WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1827
98
into the Presidential port under pilotage of "Safe Precedent?" And we are further told by the gentleman from Kentucky, (Mr. Johnson) in the exhibition of his portraits to this House of the different Heads of Department, that the Secretary of War 2 has always been of pure heart, and truly republican principles; that if he has weaknesses, they are the common lot of humanity. I shall not attempt to derogate from the standing of that gentle- man. I like him, and, as a gentleman, I respect and esteem him. Yet, I cannot but regret that so excellent a personage finds him- self under the necessity of deriding the opinions and doctrines once so strenuously contended for by himself. For he did once. declare that the General Government could constitutionally exer- cise no incidental power not expressly granted by that Constitu- tion. We now find him a latitudinarian in the full extent of the term. How this change has been produced I do not know. But even if he were all that we could wish .him to be, his best friends have _some reason to deplore his present association. As to the Head of the Navy Department,3 I shall not say much. I believe, however, the honorable Secretary happened, by mere chance, to make a visit to New Jersey a short time ago, previous to, or during the last Congressional election, and, if the newspapers are entitled to any degree of credit, he was not inactive in the passing events. I do not say, Sir, that he was engaged in a crusade against a certain "Military Chieftain." How far he therein dis- charged his official duties, I shall not take the trouble to deter- mine. Perhaps, in illustrating the character of this gentleman, it will be best done by saying of him - nothing,. nothing - Sir. The Secretary of the Treasury,• the gentleman from Kentucky positively says, "was a distinguished member of the medical pro- fession." I am aware, Sir, that he was a lawyer, Attorney Gen- eral, and foreign minister, but I had not bc:fore understood that the m~ntle of the father had descended upon the son. But, Sir, I now come to the Secretary of State/ a most dis- tinguished personage, and who, we are told by the gentleman from Kentucky, possesses the most pure and immaculate character- a minister who has most ably negotiated in peace and war- and an orator heard with so much pleasure and delight on this floor. That h2 is a statesman, I cannot altogether agree; that he is an orator, I readily admit. Yes, a splendid orator, and it would be injustice to that gentleman, were I not to regale the House with an extract from a speech of this Secretary, delivered on
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