Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-10-23
From the Charleston Courier.

he IN our Previous remarks on ms sub
/ iect, we did not advert TO tine constitution.
al question, still alleged to be involved 10
IL b 1t is entirely TOO late in the day to
meet this point. The fathers Of the revo-
luton, the trainers of the Constitution,
those who best knew its meaning and OBJ.
| jects--have affirmatiyely settled the ques-
ton both legislatively and iudicially--and
their posterlty have ratified the decision.
The first Rank of the United States was
chartered in 1871, by the first Congress,
which met after the adoption of our pres
eRt national constitution, composed in a
great measure of the trainers of that in-
strument; and it received the sanction Of
the illustrious WASHINGTON, as President,
also one of the Immortal framers-and it
lived. out its whole term of twenty years
judicially upquestioned. The Bank of
the United States was chartered in 1916,
with The executive sanction of President
MANSON, another of the trainers, after
scruples SO strong as to have drawn from
him a previous UetO against a similar meas.
ure. Unlike It's predecessor, its constitu-
tionality was judmiously questioned, and
sustained, after solemn argument, by the
i Supreme Court of the United States, with
another illustrious framer, Chief Justice
MARSHALL, at their head. The first Bank
was chartered by the federal party, under
WASHiNGToN-the second Bank was char
tered by the republican or democratic par
ty, under Madison-Mr Calhoun, who
processes. to have always belonged to the
State Rights school, bringing in the bill
for the purpose. The whole line Of our
illustrlous Presidents, with the exception
perhaps of Jefferson, aud may be of the
present incumbent, have, in some form or
other, attested the constitutlonality Ofsuch
an nstItution-and so too have most of
our distinguished men both living and
dead, and among them Crawford and Cal
houn, once rival (although mutually unsuc-
cessfuD candidates for the Presidency, and
at that time standing at antipodes, at OPP
POsite poles in politics and political opin-
lon-the former running as the State
Rights candidate, and tue latter under the
Tariff and Internal Improvement banner.
Is not the competency OF Congress then
TO charter Nat onal Bank, in every point
OF view, res jndicata? Federal and DEM
Ocrauc CooertssGS. I'D raj and democrat
c Prose- eu:>. to- reme judiciary of the
! UHoU, bo'n e G gre9' political parties of
tae country, nearly all tie grea men OF
! TIE land. 20 Sra'e o! persona and political
rivalry, have set on il The broad and inef.
/ iaceabc sea- Of their united appreciation -
4
al question, it is res .jtIcticata, and ought
70 ever henceiorth to be held safe and Sa-
cred from controversy. Added to the
above overwhelming mass and pressure Of
authority, the constitutionality OF Ma
tional Bank has received the declaraiory
assent of numerous State Legislatures,
(those of Virginia and South Carolina
among others;) and il is notorious that It
had tie foil, popular sanction and has
never ceased TO have it, unless in tergpO-
| rary response to the hostility Of 'that ex-
ltraortllnarg RAN, who las Mr.. Calhoun
saws Of hirn,) was able to impress his feel
i ug or TIC country But the influence
j ofthe upio against the bank charter, and
Of him VINO. inferposed it against a large
majority of Congress, acting in response
to tire wishes of their constituents, has pas
sed away; and there are now abundant
signs aud poTtents that the people wish
and ueiHhaue ere long a National Bank
and it would be we'll for the present ma
lional administration to realize in this mat
ter their protesSed res. ect for the democ-
racy. Of mum .ers.
Ii will not do for Mr.. Calhoun, Of all
men, at this late day, in the face ofaulhor-
ay and in his own teeth, to decry Ma
tional Bank as unconstitut onal. He who
proposed and carried the bank charter 10
| 1916. and advocated its prolungation for
twelve years IN 1894, is estopped from
setting up tie plea Of uuconstitutioEality
against the advocacy Of others. Il, in
strange disregard of that constituency,
which nc. seemed to cherish as the apple
of his eye, and sickle for as he would his
| own hearts core, he Will persist N the cry
of unconstitutionaliiy against National
! Bank, all we can say is, that " he may tell
! Il 10 the marines, but the sailors wont be-
lieve it."
Bot moi only is Mr.. Calhoun estopped
from Questioning the constitutionafty of a
National BankZthe State Of South Caro-
| lima Gas we have already estimated J i, in
the like predcament. In 1921, the Le-
| gisIature Of South Caroline had the ques-
| ton of the competency Of Congress 70 IN
corporate National Bank, directly, before
| il, and solemnly, and With scarcely any
dissent, adiudged such competency % BE-
constitutionalIy vested III Congress. We
proceed 10 shew tie record Of this memo.
rable adjudication, made in the very year
that Mr.. McDufie's @One of the People
was published TO write, down Crawford
''the radical CHIEF and to write up Mr..
Calhoun for the Presidency. The State
of Pennsylvania had proposed an amend,
ment 10 the Constitution Of the UnItec
States, forbidding Congress to charter aIly
bank or nopied institution, except n ths
Dlstlict oil Columbia, and conhning sucl
bank or other monied Institutions to ths
Distress Of Columbia. The States Of OhIS
Wand linols had conc0fred id, and "a,
Siales Of New Jersey and Vermont has
ldissented fiOn this amendment. Tn
oroceedsnes of these several States werl
ffaasen tied. 70 orr Leg stature. and refer
rel is a c6rlssl see gaicil reported as FOL
ou COMMITTEES aFo 9idflHsoiisi 2
api1ion, that as Congress IS cons ltlIQ,.