The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-07

ing Of the 18th of August, is expressly stated in
the published letter Of the late Secretary of the
Navy.
Finally, il is said, that whatever may be the
force of the reasons assigned by the President
for refusing TO sanction the Bank bill yet that,
in so doing, he acted from motives Of personal
ambition, and to injure the Wing party. But
this is mere gratuitous imputaton, supported by
no evidence, contradicted by all the facts in the
case, and more especially by this,-that, in what
the President has done, he has but acted IN ac-
cordance with the long-avowed, wel-known,
and persevering opinions Of his whole HE. IL
| would be just as competent, and no more I'M
| charitable, to reiort the same imputation upon
those who, patrons Of the Bank question, have
yet with headlong haste driven il butt against
two yetoes.
believe that his conduct has been conscen-
tious throughout, and, believing this, deprecate
the attempt TO array against him the resentments
of the Wing party, as being unjust, inexpedi-
ent, and unwse.
In aid Of this attempt, il has been imputed to
the President that, disregarding the counsels Of
the Wings, he takes advice from the Oppos-
ton. In support Of this imputaton, II is be
lieved that no evidence can be, as none has
been, addueed, and that il is wholly without
foundation.
All the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in regard TO the
motives of the President in this matter, arise
from the denial Of the President OF the rights OF
conscience, in consequence Of which II has been
assumed that, whatever may be his CONSCIENTIOUS
convictions in regard toa measure, he would sign
it, right or wrong, il party considerations re-
| commend il. submit TO you whether party
valuing itself on religion, will adopt the idea
that considerations OF shifting party tactics, re-
CARELESS of conscience, shall control the actions
Of the President And yet this humating idea
is the groundwork Of the injustice done him, so
far as he is concerned.
And all the unattended errors OF conduct, on
the part of those Wings who, by reproach Of
the President, are hurrying on quarrel between
him and the Wing party, would have been pre-
vented if, in addition TO the recognition of HIS
rights OF conscience and constitutional Judg
ment in this matter, il had been remembered,
| by right-thinking men, that opinions, though
they be amoral fact only, yet constitute fact,
to be dealt with, and considered, and conformed
to where they connot be changed, just as much
as Interchangeable physical facts How does il
promote the Bank interest, for instance, to build
up one Executive Veto after another in its
path? Is not that the addition to pre-existng
difficulties Of new difficulties created by our
selves2
If the Wing party allow itself TO fall of into
| this warfare against the President, under the
influence of the causes alleged for that warfare,
it will be to commit suicide, in order to avoid
danger of, at some future time, dying natural
death.
| When the ship of state encounters adverse
winds, and cannot on the instant make her des-
tined port, is it The part of men of sense to
jump overheard and drown themselves Will
the Wing party, in so doing, be in the discharge
of its duty to the country or to itself?
Is resentment against the President for not
having signed the Bank bill, or resentment in
behalf Of his retiring Secretaries because Of
any differences between them and him, good
and sufficient motive for political action?
If there be any sense or degree whatever in
| which such resentment is good m0tipe for a
patriotic man to act upon, does not the grati6-
cation of it by the Wing party to its 01on self
destruction seem to be pushing it rather too
| far?
Surprising to be Just all that the Wings have
reproached the Democrats with, ought the
Wings, as a question of ethics and of patriot
ism so to conduct, under the influences OF tran
STORY causes and personal passion, as, in de-
stroying their own power to destroy the ascen-
dency and the means OF usefulness OF their
principles?
/ say nothing, in this discussion of the ques-
ton whether the Wing party shall quarrel with
| the President not, of the particular fact that
several of his late Secretaries have, for various
and not concurring reasons, resigned their
places, except this:
| That the retirement of Secretaries is COM
mon fact which has happened under other Ad-
illustrations, and, however important as per.
sona question TO the parties concerned, is of no
permanent consequence to the people, provided
| they have wise, good, and fit successors in Of
| ice
| That the President has, in this instance, Sc
lected such successors;
And that, whilst those gentlemen have re
tired, yet the Secretary of State, in whose pa
| triotism and ability you have more immediate
cause to confide, has declared that he knows no
sufficient cause for such separation, and cont
nues to cooperate cordially with the President
in the discharge of the duties of that station
| which he fills with SO much honor TO himself
! and advantage to the country.
| 1t would be an act of faulty for the Wing
party TO think OF breaking from the President,
| and thus to break itself up, because of any of
these changes in the personal organization Of
the Cabinet.
sincerely trust, therefore, that conceding to
the President the same rights of conscience that
you claim for yourselves, and applying well ba-
lanced minds to- the calm consideration Of all
the facts, listening to no suggestions of fac
tious violence, you will continue to yield to the
Administration frank and candid sup, or
However that may be- II remains only for
me TO say that in none of the events which
have TRANSFERRED, is it possible for me to see good
reason for a radical and revolutionary change of
the Constitution of the United States. No evil
exists, il seems TO me. which calls for revolu
tionary remedies.
Yet an address has gone forth from portion
of the members of Congress, purporlne to be
the unanimous act of meeting OF THE Wings
of Congress, which, besides arragnng the Pre-
sident on various allegations of fact and sunni
ses not fact, recommends such radical changes
of the Constitution.
The expression, 1.-THE Wings" would be &c
Morally understood TO mean all the Wings.
What members constituted the caucus which
issued this document does not appear So FAR
as the journals of the House afford any means