Indiana American, Volume 4, Number 16, Brookville, Franklin County, 15 April 1836 — Page 2

once or two withdrew hi? motion to excuse Mr. Adam, which had created such a castigating'from Mr. Peyton. Mr. Wise now renewed his motion that Mr. Ad imp he required to vote giving as a reason that he wished to test the House and see whether a man could he made at three o'clock upon Gods holy day to do an unholy act. Mercer, of Virginia, follwed, hold, eloquent and for the first time that I have seen him very much excited. Some of the majority called him to order. He was not out of order and said that during the 19 years in which he had been in this House he had not been called to m-.ler so iikh Ii as during the present session in

no single rase of which he had been out of order." There is. said he, no Congress in the world that compels a man to legislate upon the Sabbath dav. For myself, said he. I have staid here onlv'to protect my friend, (alluding to Mr. Graham) who is suflTering from oppres sion and to see justice done lum 1 win spenu the lat drop of my blood. Bynum, of North Carolina, then took the floor, full of fury and excitement, far more so than I had ever seen him before. He accused the minoiitv of being solicitous of revolution and rebellion, and said that their acts were wanton, bloody and that soon it would be necessary to calf the Military to support the majority. No man among the minority could avoid" rebuking the remarks of this exrited partizan. The worst of motives and the basest objections were charged upon them, hi a man who of all others should have refrained from making the charge. The minority could not hear and no sooner had the Carolinian taken his seat than two or three members sprung for the floor which was obtained by ' nry A. Wise. The Virginian began by saying there was no reason under Heaven that could be given for engaging in this business upon God s dav. The day was holy and the acts abominable. We are prostituting ourselves to the vilest purposes. And all for what? Because the mandate of the party has gone forth. ou must do your masters business and then you mav go home? Yes, sii.our acts of legislation are fixed. We are to admit this pete boning member upon the floor of Congress we are'then to pass the Appropriation Dills and then to adjourn finally without doing other business, and return to our constituents. And w-hv must we fo home. We are telling too many trnins. anu in i o i,h.i . ...... must be gagged or else go home, at the expense even of going home themselves, and thus has this weak. down trodden, beaten and bound minority been served by the majority . The v are not" satisfied that majorities shall votc and manorities debate. No. But bv the sole exercise of power we are to be overcome and by this unparalleled abuse of right, as well as this merciless, unrelenting and tyranical majority, and yet I must say they are the weakest and most dribbling majority 1 had ever seen. Bynum much excited here interrupted Wise calling him to order. The Speaker permitted Wise to proceed, and no one around me could understand ior what he was called to order then or therefore.-Wise confined speak-in"-, and Bvnum to stand upon the floor. In - in-tmi-nt lie called Wise to order a second. and a moment after a third time. Wise grew excited and protested against thi interruption. Bvnum grew angry, and said that the Virginia" member had insulted him. and if he wished to insult him let him do it without the Hall. Wi"-e denied that he hail insulted him. and evidently he had not bevond saying that the Van Buren nartv were tvrannal. Ivnum furious as a madman sa:d that though Wise should and bad orcould bnllv all the mem bers of the House, he hould not hull v him. Wise resumed, bv sa ing with his face tow ards lh mini, "I should as soon think of bully ing a tlv as the member from North Caroli na.'' Bvnum in a paroxysm cried out Scound 'n ik are a but hi. iso who was in the same row nf seats with a half dozen desks be tween them at each of w Inch some Member was sitting, now shook his list at Bvnum and endeavored to get at him crving in a loud voice at the same time "Iok are a damned rascal a little mean, conti mptibU ''.'" Tc confusion was now immense in all parts of the House. The slumbering were awakened from their sloop the House aroused from all stupor two, or three members- had hold ol Wise to keep him from Bynum. A motion was m ide to adjoin n wiioh was not in order. The Speaker, much excited and frightened out of liis wits, as were indeed a multitude of others who expected in a moment to see the Halls of Congress converted into an are na ot of blood shed and riot. The Speaker said that under all the circumstances of the casthe felt authorized to put the question of adjournment. There had been causes, he rein irked, in w hich, under like excitement the House had adjourned, w here the Speaker left the Chair even without an adjournment. The Question of adjournment was put and carried, judging from the atlirmative answ ers by two thirds of the Members. A division was called; before it was put. however, Mr. Mercer, a kind hearted, intelligent and noble Virginian took the floor as much excited as any around and begged the House in the name of heaven not to adjourn and leave things as they were. I ask, said he, the consent of the House the unanimous consent of the House to address them. "Agreed" 'agreed' agreed resounded in all parts of the Hall. All was silent as the grave. A moment before all had been noise and confusion. Wise and Bvnum both setting dow n in quiet when Mercer appealed to them and the House for'a reconciliation. He called the attention of Bynum first to the charges which he had brought against the minority of the House, accusing them of rebellion, -ic. He appealed to the members of the House in the name

of their country and in the name of God and humanity to prevent these two men from engaging in a further contest. He exhorted Wise w horn he said was the son of a man whom he loved as a brother, to do what he could do honorably to bring about a reconciliation. He cited cases in the Drittish Parliant'iit between Althrop and Shields, and other cases also, where a reconciliation honorable to both parlies had been made. He spoke feelingly upon the importance of settling this matter before the House adjourned and begged of all persons to aid in this work of renconcilation. He suggested that each of the two members who had been engaged in this personal dispute should rise and at once and say that they would pursue this quarrel no further, ilis pleading proved not in vain and every American must feel that they owe him a debt of gratitude for preventing blood shed upon God's holy day. Thomas ofMaryland, Richard M. Johnson and John Q. Adams, also begged hard nf the two members to be reconconciled.

For nivself 1 could have embraced either of these men for the part they have took in healing these dishonarable wounds inflicted, not upon two members of Congress oily, but each member of the House, and the whole nation. Doth of the members were reconciled before adjournment. I !i:ivo no room nor time to write more of this unhapy and disgraceful midnight and Sabbath mornig session. 1 have some comments to make which I wlil send you to-morrow. JIoxnu EvEM.w. Both Houses of Congress have been calm as a summer's morning for the day. Rives of Virginia, has been Expunging in the Senate while the House have been occupied in the still further consideration of contested Flection. Washington March 20th. The House has been in a state of the utmost confusion the whole day. The contested election of New land versus Graham has been up for discussion, New land occupied the first hour in his own defence. Mr. Peyton of Tennessee then took the floor denying that the Previous question was in order He con tended that there w as no question before the House and argued that no report had been presented from the committee on contested Elections. I hat which purported to no a Deport was not one in fact. And why? Sure enough whv. Let the facts be known and undetstood by the people. Let them ferret out the men who have taken part in these proceedings. Mr. Peyton stated that the Keport from the committee was not a bona fidi ueporl. Jl nail nut one oi ine vommmee men in the majority, and one of these men had not consented to the full R port which had been prt settled lo the. II vise. There w ere certain contingencies. I lie lact was no sooner nnounced bv the Tennessee member when a loud demand was made in all parts of the House for order. From this movement until the hour of adjournment, great confusion prevailed. Questions of order were discussed for a long time. At five o'clock or soon after, the question was taken upon the second for the Previous Question, w Inch of course was sustained by a party majority. The main question soon follow ed which was also sustained in the same majority. The third vote was then taken up on the question w hether Mr. New land w as entitled to his seat. 1 his w as also decided in the negative by a party vote. The fourth and final vote was taken upon the admission f New land. This to the astonishment of all zras decided in the negative by a majority of one vote only. Ninety nine voting in the affirmative and one hundred in the negative. The statement of the vote as read from the Chair was received with applause from some of the members and also from the Spectators. 1 have no room for comments. The vote shows that there are some good men in Nazareth. Washing to . March HOlIi 18(1. Fverv thing calm and orderly in both Houses of Congress. N ot so. how ever, out of the House. The JVJ Administration men. are at war with the 15 or 1(5 members w ho belong to the deserted party last evening, upon an important question and voted against the admission of New land. I have heard them called cowards and other epithets no less severe. Disappointment was great and the party ashamed of the result. All thought that Newland was sure of a scat. It was presumed that after the ejection ol Graham from the House, the same vote would be given for the; admission of New hind. How great then was the disappointment you may then imagine, The nartv w ere excited. Their opponents w ere excited, but nevertheless, prepared for defeat. Darkness came on the Previous Question had been moved and seconded the main unestion was put and sustained. Graham w as turned out and of course it w as presnm ed that Newland w as to be turned in. 1 he result of the vote was announced, ninety nine; in the atlirmative ninety nine in the negalive. The Speaker was to cast the deciding vote. A member rose and asked leave to re - cord his name. The Speaker asked him if he was in the House when the vole was de - hired. "1 was,'" was the answer. The name was then recorded in the negative, making, one majority one hundred in the negative, j ninety niue in the aflirma'ive. During this time, w hich in fact, occupied, but a few mo - ments. the excitement and suspense was great in all parts of the House. The vote was de - clared and received with applause in the gal - Icries and bv one or two persons upon the floor of the House. In I.hi.t nf Afnnd.iv and Tuosda 1

onv.ttcu to mention inai ine oenaie iiuu uicu imuu- m.iu nci , anu mn mc nuui w i i ue g.nm: was now one oi open sparring, pari, mat inequestion was io oe n '"--upon the 23d of May as the day of adjourn-1 Van Buren pitied the situation of their chief! Morris replied, show ing that he was neither! out further deliberation. The minority?'

t . . .i . . i o . . i... i -. i . . ......

ment. The Hon se w ill probably agree to the resolution of the Senate, or at the most, as I urn informed from good Van Buren authority, prolong the session another week. making the liOtli of May. the day of adjournment. Do not ask what Congress has done during the past four months, that they should now fix upon a day of adjournment. They have done nothing, and to be consistent, probably, intend to do nothing. Yesterday, a subject interesting to yourself, was introduced into the Senate thead-mi-sion of Michigan into the Union and the Bill defining the disputed Boundary line. Benton w;is among the Speakers. Wright of New York, also. Clayton the Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, wasaiso among the Speakers. I did not hear them and therefore will say nothing myself, of what w as said by them. To-day the same subject came before the Senate. Soon after the Private Business was disposed of. Mr. Buchanan took the floor in favor of the admission of Michigan, w ishing, as he said, that she had done better, but nevertheless, expressing himself satisfied with her admission, even with all her sins upon her, both of omission and commission. He argued that the Territory should be admitted that she should be received with open arms because s' c even had the willingness to come among us when so many States were apparently anxious to leave us. Wonderful condescension, truly ! He granted that all precedents. save one, were against the admission of Michigan, and that the admission of Tennessee. He contended strenuously that Michigan had done right in making each of her foreign residents legal voters instantcr upon the adoption of the State Constitution, taking occasion at the same time to remark tha Ohio and Illinois had been too stern and too severe in adopting terms as strenuous even as those adopted by the Constitution of the '87. Mr. Etc ing of Ohio rose in reply calm, clear, forcible and pointed. He took up the argument, line by line and sentence by sen tence, contending that the precedent which had been made w as alarming and dangerous. The Senate Committee reported against it.

but agreed afterwards with the Committee of the House who had received a different report on the ground that if Tennessee w as not admitted, the popular tumult would be great and the exc itement dangerous. He contended that Michigan should present herself here as all other slates had done, lawfully, constitutionally and in the same manner as the last admitted seven states had done. Then, and not till then, should she be revived with open arms. Denton followed, as King of the Gentiles. asking the admission of Michigan, instituting in his usual pompous way several cases ol special pleading. The Connecticut Dr. Niles follow ed in the debate,and the people followed out at the door leaving u few Senators and empty galleries listeners to the locum lenens Senator. Washington, March 31st, lSHfi. Martin Van Buren. I am not about to write a life of this "distinguished man,'' or tire 3 our patience with any thrice told tales. ol the magician. Both services have been done by the popular College professor of poli tics Ji m. M. Holland of Connecticut ami the still more exalted Pop Emmons of Oratori cal memory. A paragraph or tw o is all that I have now to say of the Kindeniook Dutch man; 1 will not therefore eulogise or anathc matise the character of the Vice President I only intend to draw the outlines in the char acter of the man. and leave the painting to be filled and hnishcd by yourself. Go with me into the Senate Chamber. Open the centre door, upon the circular side of the room vou mav see seated before you in all the luxury of a Prince, the veritable he, Martin Van Buren himself. If the weather be cold, vou mav discover near him before the session has began, a coal foot stove, near Iv the dimensions of his own body. You will always find him in a frock coat.and generally with boyish pride shaking his watch seals. His appearance although he has not the stat ue of a common boy of seventeen years i would give you his age 51 years. In tallmss or shottness. or both, which ever the rea der mav choose, he is five feet and something. I dare not savhow much, fearing that I may overreach the mark. His body is not of the Fdson size and might he clasped by two com mon hands. In his movementsand conversa tion he has the suaviler in modo but in action none of the forlihr in re. 1 have seen Ca houn charge him face to face with corruption ami fraud, cunning and duplicity, subtlety j and open deception, w hile the y ice 1 resi j dent has remained in the chair looking like the guilty Claudius at Virginius in the Do j man Forum, with a steady countenance, and i unchanging eye and apparently w ithout the i motion ol a muscle. I have seen lieston - j ring in his ears w ith all the thunders of his j eloquence, charge upon charge while the ice President has stood like a motionles statue, bold, unaflectcd, w ith full command of himself while his political friends, such as l HiII,NiIcs, all and others, have been una hie to command their own temper at the hi l ting and caustic truths which fell from the lips of the orator. I saw Henry Clay upon the morning of the 2"2d of February when the last special message of General Jackson was received, accuse the Vice President of once ; doing abroad w hat he had now condemned as unpatriotic of reminding a foreign nation l that one administration was not responsible ; for the acts of another, &c. The accused , for a moment dropped his head in shame at t'1' published inconsistency. In a moment, however, it was raised with a bold er counte . 1 I M . i . iko r.;,.js

and idol he remained as though he w as listening to a story of a third person whom he knew not. Dut to the appearance of the Vice President which among a portion of the world isno less important than his principles. Mr. Van Burcn's complexion is florid his eyes are of a dark blue vet sharp, piercing, and roguish, with the "sly and lurking devil there,'' that puzzles a man to know w hether he is sincere and honest, or w heth-

erne is iikc me craiiy jvimani, weeping over his prayer tiook to catch toe benodietion of the priest, and the diadem of the king. His head is partly bald, w ith the forehead verv high. and the intellectual organs

prominent. His manners in private, as well j lie a very clever man in his way, were clipped as in the Senate Chamber, are mild, gentle- pointed. 1 manly and courteous. He w alks w ith the This brief, half hour discussion over, a deair of a prince, and w hen himself, exhibitsj bate of another half hour took place, upon himself princely in his fee lings, his carriage. the pre-emption law s. The stern, commandhis dress, equipage, and the w hole of his gen-ung, and noble voice of Calhoun w as beared

eral demeanoar. He dresses when in the Senate chamber plainly, neatly and hecom ing exhibiting but little pomp and parade!

in tnc uiscnarge oi nis puonc uuues. 1 lis anil matrimony, (tor the last ol w inch sin l,e voice is very low, hardly audible at any dis- was once severely, though pleasantly rebuked tance w hile lie also speaks in such discor- by Henry Clav ) fellow cd his Mississippi poliudant and hurried tones as to make his manner ,cal brother in favor of pre-emption, while the of speakihg very disagreeable to all. So far interesting, plavful and pungent voice of Ir-

during the present session of Congress I have not seen him in his seat more than one hour in each day. Generally he calls Mr. Hubbard of New Hampshire, or Mr. King of Alabama, to the chair the latter of whom presides with more dignity, and commands greater respect than the President of the Senate himself. When not in the chair Mr. Van Buren is a part of his time out of the Senate chamber, and w hen there, for the most art of the time engaged in conversation, or else seated in some one of the many vacated seats ol an absent Senator. In reference to the talents of Mr. Van Bu ren, his political opponents have done him great injustice. He has genius and applica tion thought and .action beyond many pub ic men who enjov a far greater reputation for these qualities. His industry w hile in his 111 own state, anu until lie was elected Senator .f the United States, in December 1S'2I, at the age of thirty nine, is almost unequalled. His ambition had been like Miltons angel. His tact was unequalled while he never seemed to have political honesty enough to eep him from doing a mean action. lie nose from poverty to influence from noth ing to holding the second oflice in the gift of the people, by industry perseverance, tact, craft, deceit and dishonest . From the bar of the State Senate, and from the Senate to being Attorney General of New York, and from this to a United States Senator and tgain to his being Governor of New York, Secretary of State of the United States, Minister to England and Vice President of the United States through .all the ascents, upon each round of the political ladder, he has been a suppliant for power. striving for it bv means which an honest and high minded man would never have consented to. He litis ev er "crooked the pregnant hinges of the knee, where thrifty would follow fawning. He has resorted to means for political elevation w hich none but one w ho would prefer high) station to honesty, would have done, lie has Laped over every barrier surmounted every difliculty in his w ay for the sake of oflice md power. And fwzv has he obtained it. 1 the same means that Cesar was made high priest at the death of Metellus, and distin - guished himself w hen appointed over Spain anil bv the same means that Sylla a worse than Cesar, obtained the pnetorship in das ofMarius; and it has been w ell said of Van Buren bv his friends, as was said bv one of the kings ol 1 artha of the Kama pra-tor "Surely this man is master of the world, or doomed to he such!"' P. S. Eight o'clock P. M. Senate. I have just returned from the Senate, who are placing another Saturday night trick. "The dogs are given to their vomit"' ".and Fphriam to his idols." Since G o'clock the yens and nays have been taken tw elve times, several of those w ere lor adjournment. Michigan has been admitted so far as the engrossment of the Bill. Arkansas is to be admitted to-morrow, and till then I must omit any further account of the vile conduct of these partizan?. Washington, April 1st, 18"C. Your ExrrxGixu Desolations found their way into the Semite this morning. Morris w as their presenter, and Ew ing. one of the ablest men in the Senate, was made the ob ject of special attack by his colleague. The question was one of tin exciting character, and the speakers w axed w arm. Mr. Morris took the floor. His remarks wese deliberate placed upon paper brought into the Senate, and presented to the Senate with great care and deliberation. Mr. Ewing listened with patience to the end of the charges preferred against him. Nevertheless he seemed astonished at them. Morris was brief and resumed his scat as soon as his written speech found its Jim's. Mr. Ewing then took the floor, much ex cited, far more so than 1 ever saw him be fore. He cast back with indignation, the charges which had been made against him. He denied the right, even of the Legislature of his own State to instruct him to violate his own conscience or 'the Constitution of the country; much more so the right o( instruc tion which had been resorted to by his col league. He would not consent that any one should read a lecture to him without reply. it came with a very ill grace, he thought, from his fellow servant. Morris listened with attention the fires of excitement soon burning in his bosom as brightly as in the bosom of his colleague oti. : .. -

deaf nor dumb fo the severe and unexpected retort he had just received from his. brother Senator. Cn he went, like a steam engine over a Rail Doad. charging back the aginations w hich had been brought ngaii st him and sending forth a new voliey of accijs;itioi:S

Morris then resumed his seat, ai d Mr. Firing took the floor, having the right of the question, and therefore, determining to have the last word. He parried the att.-wU , i I he opponent, and bred hack the Inst shot. siKncing his opponent and ending the contest The warlike debate was new fairly over none killed and none wounded. thi;u;) the w ings of Mr. Senator Morris, w ho appear tn against them. The Mississippi Walker har angued the Senate in favor of the snuidtrr, King, of Alabama, a crooked stick in po!rir ' 4 . . . - . . I l -.ll. , .. l tei .is irfiseu noui againsi squatting una preemption. Ail acknowledged that'thc A7, w as master of the Porter. The remainder of the day was occupied in the further discussion of the question, proposing the admission of Michigan. Sonnum, of New Jersey, took the floor in opposition. I need not inform you that he made an able J'v.i.. . "iin. - . uillLlvilt jt. vt.u till it C for that and to day proved that he had a;-! siinicd a position from w hich he could nut i fairly he driven. House of Representatives. The debate begun this morning in the House, upon a He solution proposing the full payment of Members of Congress, and mileage to David New land, the petitioning Member in the Contested j war and havoc, as w ell as so many words and I o little action. Did the resolution jwv?' Fven so. And how? Why by the aid of the i Omnipotent Previous Question, moved bv .Mr. Homer, w hom I have numbered before, ; a ik! now number again, as among the unworthy? Buckeyes from your i.mpire ol the est. Pearce. of B bode Island, the Bank-hater mercantile defamer Washington Corn's-' pondei.t Annihilator, A. B. (a boar.) A. M (a madman.) L. L. D. (Doctor of Lynching.) ' &c. x:c. x:c. was among the speakers, erv ing aloud against I don't know what. iliu . speaking in a low voice in favor of nobo;.V knows w hat. Others spoke on both sides "f the question, when the P. Q. itcs to the .iiir-j oer of more than a humdred came to the te.--cue of David New land. sustained the Pi e vious Question, and agreed to feed his lurd-i ship with as many loaves and fishes as the;: i he had been entitled to a s"at in the House, i Mr. Garland, of Virginia, then contii..i' his speech, begun yesterday, discussing i length, the Navy Appropriation Bill. He made a bold vindication of the Admini'uatiii its acts 'and intentions for the past. present, and what it would do heie.u.er. He seemed to think that General Jacksdi came into power like a blaze of glory anJf would depart I ke a meteor. Like a vutu'. Fven so, and a better figure the Virgini;n, ; could not have used. Meteors aie remi nder ied only as things that have been. Tl.ry J pass aw ay in the tw inkling of an eye tIoi:-g good lo no one, and are rememboieu mere for the evil they may do than the good they have done. The difference here is, that m t so much for the power of so doing evil as ur the evil actually done. Mr. Garland, how ever, is an exception lo the general rule of Administration men. Iinnest. Inlpntnd miii! rrntlfni;inlv. :i nobKr nv""v,,,""v' man than any whom I would name or cou.J name among his associates. Washington. April 2d, ISHd. The Session last evening in the Srtv;te. K is almost impossible for a man situated of the Capitol of the nation, lo know those aiting as Correspondents for a distant prH are charged with exagerating and coloring the proceedings of Congress. Such is ' tlie fac t, and it would be impossible, even w ith the utmost strelc h of imaginatirn to f"' cieve a sc ene worse than that which Saturdnyi Highland Sabbath morning in the lb use. ri ineone which occurred vestcruav i"'1"'" in the Senate, though the former inou'.n -and excitement bears not even the sligh'a' resemblance w ith the latter. In the Scna'.fl there was no monster in the shape of the lrc t ioiw Oimstinn. tin tiHtnnt In rril-ll ' ....... ,v ...,v...rv freedom of speech upon fhe spot, i"1iC (l thatviolenc w hich vvasexhibited in thelhu-'-Itit:nl nf mi f'critio Iwwirf ersiiol), tliffl had but a session of nine hours, f longer. b' H nvor. in rnmnni isnn nf tlm members of ' two bodies, and longer than any previous sion of the Senate, during the present G oress.1 Yet there was tlie same spirit of lence nmonsr the majority the same dei r' urination to finish business at once "rn , 1 spot without further discussion without '-J ueiioerauon anu examination know ledge among the minority, that (he n ' jority in caucus or elsew here, hadoetciii"" to number their hours. And w hat was the question under cons'0 ration? One far more important than t Contested Election of Newland and Grahan though no less than a party question iras the settli ment of the. Boundary Line of ehip-nn. and the admission of the latter Slab the Union. It had been before the Sena" but a very short time. It had not been y- , .i . . i . j ' V 1 x V 1 .llf Ullll. 73 111 IIJVivu---