Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-04-27

from far and near By The desife u bearing the
speech
Frola the L<-ings0a Kg.l Iaisliigsnesr.
EER. CL1AF,S SPEECH.
We hac bored hat the speech n our aistnAt
gnished fsIIoW-ciEzen. deiiverfd on MoIdaE'
lasl. vsuldshave btea written oat for the press.
We have been disappointed, however, ia ibis,
an huss content Herself. and our readers mus;
Be satisfied, with tie imperfect sketch We shall be
able 10 present from recolleciisnl
The AdmlnisFafion-lh Bank-Tariff-
Observation-Disclosures Of Executive power, and
the Bankrups Lav, were the topics upon which
he dweil. He sp4ke Of the open bribery and
corruption now prsctised. and more shamelessly
svored BY tie atIhinislFasien ii the distribution
Of he patronage q the 9oserpnen,. with the
acknpRieaged and tooAssesl parPose Of securing
% the support az The Administration one ofthe
great pakiss II TIE Country. aMr. Tsler had
tried one and found Il LAD 10 lhs amor OF tIuih
aud justice true 10 Itself aud HE eountry-i
pgegnahe 10 all assanlls elheT open is virtue Or
its patriotism neither TO lie awed BY 4he frownS,
nor sedoced byAhe promises q power. Fooled
10 this he was now exerting alkt the vast patron
age az bis Office ID buy up The Democratic pa.iy
10 hrs SUPPORT MIR. Clay thought hat, however
unEincipied1eadefs nigh, &c disposed to bargain
and barter away heir principles for the sake of
office, the great mass Of the party would scorn The
efforts made 10 bribe them. He said, chat he
had 10 hesitation 10 express his opinion, as an
humble and private ci'izsns that no man, who
had any feelings cf self respect OF honor dg pa
lrosism could: taks or hold any office, lhetenufe
Of which depended 90 the Presidents viii, sub
iect 10 tie degrading aud disgrsceinl conditions
which were imphsed upon isl possession !; and
that il would be The bounden duty Of the next
President elected be heAphig tor DemocrS4, tJt
purify he public Service by promptly discaFeisgL
all such contaminated incumbsnts. He hdped
there were many be knew lhers were selnek how
in office. who disdained to submit 10 any such
disgraceful conditions, and they ought, ant be
doubted not, would receive jussand full conside.
ration, and be judEed according 10 lheircspacliy
honesty and fidelity TO lhei1 c6nnHy,n
I'd connection with this subject. oil. Govern
ment patronage, slr. Clay lookIoecasiod Is speak
Of The fact, thatgfcr The pastEffeen Years, the
Nhig@had been almost entirely excluded from
all participation lin the honors and emolumenls
or office He said, that ins his opinion, IT a
Wing President should be elected, il would 3D.
bis imperative duty to do ample justice, IN the.
administration nf the public patronage, 10 The
great Whig paiiyof che country-what he ye1iiy
4 believed for yeats had embraced msjeriiy Of
the people Of ths United States. That party,
for upwards Of fourteen years past, wilhzlhe ex-
Il
prescribed and excluded from All public employ
menls Moi only from original appointments
But, when they hsld office. they bare been hurled
4 cut 10 make waN often for unworthy persons,
/ Of opposite politics. And 50 far is Sir. Tyler
now pursuing this PRACTICE that he is d:smiSsing
4 men whom be phi in, not only without charge,
without fault, without any species of trial, bat
/ with a full knowledge that lhe duties Of their
Offices have beenSafligenlly, honestly and faith
| fully executed, ahd putting back in their places
men whom he Had himself dismissed Every
consideration of1[equality, Of equity and Of jus
| lice demands, said Mr.. tlayathat the most full
| aud complete PREPARATION Of The injuries done,o
| he XVi,is naTir a,,anid I----fSvI made. Nor
~vuTu IEat Be Prescription. Itwould be these
vcrest rebuke on prescription o. The contrary,
| ID conlipueiR office men who3had been put there
4 by the dismilsion Of other and better men, for
political reasons, would be % sanction. consum-
mate. aud perpsuale prescription. Bot if Il
could be regarded as prescription, who is 10 Be
| justly reproachef with beginning prescription 10
/ this country ~ M
''No man fell more profoundly lban ,he did
The evils which were likely to grow out Of strng-
i giles for the prize of'Goyefnnlent, with the dis
Irritation Of all lis honors. and eficcs exclusively
confined TO lhelslcceSsful party. tie doubted
4 whether cur system could long. endure the con
/ sequences Of such struggles. .Bnf he hoped lKat
a remedy wouldbe hereaflerfound, either iaS the
amendment Of the Constitution or lhe Law, 10
| guard against these evils"
/ MIR. Clay entered al some length ihtoe the
history Of the efforts of the Wings, during the
| Extra Session, 10 restore The currency OF Ihe
/ country in the Establishment bf National Bank.
i There is one circumstance connected with that
1 history has been generally less Understood and
/ more grossly niisrepresenied than any oiher.-
! We refer 10 theJl6th section Of fhe second Bank
Rill--its chaGacter and the cause Of lis adoption,
/ This was explained by Mr. Gay in a clear, lucid
! and entirely satisfactory manner. The section
/ itself reads thus. Ea
sAhd the said eireclofs may also establish
| one or more competent offices Of discount and
deposiie 10 any territory district of the United
States, and IL ANY State, with The assent ef such
1 State; apd whan established the said Office or
1 Offices shall not beAIemoved Or Withdrawn by
the said directnfs prior 10 the expiration Of the
charter. without The previous assent Of Con-
gress: Provided in respectElo any State which
shall not, at lbe first session Of The Legislature
( thereof held afer the passage Of this act, by re-
| solution or /othAr usual Legislative proceeding,
4 nhcondiionaly asSenror dissent TO the esiab.
/ lishmenklof such office or Offices within il: the
assent 81 the said State sbaA thereafter be pre-
snmed; and provided, nevertheless; ihatiirhen il
shall become nsttssery and preper for carrying into
! execution any of the powers granted in the Con-
stitulion to establish an office or offices in any Of
The States whatever, and The establishment
Ehereof shall BE directed BY Law, il shall be the
duty Of The said directors 10 establish sueh of
fee or Offices atcotdingly.n
The question Of The assent Of The States, Mr..
Clay argued, whs one Of expediency alone and
did 'noI irvolvsIihe constitutional power Of Con-
gress to establish a Bank That power was
claimed and exercised 10 he establishment of
the Bank-the privilege Or branching was b
matter entirely distinct. and might be conferred,
subject 20 any restrictions, upon the Directors,
Congress might see fit TO impose, and those re-
siriciions could not. by anyRfair constructions be
| understood as 4 concession on The pari Of Cog,
gtesS, or an ahandpnme oil Epf its constitutional
1 power. Bnl HE ifsl clause Of The section, Mr..
G. affirmed. TeGdeFed the matter beyond all dis
pute, thai Congress, so faf from yielding or even
seeming 80 yield its constitutional power 10 es-
iablish BRANCHES in the several States, expressly
4 asserted the power to exist and declared its in
ientio1 p exercise itwhenever it might become.
in The words Of the Constitution, necessary and
proper far carrying into execution any az he
powers granted 70 Congress- ~ that instrument
The chartef,in this form, was not ueh as be
/ himself, OF the mass Of the Wings, would have
preferred, but they regarded ii as a question Of
expediency, and net as a matter OF principIe.
and as he bin could only he passed By reiliniaa
this features lhe great body or The Wigs were
Wiling % yield This Observation-Disclosures fnr TIE
sake Of secsTiug The passage * Tie bill ind fur.
ni<hing 70 the country a sound and uniform cur
t 4