The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-05

IL
ton or viewed it in this light Mr.. Hrcnt
said that he had never heard the hcnora-
bic gentlemen make such an assertion. bat
he had been informed lit was attributed to
him. The honorable gents declaration is,
however perfectly satisfactory to me I am
satisfied that he is incapable Of making so in
vidious and unfounded an accusation am
too well acquainted with that honorable gen-
tleman's good sense and liberalitv. He will
therefore be so good as not to Consider any
remarks l shall make on the particular
question that am now investigating as APP
plying to him, but to others who act with
him as to the general and ultimate fate of
the bill under consideration. That among
the great mass of people in some sections
on the Union, particularly the state rcrre :
sent, this measure establishing the bank Of
the u. >. was taken up as a party question.
may be admitted (; but that it was viewed
III this light in either house of that Congress
which passed the law that the votes which
were given either affirmativelv or otherwise
were In the test to ascertain who was of the
republican and who of the federal party, is
an assertion destitute of all foundation for
whoever will examine the Yeas and Nav,
OF both Houses of Congress will find some
OF our most distinguished republican patri-
OTIS voting for the bill, while others equally
eminent and Jealous in the federal ranks will
be found in hostility to il.
Sir, the Journals of Congress, testimony de-
rived from Tenn and unquestionable re-
cords, a species of evidence which the laws
OF our country and the practice of our courts
IN the graduation OF the different species of
testimony places i'll the highest station and
considers as OF the most imposing AUTHORITY.
demonstrate that the assertion that the
question concerning the establishment #
the bank OF the United States in the first
INSTANCE was entirely party question, is
destitute of all foundation that an assertion
so susceptible of refutation bv testimony so
irresistible should have been made, is evil
dence to me Of the unjustifabie length tc
which some gentlemen will permit their
zeal to transport them. Nay, Mr.. President.
let me call your attention to the MY mem
Der as believe, OF this honorable body
who was member of Congress when the
law establishing bank of the United States
took place, q mean the honorable Mr.. Gil
MANI This gentleman is known to be a re-
publican yet the journals will assure ms
that he voted for the bill establishing the
bank.
1t the opinion of the constitutionality or o.
therwise of the bank of the United States is
the criterion by which the estimate is to be
made OF the political sect to which each in
dlvIdual belongs, what shall we say of Mr..
Jefferson and the majorities in the two Hou-
SEES OF Congress during his administration
VINO by repeated acts recognised the legal
ty and constitutionality CT this institution p
Shall we say that he and they, have aposta-,
tised from the republican cause Do the
presumptuous and daring assertors pretend
to impose upon us belief that during pc
rcd which we have hitherto supposed was
the proudest triumph of republicanism, those
OF the dominant party had lpostatised from
the Republican cause ? Are we to believe
that during the administration Of Mr. Jes-
terson, the great apostle Of republicanism,
one w tn whose name repubiicanism has
been supposed to be identiiied-are we to
believe that he has apostatised from his no
litical party, Are there any so presump-
tuous as to imagine thev can impose upon
the public mind or upon this honorable body
SO monstrous, so absurd belief? Can you
be induced to select that moment which has
hitherto been imagined most ausricious to
republican principles as the one when above
all others there was total apostacy from
them No, sir, every effort is vain which
is made to impose upon us so irrational be-
bet. On the contrary hand, we will account
TOR the conduct of Mr. Jefferson and the re-
publican majorities in Congress during his
administration, when they sanctioned by re-
peated laws the constitutionality OF the bank
of the United States, by the considerations
proceed to enumerate. Whatever might
have been the abstract opinion of Mr. Jeffer-
son respecting the constitutionality of the
bank on its first institution, it is now imma-
terial to enquire. He saw, when he came
into the Presidency, that this was in its ORR
gin not party question (; but that the Jour-
nails OF Congress would evince that on the
vote which first gave a sanction to this mea-
sure all party distinction was COMPOUNDED -
that it was one Of those questions, which,
when first agitated, was calculated to pro-
duce diversity of opinion among men Of the
purest intentions and of the most luminous
understandings, that it was one of those
doubtful questions which, when once settled
by precedent, should nercr again be aeitated
that this measure had been sanctioned.
after the fullest deliberation had been be-
slowed upon it and that we had so incor-
porated this bank establishment with cur
hscal and other governmental ARRANGEMENTS.
that it could not at that time be put down
without impairing the public crcdi & With
out being like (in various other points of
Vicw) to be productive Of very serious and
numerous calamities to the community -
rom all those various considerations, Mr..
jefferson, when he came into the admins
tration, as also the majority of Congress du-
ring that period, considered the question re-
specting the bank IF the United States as
a settled and adjudicated one, which was
now to be acquiesccd IN, and pursued a svs-
ten OF policy in conformity with this scnti-
ment. On any other principle the conduct
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