Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-18

road tv the President 70 the CaDinet aHu y ~.
=, 80 ultimately connected with the point lmme
II =; -, to, under consideration. That document,
thongh apparently addressed to the Caplnel'
Voc Clearly and manifestly intented as an aP
real n the people of the United States, ana
onens new and direct organ OF comnuhie 20,
tion between the President and lhem q uilkliown
10 the CONSTITUTIONS and the laws. nei or
~ t,v channels kown to either through which
the President can communicate VIII 'ne l Poo
nle-by messages to the two Houses OF C ..,ll
press as expressly provided for in the Consti.u-
fion. or by proclamation, setting forth the IN
lterpretations, which places upon law, u ha'
become his official duty to execute 10 go ne-
yond, is one amongst the alarming s eg y VIZ
times which portend the overthrow OF the Con
stitution and the approach of despotlc power.
The Secretary, having determined that tne
Bank was unconstitutional; and the people hdd
pronounced against the re-charter conciudeS
that Congress had nothing to DO with the SUD-
iect. With provident foresight, he percelVes
the difficulty and embarrasmentin into which toe
currency of the country, would be thrown on
the termination of the Bank charter; to prevent
which, he proceeds deliberately with paren-
tai care, to supply new currency equal to
or better'' than that which Congress had sup
piled With this view, he determines on the innme-
diate removal of the deposites; he puts them IN
certain State institutions, intending to organize
them after the fashion of the empire state, into
a great safety-fund system, but which, unfortu'
nately, undoubtedly for the projectors, If not for
the country, the limited power OF the State
Banks did not permit him to effect. But sub
stitute was found by associating them in GER
tain articles of agreement, and appointing an
inspector general of all this league of banks!
and all this without law or appropriation! Is it
not amazing, that it never occurred to the Sec
rotary, that the subject of currency belonged
| exclusively to Congress- and that to assume to
regulate it. was plain usurpation Of the pow
ers ofthat department of the government?
Having thus assumed the power, officially to
determine on the constitutionality of the Bank;
! having erected himsefinto an organ of the peo-
ple's voice, and settled the question ofthe regu-
| laton of the currency, he next proceeds to as
sumo the judicial powers over the Bank He de-
clares that the Bank has transcribed its pow
ers and had therefore, forfeited its charter, for
which he nficts on the institution the severe and
exemplary puniShmentof Withholding the depo-
sites; and all this in the face of an express pro-
vision, investing the court with power touching
the infraction Of the charter; directing in what
manner the trial should be commenced and con-
Quoted, and securing expressly to the bank the
sacred right of trial by jury, in finding the facts.
All this passed for nothing in the eyes ofthe Sc
cretary, who was too deeply engrossed in pro-
viding for the common welfare, to regard either
Congress, the Court or the Constitution.
| The Secretary next proceeds to supervise the
general operations of the bank, pronouncing,
with authority, that at one time it has discount
! ed too freely, and at another too sparingy with
out rejecting that all the control which the gov
eminent can rightfuily exercise over the opera
tons ofthe institution, is through the five Direc-
| tors who represent the Government in this re-
spect Directors! Mr.. Calhoun exclaimed, did
| say (alluding to the presently No, spies is
| their proper designation.
| | cannot, said Mr.. c., proceed with the re-
marks which intended on the remainder Of the
| SeCretary's reasons; have not patience to dwell
on assumptions ofpower, SO bold, so lawlesS, and
so unconstitutional; they deserve not the name
| of argument, and cannot waste time in treating
| them as such. There are, however, two which
! | cannot pass over not because they are more
extraordinary or audacious than the other, but
| for another quality which choose not to desig
| nate.
The Secretary alleges that the bank has in
terfered with the politics Of the country. IfthiS
be true it certainly is a most heinous offence
| The bank is great public trust, possessing, for
| the purpose Of dlscharging the trust great pow
| er and influence which it could not pervert from
the object intended to that influencing the po-
litics Of the country, without being guilty of a
! great political crime. In making these remarks
do not intend to give any countenance to the
charge alleged by the Secretary nor to deny to
the officers of the bank the right which belongs
to them in common with every citizen, freely to
form political principles, and act on them in their
private capacity, without permitting them to in
fluence their official conduct. But it is strange
it did not occur to the Secretary, while he was
accusing and furnishing the bank on the charge
ofinterterng in the politics ofthe country, that
the Government also was great trust, vested
| with powers still more extensive, and influence
UNNECESSARILY greater than that Of the Bank, gil
ven to enable it to discharge the object for which
it was created; and that it has no more right to
pervert its power and influence into the means
of controlling the politics fthe country, than the
Bank itself Can it be unknown to him that the
Fourth Auditor ofthe Treasury-(an officer in
his own Department. the man who has made so
prominenta figure in this transaction, was dailv
and hourly meddling in politics, and that he is
one of the principal political managers of the
Administration? Can he be ignorant that the
whole power of the Government has been per-
verted into a great political machine, with
view of corrupting and controlling the country?
Can he be ignorant that the avowed and open
policy OF the Government is to reward political
friends and punish political enemies? and that.
acting on this principle, it has driven from office
hundreds of honest and competent officers for
eo1<o "A