Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-09-22
No 80.

replied, that you really thought there ought to
be no difficulty about il; that you had sufficient
y indicated in your veto message what kind OF
bank you would approve, and that Congress
might if they saw fit, pass such one in three
days
The lStE being the day FOR our regular Cab
met meeting, We assembled, all except MeSsrs.
Criltenden and Granger, and you told US that
you had had long conversation with Messrs.
BeTien and Sergeant, who professed to come
in behalf of the Wings of the Two Houses Io
endeavor 10 strike out some measure which
would be generally acceptable. That you had
your doubts about the propriety of conversing
with them yourself, and thought it more proper
that you should commune with them through
your constitutional advisers You expressed
wish that the whole subject should be postponed
till the next session of Congress, You spoke
of the delay in The Senate of the consideration
of your veto message, and expressed anxiety as
to the tone and temper which the debate would
assume
Mr. Badger said that on inquiry he was hap
py to find that the best temper prevailed in the
two Houses. He believed they were perfectly
ready to take up The bill reported by the Secre-
tary of the Treasury and pass 1t at once. You
replied, Talk not 10 me of Mr. Ewing's bill; it
contains that odious feature of local discounts
which have repudated in my message 4
then said to you, have no doubt, sir, that the
House. having ascertained your views, will
pass bill in conformity to them, provided they
can be satisfied that II would answer the pur-
poses of the Treasury, and relieve the country
You then said, Cannot my Cabinet see that
this is brought about? You must stand by me
in this emergency. Cannot you see that bill
passes Congress such as | can approve without
inconsistency Ideclared again my beliefth
such bill might be passed. And you then
said 10 me, 'What do you understand to be my
opinions! State them, so that may see that
there is no misapprehension about them
then said that / understood you to be Of
opinion that Congress might charter bank in
the District of Columbia, giving it its location
here. To this you assented. That they might
authorize such bank TO establish offices of dis
count and deposite in the several States, with
the assent of the States. To this you replied,
Don't name discounts; they have been the
source of the most abominabfe corruptions, and
are wholly unnecessary to enable the bank to
discharge its duties to the country and the Gov
ernment'
l observed in reply that was proposing no.
thing, but simply endeavorng 10 state what |
had understood to be your opinion as TO the
powers which Congress might constitutionally
confer on bank that on that point | stood
corrected | then proceeded to say that | un-
derstood you to be of opinion that Congress
might authorize such bank to establish agencies
in the several States, with power to deal in
bills of exchange, without the assent of the
States, to which you replied, "Yes, if they be
foreign bills, or bills drawn in one State and
payable in another. That is all the power ne
cessary for transmitting the public funds and
regulating exchanges and the currency"
Mr.. Webster then expressed, in strong terms,
his opinion that such charter would answer
all just purposes of Government and be salts
factory to the People; and declared his prele-
renee for it over any which had been proposed.
especially as it dispensed with the assent of
the States 10 the creation Of an institution ne
cessary for carrying on the fiscal operations of
Government. He examined it at some length,
both as TO Its cOnslltulionality and Its influence
on the currency and exchanges, in all whicl
views you expressed your concurrence, desire
that such bill should be introduced, and esp
cially that it should 60 into the hands of so
of your friends. To my inquiry whether
Sergeant would be agreeable TO you, you rel
that he would. You especially requested
Webster and myselftocommuncatew wilhN
Berrien and Sergeant on the subject, TO
you said you had promised to address
but you doubted not that this personal
nication would be equally saisfacto,
desired US, also, in communicating
gentlemen, no: 10 commit you, perso
this being recognized as your measr
be made a subject of comparison to
dice in the course of discussion.
Webster then conversed about I
wording of the 10th fundamental
tanning the grant ofpower to dea
and of the connexion IN which
be introduced; you also spoke
the institution, desiring that
changed. To this objecte1
ably be made subject of ri
sisted that there was much
institution ought not to be
Webster undertook to ada