Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-12-02
be dangerous anti-republcan and monar

ut had, especially, declared National
Bank to be plainly and clearly unconsti-
tutional Now, gentlemen, have nothing
TO say Of the diffidence an d modesty of
men, who, without hesitation or blushing,
set up their own favorite opinions on ques-
ton of this kind, against the judgment Of
the government and the judgment of the
country, maintained for fifty years only
remark, that if we were to find men acting
thus, in their own affairs; if we should find
them disposing of their own interests, or
making arrangements for their own prop
erty, in contempt of rules which they
knew the Legislature and the judicial au-
thorties had all sanctioned for half a CEN
tury, we shout be very likely to think
them out Of their heads. Yet this ground
has been taken against the late bank. and
against all National Banks; and it could not
be surrendered without apparent and gross
inconsistency. What, then, | ask again,
was the administration to dot You may
say, it should have retracted its error, it
should have seen the necessity Of ma
iional institution, and yielded to the general
Judgment Of the country.
But that would have required an effort
of candor and magnanimity, of which all
men are not capable. Besides. there we're
open, solemn public pledges in the way.
This commitment of the party against a
National Bank, and the disastrous results
of its experiment on the State institutions.
brought the party into the dilemma. from
which it seemed to have no escape, but in
shifting of. altogether, the duty Of taking
care Of the currency. ] was at Whe cling.
Va. in May of last year, when the Banks
suspended payment; and at the risk ofsomc
imputation of bad taste, will refer TO oh.
scrvations Of mine, made then, to the citi-
zcns Of that town, and published, in re-
gard 10 questions which that event would
necessarily bring before the country. |
saw, at once, that we were at the com
me lcement of a new era, and that con-
trnversy must arise, which would greatly
excite the community.
mo sooner had the State Banks sus-
pended. and among the rest those which
were repositories Of the Government, than
cry of fraud and treachery was raised
against them. with no better reason, per-
haps, than existed for that loud, and bois-
ferrous, and boasfu confidence, with which
the late Administration had spoken of their
capacity of usefulness, and had assured
the country that its Experiment could not
fail. But whether the suspension by the
Banks was a matter of necessity with
them. or not, the Administration, after il
had happened, seeing itself now shut out
from all Banks, by its own declared opin-
ions, and the results Of its own policy, and
seeing no means at hand for making another
attempt at reforming the currency, turned
short corner, and in all due form aban'
doned the whole duty. From the time OF
the Veto to the Bank Charter in 1882, the
Administration had been like man who
had voluntarily abandoned safe bottom,
on deep waters, and, having in vain sought
10 support himself by laying hold on one
and another piece of floating timber.
safety in returning TO what he has aban.
doned.
"Seeing it had deprived itself of the
common means of regulating the currency,
it now denied its obligation to do so; de.
cared that it had nothing to do with cur
rency beyond coinage; that it would take
care Of the revenues of Government, and
as for the rest, the People must look out for
themselves This decision thus evidently
grew out of party necessity. Having de-
prved themselves of the ordinary and Con-
sttutional means Of performing their duty
they sought to avoid the responsibility by
declaring there was no such duty to per-
form. They have looked farther into the
Constitution, and examined il by daylight
and by moonlight, and cannot find any
such duty or obligation. Though General
jackson saw il, very plainly, during the
whole course Of his Presidency it has now
vanished, and the new Commentators can
nowhere discern a vestge of it. The pres
ent Administration, indeed. stood pledged
TO tread in the Steps Of its predecessor
but here was one footprint which il could
not or would not, occupy, or one stride
too long for it 10 take. The Message,
had almos, said the fatal Message, commu
nicaed to Congress in September, con
tanned formal dsavowal, by the Admins
tration, of all power under the Consttu.
ton 10 regulate The general actual currency
Of the country
THE President says, in tina, Message
that if he refrains from suggesting to Con
gress any specific plan for regulating the
exchanges, relieving mercantile embarrass
ments, or interfering with the ordinary op
erations Of foreign or domestic commerce
il is from the conviction that such meas
ures are not within the Constitutional pro-
vision Of Government.
How this could all be said. when the
Constitution expressly gives to Congress the
power u regulate commerce, both foreign
and domestic, ! cannot conceive. But In,
Constitution was not TO be trf1ed with