The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-07-17
FOR THE MADI5ONIAN.


The Editor Of the Richmond Enquirer, citing and
commenting on an extract from late letter OF mine
is polite enough to say, to such desperate straits
are gentlemen driven to maintain their position -
What was my posilion2 Why, simply this; That
takng Mr.. Van Buren's opinion authority there
want of constitutional power to establish a
National Bank IN the District of Columbia
Bank Mr. Ewing had furnished plan of, with
out branches in the States.
Whether there may not he stronger passages in Mr.
Van Buren's letter to Sherrod Williams than those
the Editor of the Enquirer has spread before his read
ers shall not examine 1t To ascertain. Let Mr.,
Richie be shown from the passages he quotes in the
Enquirer of the I'd of July, in order to undermine my
footing, that, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
unto himself
Let it be observed that alluded to Mr. Van Blu
rens opinien touching the constitutional power alone
And, on this point, how stands Mr. Mr.. Van Buren, 5
recorded opinion which is asceralnabe because il is
recorded He holds that Congress does not pos
the power to establish National Bank in any OF
the States of the Union, nor to establish in such
States, the branch of any Bank located in the Dis
trct Of Columbia" Thus he denies the power to es-
tablsh National Bank in any State, and as expli-
city denies the power to set up in any State the
branch of Bank located in the District but he
does not deny the power to establish :" a National
Bank" in the District Looking TO the caution and
written this is enough maintain and defend my po-
ston but whilst am at it, will trace the Enquirer's
extract a little further in detail. Therefore, =
that is, for want of power he Mr. V. is decidedly
opposed to the establishment of National Bank in
any of the States and he is also opposed to any such
Bank in the District. And why so Because the
power does not exist, did he say No not SO but
as unnecessary and xpedien AMI liable great
proportion of the abuses OF the thcn) existing Bank
Then it will be perceived that while he did not deny
the power to establish such Bank in the District he
admitted, on the of expediency, that it would be
liable to only proportion, though it be great pro-
portion of the abuses of similar institution IN a
State.
Should the reader think have taken too much
sure he will excuse me- when he reflects that Mr. V
b. prudent that it requires pansaking - trace
his footprints and therefore the admrer of his pru-
dence must excuse for saying, that in tracing them
an odor ever arises quite offensive TO my nostrils
do not often disturb them.
Let me inform Mr.. Richie that | won of wary
friend Of his some fifteen months since, and in social
cheer have quaifed, hamper of champagne on the
point asserted by me, and again put in dispute 10y HIM
that MIR. Van Buren, did not deny the existence OF
the power to establish National Bank in the Dis
irict without branches in the States as Mr. Ewing
plan proposed
Spreading before his readers the extracts, the vital
parts of which have above quoted, Mr. Richie says;
Here we have Mr. V b going most cxplcitly against
both the consttutonaty and expediency OF the Dis
trict and Branch system, &c. See what iumbling
of truth and error. The whole truth is, he went
against the " consttuticnaty' of the Branch" sys-
TEN, and only against the "expedicncyn Of the obs
trict" Give itup, old man, and do strive longer
to deceive those before whom you spread your extracts,
well knowing that very many of them will not make
critical analysis of them.
PrBLIus