Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-03-14

Mr.. Stanford moved to amend the resolution by
striking out these words, "wi,h branches in the |
several States"
This proposition hrough, up the question which
has recently acquired so much celebrity, from the
fact OF its bebg the preiext Of the accidental cir
cums'ance which now cncumbers the White |
House, for vetcing the Bank Bills of ls4l.
Upon this motion the ayes and noes were CAL |
led, aud the vote stood ayes Ia noes 1885, or near
iy ten TO one! Among the noes were p. p. Bar
6our, John &. Calhoun, Cuthbert of Georgia, |
EPpes Of Virginia, Forsyth Of Georgia, Ingham
and Z. j. lngersoll of Pennsylvania, VIM. II. |
King, now OF Alabama, Lowndes, Mccoy Of
virginia, John Mclean of Ohio, and a host of
the Old Republicans. Journal, p 505)
The question then required Oh agreeing to the
resolution of the committee, and the ayes and noes
were again taken.
Here let us beg our readers to mark the partc-
ular shape in which the question was presented.
Ii came up in the simplest form possible. There
was no bill with numerous details, about which
The most honest men might well differ. 1t was
The naked abstract question ''Bank'' or "No
Bank" 1t submitted for the adjudication of Con-
gress the principle. the whole principle and moth
Ing but the Observation-Disclosures by such ex-
traneous matters as the amount of the capital or
the length Of time the charter was to run-or tho
particular privileges TO be conferred. In this
point oil view, II Is the most interesting question
| which has ever been presented on the subject:
and 1t seems 10 us TO be the most authoritative
The vote on this resolution was ayes %, noes
| Sd. (Jourral 1914, 5O5.)
| Among the ayes were all the distins uished re-
pu6licans we have named, who voted against
striking out the branching power. excep, Mccoy
| OF VA, who was absent, and u. p. Barbour, and
- w. Eppes who voted against the resolution
| Here we have fair test of the opinions of dis
unguished men on the Bapk question. The prop
os'ion was presented in an Affirmative shape-no
man could honestly vote for it without recogni.
sing both the const'tutonali,y and expediency of
the measure. Some who were friendly TO a Bank
might have consistently voted against the resolu
ZION, because, In their opinion the time was inau-
spacious, or Tor any other reason affectinu the
question OF eXpediency. But we repeat, no man
could give his vote honestly for that resolution
who was not emphatically Bank man.
! Upon the authority of this vote then we point
with pride TO JOHN G. CALHOUN, ALFRED
CUTHBERT, JOHN FORSYTH, CHARLES
J.: !NGERSOLL, SAMUEL ID. INGHAM,
WIN. r. KING, WIN. LOWNDES, and JOHN
MCLEAN, OF Ohio, as the early friends of the
Bank-not of This or that particular form of
Bank, but OF the Bank with all the features of
nationality about it, and the power to establish
branches in the several States.
Inc resolution having been adopted, was re-
TERED to the committee of ways and means, and
! on the 9TH November 1914, bill was renorted to
incorporate Bank with capital of Fifty Millions
oil dollars! This bill after very full discussion
was rejected III the House on the 18th Nov, by a
vote of lo4 to l9-Journal 1914, 55e.)
new Bill was originated and passed by the
Senate, by vote Of IL 10 H. and sent TO the
Rouse Tor It's concurrence. On the I'd Jan. 1915.
'ne question was taken upon its passage, and de-
cIded in the negative, by the casting vote of the
Speaker, (Journal p 63S-9.) On the next day
'nls vote was reconsidered-ayes lO7-noes sd
ne ieaung republicans voting for it, and the fed
eiaiists breckenridge, Shelley. CASTOR, Pickering
webster, &C., against it. (Journai 6II-2.)
Inc Dill was then recommitted to a select COM
:nittee which, ON the 9th January, 1915, reported
'he bill with amendments, the most Important of
which reduced the capital from Fifty to Thirty
millions OF dollars. In this form the bill passed
b,y vote of 100 to 39-(Journal 1915, p 655-6l
the leading Republicans voting for il.
ms bill was then sent to President Madison
Tor his sanction, but on the seth January, 1915,
ne returned 1t with his objections. These objec-
lions related exclusively to the particular features
OF The bill, and not to the Constitutional power of
Congress TO pass it. On the contrary, Mr. Madi-
son took that occasion to declare his opinion that
the constitutional question had been settled, and
Ma NO i'nge' open q his consideration. His
Constitutional authority of the Legislature 10 es-
tabitsh an Incorporated Bank, as being precluded
In my Judgment, by repeated recogntions, under
varied circumstances, Of the validity of such an
institution, In acts of the Legislative, Executive
ana judicial branches of the Government, accom-
panied by indications, in different modes, of the
concurrent Will oil the nation; the proposed Bank
does not appear to be calculated TO answer the
purposes OF reviving the public credit, of provi-
ding national medium of circulation, and of aid
ing the Treasury, by facilitating the indispensa-
oie ah'icipaions OF the revenue, and by affoEding
! to the public more durable loans.''
ms bill having originated in the Senate was
returned 10 that body with the Presidents obec-
lions The Senate in compliance with the pro-
visions OF the Constitution, in such cases. pro-
ceeded 10 reconsider it, and OF the I'd February
| 1919, The vote was taken on its passage, and re-.
suited in the negalive-Ayes is, Noes 49,
we wish here TO call The especial attention of
The People of Virginia to the fact that, on this
occasion, William b. Giles and Armstead r. Ma
son, the two Virginia Senators, VOTED FOR
TIE BANK! We make this reference i'm no
invidious sPit. On the contrary, we wish to
hold up the fact of MIR. Giles vote as one of the
most striking evidences of his patriotism and
true moral courage. He was a member Of Con.
gress In 1871 and 1911, and on both occasions he
mad made most able arguments against the Con-
stitnional power to pass Bank Bill But the
severe schooling which the country experienced
during this War, satisfied Mr.. Giles that Bank
was "a necessary and proper means for the adj
mInlstraiion OF the National finances and he came
| forward like Patriot, and surrendered his OBJ
Jectons on the altar Of his country. We heard
from hin no contemplate winnings about his
consistency! He looked to his country, and in
the contemplation Of what was necessary for her
happiness, and prosperity, and glory, he never In
dulged thought of himself, or his interests or
his consistency. Ii .here be one trait of charac-
ter about Statesman, which we admire above all
others, ii is this noble disregard Of SELF When
we near man pratIng about his consistency, we
are always sure 20 suspect he is looking TO the el-
feet which his is to have not on his conn
try-but on himself. Give us the man of tina,
high moral bravery which dares TO do what is
right under all circumstances i-ons who docs