Davy Crockett's "Not Yours to Give" Speech in Congress

"It is a precedent fraught with danger for the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it and no security for the people... ... the Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred and rigidly observed in all its provisions." ~ Colonel David Crockett member of the U.S. Congress 1827-31 & 1832-35, AKA Davy Crockett

History's immortals sometimes offer a glimpse of their greatness in events other than those that granted them immortality.

Tennessee militia colonel David Crockett, perhaps best known for his role in the 1836 defense of the Alamo, also served three terms in the United States Congress between 1827 and 1835. Nationally known during his lifetime as a political representative of the frontier, Crockett apparently came by that reputation honestly, inasmuch as he was not above listening to his constituents. The following excerpt from an 1884 biography by Edward S. Ellis, "The Life of Colonel David Crockett," reveals how his own rural electorate taught him the importance of adhering to the Constitution and the perils of ignoring its restrictions.

One day in the House of Representatives, a bill was taken up appropriating money for the benefit of a widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made in its support. The Speaker was just about to put the question when Mr. Crockett arose:

"Mr. Speaker --- I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the suffering of the living, if suffering there be, as any man in this house, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for a part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Mr. Speaker, the deceased lived long after the close of the war; he was in office to the day of his death, and I have never heard that the government was in arrears to him.

"Every man in this House knows it is not a debt. We cannot, without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as a charity. Mr. Speaker, I have said we have the right to give as much money of our own as we please. I am the poorest man on this floor. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week's pay to the object, and, if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks.

"He took his seat. Nobody replied. The bill was put upon its passage, and, instead of passing unanimously, as was generally supposed, and as, no doubt, it would, but for that speech, it received but few votes, and of course, was lost.

"Later, when asked by a friend why he had opposed the appropriation, Crockett gave this explanation:

"Several years ago I was one evening standing on the steps of the Capitol with some other members of Congress, when our attention was attracted by a great light over in Georgetown. It was evidently a large fire. We jumped into a hack and drove over as fast as we could. In spite of all that could be done, many houses were burned and many families made homeless, and, besides, some of them had lost all but the clothes they had on. The weather was very cold, and when I saw so many women and children suffering, I felt that something ought to be one for them. The next morning a bill was introduced appropriating $20,000 for their relief. We put aside all other business and rushed it through as soon as it could be done.

"The next summer, when it began to be time to think about the election, I concluded I would take a scout around among the boys of my district. I had no opposition there, but, as the election was some time off, I did not know what might turn up. When riding one day in a part of my district in which I was more a stranger than any other, I saw a man in a field plowing and coming toward the road. I gauged my gait so that we should meet as he came to the fence. As he came up, I spoke to the man. He replied politely, but, as I thought, rather coldly.

"I began: 'Well, friend, I am one of those unfortunate beings called candidates, and--'

" 'Yes, I know you; you are Colonel Crockett. I have seen you once before, and voted for you the last time you were elected. I suppose you are out electioneering now, but you had better not waste your time or mine. I shall not vote for you again.'

"This was a sockdolager... I begged him to tell me what was the matter.

" 'Well, Colonel, it is hardly worth-while to waste time or words upon it. I do not see how it can be mended, but you gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. But I beg your pardon for expressing it in that way. I did not intend to avail myself of the privilege of the constituent to speak plainly to a candidate for the purpose of insulting or wounding you. I intended by it only to say that your understanding of the Constitution is very different from mine; and I will say to you what, but for my rudeness, I should not have said, that I believe you to be honest....But an understanding of the Constitution different from mine I cannot overlook, because the Constitution, to be worth anything, must be held sacred, and rigidly observed in all its provisions. The man who wields power and misinterprets it is the more dangerous the more honest he is.'

"I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake about it, for I do not remember that I gave any vote last winter upon any Constitutional question.

" 'No, Colonel, there's no mistake. Though I live here in the backwoods and seldom go from home, I take the papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceedings in Congress. My papers say that last winter you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some suffers by a fire in Georgetown. Is that true?'

"Well, my friend, I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country like ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing Treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just as I did.'

" 'It is not the amount, Colonel, that I complain of; it is the principle. In the first place, the government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes. But that has nothing to do with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be intrusted to man, particularly under our system of collecting revenue by tariff, which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be, and the poorer he is the more he pays in proportion to his means. What is worse, it presses upon him without his knowledge where the weight centers, for there is not a man in the United States who can ever guess how much he pays to the government. So you see, that while you are contributing to relieve one, you are drawing it from thousands who are even worse off than he. If you had the right to give anything, the amount was simply a matter of discretion with you, and you had as much right to give $20,000,000 as $20,000. If you have the right to give to one, you have the right to give to all; and, as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any thing and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity, and to any amount you may think proper. You will very easily perceive what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other. No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose. If twice as many houses had been burned in this county as in Georgetown, neither you nor any other member of Congress would have thought of appropriating a dollar for our relief. There are about two hundred and forty members of Congress. If they had shown their sympathy for the suffers by contributing each one week's pay, it would have made over $13,000. There are plenty of men in and around Washington who could have given $20,000 without depriving themselves of even a luxury of life. The congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditable; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from the necessity of giving by giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitu- tion, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution. So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the people. I have no doubt you acted honestly, but that does not make it any better, except as far as you are personally concerned, and you see that I cannot vote for you..'

"I tell you I felt streaked. I saw if I should have opposition, and this man should go to talking, he would set others to talking, and in that district I was a gone fawn-skin. I could not answer him, for the fact is, I was so fully convinced that he was right, I did not want to. But I must satisfy him, and I said to him: Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I did not have sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. I have heard many speeches in Congress about the powers of Congress, but what you have said here at your plow has got more hard, sound sense in it than all the fine speeches I ever heard. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote; and if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.

"He laughingly replied: 'Yes Colonel, you have sworn to that once before, but I will trust you again upon one condition. You say that you are convinced that your vote was wrong. Your acknowledgment of it will do more good than beating you for it. If, as you go around this district, you will tell people about this vote, and that you are satisfied that it was wrong, I will not only vote for you, but will do what I can to keep down opposition, and perhaps, I may exert a little influence in that way.'

"If I don't [said I] I wish I may be shot; and to convince you that I am earnest in what I say I will come back this way in a week or ten days, and if you will get up a gathering of the people, I will make a speech to them. Get up a barbecue, and I will pay for it.

" 'No, Colonel, we are not rich people in this section, but we have plenty of provisions to contribute to a barbecue, and some to spare for those who have none. The push of crops will be over in a few days, and we can then afford a day for a barbecue. This is Thursday; I will see to getting up on Saturday week.. Come to my house on Friday, and we will go together, and I promise you a very respectable crowd to see and hear you.'

"Well, I will be here. but one thing more before I say good-bye. I must know your name.

" 'My name is Bunce.'

"Not Horatio Bunce?

" 'Yes.'

"Well, Mr. Bunce, I never saw you before though you say you have seen me, but I know you very well. I am glad I have met you, and very proud that I may hope to have you for my friend.

"It was one of the luckiest hits of my life that I met him. He mingled but little with the public, but was widely known for his remarkable intelligence and incorruptible integrity, and for a heart brimful and running over with kindness and benevolence, which showed themselves not only in words but in acts. He was the oracle of the whole country around him, and his fame had extended far beyond the circle of his immediate acquaintance. Though I had never met him before, I had heard much of him, and but for this meeting it is very likely I should have had opposition, and had been beaten. One thing is very certain, no man could now stand up in that district under such a vote.

"At the appointed time I was at his house, having told our conversation to every crowd I had met, and to every man I stayed all night with, and I found that it gave the people an interest and a confidence in me stronger than I had ever seen manifested before. Though I was considerably fatigued when I reached his house, and, under ordinary circumstances, should have gone early to bed, I kept up until midnight, talking about the principles and affairs of government, and got more real, true knowledge of them than I had got all my life before. I have known and seen much of him since, for I respect him --- no, that is not the word --- I reverence and love him more than any living man, and I go to see him two or three times a year; and I will tell you sir, if everyone who professes to be a Christian, lived and acted and enjoyed it as he does, the religion of Christ would take the world by storm.

"But to return to my story. The next morning we went to the barbecue, and, to my surprise, found about a thousand men there. I met a good many whom I had not known before, and they and my friend introduced me around until I had got pretty well acquainted --- at least, they all knew me. In due time notice was given that I would speak to them. They gathered up around a stand that had been erected. I opened my speech by saying:

"Fellow-citizens --- I present myself before you today feeling like a new man. My eyes have lately been opened to truths which ignorance or prejudice, or both, had heretofore hidden from my view. I feel that I can today offer you the ability to render you more valuable service than I have ever been able to render before. I am here today more for the purpose of acknowledging my error than to seek your votes. That I should make this acknowledgment is due to myself as well as to you. Whether you will vote for me is a matter for your consideration only.

"I went on to tell them about the fire and my vote for the appropriation and then told them why I was satisfied it was wrong. I closed by saying:

"And now, fellow-citizens, it remains only for me to tell you that the most of the speech you have listened to with so much interest was simply a repetition of the arguments by which your neighbor, Mr. Bunce, convinced me of my error.

"It is the best speech I ever made in my life, but he is entitled to the credit for it. And now I hope he is satisfied with his convert and that he will get up here and tell you so.

"He came upon the stand and said: " 'Fellow-citizens --- It affords me great pleasure to comply with the request of Colonel Crockett. I have always considered him a thoroughly honest man, and I am satisfied that he will faithfully perform all that he has promised you today.'

"He went down, and there went up from that crowd such a shout for Davy Crockett as his name never called forth before.

"I am not much given to tears, but I was taken with a choking then and felt some big drops rolling down my cheeks. And I tell you now that the remembrance of those few words spoken by such a man, and the honest, hearty shout they produced, is worth more to me than all the reputation I have ever made, or shall ever make, as a member of Congress.

"Now, sir," concluded Crockett, "you know why I made that speech yesterday. There is one thing now to which I wish to call to your attention. You remember that I proposed to give a week's pay. There are in that House many very wealthy men --- men who think nothing of spending a week's pay, or a dozen of them, for a dinner or a wine party when they have something to accomplish by it. Some of those same men made beautiful speeches upon the great debt of gratitude which the country owed the deceased --- a debt which could not be paid by money --- and the insignificance and worthlessness of money, particularly so insignificance a sum as $10,000, when weighed against the honor of the nation. Yet not one of them responded to my proposition. Money with them is nothing but trash when it is come out of the people. But it is the one great thing for which most of them are striving, and many of them sacrifice honor, integrity, and justice to obtain it."


David Crockett was born August 17, 1786 at Limestone (Greene County), Tennessee. He died March 06, 1836 as one of the brave Southerners defending the Alamo.

Crockett had settled in Franklin County, Tennessee in 1811. He served in the Creek War under Andrew Jackson. In 1821 and 1823 he was elected to the Tennessee legislature. In 1826 and 1828 he was elected to Congress. He was defeated in 1830 for his outspoken opposition to President Jackson's Indian Bill - but was elected again in 1832.

In Washington, although his eccentricities of dress and manner excited comment, he was always popular on account of his shrewd common sense and homely wit; although generally favoring Jackson's policy, he was entirely independent and refused to vote to please any party leader.

At the end of the congressional term, he joined the Texans in the war against Mexico, and in 1836 was one of the roughly 180 men who died defending the Alamo. Tradition and diaries of Mexican Officers has it that Crockett was one of only six survivors after the Mexicans took the fort, and that he and the others were taken out and executed by firing squad.


Contributor: Fred Propheter, Patriot
*

The Conspiracy of Conservatives

*Please see petition at bottom
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, has become the sixth co-sponsor of a proposal by Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., that would require documentation of eligibility from presidential candidates.

She has joined Reps. John Campbell, R-Calif.; John R. Carter, R-Texas; John Culberson, R-Texas; Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.; and Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, in support Posey's H.R. 1503 plan.

Read full story here at WND.

As the liberals step up their campaign to influence the unsuspecting and uninformed portion of the population into believing the "birther" movement is just a "conspiracy theory" coming from the "sore losers", more public officials are realizing the importance of verifying the qualifications of a candidate.

Section 5, Article II of the Constitution provides protection from a foreign entity to instill their influence over our Republic. As so many other provisions of our carefully constructed Constitution and Bill of Rights, however, this one has gone grossly ignored by the faction which moves diligently toward a larger, oppressive government.

The politician's agenda is clear, aspiring for more power and institute regulations in every facet of our lives. The majority of the population has become lazy and does not want to be burdened with political details. They wish for the government to just do their job and take care of everything for them. Unfortunately, in the process, the group of humans which we have bestowed that trust and privilege to have done that which any human would. They have done that which our founding fathers were completely all too aware.

We have given the reigns over to a group of power hungry individuals and they have runaway with them. They knew from experience, as it failed with Carter when Ronald Reagan happened, they would only fool the people for so long, before they awake. The Liberal Democrats and Republicans are in a mad rush to accomplish their goals of 'no return' collapse before another sensible, Constitutional loving human comes along and thwarts their plans.

The movement to Socialism would have been unheard of and any injection into our law rejected a decade ago, by most. However, over a period of time, and interjecting laws guised as something else in order to implement control of freedom of speech, right to bare arms, and any other Constitutional provision which gets in their way, they have almost completed their decades (or centuries) old dream of global control.

The ones who conspire are the ones who yell the loudest that their opponents are the conspirators, or crazy. Every defendant's attorney attempted to prove I was crazy, in order to project the illusion of "reasonable doubt". That's the oldest trick in the 'book of manipulation'.

Through all their wonderful gifts and promises, they have convinced an ever growing portion of the population their way is the better way. Trust in them and they will do whatever is best for you. Of course, they only have the citizens needs in their plans, as they were "Sainted" and the most holy people on the planet.

WAIT!!! WHAT?!! They Aren't Saints?

Certainly, they must be ordained, at least. We all know we can trust a small percentage of people dedicated to a life of serving God, as a sort of "crapshoot" of sorts. Do you mean to tell me that we have placed all our trust and the powers of the strongest country in the world over to a group of ordinary corruptible individuals?

Oh, Thank God!!! They took an oath before they entered office. An oath to uphold our Constitution, which protects us from anyone gaining too much power over the people.

But, They don't believe in the Constitution!!!

That's right! And, they are liars, we all know that. In fact, their major concern is to eliminate our way of government, as they believe the people should not have so much power over those individuals which think they are smarter and seek to gain control over every decision you may have to make. What we do with our money, our health regards, even how long we take a shower, will be just a small part of their say in our lives.

Why would we ever allow this to happen? Good question. Doesn't seem very likely that a people that has been so blessed to have had millions of people die for them in order to pass along such a freedom and individual rights, would just throw it away. Ahh! But, when you mix lazy with blind trust, over a period of time, you get a larger growing group with their hands out, screaming for more. This group has been convinced by the group which promises them everything, the ones who really provide everything are the evil ones, and don't want the hand out group to have anything.

Ironically, the ones of whom are not lazy, are therefore demonized, and to be eliminated, as they will just revolt and try to stop the madness that seeks their demise. This is all accomplished over a period of time and serious planning with movements such as ACORN and other activist groups which are pawns for the elite group. Whenever the pawns get caught doing things which should land them in jail, they have full support of the elite we have placed in office to protect them.

Message of Caution to Liberal Zombies:

Yes my friends, no matter how many laws are broken by a corrupt group or politician which is for the 'good' of the hands-out group, PROGRESS(ivism) must not be stopped. It is the best thing for you, so you don't want to interfere, or you may have to make your own decisions some day, and you don't want that. So you better stop those mean Conservatives who want to take away all the gifts we have planned for you.

Conservatives will lie and tell you there is a reason for the Constitutional provisions, to protect the people. They will tell you crazy things, like they are the backbone of America and without them there will be no gifts. Evil Conservatives will have you believe when they are gone the charity will dry up and there will be long lines waiting for basic needs. You know none of this can possibly be true, as your politicians have told you so. Be very careful, because if you listen to those conspirators who believe in individual rights, and a man responsible for his own life, the politicians you blindly trust may fail. Then, who will wipe behind you?

Exclusive: A Page From Barack Obama's Diary "No, I won't show my birth certificate"

*Please sign petition to Supreme Court to challenge Obama's eligibility HERE

Bill of Goods

The worse display of shredded integrity is our Bill of Rights. The original document has been changed so many times it reads nothing like its original intent. However, the worse transfiguration of our sacred document has been implied, rather than legally amended. It was tested a few decades ago, by a liberal faction, to insinuate the words "separation of church and state" actually appears in the Constitution. It was repeated so many times, the mass illusion effect took place; where even scholars have been teaching the myth. In fact, the words not only do not appear, but, the result these traitors were trying to achieve has become law and many people have suffered for it.

The actual wording in the document of which they were pertaining, specifies the state will not interfere with the church, that people are free to worship any way they choose. The original document was based on christian laws and written by Christians.

Today's disregard for details, when it suits, is so far lost it would take years to straighten the damage done once assessed properly. The decisions made by local judges to override laws placed on the books by the people we give that responsibility to, or we voted for, would be a long endeavour to undue. Nobody wants to approach that issue, so it continues. Judges are supposed to preside over the enforcement of laws as they are written.

Daily, more and more little actions take place to chisel away at that document which protected our rights as the people of the nation, so the government would never take advantage of the people. With all the education and advancement in technology we have been afforded, we balanced it out with lazy. We would rather rely on, and trust in, the self-centered politicians to keep our best interest protected. Consequently, that gives them more power to do whatever they wish, regardless how it hurts us. This has been spiraling out of control for years.

Lately, there has been organized, peaceful protests by a group calling themselves the "Tea Party", mostly concerned of our tax dollars being stolen by the Dems. The Democrats have gone insane with their new founded power and are raping the country. They are not answerable to anybody, and it is Christmas now, 365 days per year.

People are finally starting to wake up to the fact that Barack Obama was a good speech reader. AND THAT'S IT!!! He conned most of the country with his "Change" tactic. He promised it would not be business as usual in our Capitol. He promised transparency, total transparency. No Bill would be passed without our viewing it online first. Now he has such a low opinion of the people who voted for him, he will pass and sign a bill which spends more of our money than ever before, behind closed doors. Then, get on TV and say our money is carefully being watched. The fox watching the hen house? When he referred to Biden as the "Sheriff" and they all chuckled, anyone with any savvy would know that was a con, in an attempt to throw off suspicion for now.

The die-hard supporters will be stubborn for now, but, when Obama's inexperience and total disregard for the outcome of their wallowing in the cookie jar effects them, they will turn. My ex-wife used to get sick of hearing me say how Obama would bring on another Carter administration. I must apologize to Mr. Carter. He was a far right conservative compared to this community organizer.

It is so laughable to think of people fainting and crying over this man possibly being our President. He had two years experience in the Senate and did nothing while there. He has had nothing but questionable associations. The only thing people could attribute to Obama for being a good President was his talk. He read teleprompters well.

There are some who still claim they are doing well, and think we are not giving Obama a chance. He has every chance for the next four years to change your mind. We will see more and more protests coming, especially when everybody realizes there is considerations of a global economy in the works. You better get your affairs together, as the only way to cover up their blunders will be a self-inflicted catastrophe. They will still be blaming Bush, and it won't matter anymore.