The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-09-09
[ NUMBER so.

veto upon tho hopes, the interests, and the
happiness Of his country. Does il follow
} that magistrate who yields his private
judgment % the concurring authority Of nu.
netous decisions, repeatedly and deliberate.
" pronounced after the lapse of long inter.
Sals, by all the departments Of Government,
ana BY all parties, iueurs the dreadful pen.
aties described by tho President! Can
! any man be disgraeed and dishonnred who
yields hrs private opinion 10 the judgment
OF Tue nation ia this case, the country,
4 mean maJofliyl Congress, and, &C.
coTdlnE TO common fame, az unanimous
Cabinet, were all united IL favor Of the bill.
j Shogld any man feel himself humbled and
degraded IN yielding 10 the couioinl force
J OF such high authority Does any man
who at ona period Of his life shall have ex.
pressed a particular opinion, aud at sub.e.
qpent period shall act upon The opposite
opinion, expose himself to the terrible con.
sequences which have been portrayed By
tho President How Is il with tie Judge,
I 10 tie case Gy no means rare, who bows 10
Tho authority Of repeated pfeeedcnls, set
Z bihg particular question, whist 10 ms
private Judgment the law was otherwise
lioa is il With tha, numerous class Of pub
lie u.en 10 this country, AND wita the two
great parties that have divided H. Who, at
different periods, have maintained and acted
On opposite opinions il respect TO this very
oanh question
How is II with lanes Madison, tie Faith.
- OF the Cons,iulioH-tha great man
whose services o his country placed him
. oul5 second to Washlngton--vho hose virtues
and purity 10 private hie--w whose patriot.
Ism, Intelligence, aud wisdom ia public
councils stand unsurpassed He was a
member Of the National Convention that
iotIed, aud Of the Virginia Convention that
adopted tie ConshuloH. No man under.
stood i, better than be did. He was cppos.
cd 10 1901 to the establishment Of the Bank
Of tie tinted States upon constitutional
ererHa ind II l-ld he approved and sign.
cd tie charter Of the late Bank Of the Unit
ted States. l,ls part of tbs secret bisto.
~ connected With the FIRST bank, tha, James
Madison had, al tho instance Of Gen, Wash.
iH.'on, PREPARED veto for him 10 tho con
uagetey Of lis rejection OF the bill. Thus
stood james Madison when, in 1915, he ap.
P'eI tic veto 10 a bill 10 charter bank
aroG considerations Of expectancy, but with
a eIear aud express admission of the exist.
euce Of constitutional power in Congress
to chatter one. In 1876 the bill which
eas then presented to hun being free from
the objections applicable to that Of the pre-.
vloas year, he sanctioned and signedit. Did
James Madison surrender +" all claim 10 the
respect Of honorable men--alI confidence on
the par, Of tie people--all self respect--all
regard for morn and religious obligations r.
Did the pure, the ilrtuous, the g,iiod james
Madison, by hts sanction and signature TO
tie charter Of the late Bank OF The United
States, commit a CRIME @hieh Justly sub.
jectcd him "lo tic udeue and sccfu Of all
vrHous mcn
NOtouly did the President, as il respect.
fully appears 10 me, state entirely too strong.
iy the consequences Of his approval of the
bllI, but 10 lie perfectly correct in treating
The question, las he seems 10 me 10 have
douc,l which he vas chilled upon TO decide,
as presenting the sole alternative Of his di.
rect approval or rejection of the bill! : Was
the preservation Of the consistency and the
conscience oi the President wholly irrecon.
ctiaL.o utlL the restoration of the blessings
Of sosnd currency, regular and moderate
exchanges, and the revival of confidence
agd bmness which Congress believes will
DO secured BY a National Bank Was
there NJ alternative but to pro.ona tho SUI.
fsiipGs Of a bleeding country, or send US
this NaW From the administration Of the
Executive Department Of the Government,
during the last twelve years, has sprung
mosf u the public ills which have afflicted
tho People. Was il necessary that that
source Of suffering should continue 10 oper.
ate, 10 order to preserve the conscience OF
the President inyiolated Was that the
only sad and deplorabis alternative |
tAink, MIR President there we're other al.
ternatvcs worthy of the serious and patrio.
tic consideration of the President. The
bill might have become a law, in virtue of
the provision which required its return
within ten days, Ii the President had re-
tanned il three days longer, il would have
been law, withou; his sanction and with.
CUT TVS eiIuaAuttE III sutH u GOnttLHcHGtp
the President would have remained passive,
and would not have been liable TO any &c.
eusation OF having himself violated the Con.
siItution. All that could have been Justly
said would be, that he did not choose to
throw himself in the way as an obstacle TO
the passage Of measure indispensable to
the prosperity Of the nation, IN the Judgment
Of The party which brought him into power,
Of the Wing Congress which he first met,
and, # public fame speaks true, Of the Cabi.
net which the lamented Harrison called
around him, and VIII sh he voluntarily con.
iinued. In an al Joyous Case, Thomas,
Mckeun, when Governor of Pennsylvania,
than whom the United States have produc.
ed bu, fow men Of equal vlgor of mind and
firmness of purpose, permitted bill TO be.
come law, although, in his opinion, It was
contrary TO the Constitution of that State.
And have heard, and, from the credtable