The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-05

paoks Az sometimes act as the mere collectors
az bills Of exchange, and the medium OF oo-
tanning payment Of them from the aeeePlefs'
without making any discount upon tnenii yes
on the other hand, very much Of the Ousip ~
of your Banks consists OF the discount q oiis
Of exchange, payable on time, and discouhteu
10 the drawer or payee for his accomIhooa,ioh
And that this fact was present TO me minus "
gentlemen and spoken Of al the Cabinet meet
mo az Inc 10Th Of August, IS expressly stated IN
tbe published letter Of the late Secretary OF the
Navy, -, !. he
co.,. III H. reasons assigned by the President
n, ,ef,,sng 10 sanction the Bank ball, yet thai,
n ~ doing. he acted from motives Of personal
amh;,ion. and TO iniure the Wing party. But
This 4 mere rratuitous 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, weD-knoWn'
and perseyering opinions OF his whole ie IL
would be Just as competent, and no more IN
charitable, TO retort the same lmpuiatlou upon
those who. patrons Of the Bank question, have
vet with headlong haste driven II butt against
two yetoes.
/ believe that his conduct has been conscien-
tous throughout and, believing this, depfecate
the attempt 10 array against him The resen'fnents
Of the Wing party, as being UNJUST lnexpedi-
ent, and unwise.
In aid Of this attempt, il has been imputed TO
the President that, disregarding the eounsels u
The Wings be takes advice from the Opposl-
lion. In support Of this imputatlon, II IS be-
lleyed that NJ evidence can be, as none has
been, adduced, and that Il Is wholly without
foundation.
An The misapprehensions in regard to the
ynofires OF the President in this matter, arse
from the denial Of the President Of the rights OF
conscience, in consequence Of which II has been
assumed thai W hateyer may be his CONSCIENTIOUS
convictions in regard toa measure, he would sign
IT, right or wrong, if party considerations re-
commend il. submit TO you whether party
valuing itself on religion, viii adopt the idea
that considerations of shifting party tactics re-
rardless Of conscience, shall control the actions
of the President And yet this humillaung idea
i The groundwork Of the injustice done hun, so
far as he is concerned
And all the unlntended errors Of conduct, on
the par, Of those Wings who by reproach OF
the President, are hunylng on quarrel between
him and the Wing party, would have been pre-
vented it, in addition 10 the recognition oil MS
rights Of conscience and constitutional Judg-
ment in this matter, il had been remembered,
By right-thnkng men, that opinions, though
they be moral fact only, yet constitute t1cf,
10 be dealt with, and considered, and conormed
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 10 processing
difficulties of new difficulties created by our
selves?
II the Wing party allow itself 10 fall off into
this warfare against the President, under the
influence Of the causes alleged for that warfare,
ii 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 il The part Of men OF sense 10
Jump overheard and drown themselves Will
the Wing party, in 50 doing, be in the discharge
Of It's duty TO the country or TO itseli I!
Is resentment against the President Tor 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 actlon2
If there be any sense or degree whatever In
which such resentment is good motipe for a
patriotic man TO act upon, does not the gratifi-
cation Of il BY the Wing party to ITS own sey
i destruction seem 10 be pushing il rather too
far?
Surprising to be just all that the Wings have
Teproached the Democrats with, ought the
Wings, as question OF ethics and OF patriot
ism, so TO conduct, under the influences Of tran
STORY causes and personal passion, as, IN de-
dency and the means Of usefulness OF their
principtes?
say nothing in this discussion Of the ques-
ton whether the Wing party shall quarrel with
The President or not, Of the particular fact that
several Of his late Secretaries have, for various
and not concuTing reasons, resigned their
places, except this:
That the retirement, Of Secretaries is com
mon fact which has happened under other Ad-
mnstratons, 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
flee;
That the President has, in this instance, Sc
lected such successors;
And that, whilst those gentlemen have re-
tired, vet the Secretary Of State in whose pa
,riotism and ability you have more immediate
cause 10 confide has declared that he knows no
sufficient cause for such separation, and CONT
nues 10 cooperate cordially with the President
in the discharge Of the duties Of that station
which he fills with much honor 10 himself
and advantage to the country.
When the Bank Question came into Con
grcss there were two courses 10 be pursued in
either of which there was a moral certainty that
Il Bank would be obtained, or, at any rate, all
occasion pretext for any quarrel in the Wing
Party, or between Congress and the President
prccluded.
One course would have been Tor Congress
upon its own lights and opinions to pass jus
such bill as its members should, themselves
conceive TO be the best possible, without de
manding any plan from the Treasury Depart
ment as indication of the views of the Pres
dent Had this been done, the return of it by
the President with his objections could have
been no lust cause of dissension.
The other course would have been, if Con
gross chose TO seek to shape its action in adj
vance, in pursuance of the views Of the Pres
dent then having ascertaned those views, e
nrncnrd in accordance with them.