The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1839-08-16


i who was distinguished for his genuine and
high toned federalism Of the old school, was
Appointed DIR. Duane's successor. In ODE
dience 70 presidential order, Mr.. fancy forth.
with transferred the national funds from the
vaults Of the u. S. Bank. Mr.. Taney had
intimated that he would do SO, before he re.
ceived his appointment. and no doubt deri-
we'd the highest qualification from such an
exercise Of his federal principles and feel
lings. AS for the Bank, it yielded up its
treasures-its golden feece-with all readi-
ness and submission. There was no obstacle
it could oppose to this heroic Jasan Of mod
ern times. The Bank had no fre-brealhing
bulls to be overcome-no burrows and SER
penis teeth, whence an armed bust n light
be made to spring--no Dragon to guard the
fleece; and the Eagle of American Liberty,
instead OF. soaring alof to combat with the
Tyrant Snake, and defend with it's beak and
talons, and shadow with its broad-spread
wings, the land on which its young were
nesting, few afrighted away. If we may
be permitted to roam little longer in the
field of simile, the U. S. Bank has seemed
to realize something of Metempsychosis.-
From its state of existence as Federal In
stitution, it has, since its death, inflicted by
the veto, passed into the existence of a
State Institution, with little or no alteration
or diminution of It's former character and
power; and thus it may perhaps realize as
much of immortality, as the nature of things
which are of earth-earthly," will allow.
And should Mr.. Clay be our next president,
the old Bank of the United States may pos
sibly, like the tabled Phoenix, spring into
life from its own ashes; and surely all must
agree that theie can exist no institution more
dangerous than an Independent Treasury,
formed with such design as that which we
have already mentioned, and placed in the
hands of such party as that which now
administers the Federal Government. How
ever, Mr.. Clay has no inclination, we ven-
ture to assert, to stir up vexed and agitating
questions. Should the present scheme fall
through, and National Bank be established
on the same principal basis with the former,
during the life of General Jackson; who,
We must ask, viewing the Bank question as
they may, will say, that the gray hairs of
the ex-president ought not to be thereby
brought down with merited sorrow to the
grave!
In regard to the mode of transferring the
public funds, it must not be forgotten that
human ingenuity was taxed on this score,
for the purpose of devising such mode as
would increase the quantity of their money.
They were rightfully enough determined
not to lose dollar in the way of costs and
charges of transfer. When human passion
is aroused and keenly engaged in the pur-
suit of any object, reason is ever present,
and skilful in assisting and guiding it; but
alas! she too often has not the power to check
it, when it pursues an improper object
Some may deem the mode in question, saw
curing of patriotism; but, for our own part
we cannot but think that when the stout
eusenpbIe' is rightfully viewed, genuine pat
riotism must blush to own it. In the first
place, the government having no strong
holds suitable for such guardianship of the
funds as policy dictated, the vaults of the
State Banks, it was found, must be put in
requisition. In the next place, Mr.. Reu-
ben M. Whitney, man VIGOROUSLY stepped
in infamy, was located in the City of Wash
ington, occupied an Office in the Treasury
buildings, and was invested with, underlined
non-descript, sort of official agency. He
might, perhaps, with some propriety, have
been termed Chancellor of the Exchequer.'
Mr.. Whitney negotiated and effected the
transfer of the public funds to such State
Banks as were willing to receive them; TAX
ing care to exact from each of the receiving
banks bonus or species of reward for his
services, as he said, in officiating as a go
between, or mediator in obtaining for it, its
portion of the deposites. He thus received
from each of the deposite banks, on an aver
age, about one thousand dollars, and in this
way secured to himself upwards of forty
thousand dollars per annum. But can any
sensible man believe that the government
ever dreamed of permitting Mr.. Whitney to
requite himself so Unfortunately, for services
of so easy and trifing natures No. The
amount thus gathered, was undoubtedly, for
the most part, directly appropriated to the
ads ancement of executive patronage. This
is the only rational inference to be drawn
from the transaction, The party lost not a
dollar in bestOwing any thing on him. L
was in this manner he was paid for his in
fuence and exertions in behalf of the party.
/ 1t is next to be observed that the public
money was placed in each bank upon an
expressed condition precedent, existing eth
er directly or indirectly between the Bank
and the Government, chat it 1.-THE money.