The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-12-11
COL. BENToN-THE MESSAGE.


The Presidents Message had scarcely been
read, on Tuesday last when Col. Benton rose
and denounced that part Of it which relates TO a
financial scheme, in strong and decided terms,
as unconstitutional and Federal. Although
well aware of the Hon. Senator's peculiar no.
lions upon the subject Of finance, yet we con
fess that we were not little surprised that one
OF Gen. Jackson's greatest admirers, and who
conceded with him in all his measures and re-
commentators, should find this scheme of Pre-
sident Tyler so very Objectionable: If he will
take the trouble to turn TO General Jackson's
Annual Message, of 1880, he will find that it
contains suggestions, upon the same subject,
almost identical with those in the Message just
sent TO Congress. In that Message, General
Jackson, says" II is thought practicable 10 or
ganize such Bank" National Bank) "with
the necessary Offices, as branch of the Treasury
Department, based on the public and indivi-
dual deposits, without power to make loans or
purchase property which, shall remit the funds
of the Government, and the expenses of which
may be paid, if thought advisable, byallowing its
officers to sell bills Of exchange to private ind-
yiduas at moderate premium"
Now cannot Col. Benton see, and will not ev-
cry body see, who takes the trouble TO read the
Message from which the above extract is taken,
great similarity between this scheme and the
one proposed by President Tyer2 Gen. Jack
son proposed that there should be places of de-
post as Treasury Branches Mr.. Tylers plan
contemplates agencies as places Of deposit, but
disconnected with the Treasury Department.
General Jackson withholds from his scheme
the power to make loans and TO purchase pro-
perty nor does Mr.. Tyler propose to give TO
his any such power. General Jackson proposed
that his agencies should be based on "publc
and indiuiduai Deposits p SO does Mr. Tyler
Gen. Jackson requires that his agencies shall
remit the funds of the Government; so does
Mr.. Tyler. General Jackson recommended that
his agencies should have authority TO deal in ex-
changes so does Mr. Tyler. 1t is true that
General Jackson did not propose 10 give cerlif-
Gates of deposit to individual depostors, as is
suggested by Mr.. Tyler, but that follows as a
necessary consequence.
From the above comparison of the two
schemes, il is shown that there is no essential
difference in them. Why, then, should Col
Benton denounce Mr.. Tyler's, and allow Gen.
Jackson's TO pass without single word Of OBJ
lection If such scheme is considered con-
stitutonal and democratic, when suggested by
the latter, we cannot conceive why it should be
thought otherwise when recommended by the
former We should like to be enlightened upon
this subject by the honorable Senator
General Jackson, in his Veto Message, in
July, 1882, undoubtedly alludes to the scheme
which is suggested in his Message Of 1880,
when he tells Congress that. Had the Execu-
tive been called upon to furnish the project Of
IN Institution, competent to all the duties which
may be required Of the Government, and or
gained as not to infringe on our own delegated
powers, or the reserved rights Of the States, the
duty would have been cheerfully performed"
From this, it is evident that General Jackson
did not think his scheme which is nearly iden-
teal with Mr.. Tyler's, either unconstitutional or
federal--or as infringing upon the reserred
rights of the States.
We regret that Col Benton considered him
self called upon TO denounce, in such hot-haste,
the financial scheme Of the President Would it
not have been better, as wellas more respectful,
to have waited until his plan should be more fully
developed by the Secretary Of the Treasury-as
it undoubtedly will be--in his report to Con-
gress2 We hope il was not the object of the
honorable Senator, in making this hasty attack
10 forestal public opinion. If so, we think
he will find him self mistaken. The country
expects Congress, who alone has the power, to
do something for its relief, and will hold it re-
sponsible, should it fail to do so. The people
expect and will insist on having sound and
uniform paper medium, and they will be very
much disposed, if we are not greatly mistaken,
to believe that that which is recommended to
the consideration of Congress, by the President,
is the only one that can be given to the country
consistent with the principles of the Constitu-
ton, and I" the reserved rights of the States"
COMPROMISED NCESSlON-
In country governed by Opinion, not Force,
the actually prevailing policy on most vital ques-
tons must generally be medium more or less
removed from each OF two opposite extremes
For example, in regard to the Tariff-many pa
riotic and estimable citizens, the disciples Of
Hezekiah Niles and Matthew Carey, believe it
would be sound policy in this country to buy no
thing abroad that we can produce at home-noth-
ing TO the production of which our climate or soil