Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. GALLATIN thought the words objected to were conceived to mean more
than they really did mean by gentlemen who supported the present motion;
nor could he conceive how the words "firmness and patriotism," proposed
to be inserted, could apply to any thing but the public character of the
PRESIDENT. On the first view of the Address, Mr. G. said, he thought
with the gentlemen from New York and Virginia, and it was not without
considerable hesitation that he brought himself to agree to this part of
the Address. He found, however, on further examination, that they did
not go so far as he at first thought they did. Had they approved of
every measure of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, he should have
voted against them. But, in the first place, he would observe, that his
Administration did not include Legislative acts; so that whatever evils
had arisen from the funding or banking systems were not to be charged to
the PRESIDENT. They did not mean to pay compliments to themselves but to
the PRESIDENT: therefore, the words in question related only to the
Administration of the PRESIDENT alone, and not to those officers of
State which had been supposed by some gentlemen. The first question was,
then, whether that Administration had been marked with wisdom, firmness,
and patriotism? And, he would briefly say, so far as related to the
internal situation of the country, it had borne these marks. He did not
recollect any instance where he could say here was any want of wisdom,
or there of firmness or patriotism. If they proceeded to foreign
affairs, a great number of members were found (he for one) who wished
that certain acts had not taken place; and, if he thought, in giving
approbation to this Address, he was approving of these measures, he
would certainly vote against it. But, as the gentlemen from South
Carolina and New Jersey (Mr. SMITH and the SPEAKER) had observed, as the
approbation went to the Administration in toto, it had respect to no
particular act. Nor did he believe the literal sense of the words would
apply to the business of the late treaty. [He read the words.] The most
clear meaning of these words related to the present Government and
constitution; and the word "success" could apply to those parts of the
Administration only which had had time to be matured. He did not believe
that at the present period it could be said that the Treaty with Great
Britain had been successful, and, therefore, could not be included
within the meaning of the expression. Not meaning to pledge an
approbation of that act, and not conceiving that the sentence could have
such a meaning, he would vote against the proposed amendment, and for
the original.
The question was put on the amendment and negatived. The committee then
rose, reported the Address with the amendments, when the House took them
up, and having gone through them--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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