Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-09-28

understood TO De your fiS"S' opN
ned than erpecfed your approval. knew tne
extent to which you were COMMITTED on .ne
question. knew the pertmacity with whicn
YOU adhered to your expressed Opinions ana
dreaded from the first the most disastrous con-
when the project OF compromise
which presented at an early DAY was re-
iected.
1t is equally matter of justice toyou and
to myself to say That the bill which reported
to the two houses of Congress, at the COM
mencement of the session, IN obedience 10
their call, was modified SO as to meet your ap-
probation. You may not, 1t is true, have read
the bill throughout, and examined every part OF
it; but the 10th fundamental article, which be-
came the contested question of principle, was
freely discussed between us, and II was under
stood and unequivocally sanctioned by your
self. The last clause in the bill, also, which
contained a reservation of power in Congress,
" as inserted on the 9th ofjune, in your pres
ence, and with your appreciation; though you
at one time told me that, in giving your sane
ton to the bill, you would accompany it with
an explanation of your understanding Of that
clause.
In this condition of things, though greatly
regretted your veto on the bill as it passed the
two houses of Congress, and though foresaw
the excitement and agitation which it would
produce among the people, yet, considering
the changes which the bill had undergone in
its passage, and its variance from the one yon
had agreed to sanction, could not find in that
act enough to disturb the confidential relations
which existed betwe en- US. was disposed to
attribute this act, fraught with mischief as it
was, to pure and honorable motives, and to a
Al, Al
bill, in some of its provisions, confiicted with
the Constitution. But that opinion of your
course on the bill which has Just been returned
to Congress with your second veto. ! do not
and cannot entertain. Recur to what has pas
sed between us with respect to j., and you
will OF once perceive that such opinion is i'm
possible.
On the morning of the 10th of August,
| called at your chamber, and found you prepar-
ing the first veto message, to be despatched TO
| the Senate. The Secretary of War came liz
also, and you read a portion of the message to
US. He observed that, though the veto would
create great sensation in Congress, vet he
thought the minds of our friends better prepar-
ed for it than they were some days ago, and
he hoped it would be calmly received, espe-
cially as it did lot shut on: all hope of a bank.
To this you replied, that you ealy thought
there oughtito be no difficulty about it; that you
had sufficiently indicated in your veto message
what kind of bank you would approve, and
that Congress might, Ifthey saw fit, pass such
one in three days.
The 18th beng the day for our regular cab
met meeting, we assembled,all except Messrs.
Crittenden and Granger, and you told US thai
you had had long conversation with Messrs
Berren and Sergeant, who protested to come
in behalf oftbe Wings ofthe two houses to en-
deavor TO strike out some measure which
would be generally acceptable. That you hat
your doubts about the proprIety of conversina
with them yourself, and thought it more proper
that you should commune with them ihoFugl
your constitutional advisers. You expressed
wish that the whole subject should be post
poned till the next session of Congress-
You spoke of the delay in the Senate Of tn,
consideration of your veto message, and ex
pressed anxiety as TO the tone anditemper whicl
the debate would assume.
Mr.. Badger said, that on inquiry he wa
happy to find that the best temper prevailed il
the two houses. He believed they were per
fectly ready to take up the bill reported by tn
Secretary of the Treasury land pass it at once
You replied, "TalK not to me of Mr.. Ewing
bill; it contains that odious feature ofloca dis
counts which have repudiated in my mes
sage" then said to you, 81 have no doubt
sir, that the House, having ascertained YOU
! views, will pass Uiif IN conformity 10 T1eH
provided they can be satisfied that it would an
swer the purpose of the Treasury, and reliev
the country" You then said "Cannot M
cabinet see that this is brought about! Yo
must stand by me in this emergency. Canno
you see that bill passes Congress such as
| El,,.,,N
ed again my belief that such bill might b
passed And you then said to me: "Wha
do you understand to be my opinionsi Stat
them, so that | may see that there is no mis-
} apprehension about them?"
J Ithen said that | understood you to be {
opinion that Congress might charter a Ban
N me District of Columbia, giving it its locs
ton here. To this vcu assented. That the
D might authorize such Bank to establish office
. OF discount and deposite in the several State
with the assent of the States. To this yo
= replied, "Don't name discounts they hav
been the source of thu most abominable CO..
ruptions, and are wholly unnecessary to enab
; the Bank to discharge It's duti to the cour
try and the Government"
| observed in reply that | was proposit
nothing, but simply endeavoring to sta
q what | bad understood to be your opil
ION as to the powers which Congress mig
constitutlonally confer on Bank; that on tn
point stood corrected. then proceeded
say that | understood you to be of cpimc
that Congress might authorize such Bank
, establish agencies in the several States. Wi
power to deal in bills of exchange witho
the assent of the States; TO which YOU repIie
"Yes, If they be foreign bills, or bills draw
IN one State and payable in another. Tn
is all the power necessary for transnittir
the public funds and regulating exchanges al
the currency" :
I Mr.. Webster then expressed, in stro,
terms, his opinion that such charter won
answer all just purposes of Government a
be satisfactory to the People; and declar,
! ms preference for it over any which h.
been proposed, especially as it dispensed evil
the assent of the States to the creation of J
institution necessary for carrying on the fisc
!, operations fthe Government. He examin,
II at some length, both as to its constitutions
" and Its influence on the currency and .
changes, in all which views Won exnress,
Your concurrence, desired that such a b
: should be introduced, and especially that
! should go into the hands of some of vo
friends. To my inquiry whether Mr.. Sc
geant would be agreeable to you, YOU repli,
tnat ne would You especially requested a
Webster and myself to communicate wi
y Messrs Berrien and Sergeant on the subiet
to whom you said you had promised to q
dress note, but you doubted not that N
personal communication would be eo,lal
| satisfactory. You desired ne alSo ;rA-