Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-08-23
uyNGIIHuRG. August 81. ISIS.
MIR. cALIlotN's OPINIONS.

MIX. ~ l.tl'gl y = VI l.NI'.''F'
The writer of the snbjoucd cpiste does no inJns-
tice 10 Mr. Calhoun's expressed opinions. The re
mark of the Washington Chronicle IS only the echo
OF Mr. Calhouus words. In that gentlenan's speech
IN reply 10 Nh Clay, on Mr.. Virgins bill, last WIN
ter he asserted th1 of the three schemes present
ed Tor his choice, to wit. the Sub treasury, TIE
Stlle Bank aud the National Bank, he decidedly
pfefcrrcd the former but "as between the other
Two, we quote his words, as reported by
himself regard National Bank more eff
Gent aud less corruptng agent than league oil State
Banks" He elsewhere expressed the opinion, that
# The general government consents to receive bank
notes in payment of public dues, which, although n
has been done ever since the foundation oil the gov
ernnent until now, lac believes 10 be uncnnsItn-
tlunal it then only becomes constitutional To es
labllsh National Bank, but Is absolutely the duty
Of Congress 10 incorporate such an luslituton-n
Other words, that the constitution is written upon
ludn Rubber instead of Parchment, and can be
stretched contracted, as the legislation OF Con
gfcss may render II necessary cxpcdcnt to enlarge
abrdgc lis own powers that act, which is un-
constitutional to-day, becomes constitutional to
row, not by any alter alton Of or addition 10 the pro-
VISIONS Of that instrument but solely by the adoption
OF some other act in with its c,ter -
THIS is novel and ingenious mode Of " amending
the Constitution whcE, we dare say never entered
lnto tie contemplation Of It's trainers. We have
never heard ofany parallel to il, indeed, unless it be
Gen. Jackson's ludicrous idea that Congress pos
sesses the constitutional powcrto improve livcs be
or though not ADORE ports Of entry by which rule ii
follows that the constitution can be made TO sanction
the power of internal improvement to any extent,
provided Congress can be induced TO establish these
magical cXpandcrs of constitutional power To-day,
ior example, port OF entry IS established at Louis
VILE aud hence Improvements may be constitutional
y made below, but not dollar be cxpendc d
above that point. Tomorrow, Cincinnati IS made a
port OF entry and straghtway, the constitutional
power enlarged to take in all the intervening space
though the constitution itself has Undergone no
change. And 50 on, al Wfaitam. Indeed, if we
could only have had port of entry established at
Coyington, we might have had the james River Ca
nal made To that point by funds drawn from the
eGera treasury, though it is, we are 50 nnfortu-
nate that Richmond, being the highest pc ut at
which port of entry has been established on james
River, IS the frontier of constitutional power Mr..
Calhoun must have borrowed his theory that a i AUX
may Lc constitutional AT time aud unconstitu
honal at another Just as Congress may have deter
mlncd to receive or to reject bank notes in payment
oil public dues, from this notion of Gen. Jackson
about porls oil entry comforting constitutional powe,
on Congress. Notwithstanding the weight OF Jack
sons name, however, as Doctor ri Ldcs aud the IN
genulty OF his discovery, cannot yield our assent
TO system OF constitutional interpretations which, il
[ II Ln al,
ment into much blank paper--btcaks down the
barriers which new arrest Congressional and Ex-
ecutive usurpaton-and opens wide the flood gates
oferror aud mischief. Why, if this rule of consruc
ton be admitted, what limit is there to the powers
of the general government what guaranty that the
rights of the States will be respected Nav, is il
not certain that the Genius of Consolidation him
self could never have invented a more certain plan
than this OF investing the federal government With
unlimited power, and OF reducing the States to the
condition which Mr.. Calhoun formerly asserted
that they held in our system mere petty corpora
tons, totdily destitute n all rights But this view
OF the question is 50 ably handled by The conespon-
dent Of the Richmond Wing. whose brief but p-
quaint article we annex, that it waste of words
farther expose lis detormity.
There is. however another point of view, in which
this dccal alton OF MIR. Calhoun deserves to be re-
garled. In his letter, declining to attend the Pres
ton dinner, he rcitcrates opinion, before eXptcs-
sed, that National Bank is unconstitutional that il
is dangerous to the liberties of the whole Union,
and that It's influence will be exceedingly pernoious
to the South. Put these objections against a Ma
iiona Bank in one scale, and that which he urges
against State Bank system wit, that the latter is
less eilicent fiscal agent aud more corrnpliug in
the other-& which should kick the beam Should
MI. Calhoun, sworn he is support the coustitu-
tion.vote for measure which he acknowledges to be
the want OF constitutional power does not apply G.
ven though die latter were not q1c efficient and
were lrtle more cortupting Should hc vote for
a measure which he believes will contribute TO the
destruction of popular liberty and the erection Of a
moneyed despotIsm, rather than another, the worst
Gent aud may be more couuptng. # indeed it be
possible To be "more corruptng' than an institution
from whose establishment he petends to anticipate
such disastrous consequences How can he as a
/ special trtead ofbic SoHlt, sustain National Bank
the effect OF which he says viii be to create and per
peiuaIe giarmg system of inequality between the
/ North and the South, TO the detriment, if not the
rum OF the latter, as an alternative for scheme
which, II ltbc less effective and is corrupting
is not liable to this strong sectional objection Is il
possible that Mr.. Calhoun beiicueS that a National
Bank deserves to be drawn in such coors as he has
+ II la, l..