Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-09-18

try, ana WIN tne TWO great parties tnat
have divided it, who, at different periods,
have maintained and acted on opposite
opinions in respect to this very bank ques-
| ton,
How is it with Jas. Madison, the Father
of the Constitution--that great man whose
services to his country placed him only Sc
cond to Washington-whose patriotism, in
telligence, and wisdom in public councils,
stand unsurpassed lie was member of
the National Convention that formed. and
the Virginia Convention that adopted the
Constitution. No man understood it better
than he did. He was opposed in 1901 to
the establishment of the Bank of the Uni
ted States upon Constitutional ground: and
in 1916 he approved and signed the charter
Of the late Bank of the United States. 1t
is part of the secret history connected
with the first bank. that James Madison had,
at the instance of General Washington, pre-
pared veto for him in the contingency of
his rejection of the bill. Thus stood James
Madison when, in 1915, he applied the veto
to bill to charter a bank upon consdera-
tons of expediency, but with clear and ex-
press admission of the existence of const-
tutional power in Congress to charter one.
In 1916, the bill which was then presented
TO him being free from the objections appli-
cable to that of the previous year, he sane
toned and signed it. Did James Madison
surrender "all claim to the respect of hon
orable men--all confidence on the part OF
the People-all self respectful regard for
moral and religious obligations" Did the
pure, the virtuous, the gifted James Madi-
son, by his sanction and signature to the
charter of the late bank of the United States,
commit CRIME which justly subjected him
''to the ridicule and scorn of all yirtuous
menu
Not only did the President, as it respect
fully appears to me, state entirely too
strongly the consequences of his approval
of the bill, but is he perfectly correct in
treating the question, ias he seems to me to
have done0 which he was called upon to
decide, as presenting the sole alternative of
his direct approval or re lection of the bill!
Was the preservation and consistency and
the conscience of the President wholly IT.
reconcilable with the restoration of the
blessings of a sound currency, regular and
moderate exchanges, and the revival of
confidence and business which Congress
believes will be secured by a National
g Bank! Was there no alternative but to
prolong the suiferings of a bleeding
country, or to send us this Veto!-
From the administration of the Executive
Department of the Government. during the
last twelve years, has sprung most of the
public ills which afflicted the people. Was
it necessary that that source of suffering
should continue to operate, in order to pre-
&C +Io
violated! Was that the only sad and de-
plorable alternative! | think. Mr.. Presi-
dent, there were other alternatives worthy
> Of the serious and patriotic consideration
, Of the President. The bill might have be-
come law, in virtue of the provision
which required its return within ten days.
If the President had retained it three days
longer it would have been a law. without
his sanction and without his signature. In
such contingency, the President would
have remained passive, and would not have
been liable to any accusation of having
; himself violated the Constitution. All that
: could have been Justly said would be, that
: he did not choose to throw himself in the
way as an obstacle to the passage of a mca-
!, sure Indispensable to the prosperity of the
nation, in the Judgment of the party which
: brought him into power, of the Wing Con.
greSs which he first met, and if public fame
| speak true. of the Cabinet which the la
; mented Harrison called around him, anC
= which he voluntarily continued. In al
: analogous case, Thomas Mexican. wher
Governor of Pennsylvania, than whom the
[ United States have produced but few mer
4 of equal vigor of mind and frmncss o
l purpose, permitted bill to become law
although, in his opinion, it was contrary t.
I the Constitution Of the State. And hav,
: heard, and, from the credltable nature o
= the source, am inclined to believe, al
Y though will not vOuch for the fact. tina
n towards the close of the charter of the frs
t, Bank of the United States during the Sc
!, cond term of Mr.. Jefferson. some considc
o ration of the question Of the renewal o
i the charter was entertained, and that he ex
p pressed wish that. if the charter were re
o newed, it might be effected by the opera
J. ton Of the ten days provision, and his con
It slstency thus preserved.
= If it were possible to dsinter the vene
, rated remains of James Madison, reani
Y mate his pcrshing form, and place hin
+ once more in that chair of State. which h
t, so much adorned, what would have beef
n his course, if this bill had been presente,
" to him, even supposing him never to hav
10 announced his acquiescence in the settle,
IT Judgment of the nation! He would hav
q said that human controversy, in regard L
e a single question, should not be perpetual
and nnuht a tnrDlInDtAn