Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-07-27
TuE HYBRID MONSTER.

y
In the Winter Session oi lsl0'll, small number Of
the Republicans Of the General Assembly met for TIE
purpose of considering the best means 10 oppose Tie
recharter of the first Bank of the United States They
met at the House Of The Editor Of this paper and he
distinctly remembers for reasons which II is nnneces
sary to specify, the following scene. Mr. johnson, a
staunch and able Republican, afterwards member OF
Congress- and subsequently Collector Of the Port oil
Norfolk, was present The meeting was not fully or
panized, when the subject Of the consluonaity OF
incorporating Bank Of the United States was INTRO
duced Mr.. j. asked whether Congress could not es-
tablish Bank in the District Tie reply at once
made, admit such power, what then Can they es-
tablish National Bank in the District And it they
were TO endow it with large capital, 1t cannot be en-
poyed in the District. Its commerce IS too small
How it get on without The establishment oil
Branches in the States , You surely do not admit
that power Mr. Johnson with that ifankncss which
characterized the man. at replied, that certainly
he did no.-that Congress could not consutonaly
establish a Bank in the States directly indirectly,
and he abandoned the suggestion as idle and worse.
No man was more opposed throughout, than this able
and amable Such was the course of our en-
lirhtened Statesmen in the palmy days Of the Repub-
lie Why is this monstrous hybrid scheme sought
to be palmed upon us BY MIR. Rives No man was ap.
parently more opposed to National Bank under all
circumstances, than Mr.. Rives, even when he vas
making war upon the Sub Treasury and yet, he too,
is now attic npting establish National Bank Indirect
H. while he dsclains the power to establish it directly
lie is splitting hairs "'twixt North and North West
side.
The suggestion of establishing Bank in the Dis
tric and then branch it into the States, not how
ever confined to private circles. II thrown out in
the public prints and in that shape, had the honor
of encountering it. What we then said said, we say
now and by curious coincidence, we then cited the
same proyerb, which so many apply 10 it at this
time. 1t is indeed "whipping the devil round the
stump" Ii is attempt in Congress TO authorize the
District to do thai which Congress have authority
do Themselves Ii is insidous attempt to assume a
indirectly, which had never been directly given
Given Why, who does not know that the power
OF Incorporation asked for in the Federal Con-
yention, and it was positively refused We repub-
sh this "Reminiscences, which contained at that time
the States Right doctrine of Republican Virginia
and we ask Messrs. Rives and Company what
would have been thought Of his scheme, at that time,
by jefferson, and Macon and Roane and other States
Right men: Would they have not declared it to be an
"encroachment'' which the States might at any mo-
ment arrest? That if Congress were 10 authorize
branches be established beyond the District ther
charters would lose their cons,itutonalty the moment
they leaped the (DstricO lnes" The idea of asking
the consent OF the States thrown in only TO lul
the understanding, and TO cheat the Constitution. Such
assent cannot remove the The faint Of unconst
nationality still adheres to it. Congress cannot assume
the mower of establishing a National Bank, to he
branched into the States by the consent of two three
or more States short Of the constitutional quorum
George Clinton has laid down the true law upon this
subject Certain powers have been given the Federal
Government by the parties to the Compact. If these
should be insufficient you must not usurp them; but
ask for them, by amendment according to the forms OF
the by the assent of
the States This is and at all times the true doc
,rne How then the assent Of Pennsylvania, and
Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, and any number oil
States short Of 34ths make power constitution
al, which the fathers of the Republic solemnly deter
mined to refuse TO the Federal Government Such
would have been the answer given in 1911; such was
the answer which gave in lel6 the bonus BILL
when Timothy Pickering proposed to whip round Inc
Constitution, by siipuating for roads and canals TO De
established in the several States, ciM their assent
We so contended then-and contend now-and as
we would have commended in 1911 had this nsldousie