Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-06

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o""Srcss were based. IL would have been ex-
peced that our collectors would seize the customs
or INC receivers OF land offices the monies
from me sale OF public lands, under pr tcnccs OF claims
against the United States that th. Bank Nvould a. v.
retained the dividends indeed if the principle be cs
tblsiicd, that any one who chooses set IN claim
against the United States may without authority of law
seLc ON tue public property money wherever hc can
hnd II, To pay the claim there will remain no assurance
That our revenue will reach the Treasury or that it VIII
DC applied after the appropriation the purposes desr
u III .he law. The paymastcrs OF our army, and the
pscrs oil our navy may under ike precnc,s apply Ia
ueir own use moneys appropriated 10 in motion the
pubic force and IN time of war leave tie country with
OUT defence This measure, rcsortcd Dy the ank is
dsorganizing and revolutionary, il generally resort.
cd to by private citizens in like cases would fill the land
with anarchy and violence.
IL is constitutional nrovisio, that ono n,o,c,, ,,,u
DC drawn from the Treasury but consequence of APP
Preparations made by law 1he papablc objcc, of thus
provision u.s. To prevent the pcndturc of the public
ney, Tor any purpose wasocsSr. which shall moi have
been first approved by the Representatives OF the People
and the States in Congress assembled II ycs,, liz,
power of declaring for what purposes Tho public money
snail be expended in the Legislative Dcpartmcn of tlc
overnment To the exclusion OF the Executive and Ju-
uic' ana IL not within the constitutional authority
oil eter oil those Departments 10 pay il away without
aw or TO sanction its payment According TO this pan
.osututona provision the claim oithe Bank can never
pn a WITHOUT an appropriation by act of Congress
bul inc Bank has asked for an appropration
"epts TO defeat the provision Of the Constitution and
OBTAIN payment without of Congress- Instead o
awaiting an Appropriation passed by both Houses and an
proved by the President, it makes appropriation Tor It.
sS ana invites an appeal to The Judiciary sanction IT,
That the money had technically been paid into the
treasury, does not affect The principle intended To be rs
tibshed by the Constitution The Exec 20 and dic;
airy have as little right appropriate and xnend The ,h
nc money without authority OF law Lefre is placed TO
e the Treasures as To take from the Treasury
In the annual report OF the Secretary of the Treasury,
anu IN his correspondence with the President OF The
BANK, and the opinions of the Attorney accom-
Panying At, you will find further examination, OF the
claims of the Bank, and the has pursued
III seems due TO the safety of the public funds remain
ing m that Bank, and To the honor of the American peo-
PEE thnt measures be taken to separate the Government
entirely from institution miscellaneous to the public
prosperity, and 50 regardless of the Constitution and
laws By transferring the public deposiis and by an
pointing other Pension Agents. far as it had the pow
e by ordering the dscontnuance of the receipt of Bank
checks in payment Of the public dues after the first Jay
oil January next the Executive has exerted all its lawful
authority to the connection between the Govern
ment and this fathess corporation
The highhandcd career of this institution ;,nnoscs
upon the constitutional unconaries of this Government
Guues OF the gravest and most imperative character
duties which they cannot avoid, and from which trust
there VIII ne no inclination on the part of any Of them
to shrink. My of them most clear as nso
my readiness to discharge those which may rightfuy fall
ON me- 10 continue any business relations with the
Bank ofthe United States that may avoided withou,
violation of the national faith after that institution has
set ut defiance the ri0ht of the (,ovor
men to examine its affairs after it has done all in lie
power TO derde the public authority in other respect
ana to bring into disrepute home and abroad after
IT has attempted to defeat the clearly expressed win of tho
people, by turning against them the immense mower IN
trusted to ITS hands and by involving country otherwise
peaceful iourshng, and happy, in dlssensio embarrass
~, @ us'ress Wouid make the nation itself party
the degradation seduously ogcnt
q ind
puar governments, and TO bring into contempt their l-
thority and efficiency In guarding against an vii of such
magnitude considerations OF temporary convenience
SHOULD be thrown out of the question and we shoud he
influenced by such motives only as look to the honor
and preservation of the republican sysel Dceplv and
soeinny impressed with the Justice OF these views /
ce 10 be my duty to recommend you that law be
passed the sale of the public stock that the pro
VISION OF the charter requiring the receipt notes of the
BANK III payment OF public dues, SHALL in accordance
WIN the power reserved to Congress i'm the 18th section
OF the charter be suspended until the Bank pays to the
treasury the dividends withheld and that all laws con
meeting the Government or its officers with the Bank
directly or Indirectly be repealed and that the instt
uon be LETT hereafter TO its means
Events have satisfied my mind, and think the minds
OF the American People, that the mschef and don0cr
winch How from National Bank far overbalance all tia
advantages The bold effort present Bank has mad,
To control the Government the dstresss IL has v,ntn
y Produced the violence of which it has been the oc-
cason IN one OF our cities famed for its observance of law
ana order, are but prcmonons of the fate which awaits
the American people, should they he deluded into per-
peuatlon of this institution the establishment Of ano
tier like IT. II is fcrvcnty hoped that thus admonisl
cd those who have heretofore favored the establishment
OF substitute for the present Bank will be induced TO
ABANDON IT, as 1t evidently better to incur any nconvc-
ehcc ihat may be reasonably expected than
catc inc whole moncyed power of the Republic i'm any
Torn, whatsoever or under any restrictions.
Happily it already illustrated that the agency Of
such an institution is not necessary 10 the fiscal onef
tons OF the Government The State Banks are found
fully adequate the performance of all services which
were required Of the Bank Of the United States quite as
promptly, and with the cheapncss They have
maintained themselves, and discharged all these duties
and in the field rs open enemy and it is not pos.
sIbe to conceive that they will find greater difcuitos
IN their operations, when that enemy shall cease to
exist "
The attention Of Congress is earnestly invited To fo
regulation OF the depositcs in the State Banks bv law
Although the power exercised by the Executive De-
partment in this behalf is only such MS was unCoru,l
exertcd through every Administration from the orin f
the Government up the establishment of the present
Bank yet it is one which susceptible Of regulation bv
anu therefore, ought to be regulated The mower Of
congress to direct in what places the Treasurer shall keen
te moneys IN the Treasury and to impose restrictions
upon the Executive authority in relation TO their custody
ana removal, rs unlimited, and its exercise viii rather
De corted Than discouraged by those public officers and
agents on whom rest the responsibility for their safety
IL IS desirable that little power possible should Ie
lett to the President Secretary Of the Treasury over
those lnstitutions-wlic being thus freed from fyecu
i've influence, and without head To direct
thcIr operations would have neither the termination nor
ue aDhty 70 interfere in the political conflicts of the
country Not deriving their charters from the national
authorities, they would have those Inducements 10
NEEDLE IN general elections which have led the Bank az
the United States TO agate and eOnvulse the country
Tor upwards OF two years
Inc progress OF gold coinage IL creditab,c 10 the
Otlcers OF the mint, and promises a short pcrod IN
furnish The country with sound and portable currency
which VIII much diminish the Inconvenience 10 travel
ers OF the want of general paper currency should the
State banks be incapable Of furnishing it, Those insi
tutions have already shown themselves conlpcent to
purchase and furnish domestic exchange for the. eonve
hehcc c trade, at reasonable rates. and not di,bt 10
entertained That, IN short period all the wants of Tho
country III bank accommodations and exchange will e
supplied as promptly and chcapy they have hereto
lore Deen ny the Bank Of the United Stacs If the So
verai States shall be induced gradually to reform fo;r
banking systems and prohibit the ixsuc Of iii sIi
W lnul fntsr l..-