The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-05
INcoNsls rENCY .

INCoNslS rENCY.
We are not among those who regard every change
Of opinion in public as proof oil 'neo"'s'en
CIV or Regeneration. The wisest must sr'w SIN
u;ssr as ,hrx grow older and an honest man viii
rather On n than lose in public estimation by prompt
" and frankly acknowledging an error OF judgment
W.. ca,,o, ;,s,ly taunt man with inconsistency
until we have examined and weighed the reasons a. :
signed by him for change OF opinion
There is kind Of inconsistency, however, which,
on the face Of il, is fair subject oil ridcu'e apo
censure, and OF strong suspicion il is that display
ed BY man, who having teen to The highest degree
intolerant and dogmatic on one side oil question:
suddenly changes sides, and vrulent'y assals all VINO
still adhere TO the opinions which he once so obsl
nately maintained himself--impugnng even their mo-
tives, as well as dsriaiug their convictions
OF this we do not know a more fragrant example
than Mr.. Clay in his course on the Bank question.
One Of his most eloquent and argumenlatve speech
es is that in which he opposed the renewal Of the
charter of the first Bank Of the United States. lie
denounced tho institution in the strongest terms and
in every point of view both unconstitutional and IN
expedent and not combining himself TO argument mere
ly, INDUCED in unsparing reproach and rdicule Of
the friends Of the Bank.
"This vagrani power to erect Bank" said ne,
"after wandering throughout the whole Constitution
in quest of some congenial spot TO fasen upon, has
been at length located by the gentleman from Geor-
gia on that provs on which authorizes Congress to
lay and collect taxes &c. In 1871, the power is re-
ferred to one part of the instruments in 1871 to ano-
Their. Sometimes il is alleged to be deducible from
tbe powers to regulate commerce. Hard pressed
there, it dsa pears, and shows itself under the grant
10 coin money"
He particularly severe upon the "doctrine OF
presidents which had been appealed to as settling
the question Of const,u ionalty and which he con-
sidered g fraught with the ost mischcvous conse-
quences."
He commended that the Bank was not only uncon-
stitutional, but wholly unnecessary; and proceeded
70 show, by fact, actual experience, not heoretic
reasoning by the records themselves Of the Trea-
sury, that the operations Of that Departmn may be
n well conducted without with this Bank"
He denounced il as dangerous and tending TO cor
ruption; and declared that there satisfactory
proof Of its having in,er!ered in politics
In few years, Mr.. Clay's opinions on the subject
of the Bank wholly reversed and in address
to his constituents, defending himself from charge
IN
he had at last cornered, freed the "vagrant pow.
er to erect Bank" which had been lodging about
20 actively among the limbs and branches OF the
Constitution:
"The constructive powers being auxiliary TO the
specifically granted powers, and depending for their
sanction and existence upon necessity to give effect
to the latter hch TO be sought for and
cd by sound and honest discreet on, it is manifest
that this necessity may not be perceived, at one
time, under ono state Of things when it is perceived
nj another time, under different state Of things
The Constitution II is true, changes IL is al
ways the same; but the force Of circumstances and
the lights " experience may evolve to the fallible
pesoIs, charged with its administration, the fitness
and necessity Of particular exercise OF coDstruc
tive power TO day, which they did not see at Tor
msr period.'
Bo b the language and logic Of this argument mus,
have appeared exceedingly fine TO MIR Gays con-
stituen,s-or to such of them understood it-for
20 the major portion il was probably as unmeanine
ss the old jingle Of three blue beans in blue blad
der, rattle beans and rattle bladder" But surely
man who had been put TO such shifts to exculpatt
himself from o charge Of inconsistency, and who
had been compelled to eat up much of his own
tough argument against the Bank, might have learn
cd, and committed deeply 10 memory, lesson OF
moderation and of Charity for the opinions of others
Yet when the question Of the Bank came again
before Congress and the People to be argued de
when the whole subject was fairly and egitinately
open, and the force Of circumstances and the lights
Of experience had "cooed" great deal Of very Gu
rious additional matter he was even more dogma,i
cal and dictatorial than he had been at first, He dis
dained either to make, listen 10 argument anc
the doctrine Of precedent which he had 20 secuted
and derided, was Sufficient, in his eyes to establish
both the cons,itutionay and the eIpedency Of the
Bank. He would not permit argument, ever
against the expedency, TO be drawn from a state o
things wholly unprecedented. The Bank was to be
established by right Of war; aud in saiu quo ante bel
iur', not feature unchanged And falling In the at
tempt to effect his object, either by main force or by
the artihce of making concession OF principle IL
order to sxtort one, bs n,oersnt rage caused him
forget both what is due TO himself and due to the
country he gives the signal for "anober party war
fare Of unexsmped asperiiy !" and vents his spleer
upon the President in language before used by
senstor in speaking Of the Chief Magistrate Of III,
nation; denouociug him as weak--because he resist
ed him successfully; vaciIlstipg--becsusc he ad
hered steadily 10 principle p blessed throughout h
public life iaithess-beosuse he refused to betra,
the People, by prostitu,ing the influence and power
the Government to the purposes of party.
QUERY FOR THE NATIONAL INTEIJ.I
GENCER