Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-12


nent which now brought this measure forward.
Their ONLY motive had been, that this was the &C
copied time, when the Department of the lrea-
sury had come out in their favor. Ii would nave
been weakness in them to have associated them.
selves with the political party alluded to- IL hau
been said, that tins measure had arisen from CIR
cumstances which had occurred within these nve
weeks. Had nut all which then happened been
known of nine months ago! And we're Trey, the
president and directors Of the bank, 50 weak, So
Internationally, that they had 50 long neglected 10
avail themselves of this, if they had wished to do
So Besides, if we Iooked further, we might see
it would have been forlorn hope. 1t required
ali their united power to come within distance
of the power Andrew Jackson holds, and. to sup
pose that being divided, they could stand against
that puwer. would &c a species OF dotage seldom
eaualled. He wcud row ask the gentleman the
meaning of what lie had asserted, as to the int1u-
ence OF political movement in the presentation OF
this memorial from the bank!
Mr.. Wayne said, he must first understand the
afinities to which the hon. gentleman had aIlud-
ed. authorized him to ask that question
Mr.. Sutherland said, he would put the Gues-
ton then in another form, and ask him. as gen
tIeman, his meaning in what he SAID.
Mr.. Wayne said. that he could easily answer
this, hut it not his purpose to let the nsenui-
ty of the honorable gentleman bring him into coli
lislon with persons for whom he had high cs-
teen.
Mr.. Sutherland sad he was satisfied; the gen
tleman had given reason why he did not answer
his question. Mr.. S. proceeded to say. it was
probable, that, in his section, the present Chief
Magistrate would, at the next election, have the
whole vote. Those who felt a wish to 30 with
the present administration. to give It their sup
port, could never assent to the dreadful policy
he would call it the suici lal >po!icy (which had
been that day proposed, as to the memorial before
them. After some further remarks, Mr.. s. con-
Guided. by hoping the House would meet the Pre-
sIdent in the same manly. honest way, on this
question. as he had met then,-that they would
let him have the credit of putting his veto on, or
giving his approbatinn TO. bill on the subject
We should wrong the Pl e,ident. and wrong the
government, if, after three successive years OF
asking, we deny him an opportunity to act on
the measure. Above all, he wished the country
relieved from its suspense. Ii had been truly
said that the rise or tall 81 stocks depended eve
nv year on the Presidents message. Something
should be done on the subiect-it was the wish OF
the President. The wish OF the Bank. aud it was
the wish of the country. In justice to one and
all of them. they could not refuse TO act, to act
now, aud to act definitively on this matter.
Mr.. Bates, of Maine. and afterwards Mr..
WAYNE. Intellectually moved an adjournment.
Mr.. Carson said that from the course the dis
cussion had taken. he felt it necessary to say-a
few more words. When up before on the sub
iect, he had been anxious to ascertain the course
the question had previously taken, tut it appears
that now the subject Is made TO resolve itself into
party question; and that those who were ogpos.
ed to the Bank, will vote for select committee.
If the question were now to be called up for re-
chartering the bank, he, Mr. c. should proba-
bty vote against it; but if the constltutnnalty and
eypedency OF the bank were proved. he should
certainly yield The opinions he then held and vote
for it. He observed that he had heard with re-
pret, the gentleman from Maryland, mr. How
ard y state that he should vote for the bank, be-
nefit it when it might. The gentleman from
Pennsylvania also, (Mr. Sutherland, had said
that his opinions were not known, and :ndeed
many persons oplnions were not known, pending
an election. But he would ask those gentlemen
whether if they were convinced ol the unconstl,
tu,ionality of the bank charter, they would vlo-
late the constitution by renewing the charter!
To talk Of the constitutional powers OF Congress
was now vain and Idle; it reminded HIM OF the
SAYING Of old Nathaniel Macon who had ilustrat-
ed the new doctrines. by taking leave Of the CON
stituton, as if an old friend, whom he had long
pndeavored to preserve. and who was now about
departing from him forever. In the investigation
of the bank question, Nj. Carson asked if they
were not to look into the currnpnons which might
exist IN it or to the mode Of manasingits concerns.
Would those who supported the bank shut out IN
uuirv, aud vote for The bank. right or wrongF L.
was once SAID by distinguished man. Comno-
dore Stephen Decatur, that he was for his coun-
try, right or wrong; and that, said Mr. c., am
also. II this were made party question, by vo-
ting it on party grounds to select committee,
he would not be rarticeps crimiais. He would
not aid He concluded by remarkins. that the
part If the Presidents message on the subject OF
the national currency was referred to a select
committee, of which Mr.. Calhoun was the chair
man.
Mr.. Ellsworth said the subject of the Bank had
been repeatedly pressed upon the attention OF
Congress. bv the Presidents in their Messages,
and it was Of great Importance to the interests Of
the community that the question should be set
tied with all the despatch compatible with deli
beratiun The gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Waynr) is opposed. it seems. t" the reference to