The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-17
NEw YoRK, July IA, 1871.

You have doubtless noted the last hysteIc perhaps
ought to say heroic OF the Editor of the Courier and
Enquirer What private griefs he hath, alas know
not as Anthony says in the play. But this We all
know full WELL that he is accustomed TO fits and starts
and all kinds of eccentric movements. his Individual
opinions are little moment at any time but as the
editor of Wing journal, one would suppose that he
would exercise sufficient discretion 10 keep Tim from
premature declarations and denunciations, which IT
they amount any thing at all, calculated 10 in
lure his party more than he do good in years Of
service Placing himself in open collision with the
Wing party he says "ihat certain members of the Ca
binet have neither been true 10 the country nor TO
their ow fame or they would have retired from Office
the moment they called upon to compromise their
principles on the of expediency" To illustrate
his position he propounds the following leading ques
ton in reference to Messrs Webster, Ewing and
Granger-W neither they are not bartering their prn
cipie and the wishes of the people, for their plIces in
he Cabinet? | pass by much of his common place
slang whang to meet this question. Whether he
Judges these gentlemen by his rule of action IN
regard to retaining obtaining place is not material
In the FIRST place he confounds the position and duties
of American Heads of Department, with the ministers
OF the monarchs of Europe. In the theory of mo-
narchies the Prince do no wrong. He acts under
the advice of his ministers and they are directly and
personally responsible for the acts OF the Crown. VI
course il they are prepared to admire any measure
recommended by the Monarch, they must, at once re-
sign their places incur all the responsibility. Not
So under the Constitution of the United States The
President is not bound to consult any of his Secre
taries on any question: and whatever he does is done
on his responsibility. 1t is therefore not expected
that Secretaries will resign their places whenever they
happen TO dissent from the President on any question.
Meanwhile true that the President is in the habit
of consulting with the members OF his Cabinet on
most questions and should it unfortunately happen
that any of the Secretaries differed dametrcoy with
the President on of the leading questions it would
be highly expedent for them TO resign at once. But
not so if they CHANGED to disagree on single question.
On this view of the case therefore, admitting that the
President and his ministers were at variance on the
Bank quest on there would be occasion to break up
the Cabinet.
But, in the present emergency, the members Of the
Cabinet not only to have regard to the ottexprcss
ed and weIknown sentiments of the President as a
ordinate branch of the Legislature but to con
slider the constitutional scruples of respectable
proportion of the Wig members of each House,
and the prrjudices of the Opposition against the
branching principle. As wise and practicable states
men, they are bound to consider the conjunction
of circumstances Admitting for argument sake that
they would prefer bill granting the branching Potrer
to the fullest extent yet they IN duty bound 10 take
comprehensive view of the whole ground; and II, IN
their opinion, the very measure cannot be secured,
they IL to the people To unite IN recommending any
fair compromise that will the next best. This
opens at once the compromising principle proposed by
MIR, Rives, and sanctioned by considerable proper
! ton of the Wings of each House II is then a most
cxravagant assumption Of the editor OF the Courier
Enquirer to suppose that members Of the Cabinet have
compromised their principles to retain their places.
! Much has been said in regard TO the Presidents
cepting the Wing nomination, II he not prepared
to 90 all lengths favor the alleged Wing doctrine
in favor of a Bank But is not the editor aware that
! MIR. Tyler has always been opposed to a National
Bank With the whole Wing party on most other
questions yet he has committed himself explicitly,
over and over again on the Bank question and with
his sentiments before the nation he received the Wing
nomination unanimously at Harrisburg. In the true
spirit of compromise he has yelde the main question
IN regard the establishment of Bank, but he re-
serves the branching principle alone without the con-
sent Of the States. Is it now expected that he will
Weld every principle and reverse his long established
opinions for the sake of retaining hts pacel" 1.-The
could onscieniousy yield up his established sent
ments should rejoice. But with his prescn, opinions
his duty sustain what he believes TO be the con
stitutiona ground and the Wing party has no reason
to complain.
The editor of the Courier * Enquirer has deemed
it pro or TO run Tit against MIR Ryes and to nt-
mate that he has hrartsd The triShes and desires
Of the Wig party" Far otherwise Knowing that
the Whig party desire a National Bank-knowinr
that portion Of the party opposed TO the branch.
ing principle andbeleying that such principle would
not receive the sanction of the Ptcsident-what does
he dol Bndly urge bill tina, wsuld be likely to be
vetoed Not at all. But in true spirit of oitornble
compromise-as a practical statesman he proposes
modification calculated TO expedite the passage of a
Bank law II may not suit the Wall-street brokers
but conciIatcs important States and dlsarms the
Opposition Of their sting and ability to produce mis-.
chef in tie event Of no hill What is the head and
front 81 his am ndmcnt Merely TO require the assent
of the States TO one prncipe-and when once ac.
cedcd to, they prccluded from recession But
say the recusants If We once pass law without
thu branching power, we are forever precluded
from its assertion | do not so understand it
We yield the pom, at present, merely matter