Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-01-16

I IL
Gated by the President TO Congress, and
committee was appointed to examine
the subject. They, also, reported in
favor OF Its security. And, finally. n.
mong the last acts of the House of Re.
personalities, prior to the close of the
last Session, was the adoption of re.
solution, maniiesting its entire conf.
dence In the ability and solidity of the
/ Bank.
Alter all these testimonies to the
perfect safety of the Public moneys. in
the place appointed by Congress, who
could have supposed that the place
would have been changedl Who could
have imagined that, within 60 DAYS Of
the meeting of Congress, and, as il
were, in utter contempt of its auihori.
ty, the change should have been order.
ed! Who would have dreamt that the
Treasurer should have thrown away
the single key to the Treasury, over
which Congress held ample control, and
accepted in lieu of it some dozens of
keys, over which neither Congress nor
he has any adequate controll Yet, sir,
all this has been done, and it is now
our solemn duty to enquire-lst: By
whose authority it has been ordered?
and I'd: Whether the order has been
given in conformity with the consiitu.
ton and laws of the United States7
agree, sir, and am very happy
whenever | can agree with the presi.
dent, as to the immense importance of
these questions. He says, in a paper
which hold in my hand, that he looks
upon the pending question as involving
higher considerations than the 'smere
transfer of sum of money from one
Bank to another. Its decision may
affect the character Of our Govern.
ment for ages to come" And, with
him, | view it as Of transcendent i'm.
portance both in its consequences and
the great principles which the question
involves. In the view which have
taken of this subject, hold the Bank
as nothing, as perfectly insignificant,
faithful as 1t has been in the perform.
ance of all its duties, efficient as it has
proved in regulating the currency, than
which there is none in all Christendom
so sound, and deep as is the interest of
the country in the establishment and
continuance of sound currency, and
the avoidance Of all those evils which
result from defective or unsettled cur
rency. All these | regard us ques.
tons of no importance, in comparison
with the principles involved in this Ex-
ecutive innovation. Itinvolves the dis
tribution Of power by the Executive,
and the taking away power from Con-
gress which it was never before doubt.
ed to possess--the power over the pub
lie purse. Entertaining these views,
| shall not, to-day, at least, examine
the reasons assigned by the President,
or by the Secretary of the Treasury;
for if the President had no power 10
perform the act, no reasons, however
cogent or strong, which he can assign
as urging him to the accomplishment
of his purpose, no reasons can sanctify
an unconstitutional and illegal act.
The first question, sir, which init
mated it TO be my purpose to examine,
was, By whose direction was this
change of the deposites made?
Now, sir, is there any man who hears
me, who requires proof on this pointl
Is there an intelligent man in the whole
country who does not know who it
was that decided on the removal of the
depositcs? Is it not of universal noto.
rietyl Does any man doubt that it was
the act of the President? That it was
done by his authority, and at his CON-
mand? The President, on this subject,
has himself furnished evidence which
is perfectly conclusive, in the paper
which he has read to his Cabinet: for,
although he has denied to the Senate
an official copy ofthat paper, it is uni
versally admitted that he has given it
TO the world as containing the reasons
which influenced him TO the act. Asa
part of the people, ifnot in our Senate.
rial character, we have right to
vail ourselves of that paper, and of all
which it contains. Is it not perfectly
conclusive as to the authority by which
the deposi:es have been removed |
admit that it is an Unprecedented and
most extraordinary paper. The Con-
stitution of the United States admits
of a call, from the Chief Magistrate,
on the Heads of Departments, for their
opinions IN writing.
1t appears, indeed, that this power
which the Constitution coniers on The
President, had been exercised, and
that the Cabinet were divided, two and
two, and one, who was ready to go on
either side, being little Indifferent
how this great constitutional power was