The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-11-21
COL. BENTON.

with as much disregard Of means, as ever dis
tinguished any case Of political hostility Ii
this war, it is evident, that Col. Benton aspire:
TO be leader. He has lately let Of trad
from the banks OF the Missouri. Certain cit
zens Of Cooper county having invited him TO {
dinner, he used the occasion u put forth pro
ducton which would have been known 10 bt
his, without his name. No one could have mis-
taken its origin. We give specimen. Speak
ing of Mr. Webster, he says:
"But he has dea yclept Erehcquer system
which he got from Nicholas Biddle in Novembe
lS4l, (when the great Banker visited Washington
city for that purpose and which idea the champion
gave to Mr. Tyler, who presented it to Congress, anc
where killed it in one speech. 1t is to be brought
to life and presented to US again. This ExchequeI
system is the progeny Of Bddle, and the substitute for
the defunct National Bank and the continuance
10 put the credit and revenue Of the United States in
the hands of the and of the party who pundered
widows, orphans, men, citizens foreigners, nations,
ates railroads, canals and local banks of about one
hundred millions Of dollars; and which hundred mil
lions they would have plundered from the Gorern-
me and People Of the United States had it not been
for Jaokson's Vetoes and removal Of the deposites,
and Van Buren's 'u,comprohisng hostility 10 Nd
tional Bank -
Now Mr.. Benton knew, very well, that he
had not the least reason for supposng that the
idea Of the plan of The Exchequer was derived
from Mr. Bdde. All he says on this point is
sheer fabrication, and we so pronounce it in the
face Of the country. But the Bank of the Uni
ted States had become, justly, very unpopular,
and Mr.. Biddle had been connected with il, re-
Gently, before its failure. This was enough for
Mr. nI LII.
al war with all proprety-to connect the Ex-
chequer with that bank, and those who pro-
posed il, with lis former Presidents. Where
is the morality of such 4 course, whether proceed
ing from Senator, or no Senator?
Now, We knop, and we aUer, that neither
the President, nor any member of his Cabi-
net had any communication, direct or in
direct, with Mr.. B;ddle on the plan or
project of the Exchequer. The Exche-
quer bill was essentially the Presidents,
and after being prepared, was brought by
him to Washington, and submitted to his Cabi-
net, and by them adopted. And, for such a
work. he is competent and well qualified. Mr.
Benton knows that. He knows that in the
Senate of the United States, his own clustering
nonsense has been repeatedly exposed and con-
futed by Mr.. Tyler. He knows that Mr.. Tyler
turned his attention to the subjects of finance
and currency, as early as 1919 He is acquaint-
ed with the report made by him 10 1894, on the
Bank Of the United States, and the topic, con-
nected with that subject. He knows-or, if be
does not every body else, who has read it,
knows-that that document evinces very tho
rough knowledge OF currency and exchange,
such as any statesman in the country may well
be proud of.
The modesty Of the Colonel, in this letter, is
quite characteristic. 81 killed it Che Exche-
quer) in one speech !! !" Indeed ! Pray what will
Mr.. Mangum and Mr.. Morehead say to this
They fondly thought that it was hey who had
killed the Exchequer. We believe, too, that
Mr. Huntington thinks it his little arrow that
pierced the breast
This is an edifying, patriotic, cheering
contest! The President OF the United States
recommended TO Congress plan for the relief of
the country, from state of the utmost diff
Guilty and distress, in It's money concerns. That
state is described, almost without exaggeration,
by Mr.. Benton himself, in what he says of the
present state of things in Missouri:
"a base currency alics the State, and it is for the
approaching General Assembly to apply the relief.
Small notes, deprecated paper, spurious banking,
unauthorized issue of paper trash, lawess corpora
tons, and the introduction Of base paper from other
States have been the curse of Missouri for some
time past and is the only curse that now affcts her.
Ii Is no longer time for theoriZing about curren-
cy; practical measures are wanted. We see the
evil-we see the abuses of the paper system-and
leaving theoretical disquiston to metaphysical poll
hcans 1t IS our business TO proceed against these evils
and these abuses, and to eradicate them"
AS a remedy for these evils, and for others,
the Chief Magistrate recommended to Congress
measure, tn. result Of much labor and refec-
ton, and Immediately the ultra men, of both
parties, rush forward to who shall be first
to "kill it," They attack it, not with rea-
son and argument, but with blind and
senseicss fury; aud having defeated the measure,
instead Of proposing any other, or raising a
hand TO keen the country ont ot us sad coudi
tion, they only dispute the honor of the exploit,
which had been achieved Worthy statesmen
Disiutcresred patriots What laurels are you
not winning from your country and from pos
terity
MIR. Benton does not fail TO allude TO the late
Treaty "of which" he says, IL cannot now
speak, but of which my sentiments will appear
in the speeches which | made against it, and
which left at Washington TO be pul lished on
the exchange OF the Publications."
The notifications Of the Treaty having been
exchanged, the public may indulge the hope that
II will soon see "the speeches which made
against it," These "speeches," however 10
not appear TO have "kiled u" IN the Senate ;
and probably will produce no greater effect before
the country.
There are indie afinns that this branch of the