Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-03-23

( The personal enemies OF Gen. Jackson
tins opinion is unfoundcd; my feeling
we're mucp IN favor al The man, who, ri
| New Orleans ana elsewhere, had render.
ed such important services, and idenlih
Ell his own glory, with that Of his coun
try but personal regard, when put in
competition with the constitution ot nv
country, with me is but dust in Tie ba-
lance. There Is no one more wiling than
| | am, To overlook errors, particularly
when they arlse from pule motives; bul
no coDsideruiion will ever induce me, ST.
ientiy TO pass over the sighies; infringe
ment Of the charter of our lberieS-for
| 1t All inroad Is made or our constitution,
| by one, who Stands high m pubic esi-
maiIon, and this assumption oi power
even has the sanction OF silence, II will
| soon ripen into preCedeni AN be resorled
| to IN future, by those hostile To liberty.
| The trainers Oi our Constitution wisely
vested IN Congress, the power of making
war; 10 The Immediate representatives oil
| the people, the peace OF the nation * en-
| trusted without their M war ough,
never 10 he res0ried to-tbeir responsible.
lily To the people is sufficient guarantee,
that THIS power will not he abused: but
| II THIS legitimate power Is Ia he wrested
| from Con- ress; ifihe peace of The nation
| Is 10 depend oD the Will, caprice, or pas
| sion OF an individual, the hoaSied sumo
iriuriiy OF our government, over thai %!
| EnglS no longer exists. | iaye in vain
locked tiroughllied documents accompa
! hyInS the Presidents message, in search
| OF the evidence 10 justify The seizure OF
| The Spanish posts OF 81. Marks, penSa-
cola, and The Barancas; the plea OF ne
Ia, IL i,,.t ~,
| The army did not require il the force OF
| Tie enemy Was broken and to use The
expression OF Con. jackson, the power
| Of luuring Us no longer existed, even if
| The Wili remained; yet notwithstanding
! these circumstances, the posts were sciz-
| cd, the American cannon was directed
| against the subjects of a power with
whom we we're al peace, capliul1iion
taxes place, the garriSons are made pri.
Soners at war, aud The American STARS
wave In triumph over the fallen flag of
Span: civil Othcers are appointed, and
the General proclains, that he has made
| a valuable addition of territory, 10 the
/ u. States. II these acis do not amount
TO war, am al a loss 10 know What war
is; il an individual breaks into my house.
and do not resist him, Is il less a ties.
pass on that account, If done without my
consent? Certainly moi. The argument
that SPAN has not resisted, and therefore
that these acis DO not amount TO war, is
no stronger, than if in the case Of the
irespasScr above alluded TO, he was TO
justly The trespass because | either had
nottlIe spirit or poser 10 resist him; and
the reason why we are moi now al war
9th Spain is found in the absence Of The
power III iiat nation to resist. admit
hafG l,.al A
treaty iHat munitions OF war were by
her furnished 10 our enemy, and that we
had sufficient cause of war against her;
Yet The decision on this subject rested
with Congress the war-making power.
and the assumption OF that power by the
General, vas direct and open violation
al The provisions OF our constitution un-
deriheSe Impressions ielt myself bound,
not only by the duty which | owe TO nv
country but by the sacred obligation of
an oath, 10 protest against the acts, al ho
me motives al the actor might be, to pro
mole the Interest, amt swell the power of
his country. also disapproved olihe exc
cu ION ot Arbutlmoi and Amhrister: not
because felt any sympathy for these
'nSiigaiors OF savage barhariy but be-
cause HEY were executed in the absence
OF all law and in direct hostility 10 the
genlns and spirit OF our government: as
long as an enemy has arms i'm his hands.
the firm hearted freeman uill urgr his
hostility, but when his arms are struck
from him, and he yields hmselfa prison
err, he has prisoners right ner can bis
lite be taken, unless under existing Iav q
the punishment of death is affixed 10 his
crime.
In The early par, Of this session com
miilee WAS appointed To examine into the
SITUATION of the United States Bank ::
Their report developes in The management
OF ihal IN tltutiOn, asys,em of fraud, and
imposition anticipated by few This i'm
s''i"'ioh was hailed by many, as tie
source ich woul4 restore to the coun-
Try sound currency the bri rhf pros
pect has vanished, and in The Mace Of
iilS expected good evils incaIculahlp have
resulted. At no period in the bisto,v of
iiiis country, has more real Distress exist
ed, from the improper management of
a mou!ed institution The welfare of the
many, has been sacrificed to promote Tie
interest OF lew, a false value by com
binaiion OF interested men has been
aiilXed To the stock Of this institution.
and innocent purchasers have become
NE victims OF tins lnlquitouS association.
was always opposed 10 the establish
ibeni OF arge monied institutions, where
Ia i'llits OF imposition are afforded, TO
thoSe disposed TO sacrifice principle 10
gam but independent of NV objections
to tile expedI ncy of banking establish
ments, llave insuperabIe difficulties on
CONSTITUTIONAL grounds consider the
United States Bank, cancer i'm the bo-
dy polite, which ifBotspeedilv removed.
VIII spread IFS roofs throughout the svs-
tenn, aud corrupt the nation. The depre.
citation OF The currency Of tie coun-
~, afforded a plausible pretrxt to i'm
crease tie salaries of the officers of
government j was opposed TO the rais-
mo of tie salAries Of iin.n .....l..i..I: