bite their own noses. But it is the principle of the
refusal to which I 'call your attention. 'lf a minority
may refuse compliance shit one law,what is to pre
vent minorities front disregardingsall IoW?- - 1s this
any thing but a modification of nullification? Whit
right have the servants of the people (the legislative
bodies) to withhold from their 'masters their asSigri
ed rpotas of a great public fund?
9. 'file last ,though lupins Ica st,instan ce of the Man
.ifestatiomordisorganiiiition-whieb-,1 phial- notice; is--•
the recent convulsion irrllhode 'slink!. That little •
hut gallant and potrititic State lad a barter derived
coin ti British King,in operaticin between one mid to o
hundred years. N There had been; engrafted upon it
laws and it's: gra,fromlime to time, and altogether a
practieal Constitution spirant? 41N:which tarried the
SisiZdts one of the glorious thieteen,through the Res.
ollithrmand brought her safely into the Unmn. Under
it lice Greens and Perris and other distinguished,
.men,were born and rose to eminence. The Legisla
implied called a collreldioll to remedy whatever de
fects it ha d.sorlto atilt p 1 it to the progressive i mprove
ments of the age. lit that writ It of reform the Doer
Party.might lave co-operated; Li:tarot chosing to co
operate:, and in ,wanton detitthee .of all established
a ntliority,they uialertook,subsettuently,to csil another
Convention. The remit' was two Constitutions, not
clesseidially differing op the principal voint of cFm
lroversy, the night of suffrage. ' '
• Upon submitting to the people that which was for
med by the regular conveittion,a small majority vo
ted against itprodueed by a tudomin casing votes,be
-tween the Doer party unit some of the friends of the
old Charter who_were opposed - to any change. The
other Cottitittition being also submitted tit the people,
an as nmjerity.yoted for it,--.made up of every
ption of votes; legal nod illegnl, by proxy and
otheriVist ,takthrin the most irregulsr aind unauthor
ized matinee. The Dom party proceeded to put their
Constitution iwoperatinti,hy electing him astite Go
vernor of the:. State,metninera to the mock Legislature,'
- and other ollieers:,- Bid:they
,did riot stop here; they
Proceeded, nreollect,to drill and to marshal a
and poitded their etottion against the Arson
al of the State. The. President was called upon to in
iterpoSe the power rif tin Union to preserve the peace
of the State; nr conformity with an es press. provision
Of tire Federal • Constitution. Asul - I halve as much
_pleasure_in_expressingtny optnion.thut limfaithfully
-performed-histhrtr-in-restranding to that call, as it
gave pie pain to be obligjd to uotrinuchert on other
parts of his conduct. 'Flue luau tug pressesof the Loco
Poco party at IYashing,ton,_Alltativ,lWV_Yealcand
ieliniond and
‘ enteo liere,eutruni °urn) support [ldle
Do.
Do. r part symeouraging them in their work of. Rebel.
hots and Tress nu. And when matters had got to .a
crisis & the wo pieties were preparing for chi' war
and every - hbur it was eXperted (0 IdaZe cut, st_grest
Tammany meeting Was held in the City of , l , l.lYork,
beaded•by the leading men oftlie-purty,the Catnbrer;
longs, the Vanderpoels,the A Ileits,fsce. with a:perfect
kstow ledefethat ilte milititry power of the Union was
to InTeniploved,if neeessary.to suppress the insurrec.
tiou,andaiolw i I listand nig, they passed resolutions ten
inT,„ to itwe the President fk•to countenance St. cheer
the- rreilholl. Forionstely,itinulters:of theDorr party
abandoned their Chief: IM fled and 'Diode Islatitl,ute•
aldctl I tv an y' : ; e to:d 'force of- the Federal authority,
proved herself able alone to maintain law under the
government n ithin her herders.- -Ido net attribute
re my tidlow-cilizeoltereassembletlfrom whom 1 dif
fer in opinion any disposition to coil:4 , ounce the rev
olittionarr proceedings in It hod,i Isintitl. I do not Ite
hove t h at they sports e it. Ido not believe Alutetheir
p arty getter: Ily could improve itatomairne of the otht r
evatopirs of a ,r.iCit of iliso..g.:noz ifion which I 11111 e
eallalerated; hal the inisfortinie, is, in time of high
part% exeitentent tint the leaders svinniiit themselses
and commit the body of their psi ty, who per
ceive that ocless they stand by mid stistaio their lea
ders, n disisiriu uml ja.rhallS.deStrarlioll of the party
Would be tin consequence. t •1' all the springsollionisn
action lit lTt Iv ties ate pellet ps the most powerful.. In
wrest hats been supposed to he nr;re so,but party ties
nee more MMus ti I I Ila-VSSthe,' pre regarded' MIS
molif te .,l t toot imaginary interest: Under their sway
We have seen not only indivichols.lnat a lode conrinu
dine!' ahalld ,a their long , elierished interest. mid pHs
'ciples and nun round a ,i 1 oppose them withviolence.
Di•l the is I.:Alio:1 in Itlinde Island find Gar its support
it i'reeedeid t at:110'511ml by the mujoi its fn Congsess,
' •of T -rritori •-
in the irregular ntiorissintt s. es as States
dish the Ultimo° wliuh I have hereunto alluded? Is .
there not reasonto fent• that thin example Which Con.
'cross had l u res Musty presented eitcoursged the RhOde
Island rebellion?
It has beettld , elllld. , ll to defend tttot rebellion upon
the .:Metellies of the -Ann ricait D duration of hide
lcmde.iee,hut nn c m itettance to it can be fairly deriv
ed from them. 'Villa declaration aSserts,it is true,that
whenevei , n governmeitt becomes'illlrstructive to the
enuls.of I ifs;, liberty toll the popgun or happiness, for
the security of which it was instituted, it is du right
of the people to niter or Idol ialt it and institutes new
loverwitent; and Si undoubtedly it is. 111111 this is a
' meld only to be exerci•ed in gl'ar'e nf extreme cases.
.Prudence indeed will dictate,' stiy s that s encrusted
Mat riiroent,4lint Carerldlleal long . establisWerl
not be changed lot-light and transient causes.' But'
abet; a long train of:II n+t•stiud IlSarladions,pursuing
i o vurialdy the same object, evince a design to is duce
(twos under alt absolute despotism, it is their right,
- their duty to throw ofr such government.' Will it be
pu etended that the nennil Government of Rhode Isl
and is destructive of life,liheriy• or the pursuit of hap
piness? Tlut it has perpetrated a long- train of abuses
' and smorpations,puratting_titesatsiolhrapw,te object,.
to reduce the people :dater ithmints desprmsm? Or
tharatte other rause of coniplaint:esisted but such as
:night he petteefisily remedied, a itbout violence and
without, Wood? Such as,in pint of faettlie legitimate
Goverlintrit had regularly munitioned I(C:invention
to redress, but for the result of whose deliberations
the restless 'spirit of disorder and rebelling had not
the patience to wait? Why,felloW-citizens,little "Ma
rty ((Ind bless and metiers e her!) is one of the most
proquerouS; - enterprising told etilightesied Statessin
the Union. Nowhere is lite, liberty and property
more perfectly sectire.
Fellow-citizens: I !MAT enumerated these examples
of a sinngerous spirit or disorganization & disregerd
of law, svith no purposeof giving offence or exciting
hitter and unkind feelings here or els'ew here; but to
illustrate the principles, character and tendency of
the two great monies iuto which Mir:country is divi
!led. Itrall• these ex:similes die-Democratic party, as
it calls itielf,(a denotninatiawto which I respectfully
think it has not the least just pretension,"cirluirge por
tions of that intrty,estending to a hole States, united.
with apparent cordiality. ro all of thens the Whig
party was constantly and firmly opposed. And now ,
let me'risk youi,itu f all candor antkincerity,to say truly
and impaiitally to %Odell of these two parties can the
interests,the ha lbbies:rand the di Allies ofthis geoid
people he most safely confided? l appeal eopecully
Had with perfect confidence, to the saindor of the real,
the aticientand long-tried. Democracy—that old 'k
ind:Henn party With whom 1 stood side lie side during
same of she darkest days of the Republic, in seasons
of hotly War and Peace. • '
Fellow-citizens tf all parties! The present situa
tion of our country is one of unexampled distress and
difficulty; but there is no occasion (bratty desponden
cy. A kind and bountiful Provideace has never de
serted us•
and 0111 misdeeds, We have a warted
ri mo nished uktiejterhaps,lias for our neglect
ofbie
and fertile soil, a genii, r olimat t and free institutions.
Our whole laud as covered, in prefasion, 1011 i -the
means of subsistence and the comforts of. life. Our
gallant Ship ,it is unfortunately true,litis itelpless,tosa
ed ono tempestuous sea,amidst the conflicting billow a
of contending parties, withntit;st rudder and Yiiithout
a faithful pilot. But that Ship is our eotntrye:M
ing all pastglory, a!! our true hopes. Its crew is our
whole people, by whatever political denomination
they are known. Ifs e goes own,they , all go down
together. Let us remember the dying worth of the
gallant Lawrence—" Don't give, by the Ship!" 'The
Klorlotts banner of our canary, with its Stars - and
Stripes, still prinidly floats at its mast head. Wiih
mom hearts and i istrong arms, we can surmount all
diWiculties. Let, us ali.-01--rally around that Ban.
ner,lind firmly resolve to perpetuate our liberties_
Mitt regain our lost prosperity.
Whigs! arouse front the ignoble supiniMess which
encompasses yotta wake fromthe.leduiiitr,ln which
you lie hot-mil—cast 'from yeti that unworthy apatliv
which seems to make you indifferent to the fate Or
your ebuntry—arouse, awake ! shake` Off the dew
drkips that glitter on your garments, and once more
Marclf to Bmtle and to ViCtory! You have beendis
appointed, deceived; betrayed, shamefully deceived
and betrayed. But will you therefore also prove false ,
and faithless to yotic couittry7tr obeY the impulses of
just and patriotic indignation? As for Captain Ty-
ler, lie is a mere santr=a flash in. the pan; pick your
AVtlik . flints and try your rifles again? - •