Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-09-10

1,sasnrv Jeuenerating into Government Bank were
inst cause Of apprehension, how, ] would AK, can
,bose who srenuously opposed that measure now de-
Ia, themselves in favor of the present bill? The
location of the bank, aho I,s auS''aey "Po"
r,nund. have alarmed and aroused Tue people. Innk
- ,b,, The country will passveiy acGulesce: Think
m H. ,bo ,ourhsone Of wisdom will not he brought
In bear upnn the prrrre,y OF tis measure ana 'ha' an
enlightened public will not be able to separate 'iir
time serving Of the partisan IRON me a'u
h,s,.5 wiz, was Il before that dominant party III
Ibis House SO eftcually debarred the members from
the privilege of free and full deaa'e: Nay or ""e"
before were so many great aud important
forced through Congress with such ha',e OF III >"
a space Of time, Are the minority sent here s''eh'y
n d Tho majority in registering their edcis: or are
the people such slaves that they dare not express 'e
opinions a.. g.
If your purpose is TO have bank to manage the ms
chi concerns Of Government, then The caP''u ~ :" w
proposed institution is TOO large MT. a. ua'ia'' ;,
his recent work currency, remarks that =" s'""
would suffice fnr lis operations IN It's character
of fseui agent of the Government II IS believed that
capita If fifteen millions Gf dollars, paid atogelhsl
in specie or bank notes equivalent To specie, mou'u
be amply sufficient" On the contrary, your design
is to establish commercial BANK, theh e0m"t't" :.
ties and commercial should both possess and con
ro the bank Under the provisions OF THIS blll, your
bank will be mpoent, except tor misch;ef Tor me
combined political, fiscal, and comm rcIal consioffa.
lions controlling its destiny must result IN making u
injurious to trade and dangerous to The liberties OIL l'e
people.
But there are other considerations which should IN
duce gentlemen not only doubt the proprety oi &C
ton on this deeply important question nj Tins tne, hul
10 abstain from INDUCING bitter lnrecve al me bare
anDuuciation of the intentions Of those opposed 10 Tue
passage Of the present bill to endeavor 10 procure us
rneal The u,npIe will not forget that the President,
his message of June st ISL observed that the Charter
the Bank of the IT, S. expired b. lis own limitation IN
1856 An effort made TO renew II, when received
the sanction Of the two Houses OF Congress- but the
hen President Of the U. s exercised his reto power
and the measure was defeated regard to trn'a re-
rnlres me TO say that the President was fnfty sustained
in the course he had taken by Mc popnGr roce Ills
successor in the CHAR of State Mr.. Van Buren, IN
gunifedy pronounced his opposition 10 ahgRfr rharf
of similar institution and not only the p0p1"r efe
ton which brought him into power, bnt the "et.'0"s
through much Of his term, seemed Clearly to inccate
concurrence uik him in sentiment the part OF the
people.
The late contest which terminated IN The election oil
Gen Harrison TO the Presidency, was decided on pr'n-
c,ples well known and openly decared and, while The
SnbTrcasury received in the result the most decided
condemnation, yet no either schmc fnamee seemed 10
hare been eonrnrred IN.
Nor wl The people forget that tTo OF the sovereign
States of this ninn not represented on thS Hoor'
and that appoTtlonmcnt ct The representation IN
Congress- under the late census, will take place before
fancy which has characterized the progress Of ths great
measure during lh.s session. and The conflicting vrws
ri lis supporters relative to It's powers and location Of
its branches, in conjunction with the stern ana niexl-
BILE opposition which l.. 5. Bank has, al all tunes,
encountered with majority Of the people, should adj
monsh them to act in accordance with maxim OF The
iilusrious George Clinton. lie wisely remarked, that
"Govprnment is not TO be strengthened BY an dssamp-
ton RI doHbifai p0cerS but by wise nnd energetic
execution Of those which ineontstaJe; the i"fmer
fails 10 produce Suspicion an6 Gstrus "hal tue
latter inspires respect and confidence.
The friends of the bill seem 10 content themselves
thus lar BY endeavorng show that Congress has the
power 10 incorporate Bank. Eut even # gentlemen
lad succeeded establishing that point, yet they have
not demonstrated that The Bank Zealousiy urged
upon the country either ''nectssars proper lbs
latter consideration should have been JaHy and curry
demonstrated To incorporate Bank supply because
renemen night suppose that the Constitution confer
ed the power would be- almost rnwise in Legislation
as 10 establish IN direct contraventon OF The Con-
s,ltn,:nn because 1t might be deemed expedent. TX
pedency cannot make constitutional, that IS
inhibited nor can sound policy, under all circum-
stances warrant exercising nil the powers with
which Congress is clearly invested.
Nv honorable colleague (alr. STUART alluded to the
cou,se 81 the distinguished crater ni Roanoke on the
bank bill in lei lis true, as LIE stated that Mr.. Ran.
dnph then voted aaainst the indefinite pnstponement
Of III. L,ii but think il is equally true that be was not
in favor Of the bank The vote against the indefinite
tponecnt is TAR from DtnL iron tHdt WI hiH-
doph would finally have voted for the bill But he may
have niyen tins vote with view ii getting direct
vote with the expectation nl defeating the bill IN The
most decisive manncr Ii must b. remembered, that Mr..
Randolph had been somewn aiirhnted from MI JeieT-
son during his administration, ard perhaps was not
decided supporter of the then administrations for he was
snon found arrayed against tie war with England
But in l-l6 have full and conclusive proof OF Mr.
RanGo!phs opposition 10 the L. 5. Bank, both on the
score Of exped,cncy and consttutonaiy. In the de-
bate on The United States Bank bill, in the House Of
REPRESENTATIVES in lsl6, Mr. Randolph remarked that
his objection to the agency o! the Government IN
Bank wus therefore, OF rcc6ni date, but one Ting
formed the objection rita that it would be Al en-
zine ciresis,ole power the hands OF any admnistra-
.on; that il would be in politics and finance what the
celebrated proposition of Archmeces in physcsa
place the fulcrum from which, at the will of the Exc
cu,iye the whole nation could be hurled to destruction,
mr. ma ma ned any way at his will aud discretion But
on the 9th Of April, 1916, MIR. Randolph "moved, Tor
the purpose of destroying the bill, that the whole sub
sct be indefinitely postponed lie enforced his consti-
utonal objections 10 the bill, in which he borne
out BY the decision OF Congress IN refusing to renew
the charter Of the old Bank; which decision was ground
ed on the want of constitutional power. He sdrerted,
also in support Of his opinion 10 the instructions from
the Legislatures of Virginia and kentucky TO their Sc.
majors 10 vote against the old bank But my honora-
bic colleague nnated that the u S Bank was moi
Federal measure. In Alarshalls Life OF General
Washington, (sonmc s. page 2?,( the author, IN
abiding 10 the passage Of the = D bank DEL re-
marks that ii ''con'rpnlcd not nconsidTrahy 10 the
complete organization o! those distinct and raete par
ties which, IN their long and dubious conflict for pow
En- have SINCE shaken the u. States to their centre.
Mr. Eppes in the debate The Bank bill in lell re-
Marked that ''in l79l the charter Of the first United
States Bank granted. On this great measure, ihr
two great parties were, for the first time arrayed
against each other II was at that time considered
party question: nasmuch il involved the very prn
cplrs on which the two parties divided, viz de'egG
ted powers and 'consiruc,iee powers In the debate
on The bill, Mr.. Clay observed that ut has been
said By the honorable gentleman from Georgia, (Mr
Crawlord) that this has been made party question
1t is true that this law 1.-THE first United States Bank
bill, was the effect but II is no less true that it
,cas one Of The Of the polteal Divisions in this
country. And it, during the agitation Of the present
question, the renewal has, one side, been opposed
on party principle lie, ask if the other, It has
no, been adrocatrd on similar principles.
The authorities have adduced, and The features Of
The bull under consideration, fully justify The op
ponen;s of The measure in characierzng II as Federal
Il tie clearly defined and intrinsic merits Of a
which Justify Us III pronouncing 1t Federal or Repuh
can. Fur The Government to confer any body cor