Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-04-10


Cashiers, and Directors, and Attorneys, and
Stockholders in our own local banks, who have
a common interest IN excluding the compct ition
OF an institution restricted to SIX per cent. and
l"g,Sa,ing they do, IN the very centre of thus
moncycd power ut Albany, it must have some
iniluchcc IN their action upon this particular
subject. Bur, SIR, there il superaddcd l., this
he io-cc anI influence ofparty discipline, which
has bccn brought To bear upon this Legislature
power, rigid absolute, despotic, and con. rul-
ng. and winch requires CT all, that they should
20 with their party right wropg".-a com
plcte system of passiv" obedience and non re-
sI>'aucc. The t. is st II another influence .onal-
lv potent, witch was deXtcrously applied II, this
c'sc--and that is the iorce cf public opinion.
| d" not mean, SIR, the opinions of cit,ze,s ex-
aiming the suh"c', and ~ honest sincerity form
ing unbiased opinions for themselves No. Sir;
! mean the "public opinion" manuf .c,urcd b,
interested political mana ers, and cons,i,u,inp a
part, and no inconsidrrab!e part of their ma
chincry, which, perhaps the House NAV be Gu
rl' us TO III dersrapd. We have, Sir, ONLY ONE
real genuine, orthodox, 'rcpublcan'' panrr m
The Stot", and that Is the Sta'e paper at Albany.
We lock To the columns Of the Argus to know
from day To day what Is republican. Whatever
orinlDn IL to be found there, upon men or mea-
snTes, pro or con, is. for the day, repuhl canism
pure, genuine. unadulicra ed rcpubhcanism
The party" have neither the trouble or re.p.n.
siblltv OF fmmng opinions for themselves The
public opinion" is supplied fer this wise: Az
article, expressing the de- IL ed op Mon, is sent b,
the manufacturers TO n branch republican pnper
say a, Lockport, another to Utica, another to
Cooperstowr, another to odd Chenanyo," and
so oiother places, and these appearing wishou.
| apparent concert carefully transferred ard
C lirc'ed i'll the Albrr" Argus. under the
imposing title OF pub. opinions" and thus,
whii" tn" adrOIt managers seem to follow, they
are, IN truth, controlling. and are the mausf &C.
tnrcis of"pubhc orinion" Now, SIR, r"spec,
the opni ors q: a party majority in the Lcgi<la-
ture OF the Safe of New York, just much a.
IT Is proper or poccibie, to respect the opinions
of just so many respectable men, acting under
the combined il.f1u nee ofths local bank power
the discipline OF party, and this dclusi ION about
| the public opinion" AT the same time | wish
I" be- understood, and in all similar cases, | INST
act acc riding % the d ctatcs OF my own juig-
nent. Il" moi derive my power from that HI
norabe body, nor am | responsible to them.
am only responsible to my own immediate con-
stnnrnts, and am wiling to abide by thcr
Judgment in this and upon other matters, where
| hall be called upon to act
| Sir, It is not perhaps to be wondered of, that
my honorable colleagues feel lIttc sensitive
upon the subject of New York politics. We all
do; aud while some complain of unuundcd Ca
lumnies and ISLANDERS OF all sor's, | con ess, for
one, that think nothing is more provoking or
| nnpaln'abie than the truth, upon points where
| one feels Int lie Vulnerable. ! very much adj
mire'l, therefore, the tact of my honorable COL
league over the way, (Mr AngelJ upon his
point. Like skful and practlsed advocate, he
'onched hgh'ly-very lghrly--npon the su!,j"ct
OF our politics and our party machinery, and
dwelt, where he could dwell with much more
pride and pleasure, upon our commercial enter
pro; our agrlcuture; our MANUFACTURES; and,
| above all, upon our grand and unparalleled sys-
tenn of canals and internal Improvements, which
are bringing her rich revenues, both of wealth
and glory.
My honorable colleague, (Mr. Bcardsley) has
taken the trouble, Sir, to look back to the Jour.
nal of 1916, for the purpose of Informing the
House tina. his colleague, (Mr Root) voted orr.
ginaHy against the charter of the Bank.
think. s'r,lt argues something in favor of the
institution If, after sixteen years experience,
that gentleman has been able to overcome his
early preJadices. and thinks better Of the Bank
in practice. than he had of the PROJECT in theo-
| ry. And why, sir, since my honorable coliea que
TOOK the pains 10 examine the ayes and noes ur-
on that question, why did he not give us '.mcre
light" and inform the House that the present
executive of New York, who, my honorable col
league over the way assured us, was elected
by the great Republican party" voted, at the
same time. for the Bank? How our Executive
may feel and act now, sir, under the opera ion
OF the safety fund system, and upon the influ.
ence OF party discipline, and ''public OPINION,
and in the neighbour hood of the Mother Bank 3"
1t is not in my power to state. But it probably
struck the House With some surprize, that a
New York petition should have set the exam
pie OF looking back through long period of
M ern or twenty years, to point out inconsistent
opinions IN relation to men or measures. WHY
SIR, within less than half that period, THE
Party" have traversec every sign in the poltl-
cal zodiac, and it was but the other day II was
tteIr opinion and the ''public opinion" too that
- n1IStpr' some bOiV. whom
not now be respectful TO address, except as
your Exceency''-' had no feeling in COM |
mon with the Republican Party "hls manners
were quite too summary" This was orthodox
IN those days, although heterodox now. In
deed, sir, ] mean no dsrespect to the State
when say, that the changes and evolutions of
the leaders of The Party" have been as rapid |
and changeabl", though less regular, than the |
movements IN an old fashioncd country dauce !
IL is down outside and ''down in the middle :"
and casting off, and changing partners" and
changing SIDES" and Chase 10 the rlgb: ;" and
"chasse to the left" and balancing" IN non
commttal sort OF way, and turning half
round" and turning all round" and IN ali these
whlrIIgIg movements orthodox and republican
still.
This, | believe. sir, is a tolerabl, correct pic
ture of modern New York "republicanism ~
Those who are profitlng by the system, and par
tlcPatlDG IN the "spOlls," may take the burden
It's dctence.-l do not happen TO stand in
that attitude.
But, sir, my honorable colleague over the wav.
ONT. Angelo who has taken 1t upon himself to
sing me praises OF The "rcpublicaD party" and
has told us Of the mighty and wonderful things
they have done, mas complained, with great aud
becoming gravity, that other parties became so
"nvious f he name "repUbhcau"-t they
have cndcavorcd TO fIch it away from them
lis lawful owners. This reminds me of oaral.