The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1841-08-24
MESSAGE

MESSAGE
or the President Of the United States. re-
turning with his objections, the Bill to In
corporate the Fiscal Bank of the United
States-August Is, 1871.
To THE senate OF THE UNITED STATES:
The bill entitled Gan act tn incorporate The
subscribers 10 the Fiscal Bank oi the United
Staie>,' which originated in the Senate, las
been considered Ivy me, with a sincere desire &c
cnnio-m nv acton in regard TO II, io that OF IL
two houses of Congress. BY the Constitution it
Is m de my duty, eiIh' 10 dpprhve the bi! by
signing II, or In T, turn il with my directors IL
the House III which il originated. cannot con-
scient"usly give it my approval, aud proceed
TO discharge the duty required Of me by the
Constitutional give my reasons for d:sapprov-
ing.
The power Of Congress to create a National
B INK to operate per Sc over the Union, has been
a question nf dispute from the origin Of nuI gov
eminent. Men most Justly and deSrryedly eS-
teemcd for tieir high Intellectual endhwments,
their virtue and their patriotism. have. in regard
10 il, entertained different aud conflicting o. In
ions. Congress have difiercd The approval Of
one President has Ieen followed by the disapir"-
val of another. The Ieople at different tunes
Lave acquiesced in deci>i ms hoih for and against
The country has been and still is deeply agtated
ty this ursetiled question. Ii will >utlire tor me
TO say. that nv own op Mon has been uniformly
procla med 10 be against the exercise Of any such
power by this government. On all >u'tab e &C.
casionS during a p md OF twenty-five years, tie
O. inions thus entertained have been unre<erVed-
" expressed. / d, claTed it in ile Legislature oil
NV native State. In the House ui Rep rscn'a-
lives ofthe United States it has been openly vim
dicnted by me. .
In the Senate chamber. in the presence and
hearing of IN who are at III S time mrmbers oI
that b ,dy, t has been affirmed and reafhrmed. III
speeches and reports there made, and by votes
there recorded. In popular assemblies have
unhtsitalingly announced il; and The last pubic
Gecl ration which | made, and that but a short
time briure the late presidential eleclio', l refer
red to nv previously expressed opinions as being
those then entertained by me with a full knowl-
edge of the opinions thus enterta ned, and never
conceded. | was elected Vice President OF The
United Sta es. By the occurrence OF a contin-
gsncv provided for BY the ConstIiut on. and
arising under an impressive dispensaIion OF Provi-
dence, Isucceeded TO the presidential rfice. Be-
fore entering upon the duries oil that office, |
took an oath that | would preserve, protect, and
defend The Constitution of the United Srates."
Entertaining the opinions alluded TO. ard
having taken this oath, the Stnaie and the coun-
rrv will see that | could not give my sanction Ia
a measure of the character described, without
surrendering all claim to the respect OF hon"Ia
bic men-ali confidence on the part of the REQ.
ple-all self-respect for moral and religious
obligations; without an observance of which, nc
government can be prosperous, and no people
can be happy. 1t would be to commit a crime
which, | would no, willingly commit TO gain any
earthly reward and which would justly subject
me 10 the ridicule and scorn OF all ~virtuous
men.
/ deem it entirely unnecessary at this time &c
, enter upon the reasons which have brought my
mind. TO The convictinns | feel and entertain on
: this subJecl. They have over and over again
been repeated. IT some Of those who preceded nc
> in this high office have entertained and avowet
different opinions, 1 yield all confidence that
) their convictions were sincere. L claim only 10