Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-11

~ Y, and two petitions from cit2ens OF ihe cry Oh ~
" for general bankrupt law; which were referred 10
the Committee the Judiciary,
Also, memorial from the Chamber OF commerce OF
4 the city az \ Y in faver Of National Bank; which
was referred TO the Select Committee on that subject
Also memorial of the merchants OF the city OF New
York, praying for law TO allow drawback on all snip
men,s whether by sea or INLAND navigation, 10 tue
British North American colonies, as also on the re-
expectation from the United States of all dutlable
goods imported from said colonies; which was LAID on
the table. ~
BY Mr. MERRICK From the President and D-
rec of the Patriotic Bank of Washington, Tor re-
ne wal of charter. Referred TO the Committee Tor the
/ District of Columbia.
Also, resolution of the Legislature of Maryland
asking Congress take into consideration ana Pio'ae
the most efectual remedy TO guard the fgh's Oh "ie
tobaccogrowing interest. c.,:
Some conversation ensued rs to any reference OF ths
matter at the present session, when 1t was Hahes' -
could not be acted on. When, on motion, was a'u
on the table.
Mr. CLAY eaid he would call the attention OF me
Senate 10 resolution he wished To present, growing
Of some Of the suggestions contained IN 'he .cpo.
of the Secretary of the Treasury mat report ndu
doubtless been read by the Senators gehelay' u"u u
would be recollected BY every gentleman mat y con-
cuoed by an explicit accommodation VI pa" 'i VI.
creation of Bank Of the u. S. Tho Secretary added
the suggestion of what Mr.. c. should be most glad !"
See though ne must confess that he mad not inl fali
in its practccby viz plan tor conducting the MS
cal business of the Government winch snail reconcie
all onnions and haronlze the votes of all parties IN
tho conn,rv However it might be very right that the
Senate should what IS the plan winch the Secretary
though, capable Of efecting result so desirable 10 an
it was certainly proper that any plan that oilicer msnt
deliberately have prepared and r.connenaea 70 w t,t
view 10 obtain this Mr.. Z. had prepared resolution
! IN the following words: ;.
Resol.ed That the Secretary o. the Treasury he di
rccted 10 COMMUNICATE 10 III. will, little de-
| pla of scu Bank, 10 IncOrp0-
rated by Congress- as his opinion IS best adapted to
| the public service. -
Before the question taken on the resolution, Mr..
c. would submit single remark as 10 The relation SUD
sisty between the head of the Treasury Department
and the Congress Of the u > liz was aware tal o.
s sa h ns1 I ssde sa0 to- ealing the
D.par tment for forms Of legislation That OBJECTION
did not lie against call upon The Secretary OF he
Treasury, because that officer held peculiar re'a'on
N The ,rrisa,ure-he was made Ivy law The servant
Of Congress. The act of l7o made his express doy
to report 10 Congress any information connected WIN
his Department for which thsy m'sh, Apply 10 n. .
On the Of that law, MI Way hau ehpioyeu "e
phraseology in this resolution
| MIR. KING said he too desirous of seeing what
tho plan OF the Secretary truth was. Provided II
was such would meet the appreciation o gem
iemen of both sides Of the House. ar Il was CERTAIN
" prepared give hrs sanction and support but lac
greatly feared that an expectation when never
would be realized lie would, however, prefer that, IN
calling on the Secretary for II, the honorable gentle
| man from Kentucky would pursue the phraseology III
which that officer had himself alluded to 1t in his re-
port The Secretary called il a fiscal agent Mr. h.
did understand him as declaring that TINS agent
must be bank If the Senator would modify his re-
solution so far as TO insert words "sca agent in
stead of "Bank of the United States, Mr. X. would
cheerfnly vote for it. He anxious as the mover
himself what the plan OF The Secretary was but
as tile Report did not describe it Bank of the u.
S, he objected TO the OF that piEaseolcgy IN the
call.
| Mr. CLAY said that if the honorable gentleman
from Alabama would refer to the Secretafys Report
Mr. {. had i; not before him at the moment-he would
| find that the Secretary did recommend Bank IN ex
press terms True, lie also used the phrase fiscal
agent, but under those words Mr. { understood him
as plainly referring 10 Bank, especially as he spoke
of such agent would not be exposed 10 any ooJec
tons OF constitutional character, which urged
By many gentlemen against Bank OF the u b How
ever, he had no objection add to the resolution any
words that should render 1t acceptable 10 gentlemen,
though he had not the shadow OF doubt, for his
part, that what the Secretary meant was Bank.
Mr. WOODBURY. quoted from thu Repor, Of the
Secretary to show that the institution referred to III II
was one $50 conceived IN principle ana guarded IN Us
details as to remove all scrup!es touching the question
OF constitutional power and thus avoid the objections
which have been urged against those heretofore created
| by Congress.
/ Mr. CLAY submitted to the worthy Senator from
New Hampshire whether all these directions 10 the
terms Of this resolution not somewhat hypercr
cal What was the resolution, IL simply called up
on the Secretary for the plan oil such bank rs that
officer Judged best calculated for the public the
Secretary said that he thought he had which
would avoid all constitutional difficulty. Very we'll
He would Of report such plan, If he had one,
in reply TO the call The Senate would see whether 1t
fulfilled that expectation not and II, as he feared
II would fail Of tins, they could correct and modify
they pleased, and make 1t such as they wished 1t
to be.
Mr. WRIGHT said the resolution, its face,
liable to two objections mandatory II in form,
it commanded The Secretary TO make report which
should embrace the plan Of Bank this was the first
objection and the second was that it must be such
Bank us would require be incorporated by Congress
Under resolution like this, the Secretary would not
be al liberty TO report any plan, even II he had one
which not plan for Bank, and for Bank requir
ing Congressional incorporation. 1t seemed 10 MIR. W.
that the call Of TIE Senate ought to leave him, these
points, entirely ct liberty to report what measure tie
| thought expedipnt.
Mr. CALHOUN concured in the opinion that the
resolution ought to give 10 the Secretary the largest
scope Why should he be restrained? especially when
the President in his message had recommended the
tablishment Of "fsca agent, and not Bank of the
United States To the latter, was well known,
there existed strong constitutional objections hese
the Secretary thought he could ohvm,e by new plan
of his own Why not then, let him report at large !:
| If the Senator from Kentucky would net consent so
far to enlarge the terms of his resolution TO embrace
this Mr. c. would move to amend it, and he hoped the
question would be put the amendment he would pre-
pare.
MIR. REvES said that the object of he Senator from
Kentucky, he understood il, to elicit from the
Secretary of the Treasury the report of some plan
which that officer had alluded as proposing a fiscal
agent for the Government which would obviate the
constitutional objections which lay against Bank Of
the U. S But the language Of the resolution it
now stood was ambiguous, because the Secretary in
his report had spoken not only Of Bank OF the u S.,
according 10 the principles of that which had hereto.
fore existed in the country, but also of another form Of
such institution which should obviate the objections
heretofore insisted He referred to this as an al.
tentative which might be rrsortcd 10.
! II the object Of the honorable Senator from Ken.
lucky really was, Mr. Il. hoped i, was, 10 obtain
such measure of compromise would secure all the
benefits sought by National Bank, and a, the same
time avoid the constitutions difficulties of the subject
then MIR. R. entirely and heartily concurred with him,
and he returned to that Senator his cordial thanks for
noble, elevated LIBERAL and patriotic purpose The