The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-19
THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION AND
WING PRINCIPLES.

WING PRINCIPLES.
| Among the principles advocated by the Wing
party during the last canvass for the Pres-
perhaps the most prominent First, the regu-
ation of the currency through the intervention
Of the General Government, by causing its Gre
dit to aid in promoting private enterprise Sc
condly, the restoration and extension Of the ma
tional defenses so as to secure the safety and
honor of the country. Thirdly, the acknow
Judgement of the right, on the part of the States,
to an equable distribution of the proceeds of the
sales of the public domain, the Indebtedness to
secure which they stood pledged being can
ceed and there being surplus in the National
Treasury, after current expenses should be
paid and fourthly, the necessity of general
bankrupt system, whereby honest debtors might
sequent earnings of their. industry be secured to
themselves and their families. In these we be-
hold four Of the leading principles for which the
Wings commended and we propose TO prove,
that, notwithstanding the assertions of certain
self-styled Wings to the contrary, the present
the fullest extent consistent with its ability.
In the first place, then, with reference to the
restoration of the currency, what have been the
facts When Congress, at is extra session,
made call on the Secretary of the Treasury,
| Mr.. Ewing then at the head of that Depart
ment, in compliance with the request, promptly
reported scheme for the consideration of that
4 ~ --..l e.. ,>E
the whole ground, to be the best, that could be
adopted, reference being had TO the opinions OF
the President openly and uniformly expressed.
Whether the scheme, so offered, would havG
been found adequate to the object for which 1t
was intended, need not now be discussed, but
| il is believed that no rational doubt can exist,
that, with the amendment Of Mr. Rives recog-
nising State sovereignty, itwould have received
the sanction of the President, and would have
| served at all events, as an introduction to more
efficient measures that light have been dictated
| by experience, and would thus, if in no other
way, have effected much good. OF the fate of
Mr.. Ewing's project,'and of the amendment IF
Mr.. Rives, the country is fully aware. II is
known to all that committee Of the Senate at
the head ofwhich was Mr.. Clay, reported instead
of the project of the honorable Secretary of the
Treasury, bill charterlng ian od-fashloned
Bank" with the full knowledge that such a bill
could not receive the approval of the President.
| Why this was done, it is not for US to say, but
we ill say that, in taking this step, the chair
! man of the committee laid the groundwork of
all of the unhappy differences that have since ex-
isted, and deliberately produced a schism in the
Wing ranks which has proved fatal toits entirety,
and brought about an arrangement between the
friends of Bank and the Executive, the con-
sequences of which have been disastrous in the
extreme In the conscientious exercise of the
Veto power. which followed, the President
with view to carry out the principles of
the Wing party, and to effect restoration
of the currency, by the aid of the General
Goycrnm Mt, promised to furnish plan that
might consist with his notions Of the
Constitution, which promise he has subsequent
w redeemed, information of which fact was
oiyen to Congress in his Message at the open
ing of the present session. The Exchequer
plan had been prepared by the Secretary OF the
Treasury and was laid before Congress so soon
as that body permitted 1t to be done, and what
ever delay MS occurred in disposing OF it, either
by adopting it or substituting something in its
place, is to be attributed solely to Mr.. Clay and
his exclusive friends, and no blame can, with
the slightest show Of propriety, be laid to the
door of the Executive department. AS for the
ridiculous assertion that no other agency than
that of a Bank can be devised which will be
adequate to the end proposed, it is downright
nonsense, as every unprejudced mind must adj
nit, that, so far as The operations Of The Go
re,,rnlent are concerned, the plan offered by
MIR. Forward is entirely sufficient, whilst it will
furnish such basis of circulating medium as
will restore the currency to a healthy condition.
So much having been SAID on the first point we
now proceed to the second.
With regard to the restoration and extension
of the national defences, what has the Admins
tration done Having found the Notifications
and the marine OF the country in state of utter
dilapidation and inefficency, the Secretaries OF
War and the Navy immediately set themselves
to work to ascertain tie extent Of reform inds-
pensably necessary to procure national safety
i and protect national honor. This point being
attained, those gentlemen caused estimates to
be made by the most experienced agents of the
amount Of money required, and looking solely
to the great end of national security laid these
estimates before Congress at the opening of its
present session. 1t is proper here to observe
that the statements presented have not simply
reference 10 the current expenses of the Army
and Navy, which form but small portion of the
cost TO be incurred. They took, as they could
not avoid doing, the condition of the national
defences as they stood, owing to the neglect and