Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-10-09

al, more abhOfcnt 10 pTihc'ple from thti
opinions, and more dangerous and bane-
fal 10 their consequences. The allerna-
tiyes bat too likely to be presented TO Us
are indeed awful F."
RrcnMoND, Sept %, 1884
Gentlemen Your letter Of the 18Th
inst, was handed 10 me on the ooh.
There is one reason, and only one, that
makes me reluctant 10 give you an ans
wcr which Is, that an answer 10 your
letter, may bring upon me inquiries with
out end, as 10 my opinions on all the vex-
ed questions Of he day, and may be sup
posed to commit me TO give public ans
8ers to all such inquiries. | have no
opinion on any political subject, that !
wOull wish 10 conceal but have an OBJ
lection TO giving such answers 10 such in
quifies, which is insupcrable namely,
want Of time TO do so--lIterally want OF
time. answer your letter. however, be
cause, seeing the feeling Of personal good
will towards me that runs through It, to
refuse an answer would have the appear
ancc Of unkindness Yet ! have not the
least hope, in high party times like these
of being able 10 liud language to convey
my thoughts, which will not be liable TO
be mIscontrued 10y many ofmy political
opponents, and by some willaly misrep-
/ resented.
la regard to the part took IN the de
bate in the Senate on the bank question,
at the last session, | remarked at the
time, that the editors Of the ministerial
newspapers (such Of them, mean, as !
had an opportunity Of seeing,) thought
t.
presentations Of my speeches, some omit
ing to publish the speeches themselves,
especially the FIRST OF them, some pablish-
ing extracts of their own selection, and
some postponing the publication, ill the
representations of their anonymous cor
respondents, had time 70 make the first
general impression. This course was not
fair, aud carried with it internal evidence
of concious unfsirness. But | thought |
had a right to expect Of my countrymen,
that they would ascertain my meaning
and intentions from my own words; and
then, il any should see cause 10 condemn
me. should never complain.
In my first speech OH that occasion, af
fer meationipg that the General Assembly
of Virginia had, very shortly before it
elected me 10 the Senate, declared its
opinion that Congress had no constitu
tional authority TO charter national bank,
without giving any express Instguc tionotQ
the Senators Of the State in Congress-, /
said, in substance, that under the ciretim
stances should conform with that cpin.
ion, even If entertained different one
but that, in truth, | coneured 10 the opin
ion entirely and exactly and said after
tEapI, fhat NV a. al n,,,rI1n tiat
it was not constitutional to re charter the
present bank of the United States, or any
national bank. do not quote my words,
bat took pains TO make them as explicit
as possible.
My Judgment, indeed, is altogether OPP
posed to that broad system Of implication,
" which the power to charter national
bank, and many other powers, have been
derived to the federal legislature, and re-
Gently to the federal executive; which
last has advanced and acted upon a doc
trino Of implied powers, far mare laiitudi
nous than was ever before heaNi Of IL
my opinion, the trainers Of the constitution,
had no thought Of any bank ageacy what
ever, state or federal, either for facilitating
the operations Of the treasury, or for re
gulaiing the currency, and that to admin
ister the government, In the true spirit Of
the constitution and according 10 the in
tention of its founders, the treasury ought
to be divorced from all conneXion with
banks, state or federal 1t the same time
have no expectation that this principle
viii ever be acted on TO lis full extent -
The friends OF the state banks, the friends
ola national bank, and the supporters Of
the executive claims to power, viii all
combine against ii; and the nation, IN ST
probably, will never agree, that The im
mense sums yearly paid in for revenue.
shall, between the time Of collection and
the time OF disbursement, be wholly un
employed and uaproductiye.
! After stating my opinion on the const;
tuuonai question. proceeded 10 mention,
the alternatives, which honestly believed,
the developments Of the present year
would offer for consideration of the PEG
| Pile alternatives, each and every one OF
which (as any man who reads The speech
must see) eschewcd above all things,
stated these alternatives, which thought
Impending -tur the purpose, chiefly, oil
drawing the attention Of the public an2 es-
peeially of the people Of Virginia to them.
! and of submitting the whole subject, ia all
its bearing, to their timely and deliberate
considerauon,-and, partly for the pur-
pose Of eliciting the views and intentions
OF other gentlemen, in the course of the
full debate which | then anticipated
Whether my apprehensiens were right OF
wrong, should have thought, that no rea.
sonahle man could dlsappToYe my reveal
ing them. Is it possible, that any man
can think, that surprising my apprehen
sioos founded in mistske, they could have
any effect III producing tie dreaded alter.
( natives? or. surprising me right, that want
/ Oh faith in my iorebodlnSs could have any
elect in preventing such alternatives f,on
being presented? Or is it thought. that
when was sent 10 the Senate, was not
50 much as TO attempt TO exercise the sa.
saclty Of a Statesman? that was not to
look before me at all ? or If | did, that |
was 10 conceal the dangers saw or fear
ed, aud bury my apprehensions in my own
breast? My idea Of my duty was the di
rect reverse; and however new that duty
was 10 me, and however unequal | felt
nyseli 10 the performance Of IT, | should
I t,stE. h.. = q. 4