Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-09-01
SPEECH OF MR. RIyEs.
or VIRGINIA,

OF VIRGINIA.,
The Executive Message containing the Presi
dents objections to the Bank Bill
#SEsArE UsIrkp STATES. Aucusr 10 IsIi
Nc. RIvES said he came prepared to give a ST.
vote on the bIll, and he should have cOntcn,cd
sef with dong so, but for the observa atoms which
fallen from the Senator from Kentucky in re
tt TO the conduct OF the Pee ident OF the United
Ete.. MIR. Rives had hoped the Senator would
Ne confined himself strictly to the merits of the
PISTON before the Senate. lie told US said Mr..
PCS, that the question was this; whether, The Pre-
tent having returned the bill for a Fiscal Bank
dh his exceptions thereto, the bill was such an one
ought 10 pass 10y the constitutional majority OF
thirds, aud thus become law of the land.
fw, what was the real issue before the Senate ,
Ips II not on the naked question between the bill
the objections TO H., compared with each
Icr7 | really had hoped that the honorable Sc
or, after announcing 10 us the issue IA this vc-y
per manner, would have conf lsd his obscry -
Is 10 II alone and, # he had done So should
~ have troubled ,he Senate with a single word.
Bot what has been the course of the honorable
Senator do not reptoach him with It; Ey, no
12nbt, felt 1t necessary, in order 10 vndIcate his
N position before the country, TO incuplte the
rise taken by the President; and ACCORDINGLY,
ut two thirds OF his speech, however quilted 6y
pressons OF personal kindness and respect, were
BEN up IN solemn Urraignment Of the President
the United States Most Of the allegations put
tth by the Senator seem to arrange themselves
n to his party and To the People
~ The SenatoE begins with the violation, by the
Ifesidcnt, OF the pledge given IN his inaugural ad.
PISS Now, must say, with ali due Difference
nat the very language quoted by the honorable
,enator To prove tins, received, wherever had
3ny opportunity OF hearing the expression OF pub
| hc opinion, very different construction. The
$fesldent told the nation that he would give his
Hnetion "to any constltu .iona measure" which
Hght be devised by Congress for the relief of the
@ln'rY on the subject Of the currency. He does
Utt say any measure, but to any "cons,itutonam
tocasure. Why insert the word constitutional"
he did not intend 10 quality, I'm an important
sense, the pledge given But the Senator finds IN
|the next clause OF the inaugural address, an oxnla.
nation OF the sense in which the word constitutions
aP is here 10 be understood, viz. that che should
be governed by the sage views of the fathers of the
Republican scnool, and by the light of their ever
glorious example" The Senator, in his commen-
tary on this clause seems to have stricken out as
significant and expressive portion OF il as any of
ITS Other words, VIZ. that the Presiden, should be
guided 10y "the sage views as well as the ever
glorious example OF the Republican fathers to
whom he alludes. What were these sage views,
ms expressed in the pursst days of the Repub,ic ;
The sage views Of MIR Madison in l79l-the un
varying opinions and testimony of Thomas Jeffer-
son He was TO look to the "Sage viewsn deliver
cd by them, as well as to their example. And on
this point, could not but remember what IN |
have not been mSinformed) the fact VIZ th Al
the honorable Senator himself stood in a relation
OF particular prvily TO a memorable act of another
OF the fathers Of the Republican school" when he
gave his casting vote against a renewal of the bank
Z Charter. Was there nothing in these sage views
and examples 10 Instruct the President in addition
10 the convictions OF his own Judgment Who is
the IndvdUs thi'. 10y universal consent Is recos.
nisei as the founder OF what the President refers
+ 10 as 1.-THE Republican school2" 1t Is Thomas
7 Jefferson. For, however, concur with the Sena-
pr from kentucky IN paying all homage TO the I'M
walled virtues and ever.slorous public services OF
~ /
that he has not generally been considered as be-
longing TO that "Republlcan" party TO which the
President ailudes.
We are told, however, Of the example of MIR
Madison, which, II is said President TYLER must
have had particularly IN mind when he penned this
passage. have already adyerted 10 Mr. Madison's
views IN relation TO a National Bank in 1891: views
which never were retracted by him till 1915; but
the Senator tells us the President referred TO his
conduct ~ sancuoning by his signature the charter
of the second Bank OF the United States as that u
ample by which he himself TO be governed
How does that example apply TO the present casel
Look 4. the letter written 10y MIR Madison TO MIR
lngersoll IN explanation of that act; and LEI any
candid nam say what is tho deduction fairly 10 be
drawn from It. IL Is thIs that Mr. Madison had
changed his opinion. Not that he still believed
bank unconstilu,innal, and so believing signed the
bill; but that mis- opinion its Unconstitut onality
had undergone change; for, in the very first para
graph OF hat letter, ne says that ne consded "the
cOnsiiiuiioHa!ity Of the Bank as sustained by the
considerations winch he proceeds 10 detail. I re.
fer the Sc atur 10 the letter itself But that is not
all. Before we condemn President Tyer under
existing circumstances for putting his negative on
what he believes TO be against the Constitution he
has sworn 10 support, let those circumstances be
compared with the circumstances under which MIR
Madison acted. In the etter TO Mr. lngersoll, MIR
Madison says, the obligatory force Of presidents in
interpreting the Constitution, depends among other
things, con the prospect which there may be OF
cha &c 81 construction by the public or its agents"
The constlLutlonaIiy Of bank had, at the time Of
Nr Madison's action upon u, been annually recOg-
nIsed, as he says, for twenty years successiycly-
the Whole nation had acquIesced IN il; and there
was no prospect OF any change Of opinion. yield
TO no one IN profound respect Tor the principles and
character of MIR Madison, and have ever been dis.
posed TO make every allowance for the course he
felt II his duty 10 pursue. Let read "a sentence
or two from his letter 10 Mr. lmgersoiI:
The &c. establishing a Bank Of the United
States" says he, "had been carried into execution
throughout period OF twenty years, with annual
legislative TecosnItions-In one instance indeed
with positive rhmihcatIon oft into a new State
with the entire acquescence ofal the Ioca author.
tiles, as well as the nation at large; TO all of which
may he added decreasing prospect Of auy change
IN the public opinion adverse to the CONSTITUTIONAL
ty Of such an institution"
Now will any mnh pretend to assert that the same
circumstances exist How7 Has there been an annU-
al recognition Of the consi,uuonaIty Of the bank for
the last twenty yearsl Do the local authorizes cy.
cry where acqulegcc in ~ And is the opinion in
favor of the consutulionnty Of a National Bank
universal and confirmed that there is no pros.
psct Of any respectable body public opinion being
arrayed against ~ No. The reverse of gll this Is
true. HaIf the nation are Hrrayed against both IT'S
consiitutionolity and is cxpcdency; the local au-
thOTes in several quarters are in open arms OF re.
monstrance and threatened resistance against IT,
So far from there being no prospect Of any change
bv the Public or It's agents IN the construction which
affirmed the cOnsttuuonHHty Of d National Bank
ihlt construction has already, 20 great extent been
reversed. These the Circumstances under " hirh
President Tyler had to decide on his course Of &c
conuastcd with the circumstances OF Mr. Nadisop's
time. Therefore say that Il, 30 his Inaugural. he
had in view the example Of Mr. Madison. r.ferr,d Ia
10y the Senator from Kentucky, IL form ri no ruIe bv
which he was bound 20 surrender lis solemn con.
vctiohs as TO the uuconsutuuon1Iity OF the bank.
But the Senator from Kentucky has told us dim,
Mr. Jefferson, In various ways, recognised tie ron.
Gututionality Of q National Bank; add. In Tustr1-
ton OF this position, be tells us ON anccdots n ms
sage Of secret history, know not on what author.
~, which must say IS but little in consonanco with
Hlr JtHsrsons life and opinions IL represents him
WHO never shrank from any responsibility. ne wi
Ing 70 stink back under the fraudulent aud IgrqI.
NOUS shelter held out by a pGvCrsIOn Of The len
dGy1 provision, 10 screen himself fom the duty OF
asserting those glorious principles which had 5srr
the ornament OF long life, Unit. the positive t,s.
umOuy Of responsible and unm peachab.e witness
90 the fact itself shall be produced never car We'd
my belief to his being willing 10 stand by as mas.
ave accessory 10 the violation of the Cunsutut. ION
Where wns the occasion fOr his doing sol Hswas
to 60 out Of Office IN the month Of March I-1J
and the bank charter would not Kpire uII Isl H. and
the record will show that, after that time he rrpcv,
fIr I.tr HrAf H.