Indiana Palladium, Volume 1, Number 21, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 27 May 1825 — Page 5
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FROM THE BROOKVILLE INQUIRER. Brookville, April 13, 1825. TO THE HON. JAMES NOBLE. Is reply to your letter of the 26th ult. addressed to me through the medium of the Brookville Inquirer, I acknowledge it is with reluctance I yield to wli.it I conceive to be my iadispensible though painful duty, to enter the list with you in the public prints, i defence of the rights and privileges of mv fellow-citizens and my own honor. I ever have most conscientiously believed it to be the bounden duty of every individual in the community, to watch with a jealous eve his liberty; and in our country, and under our government, whose institutions are based on a constitution tree, equal, and liberal in its provisions, where the rights of the humblest individual are held equally sacred with those of him who is elevated to the highest pinnacle of honor. The liberty of the press is of the highest importance: through the medium of which, our rulers can be arraigned at the bar of public opinion, to render up an account of their stewardship, and if found faithful, to be rewarded by the gratitude of their country; if unfaithful, to receive also their reward, shame and disgrace. Liberty is a boon from Heaven ! one of God's choicest blessings bestowed on man! and to us, the favoured citizens of the United States, it is given. Then it behoves you and me to be on our watch towers to spund the tocsin of alarm, at the first appearai.ee of danger! and to lend our mite, to preserve inviolate the boast and glory of the sages of the revolutio , and what warms and lires the patriot's breast. I will sir, in as concise a manner as possible, and with no other motive than rny own justification, and the well being of society, endeavor to follow you through all the wbdi. -g and turnings of your claboale address, now before me. You commence, by charging me with combining with Messrs. Dunn &, M'Pike, against you, from personal feeling, growing out of disappointment See. In reply, I will detail a few facts, far your candid consideration. Jn the first place, I disclaim any connexion or combination, with Messrs. Dunn and M'Pike, or with any other individual, with a view to your injury, and I herewith, publish Dunn and MTike's note to me of the 6th instant, which fully acquits me of that charge. I may, in the course of my remarks, refer to this part of the subject again. As respects my having requested the publication of Messrs. Dim and MPike's letter to you, in the Brookville Inquirer, I admit the charge; but not in conjunction w ith Mr. Dunn, but individually, anil ot my own responsibility; and I am willing to be judged by my fellow-eiuzens, "how far I am justifiable, as a man of honor, and one governed by principle, engaged in his own defence," when I submit to them my reasons for so doing. In my letter to you of the 23d ult. I stated, that you had forgotten or misrepresented the remarks of Brutus, on the subject of the Tariff Bill; and, from the length of time since the remarks were made, they must be generally forgotten by the public; and, I now state, for the reasons already given, and on account of the particular charges, alleged agaii st you by Brutus, being; in substance recapitulated by Messrs. Dunn and M'Pike, I deemed it requisite their letter should be published; that the nature of the charges made by Brutus, might be again before the public; (as you had promised to attend to Brutus;) for which alone I stand responsible. Sir! belieying as 1 did, that you designed by misrepresenting the remarks of Brutus on the subject of the tarilF, to mislead the public, by holding out charges as made by me against m u, which were never made; and believing, that if I remained silent, your statement might be received as truth, I considered it abs dutely necessary, in addition to my letter of the 23d ult. to either call for the republication of Brutus or the letter of Messrs. Dunn and M'Pike, to shew the real charges m.tde In Brutus I ch.'se the latter. Now sir, how stands ti.i- item of your account? I appeal to y ur own coi.S( iencr, ujd to the intelligent and liberal feeling of my fellow ci Z ;s, to decide, if I have not satisfactorily shewn the consistency of my course this far. But, as you seem reluctantly to admit my explanation of the remarks of Brutus on the subject -f the tariff, I iiere copy verbatim all his remarks on ti.at subject. " What essential good has been done at the last session cfr the 17th"Congress? Muchhasbeen said on the subject of the tarilf, of domestic manufactures, and internal improvements; but what has it ultirnated in? no beneficial results. That the encouragement of agriculture, domestic manufactures, and internal improvements, is necessary, and must ultimate in good effects to he community, and that it is the first great duty of Congress to provide for is too evident to be denied it is familiar to the farmer, the mechanic, the manufacturer, and to every member of society it is what all look for, and require at their hands. More money h: s een pe t in long a id useless debates, on su bjects of uo viui interest to the public, during our last short
session, than would have been reres-ary in laying the foundation of an extensive turnpike, or in the erection of a canal of c msiderable length. The design of every good government ought to be, to protect the rights of her people, and advance their prosperity the way is open and plain; we must stand on equal ground with other commercial and manufacturing nations our restrictive policy must correspond with theirs. Increase the dutv on every article imported; that we can eitheido without, or fa'ii irate at home; increase it gradually, but at every session; until the end de signed is attained. The groat objection urged agaii. st an increase of duty is, the fear of affecing the revenue. Ia ir.y opinion, no evil can be seriously apprehended on .hat head for instance, increase the dunon any one artic le imported, from twenty-fie to hiy per cent., and admit the amount imported falls short one half, in consequence of the increase of duty on that article, what will be the effect, will not the amount of revenue be the same? and the most salutary effects be produced; fifty per cent, in an amount of foreign articles will be excluded from cur markets; and consequently that amount in money be retained at home."' Now sir, it is for you and the public to judge, whether your course on this subject was called in question. The next point, is, to establish the charge of absc.ee from the Senate: absence you admit; but to do you justice, (which I am at all times ready to do,) the reasons you assign are highly creditable, and 4,do you much honor." The patriots, v ho bled and toiled in their country's cause, are, and ever will be enti led to our first, and highest consideration. But, "upon your sincerity in your declarations,"" of the attention and services vou have rendered this valuable and henorable class of community, "it is left for you and my fellow-citizens to decide; when I inform them, that notwithstanding your apparent sincerity," and honorable, and sympathetic feelings, in the cause of our revolutionary heroes, and those, who bled in the late war, you voted against the Bill granting to General Lafayette, two hundred thousand dollars, and some land, w i h, when weighed in tho scale of justice, to say nothi..g about our debt of gratitude, is lighter than air, when contrasted with the incalculable worth of what he has achieved for our country. This is not all; you did, on the 22d of April, 182?, give your vote in the Senate of the U. S. against relief beh g granted to thousands of our revolutionary soldiers, a? d others, even after satisfactory testimony being adduced, of the justice of their claims. From the National Intelligencer. "REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS. "The Senate took up in committee of the whole, Mr. Kino, of Alabama, in the chair, the bill from the House of Representatives, supplementary to the acts of 181 8 and 1820, allowing pensions to revolutionary soldiers, foe. "Under the act of 1820, several thousand pensioners were stricken from the pension roll, who were deficient in the proofs necessary to entitle them to be continued on the roll. Subsequently, those so stricken oif presented further proofs in support cf their right to enjoy the benefits of the act of 1818; but the Attorney General, whose opinion was taken in the case by the Secretary of War, decided that the persons who had been struck from the roll, under the act of 1820, could not, even on the adduction of further proof, he restored thereto by the Secretary of War, inasmuch as the Secretary's authority had ceased, as related to thorn. And the present bill was intended to "authorize and require the Secretary of War to restore to the list of pensioners the name of any person who may have been or hereafter shll be stricken therefrom, in pursuance of the act of 1820, whenever such person, so stricken from the list of pensioners, shall furnish evidence, in pursuance of the provisions of said act, to satisfy the Secretary of War that he is in such indigent circumstances as to he uaahle to support himself wit'1 ut the assistance of his coutry.'1 "Tnc Committee en Pensions, to which this bill had been referred, reported the same with a recommendation that the bill be indefinitely postponed; and the questi . was on agreeing to this recommendation. "On this question a debate ensued, which continued nearly two hours. The indefinite postponement was opposed by Messrs Dickerwn and jVorril; and it was supported by Messrs. jYobk and Brorm of Louisiana. The question being taken cn the indefinite postponement cf the bill, it was decided in the affirmative." You sr! yes, ?ow, the hon. member from Franklin! was chairman of that committee, which recommended the indefinite postponement of this bill after it had passed the House of Representatives. 1 call upon you to admit r deny these votes, and satisfy the public as to the coisitency of veur course; "if you fail to do this you amst be placed in an unpleasant situation before your fellow citizens;"' and your boasted services, "must recoil on yourself; disappointment, and person
al feelings will be imputed to you, as the reward ot vourv l-ro al "assertioi ?' Would to Heaven! vou could free yourself from these charges, and every ot! -er that may be alleged against you. I have no personal feeling, tub. .ratified by your overthrow. U is my most anxious wi-h, that, after vou have passed the ordeal oi public opinion, vou may come forth as pure, gold. "No one su'.ject of interest to the Union or the state they represent, ha? originated with the members from the state oHr-diana." This catis for our rest consideration. I must here remark that cu misconceive the extent of the application of ihis'eharge: it requires but half a era in of common sense to perceive, that Brutus, by this remark connected with its context, had no reference to ycur act?, or those of anv other member from ihir- slate, prior to the last session of the 17th Congi ess. Yet as you seem disposed tc go back to the o ii:: of our rtaic government, even before, and arrogate to yourself the honour of all that has been done for the benefit of the western country since that peried. I will indulge you, ai d attend to what you have said. "1 am not willing to rest the out door bush ers upon the reasons which have already bee!' given, hut will advance others which are know n t ivy feiiow citizc! s. In ioli, Indiana was relieved from her shackle: ui der the colonial government, a.d admitted into the U; irn. From that moment her sovereignty was acknowledged, and the laws of the United States, on the 3d of March 1017, were txtei ded toard over the state and the Federal C urt established. You, sir, in "Biutus, reprobate the measure, because you declare that "no one subject of interest to the Union or to the state, uf3 origi; ated with ti.e n.t ml ers from Ir diar;ri,v esrpt ifc be iiie connecting the waters of the Lakes r.ith those of the Wabash. call upon you again ai d ask ycu to shew irom the journals, who did origii ate the measure; and make good your assertion?. Jf you fail to do this, you must be placed in an u pleasant situation before your fellow citizens; and your bier.d cl.aige, must recoil on yourself; disnppoinlznei t and personal feelings will be imputed to you as the reward" of your assertions. The same call is made en ycu in relation to the following subjects: Who originated the measure of authorizn g the payment of the three per cent, fund to tne state of Indiana? You cannot deceive the people by say i- gyou have no opportunity. They look to you, to make good your charge; the journals will enable yu Lo ascertain the fact." Your assertion, mat I reprobate these measures, is gratuitous, and requires no answer. Who cv:-r i er.ri me object l; g to UiOse measures? -pJfi! sztl!e?fng" But, sir, I toll y u, and without fc.:r of contradiction, and without refer ri. gin the journals thai it was not the hoe. n. ember iron. Fiat 1:1k , who rendered to the state those essential anu important services. Ko, sir; you had not emerged from obscuii'y, or risen above the political horizon of the state. You could not then boast of your honourable com . xion with Mr. Crawford, and i.-v (G w orthies of 1 124 : W ben the acr cf Cong., o. April lb'lG was pas-ed, to enable the people of ti.e i i.Kna tcrrkoiy, to form a Constitution and State go eminent, and lor the admission ef such state into the Union, o:i an equal footing with the original siates ;. sir; nor whin the proposition was made to the citizens ot tialko granting the five per cent, lu ,d three per cent, el v. inch to be applied on reads ana canals within me state, and two per cert, on these leading io the state, M:: Jennings was oar Delegate in Congress at thai time: to him we are indebted 'for toe saliuary effects of that law not to the hoi), member from Franklin. As to the extension of the Lavs of the Union to and over the slate the cstabli&l n eni of the Federal court the payment cf the three per cent, hind to our state, when appropriated and demanded by our General Assembly: these were the consequent results of our admission into the Union; the latter a condition of our admission and required not for their consummation the talents of a Clay, a "Webster, or a Noble; and would have been as faithfully granted and complied w ith, whether ycu w ere in the Senate Chamber, or in the War office, tracing the military services of the father of Gen. Pike, er those of Gen. Lafavette, to ascertain the extent cf their respectivc claims on our government. On the subject of the land relief laws, w hich have been productive of such incalculable benefits to the citizens of the west, to do you justice, I admit you were not altogether "dormant." I believe you presented the petition of the citizens of Indiana, praying for relief. I also remember seeing a few remarks, called Ir. Isoble's speech, on that subject however, I believe I am not mistaken, when I sav, vou did not originate those measures. Messrs. Morrow of Ohio, Thomas of Illinois, and King ef New- ork, with many others I could name, are entitled to our gratitude, for the honourable part they bore in extending relief to the debtors for public lands and, if my memory serves me, the discount of 37 l- per cent, on prompt payment by the
