Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-09-07
FOR THE ENQUIRER.


SIR In my last ventured to anticipate the fate oil
the Bank bill, when, after having received the hat OF
Mr. Clay it should be passed To you, with full re-
cognton the part of the House Of Representatives,
Of the right of that gentleman TO speak the will OF the
.'MAJoRiTY or THE VINO PARTY. The eagerness
of the members To manifest their unqualified subser
yency 10 his authority is edIfyng, and the example
should not be lost on You The b,ll il seems, not
exactly 10 their minds, but they took il, as he was
pleased TO send II 10 hem-trusng is SAID, that III
supplementary bill, lie will be gracIously pleased To
permit them TO introduce some notifications. As they
have the power of originating bills, they will be at n"
loss to make known their modest wishes and ms
known magnanmity leaves lilte reason TO doubt his
readiness 10 reward their loyalty, by any reasonable
cnmpllances.
Your situation is somewhat different You have no
power 10 propose amendments, even should you have
the hardood to do Moreover, if We are 10 tcke
Mr. Clays word, land can doubt I there - no
understanding between him and you, by which he can
acqnaiut himself with yonr wishes and any attempt,
on your part make them known, would probably he
denounced as effort al EIecuire dictdt,on. You
must therefore take the bill you find il, reject II
altogether IL has been heretofore understood that the
right 10 do this, secured 10 the President By the
Constitution Hence it was that knowing, (as all the
world knows your opinions on the SUBJECT OF inc con
sttutional powers Of Congress to charter Bank and
feeling entire confidence III Your sense OF the obga-
ton of your official OATH confidently expected that
Won would withhold fToG Mr. Clays bill the sanction Of
your name Others appear 10 have had similar anci-
pations and thus have suggested new readings o Inc
Constitution this point also, and new revelations oil
the supre me will of the MAJORITY OF THE WING PARTY.
we are now told Sir that one of the objects of that
majoritp or the rect of that party IT is to be RENE
bered stand for nothing) was to effect an informal,
but practical repeal of that provision OF the Consttu-
lion which requires the sanction OF the President OF
the United States to the acts Of Congress. 1t seems
that General HARRISON the organ of that cabal, and
you as his iocum enens, were bound in some lnscru-
table way 10 fohear the exercise OF your own judy
ments and 10 assent, in every case, and as matter
Of course to any bill 10 which the two Houses might
agree Such a REIMBURSEMENT of constitutional
mower in virtue of the new doctrine oil the binding
force of political presidents, might soon rpen into an
s,ionabe right in Congress to dictate to the Pre-
sdcut and be- in the end equivalent To the obteration
of The obnoxious clause from the Constitution. But
some fear is entertained that you have imperiectly
learned your duty this majority Of The Uhig parity
and rod is accordingly held over you TO enforce IT.
Il is easy to understand what is to happen The thun.
der Of Mr. Clays wrath is TO shake the Senate, and
his deep bass with the shrlll treble Of the many mouth
Cd cl,mor in the other House, will raise peal like that
which rose from the followers OF koderic Dhu, de-
nouncing "Wo to the Traitor No!
Re i So Sir If you could have been killed by dennn
c,t;on Won would not have been alive now IT you
had not contrved to thrive by denuncatIon you wouo
not have been at this moment President of the " .
and in condition to carry out the principles tor when
ynu wei
! plause of the very who denounced you 80 true
i s that in all matters ofhigh Government, che VINO
will save his life shall lose il. The redemption oil the
Constitution from habtua vioaton the defence OF the
sovereignty of the States from insult, the protection o
their rights from usurpation the emancipation oil The
Son,b from the expressions of pundering local ina
;,riv demand energy and holiness Your adversarles
are sensible Of lhis and therefore address themselves
IN your fears Regardless Of their threats It for you
10 consider what yon owe, not to party not to prese
1 - htft I'm
popularity, not TO the authority OF precedenls' ou. -
your country and the Constitution. Whatever be the
answer winch your own judgment suggests TO TINS en-
onry give it ireey-boldy -and, above all, eonSc'cn
t;ousv and even they who condemn with their lips VIII
approve in their hearts =
In this crisis, and this subject, permit me 10 ohef
a &c W thoughts. 80
Il is not 10 any authority inherent in the will Of
uojority of the Wig party, of any other majority
that laws their binding force hlnor''ies are
bound by them, only because they have consented !"
| be SO bound; and Constitutions are the Instruments
from which this consent of minortes IS to be collected
In these we find recognition of the general principle
",hat the will of the majority shall prevail. ''s
there are some exceptions Thus II IS provided, IN
some instances that more than bare majority shai ce
reonired and there particular subjects win whch
no majority, however large, is permitted 10 medoe.-
In all cases whatsoever, this consent OF the minority
TO be bound by The will of the majority, coupled WIN
provisions regulating The manner IN winch that VIII ~
r. be ascertaned Hence the force OF the coVenanteo
pledge of the minority to ABIDE the VIII oil the majority
suspe nded until the will of the majority ascertaned
and made known in the agreed FORM 1t is not until
then that the casus nders arises and the minority are
under no obligation enquire what that will might be
found to be- if the majority should think proper so to
express it, They not even at liberty to anticipate
IT, for, SO long the majority forbear thus to express
their will in favor Of any regulation, so long the
agreed expression of the will of the majority in favor
Of the existing law remains unrevoked and in full and
binding force.
II should be borne in mind, that every new law is
change of the old law This is universally true-
whether the subject be one on which any enactment
has been already made, When the law speaks
in reference for the first time whether It be to com.
mand what before not commanded, or to Psoh,ot
what before not prohibited in either case 1t lakes