Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-07-31

As we can scarcely hope that any poor
opinions expressed by ourselves, after the
present number, will even reach Washing
ton before the final action of Congress on
the Bank question, we shall remain con,
tent with having faithfully, and with manly
candour, performed our duty to the coun-
try, to the Wing party and Mr.. CLAY, in
warning him of the responsibilities he may
incur, in depriving the country of any
bank auhateuer, and perhaps alternating from
him, forever, the support of the most con-
siderate and influential men, by whom he
has been heretofore upheld and supporte d.
If other Wing presses, in sufficient num-
Der, have similarly performed great pub
lie duty as we have done-without regard
to the temporary disfavour of portion of
"the party" their voices may be heard in
Washington in time sufficient to suggest a
course of action in the House, and sub
sequent concurrence in the Senate, out of
which the country may have sound, safe
and constitutional bank-but we wesfear
the spirit of man-worship, which we COM
planned of in our adversaries, is not as far
removed from the Wing press and Wing
politicians, either in the States or at WASH
ington, as we had hoped to find it amongst
those who were but yesterday unanimous
in their reprobation of the "collar" and
"coar men,"
Be this ais it may, we shall have per-
formed our humble duty to the country,
and hope thereby to exempt ourselves from
the reproach of having commended for a
mere "abstraction," by Subjoining the fol-
lowing extract from Mr.. Clay's speech in
1911, as we find it at page IS and 9 of his
"life" by Prentice. Having done this, the
worst that can be said of us will be, that,
in having modified the views we once en-
tertained, of the unconstitutionality OF any
bank, we never have and neuer will re-
nounce the republican doctrines of this
triumphant defence of the rights of the
'States-this indignant reputation of fed
cral authority.
Ertract from Mr.. Clay's Bank Speech
IN lsl1,-page So and o.
81 contend that the States have the exclusive
power to regulate contracts to declare the capac-
ties and ncapacties to contract, and to provide as
to the extent of the responsibility of debtors to
their creditors. If Congress have the power to
erect an artificial body, and say il shall be endowed
with the attributes of an indvidual--if you can be-
stow on this object of your own creation the ability
TO contract may you not, in contravention of State
rights, confer upon slaves, infants, and emes COW
ert, the ability to contract! And if you have the
power to say, that an association Of individuals
shall be responsible for their debts only in a Ger.
tam limited degree, what is to prevent an extern
SION OF similar exemption to individuals! Where
is the Limitation upon this power to set up corpor-
atoms! You establish one in the heart of State,
the basis of whose capital is money. You may
erect others, whose capital shall consist of land,
slaves, and personal estates, and thus the whole
property within the jurisdiction Of a STATE might
De absorbed by these political bodies. The existing
bank contends. that it is beyond the powers Of a
state 10 tax it, and, if this pretension be well
founded, it is in the power of Congress- by charter
ing companies, to dry up all the sources Of STATE
REVFNUR