Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-08-10

| stump as 10 the reCndrter Oi Inc Bank oil The
United States. 1t seemed as if sort OF gem
eral order had gone out, from head quarters,
to the partizaDs of the Administration every
where, TO agitate and make the most of the
question. They have done so and their
condition now reminds me of the fable iu-
vented by DIR. Franklin of the Eagle and the
Cat, TO demonstrate that Esop had not ex-
| hausted invocation, in the construction of his
memorable fables. The Eagle, you know,
MIR. President, pounced from his lofty
flight in the air, upon Cat, taking it to be
Pig. Having borne off his prize, he quick
ly felt most painfully the paws Of the Cat
thrust deeply into his sides and body
Whilst flying, he held parley with the sup
posed pig, and proposed to let go his hold. if
the other would let him alone. No. SAYS
puss, you brought me from Wonder earth be-
| low, and will hold fast to you until you car
| ry me back-a condition to which the Eagle
readily assented
The friends of the President, who have
! been for near three years agitating this ques-
! ton, now turn round upon their opponents
who have supposed the President quite Sc
rlous and in earnest. in presenting il for pub
lie consideration, and charge them with pre-
maturely agitating it. And that for cleo
pioneering purposes ! The other side I'M
derStands perfectly the policy ofpreferring
an unjust charge in order 10 avoid we'll
| founded accusation.
III there be an electioneering motive IN the
matter, who have been actuated by il p
Those who have taken the President at his
word, and deliberated on measure which
he has repeatedly recommended TO their con-
sideration ; or those who have resorted TO all
sorts of means 10 elude the question BY al
ternately coaXing and threatening the Bank
by an extraordinary investigation into
the administration of the Bank and by ev-
cry species oil postponement and procrastina-
ton, during the progress of the bill.
Notwithstanding all these dilatory expedi-
ents, majority of Congress, prompted by
the will and the best interests, of the nation,
passed the bill. And | shall now proceed,
with great respect and Difference to exam
inc some of the objections TO its becoming
law, contained in the Presidents message,
avoiding as much as can, a repetition of
what gentlemen have said who preceded
me.
The President thinks that the precedents,
drawn from the proceedings of Congress, as
to the Constitutional power TO establish a
bank, are neutralized, by there being two
for and two against the authority He sup
poses that one Congress in 1911, and anoth-
er in 1915, decided against the power Let
us examine both of these cases. The House
OF Representatives in 1911, passed the bill to
re-charter the Bank, and, consequently, af-
hrmed the power The Senate during the
same year were divided, II and II, and the
Vice President gave the casting vote. OF
the l7who voted against the bank we know
from the declaration ofthe Senator from Ma,
ryland, General Smith, now present, that
he entertained no doubt Whatever of the con-
stitutional power of Congress TO establish
bank, and that he voted on totally distinct
ground. Taking away his vote and add
ing it to the II who voted for the bank, the
number would have stood Is for, and l6 a
gainst the power. But we know further.
that Mr.. Gailard, Mr.. Anderson, and MIR.
Robinson, made part of that Is and that
in 1915, all three of them voted for the bank. |
Take those three votes from the 16 add them
to the Is, and the vote OF 1911, as to the
question of the constitutional power, would
have been 81 and 49, And ofthese thirteen.
there might have been others still who were
not governed in their votes by any doubts |
Of the power.
In regard to the Congress of 1915, so far
from their having entertained any scruples |
in respect to the power TO establish a bank |
they actually passed bank bill and there !
by affirmed the power. 1t is true that, by |
the casting vote ofthe Speaker of the House !
of Representatives (Mr. Cheves,) they re- |
jected another bank bill, not on grounds of
want of power, but upon considerations Of
expediency in the particular structure of that |
bank.
Both the adverse precedents, therefore,
relied upon IN the message, operate directly |
against the argument which they were bro't !
forward to maintain. Congress, by various !
other acts, in relation TO the Bank of the |
United States, has again and again sanction
ed the power. And believe it may be tru-
Iy affirmed that, from the commencement Of
the Government TO this day, there has not |
been Congress opposed to The Bank ofthe
United States upon the distinct ground ola !
want of power TO establish it.
And here, Mr.. President, must request
the indulgence of the Senate, whilst | ex-
press few words in relation to myself
voted in 1911, against the old Bank of
the United States, and delivered on the &C.
casion, speech, in which among other rea-
sons, | assigned that ofits being unconstitu-
tional. My speech has been read 10 the
Senate, during the progress of this bill, but
the reading of il excited no other regret than
that it was read in such wretched, bunp-
ling, mangling manner During a long
public life q mention the fact not as claim
ing any merit for il ) the only great question
on which have ever changed my opinion,
is that of the bank of the United States. Ifl
the researches Of the Senator had carried
him little further, he would by turning o.
yer few more leaves of the same book from |
which he read my speech, have found that
Which made in 1916, in support Of the pre-
&c nt hank Rv fbe reasong aesirno6 - -