Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-09-16
Speech OF Mr.. Rives,

Speech Of Mr.. Rives,
OF VIRGINIA.,
On ne Eree,:tipe Message containing The Presi-
DENTS objections 10 the Bank Blu
In SENATE UNlrED STATES, August 10, ls41.
MIR. BlVES said he came prepared to give
silent vote the BILL and he should have conten-
ted himself with doing so, but for the observations
which had fallen from the Senator from Kentuc-
Ky In respect to the conduct of the President of
the United States. Mr.. II. had hoped the Sena-
tor would have confined himself strictly to the
merits ofthe question before the Senate. He
told US, said Mr.. X. that the question was this
whether, the President having returned the bill
Nor Fiscal Bank with his exceptions thereto,
the bill was such am one as ought to pass by the
constitutional majority of two-ihirds, and thus
becoshe law Of the land. Now, what was the
TEAL issue before the Senats1 Was is not tho
naked question between the bill and the objec-
tions to It, as compared with each otherf ] re-
ally had hoped that the honorable Senator, after
announcing to US the issue in this very proper
manner, would have confined his observations to
1t alone; and, III he had done 80, / should not
have troubled the Senate with single word.
But what has been the course fthe honorable
'Senatorl do not reproach him with it he no
doubt, felt 1t necessary, in order to vindicate his
own position, before the country, to nculpate tho
course taken by the President; and accordingly,
about two-thirds Of his speech, however qualih-
ed by expressions of personal kindness and re-
spect, were taken up in a solemn arraignment Of
the President of the United States. Most of the
allegations put forth by the Senator to ar
range themselves under the general charge Of
perfdy-of faitllessness to his party and to the
People.
The Senator begins with the violation, by the
President of the pledge given in his inaugural adj
dress.-Now, must say, with all due Difference,
that the language quoted by the honorable Sem
ator to prove this, received, wherever had any
opportunity of hearing the expression Of public
opinion, very different construction. The Pres
ident told the nation that he would give his
tion "toany constitutional measure" which might
be devised by Congress for the relief of the coun
try on tho subject of the currency. He does not
say any measure, but to any 'consttutional'
measure. Why insert thew "constitutiOna,"
if he did not intend to qualify, IN an important
sense, the pledge given! But the Senator finds,
: in the next clause of the inaugural address, an
explanation of the sense in which the word soon
stitutional' is here to be understood, viz: that
~'he should be governed by the sage views of the
fathers of the Republican school, and by The light
of their ever glorious example," The Senator,
in his commentary on this clause, seems to have
stricken out as significant and expressive por-
ton Of any of its other words, viz: that the
President should be guided by ssthe sage views"
as we'll as the ever-glorious example of the Re-
publican fathers TO whom he alludes. What
were these sage views, as expressed in the purest
days of the republic ! The sage views of MIR.
Madison in I79l-the unvarying opinions and
Testimony of Thomas Jefferson1 He was to look
to the "sage views delivered by tiv,n, "Uii
as to their example. And on this point, could
not but remember what (if have not been Lnisin-
formed) was the fact, viz: that the honorable
Senator himself stood in relation of particular
Driyity to a memorable act of another of the 'fa-
ers of the Republican school, when he gave his
casting vote against renewal of the bank char
ter. Was there nothing in these sage views and
examples to instruct the President, in addition to
fhe 0f iudOmPntI
the individual that, by universal consent, is re-
cognised as the founder Of what the President
refers to as ''the Republican school!' 1t is
Thomas Jefferson. For, however concur with
the Senator from Kentucky in paying all homage
to the unrivalled virtues and ever-gorous pubic
services Of General Washington, must be per-
mitted to say that he has no, generally been con-
sdered as belonging to that "Republican" party
to which the President alludes.
We are told, however, of the example Of Mr..
Madison, which, it is said, President Tyler must
have had particularly in mind when he penned
this passage. have already adverted TO Mr.
Madison's views in relation to a National Bank
in 1891: views which never were retracted by
him till 1915; but the Senator tells us the Pres
dent referred to his conduct in sanctioning by his
signature the charter of the second Bank of the
United States as that example by which he was
himself TO be governed. How does that exampl,
apply to the present casel Look at the lette
written by Mr.. Madison to Mr. Ingersol in ex
PLANTATION of that act; and let any candid maj
say what is the deduction fairly to be draw
from it. 1t is this that MIR. Madison had chan
ged his opinion. Not that he still believed
bank unconstitutional, and, so believing, signe
the bill; but that his opinion as to its unconsti
tutionality had undergone change: for, in tn
very first paragraph of that letter, he says that
considered ''the constiiuhonaity fine bank as su.
tanned by the considerations" which he proceed
70 detail. ] refer the Senator to the letter itsel
But this is not all. Before we condemn Pres
dent Tyler, under existing circumstances, fc
putting his negative on what he believes to be
gainst the Constitution he has sworn to supper
let those circumstances be compared with the CT
cumstances under which Mr.. Madison acted.
che letter to Mr.. 1ngersoll, MIR. Madison says tn
obligatory force of presidents in interpreting til
Constitution depends. among other things, sc
the prospect which there may be Of a change
construction by the public or its agents." IT
constitutionality of bank had, at the time Of M
Madison's action upon it, been annually reco!
Missed, as he says, for twenty years SUCCESSIVE
the whole nation had acquiesced in it; al
there was no prospect Of any change of opinio
yield to no one in profound respect for the pri
ciPles and character of Mr.. Madison, and ha
ever been disposed to make every allowance
the course he felt it his duty to pursue. Let n
read a sentence or two from his letter to MIR. |
gersoll:
"The act establishing Bank of the Unit
States,' says he, ''had been carried into exec
ton, throughout period Of twenty years. wi
annual Legislative recogDitions--in one instanc
indeed, with a positive ramifcation of it into
new State, with the entire acquiescence of all
local authorities, as well as the nation at lare