Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-01-15
m~C-I1-I-
Richmond, Tuesday, Ban. a1.
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
Fun 7 IIF Ts.' 7aFf'If'
Mr. Eoodburv ard Mr.. BiddicS Bank.

Ih1n he
tho Treasury made during the las, summer permitting
soyeroLmilluns Of pubc money 10 remain on opP'site
in The PENNSYLVANIA United States Bank; or MS may
mare prnpery Re called Mr. Biddles Bank that tue
,,,s,ction should be justified the plea oil TcfrSHy,
and that you Mr. Editor, with whom II has heretofore
c;ven me so much satisfaction to concur IN opinion on
The prominent questions Of the day. should have forgot
Ten those mmulabe standards OF principle by "hcn We
have been in the habit of testing The correctness oil any
and have esorled to that vague, indefinite and
Numerous test of necessity by which TO try not only
the expedency but the legality OF this act oil Inc sec
ro,o,v | thought that with US Democrats, who plant
ourselves beside the Constitution, and measure every
question Of power and policy by that nsrument-lnal
consistency was our bnas-thnt our motto was fat
;yst;tia ruat r9iv,n-tha the doctrine OF The general
welfare " for determining constitutional power, was
nns,re-tha, the letter Of the law should be con.
spl,ed. doubtful powers avoided, DC. &c. Bat IN
your article Of the Sh the subject OF r t'Ves en-
curry into that affair, although the law directed Inc
bonds 10 be sold for 'moncy hand, and although ut
rorcc from all Banks is The favorite policy OF the Al
minsration you say ''the negotiation 1riM he Bank
for the sale Of one of It's bands, imposed on the
Government by the condition Of its finances and 1t ap
pears TO us too critical 10 view 1t in any other light
II the law had not been violated, the sale n me
bond to the bank would not have been censurah'e but IN
stead Of selling for "money in hand seems was sold
on credit To paid by the bank at future time; and 1t
be cn,ended that the promise TO pay when The Govern
ment wanted it, is the cash, how can the depo
site Of several millions IA considerable part OF which
still remains) in the U. S Bank be Justified: Alter all
obtaining the charter-,he unlawful issue CT The notes Of
the old bank-its monoposing The cotton irnde-pre'
venting the resumption Of specie paymenis-tle truln
of which, believe after having had The vocabulary OF
parly abuse exhausted the bank-aiter The bare
possibility Of n connection with that bank growing out
If Mr. Rivcs drposte scheme being urged Insu.
rerabe objection 10 his scheme-a'ter all ms, would
so.nCr have deposited the Federal The Red
Sea than | would in that Bank. So far from tie ICON
dIion Of The finances being any justification, would
have convened Congress rather than have done it,
But il is said the bond could be sold 10 clse
and Mr. Bidde required Of the conditions, that
the money was be credited the books OF the bank
and drawn the wants of the Government required
Suppose Mr. Bddlc had imposed this further condition.
that every other portion Of the revenue should have
been deposited with The Bank It's branches or ngen
ces or else he would buy would the necessities oil
the Government have been urged as justification Tor
that too: What humI!ialng acknow'cdgmcni!-lhe
Government Of the U brought 10 submI! To terms
dictated by Nicholas Biddc | beg you Mir. Editor, 10
reconsider the question What difference IS there IN
principle between credtng on The books OF the bank
the proceeds of these bonds due from the bank and the
proceeds from customs lands As friend OF the
Admins ration ] deeply regret il, and in candnr and
honesty am bound 10 disappIove H. il will have dis.
armed Of of strongest weapons III the tres''
Dental Election uniform unwayeiIng opposition TO
the u Bank institution not only dangerous TO
our free institutions, but unnecessary The fiscal opera.
lions Of the Government.
There is another thing in the vindcaton of this act
of he Executive Inch surprises me especially
ing from you, which will advert 10 with the most pro-
per respect that it is converted into censufe OF Mr.
Rivcs | will remark before proceed, that the tnlhb
liy Of man such that he cannot expect CONSCIENTIOUS
" to he able TO approve every thing that party will
do and this would be the Case, matter which party
We belong not 10 be called To desert leln
for trivial faults indeed unless their would
overbaance the errors of the other side but lovers Of
! y cas- ~ h"nco
convictions oil subjects which we speak. When
friends; ii should be in spirit Of regret
and Of c1ullation ] fear that is not exactly MIR.
feel n M rIsPul n
should him for exposing the violation of law and
consistency the part Of the Secretary involved in the
transaction. lie deserves especially the charity Of
thusc who think, that the agency Of banks in managing
the revenues OF the General Government is preferable
to individual agents. He must have had more patience
than Job himself, if he could have witnessed without
excitement the Secretary doing the very thing that
IT was said would the offspring OF his scheme, be
fraught with mischief. (and which he most positively
dscIamed) -in w.t. bringing the Government into con-
nectinn with Mr. Bddle. And ought he not to be per
United TO show that this really getting the aid Of
GanES 10 manage the fiscal affairs of the Government
aid, too said TO be necessary that il cond not
get along without it! Ought he not 10 be permitted
without censue 10 use this urgent necessity OF employ
ing banks argument against the Sub Treasury;
If we cannot get along without the assistance of such
bank Mr. Bddle's, let cease our clamors-but
believe can, and We could have done so in the case
before
There is another point in your article on Mr. Rives,
from which must dissent il understand the Inference
correctly, and that's, that Mr.. Rves ought 10 reject all
support from The Whigs-ihe amount Of which seems
10 be- others say in many words, that he ought not
TO be elected, if the Wings support him. acknowledge
that if they, party were 10 over TO him. II
would make me suspcious-lt would bring TO my mind
what has been said, by whom don RENE mber, What
have done, that mine enemy should praise me- but
still as men capable Of judging for ourselves, we ought
TO Judge for ourselves.
DO we regulate our opinions by no fixed rules: or do
rather always place ourselves in opposition to the
Wings: We certainly do suffer radically from them
most subjects-but will not change my position be
cause they come overto me. will not become an Abo'
onst because they against that sect OF deuded Ia
naics-l will not become bank If they declare
opposition TO il-and SO, in regard TO Mr. Rivcs, will
Judge him for myself If think he goes too far, will
20 with him. have my fears excited; but do not
let pass sentence on him pcmaturey, but give our
verdict coolly, and on the principles OF JUSTICE.
January lllh.
TO "JUsTlCE."
Our Correspondent has made appeal 10 us, which
feel bound 10 notice We acknow ledge with much,
il satisfaction than he himself expresses, the
which has prevailed in our opinions "on the
promne questions of the day" We will do him the jus
es TO say that proud ranking among friends
so intelligent and honest politician. We know none
in Virginia 10 whom pay this tribute with more salts
faction, than 10 the author Of Justice But we must do
OurSres The justice 10 say that having dicued the idea
oil oil improper connexlon between The Administration
and Mr. Biddle when it originally urged by the
Wings, not the disposed 10 admit it, when
urged by Of our political friends We must also do
ourselves The Justice add that hare rcconsdered
The questions in issue between Mr. Rives and the Secre
ary of the Treasury and notwithstanding the ingenious
arguments of Correspondent, retract nothing
Of what said in article of The 9Th inst. Even if
the Secretays TO the resolutions Of enquiry had
been less delensbe than appears be- should
still regret The attempt Of any freud of the Admnisa-
on 10 tocs,all the opinion of the Publ" upon SUBJ
cct which he is asking for information. We should
still dePecate The idea of his presupposng any impro
per connection between the Executive and The Bank,
when facts made out TO justify such conclu
sion. When MIR Rves made his attack he could scarcely
have been apprized of The real nature of the transaction
from any friendly or impartial sources-and, in making
it, before all the facts dcgeloped did he no; place
himself in the situation Of pejudced judge Was not
this bias too strongly calculated to his Judgment
in favor Of those "foregone conclusions however sails
factory The explanations b,ch might be LAID before