Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-21
(From The F-cd,ricks5Hrg -7rena.)
sp0TTSSI VtSIN e. H. RESOLUTIONS.

solutions adopted by the Democratic Republicans OF
| Spottsvlvnnia, At our last Court.
l. The first charge alleged in the resolutions against
General Harrison is, that he is in favor Of National
Bank This you admit to be true, but attempt to de-
end it. BY reference the fact that MIR. Madison sign
ed bill charterng such an institution ten arris"h'
you go on to say, 'sw do as Mr.. Madison did: Inc
General then through you his attorney, pleads guilty
10 the charge and for this heresy, among others, leave
him to the sentence the people will pronounce upon
! him in November next But | cannot So easily leave
the precious quotations yon have given IRON General
Harrison two letters, one dated III le2 tue othef III
! 1896 Why have YOU thus strkingly confronted these
two productions unless for the mschlerous purpose OF
putting this old gentleman in an awkward predcancht
and manItestly at variance with himself: In ~ ne
SAYS, 81 believe the charter given to The BANK OF the y
S unconstitutional not beng necessary u carry
any of the expressly granted powers into effect, nc,
Here he declares the bank unconstitutional and gives
a sound for his opinion. In lo6 he says, ne
question then for me to answer is, whether nhoer te
circumstances you state, II elected TO the Office OF IRE
| sdent would sign act TO charter another BANK
answer would fit clearly asceraIned that the
public interests in relation TO the collection and dis
bursencnts of the revenue, would materially suffer
without one, and there were uncqulvocal manifesto
tons OF public opinion in its favor so, after drclar-
/ mr. the bank unconstitutional III to21, he does not
stick IL say in lc6 that he would charter one, though
unconstitutional under the circumstances above stated
Surely If il were unconstitutional IN lS22 IT would be
equally so now, for the Constitution has undergone no
change in the intermediate time How are we to ex-
plain these inconsistencies In lc22 General Iarrl-
son was candidate for Congress and ''the nantes
tat;ons of public opinion against the Bank in
his d,str ct lniS5G, he candidate for the Pre-
sGencv and The Bank popular wtih the Wings,
whose cand date lie was. j it going too far Il
puic such motives to hiu 10 say that the ori'y
/ Is the guide Of his public conduct: Read his own
words Does he not tell that, though he believes a
Bank unconstitutional nevertheless lie would charter
one If aherc were uncquvocal manifestations of pub
! lie opinion in its favor Such man is unfit, by his
own confession, 10 occupy the Presidential Chair We
want no wca.!c.-cocS there, 10 be vecred about 10y
every shifting gale Of public opinion; want q
pillar of the State conspicuous Tor IT'S stability tie
should shew himself ready, when the Constitution is
threatened, to in,epos" the protecting shield OF the
veto power and 1t from harm;--not profess, IN ad
vance a willingness 10 ''fol"w the multitude IN doing
evil The power in question given the Prcsi.
dent to defend the Constitution from violation; but, II
The hands Of one who follows naioritics wla, the
same thing public opinion, rather than the Constiu-
ton, 1t would be forged INTO weaP"n OF offence Tor
wotndinr lis sides. Whoever! believing measure
UNCONSTITUTIONAL las Cen Harrison considers Bank y
nevertheless sanction il, either from considerations Of
convenience, trucking su5scrvicnce to public OPT
Mon, may be safely pronounced and do not scruple
10 pronounce hun, either ignorant OF has official duties
or traitor 10 his tos and wiliul Slolator OF the
oath he takes to support the Constitution
4 But again. In 1886 he says, "Thc measure a. S
Bank ladop,cd mus, have for its object the carrying
into effect facilitating nj casi) some one OF the powers
Dositiycly granted Ia the General Government =
Here then he tells US boldly, the power to charter
National Bank NAV be assumed, not because SIT
cessarv, but merely because 1t may "facllltae the
crcisc Of some granted power. If any power that ac
the exercise ofthc granted powers may be assum
ed By the General Government, then there no limit tc
Federal legsaton for what power is there the General
Government might not assume, and make appear thai
il ttacIlltacd, way another, the exercise OF
some granted power If the Federal Constitution were
construed in obedience to this uSurpng spirit, II would
not be long before it had absorbed all the rights of the
States and left them nothing but the scmbance of
reignty 4 startling doctrine never was pro
pounded. The letter containing II bears date in s36
and, having been recantcd is TO be regarded as
an authentic evidence Of his present opinions on this
subject. And this doctrine IL promulgated, by one
protesting to b" disciple Of Mr. Jefferson If he
ever studied under that MASTER h. is hcnccinrward Il
be considered the least ap; Of all his pupils. Fat Gen
Harrison has located himself When charged by John
Randolph, in SO with having supported the admins
traton of the Elder Adams he admitted the fact; and
acknowledged that even the Alien and Scdition Laws
could not wcan him from IT,
The circumstances under which Mr.. Madison signed
the charter of the late National Bank peculiarly
embarrassing, yet they do excuse him. That act Is
the only in hs political! career, which his friends
ever amcntcd, his dctraciors dwell upon with de-
light 1t painful to behold blenIsh resting on sc
bright an escucheon. will not perform the irrcvc
rent Office Of lifting his mantle and exposing his fraity
to the glbes OF grlnnrng multitude. The patriotic
labors ola long life atoned, thousand times over fol-
this SIM heavy as it was in its commission aud bitter
az have been the fruits bore TO the present genera
ton.
After saving Cen Harrison would do as Mr. Madison
did you ask, "Do the people OF Virginia require any
thing more; | answer, yes they have required some
thing more they have required the most solemn qua
rantec against the charter Of such institution
have obtained it, Had you remembered the following
passage. extracted from Mr. Van Buens letter to Shcr
rod Williams, you would not have asked the question
By the bye. MIR. Williams. thuurh member Of Con
rrcss aud Wing too, ofcns grossly against the plain
est rules o: grammar.l ''iiodiT@ this "pinun anc
sworn support that instrument it is could mo-
find in the circumstances TO which you refer, (viZ.
sdcratons touching the rcvenuc,) either warrant OF
excuse for the exercise of the authority in question
and am not only willing, but DESTROYS, that the PEG
pie of the United States SHOULD be fully informed Of the
precise ground occupy The subject. desire more
especially that they should know IL now when an OPP
porunty, the best our form Of government affords vii
soon be presented % express their opinion of its propre
IT, If they arc III favor Of a National Bank, as a per
nanent branch ii our institutions, they desire
chief ars,ratc who will consider it his duty watch
the course Of events, and give, withhold his
to such an institution according to the degree of ne
cessy for it that may arse from the considerations
which your question refers, they will see that my co
operation in the promotion of either If these views
cannot be expected. This is the strain in which
American citizen should address his conntrymen, if he
expects to gain their respect ana confidence compare
this frank expression opinion with the distressing OBJ
security that cncnnibcrs Harrisons paragraphsthe
tain index of hcwildcred intellect or disingcnuous
heart The direct flight Of an is not more differ
enl from the toruons mazcs of the serpent.
Next, in order. comes the charge that Gen. Harrison
is in favor of Protective Tariff And here, too, the
offence is so fragrant upon him, that you again plead
guilty for this political sinner Never stood there be
fore the American people man obnoxious to cen
sure than Gen. Harrison upon this subject He gave
his vote for the tariff Of 1898 thc bill of denominations
and gave it not under the duress of instructions In
i june 1881, in address to agricultural society in
Ohio he 81 believe that not of the evils which
were predicted from the Tariff have happened and that
not one of the advantages which promised from
blu, have been realized: and nothing but the folly Of
abandoning it can bring US back to the hard times
through which We have passed" Again he says-"I
may be asked, whether, under any circumstances,
would be willing to abandon the tariff: ! answer
without hesitation in the affirmative Whenever the
streets Of Norfolk and Charleston shall be covered
with grass, and our Southern friends find marke
for their produce and this state of things be dis
~ a. =