Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1843-02-02

It the custom houses should be received by the
States. But will any man say that Congress
could now authorize tho States to lay and collect
i'm posts under any restrictions or Limitations
whatever! No one will pretend it. That would
be to make new partition Of power between this
Government and the State Governments. MIR.
Madison has very correctly observed, that the as
sent Of the States cannot confer new power on
Congress, except in those cases especially provd-
ed in the Constitution. This is very true, and il
is equally true that the States cannot obtain new
power, by the consent of Congress, against the
prohibition Of the Constitution, except in those |
cases which are expr ssly so provided for In the
Constitution itself. These reasons, sir, lead me
think that, II, Tor purposes connected with the
beneficial administration of the Government, we
deem it necessary to continue this corporations we
are not at liberty TO repeal any protection any
immunity with which the Constitution surrounds
it. We cannot give to law of the United States
less than its constitutional effect The constitu-
ton says that every such law, passed In pursu-
ancc Of the Constitution, shall be paramount to
any State law. We cannot enact that ii shall not
be so for that would be to repeal, so far, the
Constitution"
'.Every bank must have some stockholders,
| unless it he such bank as tho President has re-
commended, and in regard to which he seems not
| likely to find much concurrence Of other meas
| opinions; and il the stockholders, whoever they
may be, conduct the affairs of the bank prudently,
the expectation is always of course that they will
make It profitable TO themselves us we'll as useful
to the public. If hank charter is not 20 be grant
ed because i, may be profitable, either in small
or great degree, to the stockholders, no charter
can be granted. The objection lies against all
banks.
"Sir, the object aimed at by such institutions is
| to connect the public safety and convenience with
private interests. thas been found by experience
that banks are safest under private management,
and that Government banks are among the most
dangerous of all inventions. Now, sir, the whole
drift of the message is to the settled judg
ment of all the civilized world, and to set up
Government banks, independent OF private Interest
or private control.'
MIR. Nj. said he had marked above for
ty passages in these volumes touching the
question of State powers. He would quote
but one or two, i'll order 10 show what those
| great doctrines on that subject were which had
been taught him by his master.
On the very question of the necessity OF
the assent of the Safe Legislatures TO the To-
cation of branch of the United States Bank
within State, Mr.. Webster had made Il anost
able argument to show that according To the
Constitution, the laws of Congress were para
mount, and that tie States could not prevent
! their being so without violating the Constitu-
ton. And if they did, the effect would ne
cessarily be 10 throw the States into partial
confederacies, and eventually To overthrow the
powers of the nation.
| in another speech the same man declared
| that it was the duty ofthe General Government.
to provide currency not alone for the Gov
| cTnment but also to furnish u national medi-
| um o value Tor circulation among the People.
Yet now he came to Congress and offered them
/ this project of an Exchequer Board Mr.. Nj.
said there was whole volume of principles
involved in such scheme; and that if Con-
gress ever let it in, they would by that act de-
termine this Confetleracy. All the Virginia
doctrines of State rights and all The maddest po-
| sitions orn notification itself were fool to this
1t seemed that since Mr.. Webster had been
the chief arm of the Administration lie must
have learned new ideas entirely. Only think
oft /! That Daniel Webster should CLAIM,
I e''0h 70 '''fI"rs same rnrt1prtsS s11ouru
be applied to any other of the powers confer
I red upon Congress by the Constitution Sun
pose the same thing claimed in relation TO tile
'ariff Tor example. Once incorporate this
principle oil State assent, and yon denatonal-
lAeu every thing. How would il look to see
congress establishing certain post Offices and
post roads, provided the assent of the States
IN which they were to be located should first
be had TO receive them Yet the reasons
would be the same for one as for the other
NO The United States were one as TO the
general powers of the Government and il
was Just as necessary that the national cur
rency should pervade every part and portion
OF the country, difiusing vitality and health
through every artery and vein of the entire
body polite, as that the post roads should ex-
tend throughout our limits, difusing every
where general intelligence to the peopIe. Yet
Mr.. Webster had laid down and sanctioned q
doctrine by which the entire paramount powers
OF THIS ederal Government must inevitably be
overthrown, And this he now rendered to the
American People; and for what ?-ay, for
what !-bccause the Administration were de-
iermined at any sacrifice TO PROSTATE the claims
of Henry Clay.
Mr. III. had said that he admired Mr.. Web
ster Tor remaining in the Cabinet of Mr.. TYLER
without conserving to be the slave of him or
Of any man. If there sany man who claim
ed authority to dissolve the late Cabinet, and
who had ordered him out of it, Mr.. NJ. did ad-
m're his irmness in resisting all such claims.
and refusing 10 obey the order. He had also
sad that he mad once admired Daniel Web
ster above all men living and SO he had
lie differed from the gentleman, his COLLEAGUE
from Kentucky, (Nir. DAvIs,) in the opinion
that Mr. Webster was destitute of genius. He
was aware that the world held him deficient
IN invention, and clumsey and heavy in man
agement they often said that others had TO
invent, and that then he could reason well on
what they proposed. He knew that il was
generally believed that Webster was of a cold
II