The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-10-02

FOR THE MADIsoNIAN.
The letters of the late Secretaries of the Treasury
and Navy impeach the President on the ground that,
his request, they exerted themselves to Originate
the second Bank ILL., and that he refused 10 approve
ii without explanation or apology to them. Upon this
charge he has been denounced by certain Wing mem
bers of Congress and certain ultra Wing presses
propose to examine his position, and will demonstrate
from Mr.. Ewings letter that Mr. Clay and his parti-
sans and they only are responsible for the failure to
charter Bank.
In the first place, Mr. Ewing says he knew the per-
tnacy with which the President adhered TO his
oppressed opnons" the subject Of the Bank, and
that the first bill never did al any time" receive the
Presidents assent express or implied He further
in his letter to the President, says.
at is equally matter Of justice to you and to myself
to say, that the bill which reported the House.
OF Congress at the commencement OF the session. In
obedience to their CALL modified meet your
appreciation. You may not IL is true, hare read the
bill throughout, and examined every part of it but
the 10th fundamental rule ,rhch became he contested
question Of principle, freely discussed between
and !, was understood and untquivocaly sanctioned
by yourself
1t will be seen, first, that the President did not read
MIR. Ewng's bill throughout and tina, the discussion
between himself and MIR. Ewing was confined to the
10th fundamental article, which Mr.. Ewing admits
became the contested ques ion OF principle
hence infer that the President told MIR. Ewing
that he could not approve any bill which did
form the principle asserted in that 10th fundamen-
tai article and that in all subsequent conversations
with Mr.. Ewing the President had right 10 assume
tina, the principles Of tina, article having been fully
discussed" and understood the understanding then
had and imhoded in that section his under stand
ing throughout,
1t is admitted by Mr. Ewing tina, no blame can at
tacn 10 the President for his frSi Veto The charge
ofnsincerity entirely the second Ii resains
TO be seen whether the provisions of the second bill
did conform I, the 10 fundamental article of MIR
Ewing's bill to warrant the assertion now made
that ii was modified so as 10 accord with the Pres
dent opinions OF the constitutional powers of Con-
gress That article reads thus
THAT the said corporation shall establish a compe-
tent office of discount and deposit any State by
the assent 81 the Legislature Of such STATE whenever
the directors may think properto do and when cs-
iablishcd the Office shall I've withdrawn without
the assent OF Congress and the said corporation shall
have the power To commit the management of the said
offices and the business thereof respectively such
persons and under such regulations as they shall
deem proper, not being contrary To law situton
OF the bank OF, instead IF establishing sch Offices
shall be lawful for the directors of the said corpora.
ton, from time To tine, To employ aay indsrtdaal
agent uny other bank or banks TO he approved by
the Secretary Of the Treasury at ANY place or places
that they may deem safe and proper to manage and
transact the business proposed aforesaid other than
for me purposes q discount and TO perform the duties
hereinafter required vi such corporation To be ma,
nagcd and transacted rs such officers and under such
agreements, and subject such regulations as they
shall deem Just and proper"
Ii will be seen that this article assumes that no
branch shalt he located in any State ,rloui ne con.
sent Of such STATE, and that no agency which
may he employed in any State iriiou The consent Of
such State, shall have the power OF discountlng A
care u pcrusal OF the article as appears in Mir Ew.
ings bill will satisfy every intelligent reader that the
words "other than for purposes IF discount which
have marked in italics in the section as hrsi
presented by Mr. Ewing 10 the President and il ~
equally apparen, that they inserted at the Prcs
dents requirement These words were matter Of sub.
stance. They wctc indispensable TO the President 3
sanction Of any bill, and Mr.. Ewing knew il. Tn,
question, then, IT, did the second bm contain thes.
tmporioni cords So far from it, the second bill authc
rlcd the Bank locate agencies any State not onl,
without but against the consent Of such State and 81
far from limiting such agency to tho business Of III,
expressly authorized them 10 discount 10 any amount
in the shape Of bulls Of exchange.
With wha, face, then, can tho late Secretaries who
knew that the presidcn, had inherited these words II
Mt Ewngs hill, charge him with insnoerty or
wan, Of cando towards them for refusing 10 srwoy,