Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-01
To Iss Epirsn. OF rmr wn,o.
ELECTION OF u. 3. sFNaTop

paper, urges on the members OF the whis nar:v ~
eee' senator who Ill vote for the establishment Of
ola National Bank. l do not mean to discuss Ell.
ther the constitutional power OF Congress over m,
subject, or the probable effects that such an INST;
luton would exert at the present time on the inter
ess OF the Country: On both these points mems
, MINDS are generally fixed. But | propose TO show
with all possible brevity, that the language held hy
1ms writer, Is utterly ir,econclable with n,
grounds assumed by tho supporters OF Gen. H,,,;,
, , , son IN the late canvass in Virginia.
propose to show, that unless the Viii, MATT,
are prepared now to devote themselves 10 ihs nc.
accomplishment oil objects, not only not avowcd then.
out dsaNowed-that unless they are willing 10 in
cur the suspicion tina, the ends to be attained bv
'he elevation OF Gen. Harrison were not hon stl =
and fully stated to the people during the
'hey are not only not required to elect Bank Sen.
Sor but that they forbidden to do So by every
consideration OF justice, csndour and fair dealing
: BANK Man assumes that the majority Of
,soooo votes, which Gen. Harrison received over
Mr. Van Buren,, demands the repeal OF TINT mea a..
sure and agree It is just and legitimate assump-
uo", because opposition To that mea sure was openly
avowed IN every State in the Union and its rcpeal
was every where stated be an object in the cleo
ton OF Gen. Harrison. But, supposiny the Sinh.
treasury repealed, he says; snow lei mo ash
what must be the consequence What subs,i,ute
Is any gentleman, calling himself a States Right
msu, p'Spered 70 oher 10 the consideration OF Con-
gressf None other has been, and no other. I ,v IN
venture to say, will be, but National Bank
In reply 10 this need only refer to the fact,
i,esh IN the recollection Of us all that the Editor of
the Enquirer and all the Van Buren, leaders, la
poured 10 prove that the Establishment Of a Nation
al Bank would succeed the repcal of the Sub. 'r,e,
sury; tiat IN the Presidential contest an issue wa,
made up between the Bank and the Sub Trensnrv.
that the friends of Harrison charged that the issue
was ialse one, designed TO divert the atention of
the people from the many evidences of corruption
existing IN the Government, and to conceal from
their view the alarming tendency 10 mon ,rchy d ii
y maniiestlng Itself Did VIC not rtfer to Gen.
II..rt -
iMrsons oit repeated declaration, that the Constr
luton contained no grant Of power TO create n
Bank, and that he could not be induced 10 sion n
charter until there had been fair trial 10 deter
mine whether the Iiscs concerns of the Gove,nmrn,
eouid oe managed without one; and moreover, I'M
tquiyocal evidence of the popular epprob,tion nj
the measure? How, then. can any one contend
that nothing but National Bank was looked to by
the friends Of the President ms a substitute for The
sub Ireasury-as the consequence of the election
Of MIR. Van Bureu2
Gen. Harrison having been elected with the omen
aowal oil constitutional opposion to a Bank, ex-
cept IN one contingency, and not apprisng the peo.
pie that he considered that contingency as having
occurred the lair inference IS that the people of the
United States are opposed to a Bank. RecolleciIng
the course pursued in Virginia by his friends II
seems to me that we deba ed from the sgitation
Of the Bank question. Is any friend of General !
Harrison willing TO see National Bank establish
ell at the hazard OF charging him W ith committin,
fraud on the peopIel How could he escape il Il /
The election OF Bank Senator is claimed as an net
Of justice to him . Would il not be an ecknow- |
ledgment OF the charge preferred by his enemies,
tnai he concealed hts opinions on that subiect7 Is |
thete one man IN Virginia, who took an active part
IN the late contest who appealed to the peosle TO |
discard MIR Van Buren, that Bank might be esta-
blishedf Indeed, might 90 further, aud ir qure il |
the adoption OF any one OF the prominent measures |
which some indiScIeet Wings, intoxicated with sue
cess, are demanding cal. ed session TO enact was
urged as reason for the dismissal OF Martin Van
buienl So lar from such being the fact when 1
Shese consequences were predicted by the Van Blu |
rem party, the WI ss, uniformly, TO the extent of |
my information, Indignantly repealed the insnua- |
ton of the fraud thus covertly chareed-denied |
that, as party, they were the Bank pIrty-point- |
ed 10 prominent men IN the Van Buren, ranks. who |
were Bank men on the constitutional question, and
hnaly, entrenched themselves behind Gen H.rri- |
sons reply to Sherrod Williams, referred to above
which he reassered and endorsed repeatedly during
the canvass, shelving that he was not the advocate
of Bank.
Under these circumstances, so far from the Wings
being under any obligation TO elect a Bank Sepa- |
tor, does not the President elect stand pledsed to
the country TO make trial Of some other system be-
fore he can adopt the National Bank2 Gen Harri- |
son, at present, enjoys the reputation Of being on
honest man, in the fullest sense of the tetm-of me-
ing frank open hearted soldier, as well as n pru-
dent staiesman: and believe he deserves it, He |
should beware, then, how he receives counsel |
which woald make him depart from the strict letter
OF the understanding with the American peopole on
which he was elected.
Ia what have said have had reference exclu-
sIvey TO the course Of Virginia politicians But If
my memory Goes not fail noe, even MIR Clay, who
rs regarded as the great lesder of the WIKI party
and the champion of the Bank in his speech al
Iaylorsville, in Hanover county, in which he took
an expanded view OF the policy which he thought
should engage the attention oil the coming admins
tration, does not say that National Bank would be
certainly one OF those measures. He enumerated
many reforms principally CONNECTED with the Ex-
ecuilve branch OF the Government, some Of which
would require alterations of the Constitution; Others
merely legislation. and some very important chang
Is, which would be within the power of Executive
discretion, without gIslaton. With his charac err
Isle candour and fraukness, he expressed his own
individual belief that Bank would ultimately be
found necessary; but declared that public opinion
should decide the question, and If am not greatly
mistaken, expressed a willingness TO make another
trial OF the State Blnks.- am, then, utterly at a
loss TO know where TO look for evidence that Ma.
uona! Bank was regarded by the Wing party, dur.
ing the tendency Of the contest as the first fruits o
the victory which TO be enjoyed.
"a Bank Man" then makes a comparative state
ment OF parties on that question, after the 4h of
Maeh, showing that 20 Senators, already elected |
will vote for a Bank, being one half Of the
whole body, and calls on the Wings TO tend ano.
ther Bank Man 10 the Senate, TO give the casting
vote. In other circumstances, the enquiry what
our Senator would do on that subject would not
be an enquiry Of such grave import nee but hay.
ing just passed through the Presidential contest in
when thousands OF votes were procured for Gene
rll Harrison, by the solemn assurances Of his
friends, that he protested TO be opposed TO Bank
that his administration would be in accordance with
the principles of '9S and '99 when we are threat.
ened with an extra session OF Congress, which /
hope will not be necessary when the vote of the
Senator about TO be elected will proa decide the
late OF that question for The present. when an &c.
knowledged moJorty Of the constituent body, in
many counties and districts, is opposed 10 a Bank:
In view OF all these facts the election Of Senator
who IS prepared TO vote for a Bank, seems TO me-
would not only disappoint the just expectations Of
The people, but be palpable violation OF our duty
- "A Bank Man" goes on TO say "Repeal the
Sub Treasury, and reject the Bank, and what is
your condition. What then becomes Of the boast.
ed wisdom OF the Wing Pauy7 What becomes Of
he incileulublo benefits that were promised, from
the elevation Of General Harrison, &c. &c. ~
lnrePly TO the first branch Of the enuuiry-whnt
our condition would he thout a Ma ional Bank
AFTER the repeal of the Sub-Trcasury-I would re-.
Ter him TO Mr. Clay, at the present lime, who pro.
poses TO repeal that odious measure, and does not
propose the Bank as its substitute. lie tells Us
that we should be under the operation Of the tcso-
luton OF lSl6. Does Mr.. Clay thereby compro-
mise the boosted wisdom Of the Whig pany7 But
q do not misunderstand the position taken by
hm, IN his Iaylorsville speech, lac does not consi-
ted.
But the question, what were the benefits promised
from the tleUatioH Of Gen. Harrison is one not only
strictly pertinent 10 the approaching election Of Sena
lo but IS connected with the proposed action Of tho