Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-08-26
Mr.. Il. w. LEIGll'S LETTER.


Mr.. b. w. LEIGITS LETTER.
The name OF b. W. Leigh, Esq. will attract IL,
readers attention to an exceedingly interesting letter
written by that gentleman, in October last, 70
friend aud now published lor he purpose ofplacins
his opiuicns on the Sub-Trcasury question, whicl
have been misunde,st, cd by some and mistepresent
ed by others, fairly before the public
Mr.. Leigh, it will be teeolIeoted some years ago
in speech delivered al Petersburg, advocated sys-
tenn Of Sub Treasures, npon which The Glole and
the Enquirer assailtd him and lbs Plan with the
most savage ferncity; declaring that such plan
would dangerously augment Executive patronage
aud power and ext ose the public purse 10 be
plumber ed by hundred hands where one can now
reach t-lhat same Gl,be and Enquirer, which
have since taken up, and low support this FEEDER
al-WhIs' measure, as lhcy then called it, although
il has been thrown into shape Infinitely better cal
cuated il not specially designed, believe ii
TO be, to bring upon The country the curse ol IAN
unlimited Executive and an unguarded Exchequer."
For Mr.. Leigh's scheme, be ii lecollcclcd, however
Objectionable nc might deem it, was based upon the
gfeat truth, without which all the " checks and
balauccs'' of the federal constitution ale empty
FORMS that The Representatives of The People, in
Congress assembled are the righlul custodias Of the
Purse, aud that the President las no night to touch
It, except as the Executive officer. 10 see that The
laws be faithfully complied with, in the receipt aud
d sbu,sement Of the public monies. Even his scheme.
however thus carefully guarded against abuse in
It's mos vulnerable ont, repeat Was Denounced
by The Globe al that lime, well as by its
and lis echoes Carefully dIsclainine, it was de-
signed 10 do, the recognition Of the power the
part Of tue President, control the fund, Of The
ton, il still braided by them as an nsidious at
tempt to render the President irresponsible agent,
whilst it Indefinitely augmented his powers. But
now, behold the contrast The aee Sub Treasury
scheme, which finds sueh favor in the eyes of Mr.
Van Burcn, subvcrs the great constitutional safe
guard which Mr.. Lcish's for an instant lost
sight Of. 1t absolutely deprivcs Congress Of It's
rghllul control of the purse, and, through The power
81 appointment and removal places il, almost un-
condnonay, in tie custody oilhe Prs dent. 1t con-
vetts the Chief Magistrate into Tie iires onsiLle
ard omuipotent ofliecf Which the Globe declared he
would BE- under Mr., Leigl.'s sthemo--anf, wonder
iol metamolphoss, We find the Glube,-now as then
The organ II the Exccu,yc,--veorousy supporting
this - Federal Wing" measure, thus aggravated in
ais characterised not enly supporting it, but actu-
ally making it the Test Of = Democratic Repuboan.
ism" !! And uedhy the entire parry, which answers
10 that most convenient title, has changed front to
rear" at HE ord Of command, and though standing
an so much in need of charity itself is absolutely
vndictire in its rescntmens against the little rem
Eanf, who, under the name Of Conservatives. have
preferred 10 abide by their principles rather than to
Share in the oaves and fishes at the expense of con
sIstency aud honesty and, If it had the power, would
pursue them unto blood and death. lis osl mar
sellous indeed 10 see the zeal with which Mr.. Van
Burcns Sub-Treasurv scheme sustained, by men
who were prepared TO immediate Mr.. Ipinh when he
sentuling 10 question the wisdom and comprtency
oil the Pet Bank system, threw out a plan for con.
sderaon. VIII ch, containing the least OF iectonablt
Of the provisions, avoided all the most wcigIy olec-
ions applicable to the plan devised by Mr.. Vanilla
ren Does Ais show that the public udgn enf,-or
rather the party gmenl,-suslains the Admins
tfation IN this measure, hom a jns understanding of
It's provisions, and an enlightened conviction eli
dapta'Ion 10 the circumstances of the country Or
does 1t not rather show that the Party is :" blind
tdoater OF Chance and that il sustalrs his as it
would sustain any other measure because IL is re-
commended by Their Chief! Some Of them, per-
haps, would be offended, In tell then. that,
If Mr. Van Buren, should tomorrow repudiate the
Sub Treasury scheme and recommend National
Bank, they would follow in lis footsteps" with a
ready loyalty. But, would that be any more strange
than Their eager advocacy Of this Sub Treasury
scheme in 1899, which, in 1884, they united with
Gen Jackson in dcnouncng as Federal Wing
measure Certainly those who have surrendered
the honest convictions of their judgment in tic one
case would find nothing to stumble at in the other
Or, II they should hesitate al first, ii would only be
IKE Tie Richmond Enquirer, for moment, to smoth-
er the thunders Of conscience before they took the
boid leap into tue stream and swore to sink OIL
SWIM with Mr. Van Buren," even with a fifty million
National Bank upon his shoulders
bo' we cannot present this subject in so clear
"ght as MI Leigh has already done and we tool
up 'ile pen, not so much to write u commentary
upon sable and interesting letter. as to ask for il tin
attentive pefusai of all who are not given over to
strong delusion."
Detegdtcs 10 the Stanton Conreniioa.