The North-Carolina standard., 1843-11-15

associated with his, but that portion of the viii.
lparty who had been Jackson men, with very few
Exceptions then refused TO vote for Harrison, from
+ 1.-The apprehension that he was national republi
can The same objection would then have appli
ed with still greater force to MIR. Clay.
In 1887, there was general suspension oftht
banks and the proposition was made under Mr.
Van Buren's administration to separate the Trea
shry entirely from the banks, State and Federal
1t was opposed by all the advocates of q National
Bank and at first by many of Its opponents, under
the hope that some system could be devised with
the cooperation of the State Banks, TO avoid the
charter of a United States Bank and the adoption
of the Independent Treasury. 1t was feared by
some that Government Bank would result from
the plan of divorce proposed by others, that the
influence of the Federal Government would be
brought to bear injuriously on State institutions.
The National Bank had failed to obtain renew
al of its charter from Congress, and to cover its
unsound condition, had procured one from the LIE
gislature of Pennsylvania. The suspension was
soon followed by a general failure of the banking
system, and the most startling frauds were expos
ed. The Banks many of them unable to meet
their own engagements, were all too much en-
barrassed to afford any relief to the embarrass-
mepts of others to which they had contributed so
much Public confidence in the system was ex-
tensively impaired, and few could be found will
ling to invest money under National or State
charters
The Wing National Convention assembled at
Harrisburg in 1889. That convention refused to
nominate Mr. Cay-General Harrison was no.
minated he was oclaimed, canVassed and voted
for in many St"tes Particularly Virginia, as Jef
fersonian Republican, as an ant-Bank man and
scrupuIously in favor of the Compromise act He
and his friends were pledged to investigate and re-
form the Executive abuses of the Government,
al. h4o .rcrhf 10
tablish National Bank or enact Protective la
riff. The 9th Congress was composed OF a
commanding majority of Wings in both Houses.
1t met in extra session, under General Harrlson's
proclamation, and was convened to supply ways
and means for the Government. The executive
functions had devolved, after General Harrison's
death, op Mr. Tyler, who had been nominated and
elected Vice President under the same pledges
If there was any difference between his position
and that of General Harrison, it was that MIR. Ty-
Ter was known to be more steadfasty opposed 10
the leading measures which were subsequently
pressed by the Whig party, and some of which
met his decisive veto In reference TO all legls-
lative questions then the Whig party professed De-
mocratic principles before the.clection.
The country had a rightto expect after all this
that some measures would havesheen adopted to
detect, expose, and correct the excessive abuses
which had been so loudly complained Of 1t is
the protest &c. had lsRg since ceased TO be prac-
ticaI questions, and nolhing could be done in re-
ference to them in 184l. What did the Whig
party propose to do TO charter National Bank
to repeal the Compromise act-to enact high
and unequal protective tarf-to distribute The pro-
ceeds of the public lands at time VII, n[the TFea-
sury was empty, and when the Government was
compelled 10 resoIt to loans and Treasury notes to
defray its ordinary expenses-te enact Bankrupt
law-to vote gratuitics from the FrensuFyto IN
dividuals as we'll as the States, and to impeach
their own President The only measure of Exc
cutive reform which l recollect as meeting the
general appreciation of the Whig party was the
proposition to abolish the veto power from the
Constitution and this urged as an ater-thought
because that power was used to preventive charter
of the Bank, by one who, like themselves, stood
pledged to the country against Bank.
Soon after the commencement OF the extra ses-
sion select committee was appointed, on my mo-
tion to investigate the various departments OF the
Government, to inquire whether the expenditures
of Government could be reduced the patronage OF
the Executive diminished and to report such mea-
sures Of reform as our examinations might suggest
After making as thorough an examination OF the
departments at Washington and of other branch
es of the public service our other duties would
permit il was recommended to abolish the frank
inc privilege to regulate and reduce the mileage,
to reduce the expenditures, to abolish certain IL
legal usages and many useless offices in the De
partments, to institute new system for the examI-
nation and appointment of clerks and other officers
in the Departments, to require more detailed and
rigid statement of expenditures; to institute a
more responsible system of accounts, and to re-
qure the President to report to the Senate the rea-
sons for every removal from office, &c. &C.
F., The journals and the events of the 9th Con-
gress will explain why these measures were ney-
er acted on Leading members of the majority
objected even to the printing of an extra number
of the various reports from the retrenchment COM
mittee. The events of the last-te years will ex-
plain why it was attempted by the Whig party to
do those things, which, as party, they were
pledged not to do,:and to leave undone the only
things which, as a party, they were pledged to do
The national republican party was in a small mi
nority in 1882, with Mr.. Clay its candidate for
President, as it was in 1928, with MIR. Adams
Neither its leading measures nor its Leading men
could receive the support of the democratic por-
ton of the Wing party, in 1886, or in 1910. Mr.
CLAY who had been beaten in 1924 and in 1882,
was not proposed in 1885, and he was rejected in
1889, as the whig candidate. The clamor f,r ex-
ecuve reform and for strict construction of the
Constitution as to the executive powers, was used
to decoy'the old republicans into the support of
national republican or federal men and measures.
The power of association is very great, and we
sao bov, n,apxy Of tho old renuhlicanS have henn