Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-23
H.HRCEg 33, 1888.

Stale 0thcerS, from using cWCidt
p6rer 10 cGnroul influence elections. we ieel no he
station in pronouncinE Ire broad sweeping, Indiscrlm
nate provisions Of that b TO be direct inracons Of
The Constitution IS The SeGillOn law itself =
The foregoing considerations ought 10 satisfy us, that
the party lines originally drawn are not oheraed and
that The final battle vet he fought between lbe Fede-
raj and Stale Rights Virginia School. All minor ditler-
ences OF opinion must be merged in This contest IS
IN vain 20 set up third parties having distinct name
and organization, with view Of controlling The MASSES
or of "arbitraiing between them The distinctions TO
which we have invited your attention, are co-existent
with The Government; ard being founded in the nature
OF things, They must continue 10 exist as long Us mere
are ambitious striving 10 break through the bmlta
lions OF the Constitution, powerful and seltsh men
covetng exclusive privileges The tue meaning and
nieron rf the trainers Of the Constitution must ever
itnaIn matters Of dispute, Org as doubtful powers
are claimed opposed; whilst all the rest erh' neral
and transitory.
In conducting this contest, i, is perfectly evident that
the chances of success greatly depend upon the in.
divdnal who presdes oyerihe Government Ills through
the agency Of men, that give vitality and effect 10
principles We have SEEM that whenever The followers
Of the Hnmiltonian scbcCl succeeded in rcpg one OF
their Disciples The powers Of the Central Government
were expanded 10 their utmost limits and the rights OF
the States brought into manifest jeopardy. We must
judge of the future by The past END hence the import
ance Of ruilyng in support cf a well tried Republican,
Such man we esteem MIR. Van Buren, TO be. We ask
your united efforts eeclirg him. because he a"ows
the doctrines If Virginia: because he is opposed TO
National Bank-to high Tariffs. and 10 The power and
eIredieEcy Of the General Governments engaging in
an exravaguEt and cUuuplirg system Of Internal I'M
provement:i because he has honorably fulfilled the
pledges he gave before his election because his mes.
sages breathe The true spirit aught from The Report OF
General Assembly IN lcGn and because he has con-
Quoted our affairs. foreign ard domestic with WISDOM,
moderation and iImDess. worthy OF all praise.
There is, too. smother circumstance which ought 10
bind Southern men 10 hun ty Indssolube ties. We al
lGde to The stand he has taken against The insane and
sChIevCus designs OF the Abulonlsis, from Inc very
ut of r.
Cd bcrre his eli crit that il he into The Predcn-
tal office he would feel himself bound TO veto any bill
hch ncrfeed with the rights of shareholders in the
States where tie institution Of "ncsc slavery existed
in the District q Columbia lie did not wait 10 see
whether be ccuid derive any personal Gdvanage from
that faraca spirit which was spr aiding rapidly, but
with generous devotion 10 the Obligations OF the Con-
suliGn and 10 the rights CT the South he placed hm-
self al once in uncompromisng hostility 10 loniCa.
bic anG growing faction and mace them his bitter, une-
lentDg foes From that lime to the present, whilst others
halted and fingered Inc and his most intimate pesr nal and
political friends hisS'tep ndsns and vassais las they
ha been card). have stood firmly by Southern men,
in resisting all the attempts made al agitation by these
misguided enthusiasts and their political promPeIs in or
OF Congress So notorious is ihs. that II brought
upon him the rrproach from Wing eXPresds MT That
he was "a Northern man with Southern feelings Thus
an appeal made TO the uD'l.suyery pre- JUDGES OF
the North against lis magrnnlmous son, FOR dong no.
thing mure, than what justice to every section OF Tie
Union strictly Dc mandrd and We who owe so much 10
his personal and official infufnce in checking on out
break hCh might have cissovCd the Union. (nhough
could have deprived Us OF our ghis) are TO aban-
don him On account Of q single difference OF opinion on
n point OF questionable policy; and that. too whilst the
fires Of hbnlionlsm sill rOgrg.. 1t does appear 10
US that nothing would operate urlousy upon the ar
rangemcnt of this difficulty; nothing would ,erd
dir, city inspire the Ah"lionrs's With krres Of even
tual success; BUlH!rg wCu!o so alternate and GShentn
our faithful DtmoC attic friends nj the North no have
sioGd hy US 'shouIdtr shcut.r. at tie risk Of their
popularity b home. as the trseriion q" their can
tdap ard uwn. at The present JuECiuTc.
There persons. however who insist Tint the true
issue is, " Sub-1rf@smy or TO Subj asurY,
ard that all others subordinate questions lhry 90
distinctly tell what the ollsr alternative rs, IN
cIuGed in the general terms Of 'ro Sub Treasury; but
judging rem what has occurred in Congress. otd ircm
the known rfpugrarce e The Wigs 10 what they de-
srgnared as tie pet Bank system except rs "a good
half way house, are left 10 conclude that the ether
alternative Bank Ct the United States. IL ibis lie
So we ale all prepared join issue that que sop
a majority Of the Corvenion indeed, approve OF the
dncns of the President 10 the special sesstn
Of Congress, in Sepi' nber lea7; and as they may he
brought bear However remote w. the ensuing ice
lcns, We may lie Pertorcd Ter saying few w"Tds III
their vndicntn in reference to the circumstances IN
der which they were made, ard os explanatory Of lie
measures which actually grew cot Of them.
When Mr.. Van Buren, into Office, IN March,
1887 the Opposite Banks were in full possession Of Tie
public money The nmorn Of more than 80 millions Of
collars usirg and dIscountirg on as il II had been
their cwn They had succeeded 10 tins trust upon tie
r. movaI cf The derrsi'es from the Bank Of tie United
States. No spcsi'iCn cxist, d, nj that time, on ihr
part Of the Administration or lis friends so lar as We
heard. 10 deprive The selected banks ct The custody
ot the revenues although after Cen Gordon, IN 1914,
proposed en- aIreol;cn Of The system, eveal distinguish
cd Republicans sHrresss their hopes ''that the time
would come, when should be able 10 dispense with
the agency of all banks especially those Of circulation
On tie contrary, Eey treated with remarkable IT,
beraliv and Indulgence and The probability is that il
they had continued pay her notes promptly in specc,
the Government would have con'snfd itself with r.
'mmendrG, as President jackson had done, that the
selection of the Gepostarfs and The duties 10 be perform
I'd by the m should not le eil 10 Executive Gscren.
But in May, 1887. he whole scene was changed All
the banks Of TIE country by simultaneous movement,
susperGt specie payments his !sit tie Covenant
pennies and helpless. Ey he laws 'h,n in force. 1t
was not at liberty, if urhappy il had 1T en- disposed,
to notes Of ron sPrcle-Payipg banks in payne nj
OF the revt nue. the dsbursrg ffceIs permit.
ted 10 tender such notes 10 The public creditors Oi he
thriywo millions in the vaults Of The banks the Co
vrrnnent could not command dollar ard so far as 1t
trperded these every Gtcrr in public ser
vice The wEoe army and navy, every contractor and
abGrer on the public works, were left without pay
aud consequently without subsistence. Had such
catastrophe occurred during war or any other period OF
great public calamity il must have shaken The f"unda
lions Of the Government AS 1t was, il became neces
sary to apply an immediate remedy 10 the evil, and
less duty to prevent, if possible, its Un
der these circumstances, the President called Congress
together in September OF The same year, and being
Joined by The Ccnsuli, 10 give that brdy from tine
10 time inuruaricn of the Stale Of the Union md re-
nd their consideration such he sslI
Judge necessary end exredien', he accordingly submit
td the plan OF irde pendent Treasury disseminating
The reception of bank paper and the Of banks and
substituting age imme daely responsible 10 Congress.
The reasons which induced him 10 make this
dat;on were laid fairly and fully before the country, and
il is no, our purpose to repeat them. The banks,
have seem had violated the conditions Of the contract,
under which they had become dspositsrcs of the Reeve
nue. and had thereby themselves dissolved the
ion heretofore subsisng between themselves and the
Government; and found hardy enough in
Congress advocate their employment fiscal agents
during The suspension Of specie payments, to make
their deprecated notes receivable for the public dues it
See ~ ans Kepu spec Of Me-
HpcbrnaD and Calhoun that subject.