Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-08-23

the Acknowledgement vi TIC " A''
Garland of Meckenburg, in 1885, in which lie was au-
thorised to speak my sentiments III The aler' l"eSe
documents have been frequently and extensively Puo.
lshed Upon referring to them you VIII lna mat iion'
the first action of President Jackson upon 'ns
lar norton of his official duties, which happened WINE
I was member of his Cabinet, until the time "neh
those letters written, there has been co opea'o
in action and general correspondence IN "Pi"1n vs.
trc,n him and myself upon The hole SUBJECT In 1ie
,ews pxuessed by him. upon the particular question 10
which your enquiry extends III MS annual message u
t,onyrrss in December, lc4, fully concur. They were
as follows: ,,,
ho crcd without improperly internal improvements,
which have always been regarded as standing upon d
fcrcut grounds frum those 70 which nave ie!e'fca.
aud 10 such rs have for their oOcct Inc improvement
Of on harbnrs and thr removal OF partla ahG
constructions in our naygabc rivers, Tor The iaciy anu
,rcurily of our foreign commerce The GROUNDS upon
which distinguished appropriations OF les cn"'a'''
trcm others have already brrn stated 10 IohGlesS'
will only now add that the first session OF congress
,,cr tie Constitution, II was provided ny ia" liza.
:u ryucnsrs which should accrue from ana a'l'l '''
18th day Of August l7c3, III the necessary Suppo' u''
maintenance and repairs OF all light houses Oeac0hs'
h"oys, and public peers, erected, paceu "a Sai ra,
t;ur Tie passarc of the act. within any uay, "e''
rorinr or mort of the United States, ter rrHGrring
The nav;ga.Inn thereof easy and SAFE, snoolu pe &C.
1tarcd cut of the Treasury Of the United states, anu
;urIier thai il should be the futy oi the 9eGfet'
~ OF the Treasury to provide by contracts, WIN t'e
appreciation Of the President, i"rfenuiiahS "e
a.ry, and keeping IN good repair, The lighthouses yea
cons buoys. aad public piers IN the seveFa' HlaS' anu
Tor furnishing Them with supplies Appropriations !or
similar objects have h:cn continued from HAT time 10
the present without interruption or dispute: AS hat
raj conse uuence of the increase and extension OF our To-
rrirn commerce, ports of entry and delivery nave Ocn
muIlred and established, only upon our S'aboa!c.
but in c int, rior Of tc country, upon oar lakes ana
uayrabIc rivers The convenience and safety OF tins
commerce. have led 10 tie gradual extension Z" tn'Se
,ypcndi,urcs TO the erection Of lighthouses the piac-
hpl h.1r
and to the removal Of partial and temporary obsrnc-
uus in or GnvIab!e rivers, and Iii the iaFn0rs upon
oar great lakes we'll as on Tie Sca.bgard hliough
| have expressed To Congress my apprehension mat
these expenditures have som, Tunes been eAlrara-
giant and disproporlnnate TO the advantages To pe
derived from them, ! have not ielt l! 10 be my dn'y
10 refuse nv assent to bills containing them. and
have contcncd myself 10 follow in this respect IN the
footsteps of all my predecessors. Sensible, however,
from Experience and observation, ii Inc Grca. abuses 10
which tie unrestricted exercise CT lhS authority ~
COMPRESS was exposed have prescribed limitation Tor
ilr government OF my own conduct, BY which ca
prndu!es OF this character CutllcG to places Eeilw
the ports Of euiGy delivery established by law. l
ana very sensible that this restriction is not as satts
factory as could he desired, and i;at much cmhar-
rnsSil:rnt may br caused the Executive Department
N is execution by appropriations tor remote, ana
not well understood ii cts But rs neither my own
reflections. the lights which may property GriiYc
from other Sources have supplied ne with better,
shall continue To apply my test cxcrtlcns 10 faithful
application ii the rule upnn which II is founded sn.
ccrey regret that could not give my assent to the bill
entitled IAN act TO improve the navigation Of the Wa
bash river; but could not have done so without Tecrd-
Inu from the ground which have upon the fullest con-
sdcraiion taken upon this subject, and Of which Con
gross las been heretofore apprizrd and without throw
ing the subject again open 10 abuses which no good cti-
zen, entertaining my opinions, could desire.
r, sidcnt jackson has where given us his views as
10 tie particular provisions Of the Federal Constitution
Lv which he conccvcs expenditures Of this character to
lie authorized Upon referring TO the early proceedings
a.
Secretary OF the Treasury, c"ntcnded, that they were
warranted by The authority given 10 Congress to rcgu
late commerce. Mr. Jrrrson the other hand, whilst
he deprecated their liability TO extravaganza and abuse,
assumed that they could Lc Justified under the power to
maintain navy. President jackson has let; the ques
ton Of cnsutonaity in the state in which 1t was lett
lv his PREDECESSORS But having had actual proof of the
tendency n these appropriations 10 the abuses which Mr.
jefferson apprhcndvd he has rndraYcrrd To apply 10 the
q subject practical remedy. With this view lie refused
lis all appropriations above ports of entry or
delivery mot THAT lac held The mere fact OF lie cs!a-
b!sImcnt Of such ports by Congress decisive OF The
question of cuustiuona!ily. but because the Constitu
ton under tie general Discretion it con!rrs in regard 20
the approval disappr"Tal ot bills. gI"es him The
right to 10 so, without reference to the constitutional
question! and because lie thought its exercise would be
hiyiy conducive The public good No one, believe,
contends That The President ought, far it depended
upon him. 10 have arrested al! appropriations OF this cha
raclcr nor could it with Cny show Of propIicy be in
sisted that he should have given his consent to the
tension OF them 10 Objects of character altogether DIT
irrcn from those which have been promoted by grants
roml the Federal Treasury since the commencement Of
the Federal Government. That the rule he adopted for
line regulation of his conduct in the matter is free from
objection is not commended ] am, however, satisfied
that it has been productive Of much gnod and WILL un-
I'll more satisfactory one Is suggested, give 1t my sup.
port.
Yon next ask, whether will sign apd approve Gf it
becomes necessary and from depreciation,
The revenue and finances Of the nation and 10 afford
sound uniform currency to The people Of the T. States,
!
tc7ing Bank Of the United States.
In the published letter Of MIR Butler 70 MIR. Garland,
which has already been referred to, he thus states my
opinions upon the subject Of the Bank: 'alr Van Rn-
rem opinions in regard To the Bank OF tr United States,
were expressed in the Senate of the United States in
1923 repeated in his letter 10 the Shocco Springs Com
i.lec, whilst candidate for tie Vice Presidency, and
have been freely uttered By him, that there cannot |
think, be occasion to say much upon that subject. But
ccsc the door TO cavl state, ls That he holds that
congress does not possess tie power to establish na.
tona Bank in any Of the States of the Union, TO
establish, in such Sta"s, the branch of any bank located
in The District of COLUMBIA; and I'd. That he is, there
fore, decidedly opposed 10 the establishment Of a ma
ona Bank in any Of The States; and is also opposed 10
the establishment of any such Bank in the District Of Co.
nba, unnecessary and nexpedent and as liable 10
great proportion of the abuses which have in his OPT
non, been p!acsed by the existing bank
This declaration, with other uniform, repeated and
published ay0wals of my sentiments in regard to a
United States Bank would, had supposed be sufficient
To save from further interrogation that sub cct
but you have thought proper TO push the enquiry fur
ther, and 10 that end to place the matter before me in 4
form sludousy adapted TO present the question in s
most favorable contingent aspect, you will am sure,
be neither surprised dissatisfied if deem it due TO
myself we'll to the subject tc give particu-
lar and enlarged consideration than nave heretofore
felt it necessary or proper to do.
ain induced TO embrace for this purpose the orpor.
tunty you have presented 10 the readily from
deep conviction of The Hcalculable Importance to the
people of the United States that this long gtated and
di-1actng subject should be finally settled and from