Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-02-28

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fiuence with the Greatest and Best
personal animosities against The off,
GERS and directors oil the institution
an instance Of which he adduced in his
resentment towards Mr.. BIDDLE, be-
cause he refused to turn out Mr.. MASON
from the branch in New Hampshire,
at the instance Of Gov. Hull
These home truths Gu. the party to
the quick, BENTON, HUBBARD, NILES,
Ell i'd omne genus, could not disguise
their rage but kept muttering their
pent up wrath in growls, that were
sometimes overhead in the galleries
and increased the relish with which
their chastisement was listened to by
the public.
Mr.. CLAY then proceeded to the
fourth proposition, that IN regard to
the succession of the present Execu-
tive to the principles, plans, and policy
Of the last Administration. OF this,
you may readily imagine he had no
lack of proofs. He began with the
letter ofMr. VAN BUREN, to the Baltl-
more Convention and, oh! that |
could give your readers some idea OF
the wit and humor, and inmtable sar.
casm with which he commented on
that unfortunate epistle and cspeci.
ally on the expressions by Mr.. VAN
buren, of what he owed 10 those
friends who had selected hum as the
honored instrument (tool) to perfect
the work which General JACKSON had
so glorously begun. But | must pass
over this admirable passage with the
simple remark that Mr.. CLAY urged
with great spirit the point, that the
work which Mr.. VAN buren, was to
complete was the destruction Of the
State Banks, which General JACKSON
had already begun.
He then referred to the inaugural
address of Mr.. VAN buren, as furnish.
ing still further evidence Of his success
sion to the destructive principles and
policy Of his predecessor. 1t is there
shown that the present Chief Masis-
trate had shared in the councils of
President JACKSON and recommended
and supported all those measures,
which went to ruin and extirpate the
banking institutions and whole credit
system Of the country. His course in
regard to the Treasury Circular, for
the repeal Of which the whole country
had called loudly, and his recommen-
dation of a Bankrupt law, which had
il been passed, would be a coup de
grace, have annihilatedthe whole Bank
ing system, shed further illustration
on the fidelity with which he follows
in the footsteps.
Another proof was the bill for re.is.
suing Treasury Notes; one Of the
main objects of which was to accustCm
the country to Government issues.
Here Mr.. CLAY asked if any one
present had Treasury notel A
member ofthe House handed him one
of these precious Government shin.
plasters. He displayed it to the audi
ence, exclaiming, See here How
admirably they counterfeit bank notes
There is little more emblazonry-the
coloring is somewhat higher, perhaps
but still it might be very well taken
for a note Of those detested and de-
nounce1 institutions, called banks !"
The effect of this sally was irresistible.
He handed the Treasury "rag" to
the owner, remarking that it was with
such issues, the administration design
ed to accustom the people gradually
TO Government paper, with the ulti.
mate end of destroying the notes of
the local institutions
Mr.. CLAY, while on this subject,
maintained that the Government ought
to have regarded and treated the sus.
pension of specie payments as merely
temporary measure; and ought to
have received the notes of banks which
were known to be safe and stable, al.
though they were not at the time re.
deemed in specie. This was the wise
beneficient course of Madison. The
notes of such institutions would have
been quite as valuable at least as this
Treasury paper
Mr.. CLAY truly characterized as an.
other proof OF the succession of this ad.
ministration to the principles and poll
cy of IFS predecessor, the recent report
of Mr.. GRUMPY on the relssuing ofthe
notes of the United States Bank-a re.
port against seven millions Of the best
bank in the United States. AS to the
bill of fines and penalties accompany.
ing lt-creating pententiary offences,
as well as hireling anathemas-he de.
clared TINT had it not been reported by
his old friend from Tennessee, he
would have said the Trainer of such
measure was far more worthy Of the
peniten,iary than any person whom it
could possibly reach in its operation !
Why, sir, Continued Mr.. Clay will
nnV man in his senses dany that these