Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1838-04-04

man VINO was opposed 10 me cause oil the
country in the second war of independence.
in which she so prodigally and generously |
shed her best blood. Il becomes her.
tve.born children to
." Be to her faults a little blind,
And TO her virtues very kind"
Sho has few faults, sir; she has many
and noble virtues. But her late election
took place before the Sub. Treasury was
prprosed, and the result OF that election
cannot be cited as any special condemna.
ton by her people Of that measure. | ad-
init, however, that they are opposed to it at
this time.
Tho Michigan and New.York elections
have taken place since the President re-
commended the establishment! Of an lnde.
pendent Treasury system. In Michigan,
the election resulted in favor of the Admin
istration from which that measure proceed.
ed. The Senator from New-York (Mr.
TaIlradgc,) must excuse me do not
mean 10 poach upon his manor; but he vii
excuse me if adopt the opinions Of the
President in preference 10 those of tho hon.
orahle Senator, in relation to the last fall C.
lections, both in New York aud elsewhere.
The Senator said, the other day, that he
had seen with pain the allegation, in the
Presidents Message, of bank Interference,
or bank influence. in the recent election of
the State Of New York. The charge had
Inundated him. He felt that the honor Of
his native State had been wounded, and that
the wound had been inflicted by one of her
own sons; and, in the true spirit Of knight
errantry, he proceeded to rcpel this " un-
merited aspersion" of the President upon
his native State. Sir, listening intently, as
did, to the indignant accents which fell
from the lips of the honorable Senator,
could hardly believe that had heard cor
rectly the language which he had uttered.
had read the message Of the President
with attention, and had heard it read at the
table by the Secretary. thought that the
New York election had not been specially
mentioned in il, but that the President
modestly and cautiously assigninga reason
for supposing that the national sentiment
had not been expressed against the Inde-
pendent Treasury plan, and that he might,
therefore, without offending the nation, re-
new the recommendation alluded 10
the fall elections, in general terms, all over
the country, as influenced by local and O.
ther considerations as wellas by those whicl,
pertained to this measure. To test The ac-
curacy Of my recollection, at the conclu.
sion of the speech Of the Senator, re-ex.
amined the Executive Message, and was
confirmed in the correctness OF my memo
ry in relation TO its contents. The Presi-
dent does moi name New York. l he whole
passage is of general nature, and plainly
shows that the President had in view, when
he penned it, all the States in which cleo
tons had just been held. Pennsylvania,
Michigan, and o her States, as well as New
York, were evidently in his mind; and the
honorable Senator had no more right than
we had TO take exception 10 the illusions OF
the President. But, in truth, sir, the mes
sage on this pon: is uneXceptionable. II
strongly indicates the Difference which the
Chief Magistrate feels, and is always incl.
ned 10 YIELD to the expression Of the popu.
lar will. And were to select passage
from the Message, which, more than any
other, illustrates the Republican principles
and frankness of the President, this very
passage is the one that would select. 1t
is short will read it, sir.
"The national will is tho supreme law OF
the Republic, and, on all subjects within the
limits Of his constitutional powers, shoul ]
be faithfully obeyed by the public servant.
Since the measure in question was submit
ted TO your consideration, most Of you have
enjoyed the advantage of personal commu.
nica,ion with your constituents. For one
State only has an election been held for the
Federal Government; but the early day
at which it took place deprives The mca.
sure under consideration of much of the
support it might otherwise have derived from
the result. Local elections for State Off.
GERS have, however, been held in seperal 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 of the public voice.
Desiring, however, 10 arrive at truth and a
just view of the subject in 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 striking 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 for
fixture, other .arge portions upheld only by
special and limited Legislative indulgencies,
and most of il, if not all 10 greater or less
extent, dependent for continuance of lis
corporate existence upon the will Of the
State legislatures 10 be then chosen APP
priscd of this circumstance, you will Judge
whether il is not most probable that tho pc.
cular condition Of that vast interest in these
respects, the extent to which it has been
spread through all the ramifcations of so.
cielv, its direct connection with the then
pending elections, and the feelings it was
calculated 10 infuse into the canvass, have
exercised far greater influence over the
result, than any which could possibly have
been produced by 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"
Sir, more impressive truths, uttered in
more general and unoflenjng language
never proceeded from the pen of man, than
the just reflections embraced in this passage
of the Executive Message. And the Sena-