Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-04-07

But, i is said that Gen. Harrison has
voted for protective Tariff, of Internal
Improvements by the General Govern
ment, and is in fauor of a National Bank.
In regard to this last allegation, | think |
shall be able to show you presently that 1t
is wholly gratuitous- As TO the others,
what more has Gen. Harrison done than
Mr. Van Buren, Mr. Van Buren, voted
for the worst of all the Tariffs, the Tariff
of 1923 commonly called the Bill of abom
nations. Very gross and wanton injus-
tice has been done Gen. Harrison, by
perverting passage in an address dellv-
cred by him to an agricultural society in
Ohio in 1881, so as to make the impress
sion that he would not be willing to relax
or abandonthe Tariff policy "till under
its operation the grass was found to grow
in The streets ofNorfolk and Charleston. "
The truth is that this expression was quo
ted by General Harrison from an agrlcul'
tural address of Mr. James NJ. Garnet OF
our own State, who had argued that was
the actual effect of the Tariffon the South
and Gen. Harrison, responding TO the ar
gument, declared, if such were really its
effect, then "he would instantly give his
voice forts modification or entire repeal. J"
! The sentiments of Gen. Harrison are
known to be those of distinguished libe-
rality on this subject; for in his Cheviot
speech he declares, with as much business
Of thought as elegance of expression, that
even In cases where the injurious opera
| 80, oc q ,,oooc,,-r of tbo Goneral GovarD
ment is confined to few, and it is bene.
fetal to large majority of the States, it
would be evidence of as little foresight, as
Of moral rectitude in the latter, to counte-
nance the injury" On the subject of In
tcrnal improvements, General arrison,
apprehend, never gave so strong vote
in affirmation of the power of the General
Government, as NJ. Van Buren's vote for
the erection oftollgates on the Cumber.
land road, according to his own admission
was, and if you look into the recent Re-
port Of the Secretary of War, you will find
that that officer, as the organ of the adj
ADMINISTRATION in this branch of The public
policy, distinctly asserts the constitutional
power of Internal Improvements in the
Federal Government, Z" in regard to such
works as are of general utility while his
statements and remarks show that appro-
priations for works even ola different char
acter have received the official approval
and signature of the President, Gen. Har-
rison, in his letter to Sherrod Williams,
Esq, declares his opinion that "no mon-
cy should be taken from the Treasury of
the United States to be expended ON In
4 ternal Improvement, but for those sohich
are strictly NATIONAL" and inculcates, with
great force, the proprety of :. forbear-
dnce and cancellation IN regard TO pow
er, the exercise of which, had produced,
and would, doubtless, continue to produce
JeaIousies and dissension.
Let US now see what foundation there is
for the assertion that General Harrison is
in favor ola National Bank. We have
already seen that, in his address to the vo-
tiers of the Cincinnati district in 1922, he
expressly declared that g ne believed the
charter given 10 the Bank of he U. States
was unconstitutional" In his letter TO
Mr. Sherrod Williams, in answer to the
query, "whether if elected President, he
would sign bill with proper notifications
and restrictions, for chartering q Bank of
the United States" he replies in the fol-
lowing very specific and guarded terms
81 would, fit were clearly aScertIined
that the public interest in relation TO the
collection and disbursement of the reye.
nue. would materially suffer without one,
and there were uneqmy0cal manifestations
of public opinion in ITS fdror. think,
however, the experiment should be fdirly
tried TO ascertain whether the financial OPP
erdtiOns Of the government cannot be as
well carried on without the aid of a Ma
tionat Bank. Ii 1t is not necessary for
that purpose, it does not appearto me that
one can be conStitutionally chartered
There is no construction which can give
to the Constitution which would authorize
it, on the ground Of affording facilities TO
commerce. It is to be remarked that
| General Harrison here speaks, not of
what he would recommend, or is person.
ally in favor of, but what he would do, in
the erent of bill of chartering a bank;
under proper notifications and restric-
tions, being passed By Congress and pre-
scented to him for his signature and even
in that case he says he would sign It only
under the special contingencies be enume-
rates, to wit: that it had been clearly as
certai1led by experience to be necessary
for carrying on the financial operations of
the government, and that there were une-
quivocal manifestations of public opinion
in its fayor,' and, he adds emphatically,
that unless it should be shown ''to be ne.
ceSsary for conducting the financial opera
tons of the government, he does lot think
one can be conStitutionally chartered. -
Connecting what General Harrison here
says with the declaration in his address to
the voters Of his district in 1922, it is ey-
ident that his own leanings are decidedly
against National Bank. While this is
General Harrison's position on the ques-
ton Of a National Bank, Mr. Van Buren,
is, we know, actively exerting all the in
fluence ofhis high office to force upon the
country great government bank, (under
the disguise of his Sub-treasury scheme
controlled entirely by executive agency,
and thus efecting in the hands of the Pre-
sident that union Of the moneyed and po-
litical power of the government which has
ever been held fatal 10 the liberties of a
free people.
THIS question of Erecutire po1er, is
after all, the great paramount question of
the day, threatning, as it does, the exis-
tence of that civil and political freedom on
which all our institutions repose. We