The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-09-28

ures which were supposed to embrace inc
scheme of relief which the nation at large re-
quired, it met from Wing Convention that sup
port of which the chief argument and highest
value are derived from the respect which every
one felt to be due 10 comprehensive Pohcy'
whose scope should include every interest," Ia
the nation Il is a trial for the beneht OF the
country, and remains TO be altered or impro,
Ted, as the public wants may hereafter be iouno
TO reuire. The Importance, In the present
posture of our affairs, of attending to national
defences, suggested the measures OF estaDlSh-
ing Home Squadron, of repairing and arming
the Fortifcations, of proceeding to the defence
of the Lakes, and of bringing the na,ioh "a a. !
large into state of readiness against hos''i0
aggression--in regard TO which measure as
great unanmity prevailed in Congress We may
safely assure ourselves they Will meet me ui,-
divided appreciation OF our constituents Univ
out the Union. ~
This rapid review, fellow citizens, Will eA,
h;b;t what we have done. What we have tailed
TO do, remains to be told.
tits with profound and poignant regret that
We find ourselves called upon to invoke your
attention to this point. Upon the great and
leading measure touching this question, our
anxious endeavors to respond to the earnest
PRAYER of the nation, have been frustrated by
an act as unlocked for as 1t Is to be lamenteu'
We grieve to say to YOU that, by the exercise
of that power in the Constitution which has
ever been regarded with suspicion, and often
with odium, BY the people-power which we
had heard was never TO be exhibited, on this
subject, by a Wing Presldent-we have Decn
defeated in two attempts to create fiScai
Agent, which the wants of the country had
demonstrated to us, in the most absolute form
of proof. to be eminently necessary and pro-
per in the present emergency Twice nave
we, with the utmost diligence and deliberations
matured plan for the collection, e-keeplng
and discussing of the public moneys, through
the agency of corporation adapted to that
end. and twice has it been our fate to encoun-
ter the opposition of the President, through the
application of the veto power.
The character of that veto in each case, the
circums ances in which ii was administered,
and the grounds upon which 1t has met the
decided disapprobation of your friends IN Con
gross. are sufficiently apparent in the public
documents and the debates relating to It
This subject has acquired painful interest
with us, and will doubtless acquire 1t with you,
from the unhappy developments with which 1t
is recommended. We are constrained to say,
that we find no ground to justify us in the con-
viction that the veto of the President has been
interposcd OH this question solely upon consci-
cntious and we'll considered opinions OF con-
stitutional scruplcs as TO his duty in thecases
presented On the contary, too many proof
have been forced upon our observation, to
leave us free from the apprehension that the
Preside has permitted himself TO be begulled
into an opinion that, by this exhibition OF his
nerorative he might be able to divert the pol
lev ofthe Administration into channel which
should lead to new political combinations, and
accomplish results which must overthrow the
present divisions of party in the country, and
finally produce a state of things, which those
who elected him, at least, have never contem-
plated.
We have seen from an carly period of the
session, that the Wing party did ENJOY the con
fidencc Of the President. With mortlhcatIoI
we have observed that his associations more
scdulously aimed at free communion Will
those who have been busy to PROSTATE ou
purposes rather than those whose principles
seemed to be most identified with the powe
BY which he was elected. We have reason t.
believe that he has permitted himself to be ap
preached, counseed, and influenced by thos'
who have manifested The least interest IN th'
success Of Wing measures. Whatwere represen
ted tc be his opinions and designs have beef
freely, and even insolently put forth in Ger
tain portions, and those not the most reputa
bic, of the public press, in manner that ough
to be deemed offensive to his honor, as it Ger
tainly was to the feelings of those who were
believed to be his friends. In the earnest en-
deavor manifested by the members of the
Whif party in Congress to ascertain specfi
Il N to- h.
details Of such bill relating 10 Fiscal Agen
as would be likely TO meet his appreciation, the
frequent changes of his opinion and the sin
gular want of consistency tn his views, have
baffled his best friends, and rendered the hope
Of adjustment with him impossible.
Congress, early in the session, called upor
the Secretary of the Treasury for the plan o
Fiscal Agent the result of this call was &
bill which was reported in detail, with an ar.
gument in its favor, and it was, as we had {
right to regard it, received by all as the bill O
the President In fact, it was known to con
tain provisions, in reference to the assent o.
the States, which correspondent with the pri
vate opinion of no member of the Cabinet
This bill the President had even Informed
more than one member of the House he would
be willing to sign if passed by Congress: YET
it contained provisions for loral diScountng
in regard to which his Veto Message afirms
his objection to be altogether insuperabc.-
The President had subsequently declared that
this was not his measure, and that when he
said he would sign this bill he had not read
il.
The plan of an Exchange Bank, such a:
was req ported after the first Veto,the President
is understood by more than one member o.
Congress to whom he expressed his opinion, tc