The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-12-23
Number SO.

the measure, by the continued practical o.
peratlon of such parts of it as are now in
force; but also to discover-what should
ever be sought for and regard with the ut
most delerence-the opinions and wishes
OF the people. The national will is the
supreme law of the Republic, and, on all
subjects within the limits of his constitu-
uonaL powers, should be faithfully obeyed
by the public servant.
Since the measure in question was SUBJ
mitted to your consideration, most of Won
have enjoyed the advantage of personal
communication with your constituents. For
one State only has an election been held for
the Federal Government; but the early dav
at which it took place, depriyes the mea-
sure under consideration of much of the sup
port it might otherwise have derived from
the result. Local elections for State Off
GERS have, however, been held in several of
the States, at which the expediency of the
plan proposed by the Executive has been
more or less discussed. You will, | am
confident, yield to their results the respect
due to every expression ofthe public voice.
Deslllng. however, to arrive at truth and a
Just view OF the subjectin all its bearings,
you will at the same time remember, that
questions of far deeper and more immedi-
ate local interest than the fiscal plans of the
National Treasury were involved in those
elections.
Above all we cannot overlook the stri-
king fact, that there were at the time in
those States more than one hundred and
sixty millions Of bank capital, of which large
portions were subject to actual forfeiture
other large portions upheld only by special
and limited legislative indulgences-an
most Of it, if not all, to greater or less ex-
tent, dependent for continuance of its cor
porate existence upon the will of the State
Legislatures to be then chosen. Apprised
of this circumstance, you will Judge wheth-
ther it is not most probable that the peculiar
condition of that vast interest, in these re-
spects, the extent to which it has been
spread through all the ramifcations of soci-
ETY., its direct connection with the then PEN
ding elections, and the feelings it was cal
culated to infuse into the canvass, has ex-
ercised a far greater influence over the re-
suit, than any which could possibly have
been produced py conflict of opinion in
respect to question in the administration
of the General Government, more remote
and far less important in its bearings upon
! that interest.
have no formed reason to change my
own opinion as to the eXpediency of adopt
ing the system proposed, being perfectly
satisfied that there will be neither stability
nor safety, either in the fiscal affairs of the
government, or in the pecuniary transact
tons of individuals and corporations, SO
! long as a connection exists between them,
which, like the past, offers such strong in
| ducements TO make them the subjects fpo-
ltical agitation. Indeed | am more than
ever convinced fthe dangers to which the
free and unbiased exercise of political O.
pinion-the only sure foundation and safe
guard of republican government-would be
exposed by any further increase of the al
ready overgrown influence of corporate au-
thorties. | cannot, therefore, consistently
with my views of duty, advise a renewal of
a connection which circumstances have dis
solved.
The discontinuance of the use of State
banks for fiscal purposes ought not to be re-
garded as a measure of hostility towards
those institutions. Banks properly estab-
lished and conducted, are highly useful TO
the business of the country, and will doubt
| less continue TO exist in the States, so long
as they conform to their laws, and are found
to be safe and beneficial. How they
should be created, what privileges they
should enjoy, under what responsibilities
! they should act, and to what restrictions
they should be subject, are questions which,
as observed on previous occasion, belong
to the State to decide. Upon their rights,
or the exercise of them, the General Gov
ernment can have no motive to encroach.
It's duty toward them is well performed,
when it relrains from legislating for their
special benefit because such legislation
would violate the spirit of the Constitution,
and be unjust to other interests: when it ta-
kes no steps to impair their usefulness,
but so manages its own affairs as to make
it the interest of those institutions to
strengthen and improve their condition for
the security and welfare of the community
at large. They have no right to insist on
connection with the federal Government,
nor on the use of the public money for their
own benefit.
The object of the measure nnder consid-
Grafton is to avoid for the future a compul-
sorry connection ofthis kind. 1t proposes
to place the General Government, in regard
IN tba essential noints or the collection safe.