Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-09-24

| MIR. webster then expressed in strong terms
his opinion that such charter would answer
all just purposes Of Government, and be satisac-
tory TO the people; and declared his preference
for it over any which had been proposed, espe-
cially as it dispensed with the assent of the
States to the creation of an institution necessary
for carrying on the fiscal operations of Govern
Inent. lie examined it at some length, both as
to its constltutonality, and its influence on the
| currency and exchanges, IN all which views you
! expressed your concurrence, desired that such
| bill should be introduced, and especially that
| it should go into the hands of some of your
| friendS To my inquiry whether Mr. Sergeant
would be agreeable to you, you replied that he
would. You especially requested Mr.. Webster
and myself to communicate with Messrs Berren
and Sergeant on the subject, to whom you said
you had promised to address a note, but you
doubted no, that this personal communication
would be equally satisfactory. You desired us,
also, IN communicating with those gentlemen,
not to commit you personally, lest this being re-
cognlzed as your measure, it might be made
subject OF comparison to your prejudice in the
| course OF discussion You and Mr. Webster
then conversed about the particular wording of
the LII fundamental article containing the grant
ofpower to deal in exchanges, and of the connex-
ion in which that grant should be introduced;
you also spoke of the name of the institution,
desiring that that should be changed To this |
objected, as it would probably be made sub.
lect OF rdcue, but you insisted that there was
much in name, and this institution ought not
| TO be caIleda bank. Mr.. Webster undertook
| to adapt it in this particular to your wishes
Mr.. Bell then observed to Mr.. Webster and
myself that we had no time to lose that if this
were not Immediately attended to, another BILL
less acceptable, might be got up and reported
| We replied that we would lose no time. M
Webster accordingly called on Messrs. Berren
and Scrgeant Immediately, and waited on them
by his appointment at five o'clock on the same
day, and agreed upon the principles of the bill
| IN accordance with your expressed wishes. And
| am appraised of the fact, though it did not occur
in my presence, that after the bill was drawn up
| and before 1t was reported, it was seen and en-
ahmed by yourself that your attention was cs-
pcclaIly called to the 10th fundamental article :
that on full examination you concurrcd in its.
provisions that at the same time its name was
50 modified as to meet your appreciation and the
bill was reported and passed, in all essential par
tlcuIars as it was when it came through your
hands.
You asked Mr.. Webster and myself each to
prepare and present you an argument touching
The constltuionalliy OF the bill ; and before
those arguments could be prepared and read BY
you, you declared as ! heard and believe, to
gentlemen, members Of the House, that YOU
would cut off your right hand rather than sp-
prove it. AFTER this new resolution was taken
5ou asked and earnestly urged the members OF
lyour Cabinet to postpone the bill: but YOU would
neIther9Ve yourself nor suffer them to rive,
any assurance OF your future course, in case OF
such postponement. By some of us, and was
myself one, the effort was made to crafty your
wishes, in the only way in which it could be
l.
general concurrence of the Wing members OF
The two Houses in the pos'ponement. 1t failed
as have reason 10 believe, because YOU would
give 40 assurance that the delay was not sought
as means and occasion for hostile movements
During this season of deep feeling and ear.
nest eAertlon upon our part, while we were
jealousy devotlng oar talents and influence tc
sustain YOU the very secrets of our Cabne,
councils made their appearance in an infamous
paper printed IN neighborng city, the columns
LOT which were daily charged with flatterv OF
yourself and foul abuse of your Cabinet All
this bore for | telt that my services, so lone
as they could avail, were due to the nation-tC
That great and inagnannous people whose sui-
irageS elevated your predecessor to the station
which You now fill and whose united voices
approved his act when he summoned us around
him, To be his counsellors and tct that VIVA,
| 49,. 49, W nc "Niii''A' " llc lOIlS WHICH
he LETT us in his last dying words, and to the
people, whose servants we were, had not all
been performed, Until every means was tried
and every hope had failed, OF carrying out the
true principles upon which the mighty move.
ncnt was iounled that elevated him and YOU to
power
This bill, framed and fashioned according tc
your own suggestions, in the initiation of which
ana another member of your Cabinet were
made by you the agents and neg0tators, was
prssed by large malortics through the two
Houses OF Congress- aud sent TO YOU, and YOU
rejected It, Important as the part which
had taken, at your request, in the orrnatiol
OF this bill, and deeply as was committed 10,
your acton upon it, you never consultnd inc
on the subject of the veto message. You did
not even refer to it in conversation, and the
ilrst notice had Of its contents was derived
from rumor.
And to me, at least, you have done nothing tc
wipe away the personal indigniy arising out Of
the act gathered, it is true, from your con.
verSaton, shortly after the bill had passed the
House, that you had a strong purpose to reject
II; but nothing was said like soteninr or apo
lo9y 10 me, either III reference TO myself or to
those with whom had communicated al your
request, and who had acted themselves and in
duced the two Houses to act upon the faith OF
that communication. And strange as i, may
seem, the veto message attacks in an especial
manner The very provisions which were inserted
at your request; and even the name of the cor
poration, winch was not only agreed to by Won,
but especially changed to meet your expressed
WISHES Is made the subject of your criticism.
Different men might View this transaction in
different points OF light, but under these cir
culhStalccs as matter Of personal honor, it
| would he larl TOR IN IA IN At
to seal my lips and leave unexplained and I'M
disclosed Where lies IN this transaction tine de-
partare from stralghtioWardncss and candor.
80 lar indeed from admitting the encourage
lneht winch you give to this bill from its ircep-
tom ana explaining and eXcuSing your sudden
ana Volehl hostility towards 1t, YOU throw into
your Veto Message an interrogatory equivalent
to an assertion that it was such bill as YOU had
already declared could not receive your sanction.
such Is the obvious effect of the first interroga
tory clause on the second page. 1t has all The
force OF an assertion wthout lis open fairness
have met and reinted this, the necessary IN
terence from your language, in my preceding
I.N