Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-10-03
THE LITE ESPoNDEN,cE

correspondence
the 70 citizens of Richmond, and Mr. Leigh CON
corning "ihe true meaning" of passage in one of
his speeches in the Senate, and his "Gire cour.e
towards the Bank of the u. States" We publish
ca nus correspondence as soon as it appeared, with
out having perused it-and promised Review
OF At, should any he deemed necessary thereafter =
But this Office has been efieciually spared TO ms Inv
the labors of "Publns" in the Petersburg Constea-
ton, and by the comments of the Globe We law
them both, this day, before our readers They s,,
persede almost every thing which we would wish to
offer upon MIR. Leighs Letter, at this time. "Pub
iius, though too bitter in his spirit has added IN
me character which he had already won as dialec-
tlcon, under the signature which lie has assumed
And the following article from the Globe appears
10 us SO luminous, irresistible i'm its arguments So
overwhelming in its comments that scarcely leaves
us one splre OF grass to CLEAN from the whole field
of discussions.
The letter of the &c citizens contains one ,,ss,oo
when has excited some conversation in this Civ
and has called forth two or three explanatory Cards
IA tie public papers. Ii appears to be intended ms
mt at this press-and, under other FEELINGS tlo,
those which now entertain il might provoke mo
10 retalauon upon the manner of its expression tl,e
time of its publications and the structures il conveys
we should have expected different sentiment from
most OF the gentlemen who have signed the p,ner
Though all are politically opposed to us, vet we have
the pleasure of recognizing. among them many
personal friends Nearly half of them hive vo.
iun'ariiy come forward, with courtesy which
we duly appreciate, TO disclaim all inten,ions o1.
making any personal auson But we mich,
nave hoped from almost all of hem that they would
nave been liberal enough TO allow for some differ
ence OF opinion between us. They ought by this
ue 10 Know mat we have no office, and favor to
ask al The hands of The Administrations which could
induce us TO sacrifice "lnng-professed maxi,ns or
Cohsnutionai Government" in the "servicen and M
the shrine of"power." They might also have known.
now s,Iohgy we nave been opposed TO the Bank of
the u b, as clashing with all our "professed maxims
OF Constitutional Government'-and how orotcfi,I
we nave ieli, Tor the patriotic and moral courage ofte
veteran, who put his veto upon the renewal of lis
cnafter we disapproved, it is true, of the removal
OF the Deposites-but the events which have sine.
tfanspired the strange "Revolutons' which uar,ies
nave undergone, the coalitions which have been
effected between the most discordant and nmbi
uous Leaders," the Cabal which has been form
Gu ia Tie SENATE, the gross disohedience of in
structions which has been sIamefiiIIv disnl,v.J
py i've or six Senators, in the very face of ALI
OR "maxims of constitutional Government - rho
panic Speeches which have been poured forth. The
panic Memorials which have been generated In rho
hot'bed OF parties; the astonishing efforts which have
peen made TO restore the Deposes and 10 recnrter
the Bunk; every thing satisfied us, that the Admin
lsration was to be hunted down, and this monsrous
institution was TO rise upon lis ruins-Were we IN
remain silent, under this alarming condition of
tings! Were we TO coalesce with its protested enc
mics IN pulling down the Administration? What in
nuence was to be substituted in its place? Who so
c"pao'e as mat "hIin old man" to cope with the
power of the Bank?-At tie same lime which
oil these twenty-sx citizens is more anxious.
than we are, 10 throw additional guards against
me executive power over the public purse
VINO has more anxiously called for the iulerposition
OF congress, not TO restore the Deposites- which
seems TO us almost equivalent 10 the renewal of
me Charter-but TO regulate the Gold currency:
si more to regulate the dcpostes of the Public mo-
mes IN the State Banks, which are alike constitu-
lonai and responsible TO the Slate uuthorilies-ond
especially to restrict lie Executive controul over
The Public Depostes in these State Institutions p
III we have erred, indeed, in maintaining these nro
POSITIONS we bad hoped might claim at least
some indulgence for our Intentions If we have Ia
lieved MIR. Leigh be mistaken in taking difTerent
view OF some OF these proposiiious--if we have be-
lleved him not sufficiently Jealous i'm extinguishinp
the Bank, now and ioreyer-and, therefore, not the
man after own iIeart-if we have thrown oman
our columns, freely, TO Correspondents, both for
MN and against him, we might have hoped to es-
cape Tie imputatlon of being 'he leader among his
defahers'-and OF sacrificing all our principles at
'ne iootstooi OF fower-But let these things pass
AS to the Letter Of Mr.. Leigh, it may satisfy his
70 friends; but it certainly does not satisfy US The
ietter, which they lave called forth should call
forth IN It's turn, another letter TO explain "the true
meaning OF that passage which speaks of "divorc-
ing all connexion with Banks, State or Federal."-
do you mean, they might say) that the public mo-
ney Is to be left in the hands OF the Custom House
officers, responsible the President and removable
ny hm'-lf so, is Mr. l.. prepared incur the ire
sistiDle objections urged by the Globe-and TO din
crease lin so alarming degree) tie patronage. pow
CIR aud influence Of the ErecutiUe ?o tie areat
key, which lie says is TO "open the ruling, and in
aeed the only motives of all my conduct, since
have hada sIare i'll the National Councilsn WhatI
does not putting down the Bank also form no mart
OF his "motiyes, since (lel had a share in the Mn
uonal Councls"Y--llis tweny-sx friends might also
ask him: off you should be broush; to tile 6Ikerna
f,ve OF selecting the State Banks as the National
Bank as the Repositories ofile Public monies which
you VIII preterT This great question has not been
noticedby his friends or by himself-And vet this is
the great Alternative, which ioH be presented to the
Senators OF the U. 5. And what win Mr. Leieb do in
this alternative? Will he take the State Banks which
are constitutional, which are established Inv the
States, responsible 10 tie States, regulated by fhe
states as the depos of the public treasure under
such restrictions upon the Executive control as
may seem wise and necessary TO be made by
Congress pr, will he take the Bank of the
~ States, contrary to tho Constitutions Spreading
ATS arms throughout the States and thus exertina an
enormous influence, which is in defiance Of all State
nuthoriy-and thus dangerous to the liberties as 10
The Constitution Of our country. Which will lie do2
Judging by one of his Speeches, in which he appears
10 ande TO this alternative, should suppose that
Mr. Leigh considers the National Bank as less dan
gerous than The State Banks-or, what lns been ex-
lrayagautly called "the League Of State BapksD In
this opinion il would be our misfortune to differ es
seniialIy with MIR. Leigh.
Ia bis Letter. indeed, he does not present this al
ternotiye which we think will he the true one--but
nc makes another which do not believe is to be
the true one:
am nov deliberately Of opinion, that the question
VII umaieiy De, between (nol perhaps the present Bank
present Bank H. 10 ali essential psrcusrsand s,ions
BaDk varying Ia lie construction iron, r. oosent oi IT,