The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-06
Communications.
FOR THE MADIsoNIAN.

The President has already done as much, certainly,
as relates to United States Bank, as he can do con-
sisenty with the articles of bis political faith and with
the opinions he has hitherto entertained and acted on,
to conform his Presidential conduct the wishes Of
the larger portion of the party that elected him. 1t
is needless here to rece what he has already done
this subject to comply with party engagements and
expectations The reader is familiar with the recent
events which have so much distracted the public
mind, and which have shaken il not shattered, the
cords of the late party combinations in virtue and by
the power of which the Van Buren, dynasty was over
whelmed. 1t sufices here to reassert, what no one
will deny, that such fiscal agent as the President
in his Veto messages has suggested he would ap-
prove, will be assented TO and accepted BY the friends
Of u States Bank, sufficient for the purposes it
would be designed to accomplish. "The half loaf
better than no bread in justly applicable to
the legislation of an enlightened people intended to
be permanent, enduring for ages though the stnted
measure would serve the beggar, would not satisfy
them long. The President may rest assured that if
the friends of U. 8. Bank shall assent to and ac
cePt his scheme at ALL it will only be to secure the ba
sis on which hereafter to engra all the powers of the
old banks. Having done SO much to conform his con-
duct to the wishes of the friends ola u. s. Bank and
yet been unable to sat sly them having ascerained
and being assured by all the signs of the times that it
is their settled opinion that his scheme of fiscal agent
will not answer-arguing as he must argue, from the
ordinary principles ofhuman conduct, that the scheme
he has suggested willingness to sanction, enacted
if enacted at ALL by the votes of those who confess
they consider it insufficient, only be accepted by
them With the fixed purpose hereafter to enlarge its
powers-having declared that he would not sanction
bank in the forms agreed in the memorable Cabi
net conference of the 18th of August, 1s4l if he
supposed that it would he made the basis of bank
with all the powers of the late Bank of the United
States"-is not the President perfect freedom, with
exemption from censure; nay, more is it not his ire
mssble duty, to review the grounds he stands upon
IT, on the review he should be satisfied that he has
already gone too far towards conforming the action of
the Executive power ofthe Government of the Union
with which he is clothed to the wishes of the friends
of U. 8. Bank, would he not be bound by eyery
justly valued principle of honor, and by every sent.
ment that should influence the affections and contnl
the judgment ofthe patriot to retire from the ground
he stands on, and to tell the assembled representatives
of the people that he will not sanction bank in the
form he has once ntmated readiness to subscribe TO
and approved would refresh his memory with the
sentiments, elevated just and strong, which were on
former occasion, by himself expressed and on them
predicate an appeal 10 him now. In 1884, Mr. Tyler,
then Senator, said
eve were told yesterday" that the President
could not retrace his steps with honor What lam
guage is this to be held by public agent? Honor.
al regard tn the soIemn ,,,;o r
flee, require Of every public repair the mischief
which his own unwse policy may have inflicted on
the country. BY aohat sort Of advisers must the Pre-
sdeni be surrounded aohen are told that he aoould
% dishonored by giving audience to the constituent
body, and yielding to their aoishes? His duty re-
CURED this of him. The country must suffer because
the President must not be inconsistent Honor would
not permit him to retract i'll advised act no matter
what may come out of it. Mr.. Tyler sould scout such
an idea Of honor and constituency"
On the same patriotic principles and ennobng sem
timents the President will retrace his steps by
the opinion expressed by him that he
will sign bank bill in the form agreed upon in the
Cabinet conference, upon Cor fur,her) refec-
ton he shall be convinced that such measure would
be unwse, or unconstitutional and, therefore, ILL
advised and fruitful of mischief
Seeing that it is clearly eminsntly wrong that the
his consistency, the question is whether the scheme
which he has suggested willingness to sanction, is
within the provisions of the Constitution and of sound
pocy2 Is it measure which, more benefciay than
any other that is constitutional If this be So will
give the country the blessings of sound currency
and cheap exchanges q
is not my purpose to enter the examination of
those questions with the discussion of which the
country is surfeited am content that they be dis
cussed by those whose duty will more especially and
mperatvey be to discuss them, having authority to
act on them when they get them before them at the
proper time and in the appointed way. My opinion is
that U. S. Bank in none of the forms suggested by
any one at any time, within the constitutional
competency fthe Government. Such an institu ton
in some FORMS truly and clearly, would be less obec-
tonabe than in some others, but in any, to my appre
hension, it would be, nevertheless, unconstitutional
1t has been my purpose here to show that the Presi
dent is not only free, but in duty bound, to take his
future course unshacked by the sickly sentiments of
a precise and prim consistency.
PUBLIUS.