Holly Springs gazette., 1844-04-13

% furnish him with their opinions IN Wi
I i0g The Cabinet consisted of Fhoma
/ Jefferson. Edmund Randolph, Alex Han
/ ilton, ana Gen. Knox Jefferson, and Rau
dolPh We're opposed to the law, aud aamii
ton and Know 10 favor Of IT, Iheis res
! pecuve opinions were sustained BY writes
arguments. which have literally exbaustet
the subject. General Washington delavel
hls decision to the last moment, giving /;
the views oi his Secretaries The mosl pro
! .ound coaSlderation-and al length, beine
satlsiIed that the measure was warranted by
TIE Constitution and called for BY the nee
essities olthe country, signed the bill and
tna y gave Il the sanction Of 4 name
which, in the estimation OF all well bal
anced minds, would far outweigh tie au-
thority Of an hundred hair splitting, rein
ing "a bstracti0nists !"
here Is one passag the written opinion
Of Mr. Jefferson which we beg leave to
command the especial attention Of our read
ers. Alter enforcing his objections to the
bill with all the power and ingenuity which
his vast intellect could bring to bear on the
s1tiect be remarks 1T must be added
however, that unless the Presidents MUD
90 iew of every thing which is urged
for and against the bill Is tolerably
clear that it Is unauthorized by the Consti
tuition If the FRo and con hang SO even as
to balacce his Judgment, iusl respect for
the wis lom of the Legislature would natu
raliy decide the balance IN favor of,heir o.
pinion Ii is chiefly for cases where they
are learly misled by error, ambition or in-
terest that the constitution has placed a
check IN the negative of the President
How much evil would our country have
been spared, II those in authority who pro
fe>s the principles of Jefferson bad made
their conduct copsorm to hls Precepts
We now haze view Of The facts and cir
attending the incorporation of
the first Bank. under the Constitution Bot
there are other considerations connectedwnh
TINS event, which N our judgment, are emit.
tied to very great weight; and give 10 this
Legislative and Executive expositions 0 {
the constitution an extraordinary authority.
Il was made within less than two wears
after the con>titu ion OF the Ualted States
was formed, aad, of course, at a pefiod when
toe views aud meaning Of is trainers were
better understood than a: any subsequent
time.
Secondly II was made. to great ex-
tent, bv the VERY MES WHO framed the con
slitption, and who must be presumed TO have
undets ood their own meaning better then
anv ole Else.
By rtfefenc to the Senate Journal. 1871,
pare 234 II will be found that there were
eight members of that body no had been
mont hers ofthe Convention whIch formed
the CoGsJ5GHon-ylz john Laugdon, \
T,ar-1r, III -
Y, Robert Morris, Pa, Rch'd Bassett,
DeIs. Geo Reid, Drla.. Pierce Butter, S
c., VIM. Few. Geo.
Ofthese, the six first named voted for the
Bank, and the las: t1o against it.
In the House of Representatives,. there
were also, eight members VINO had been
members Of the Convention-thev were
Geo. Clymer, Pa, Those Fnzsimmons, Pa
Nicholas Gilman, n H, Roger Sherman,
Conn, Abraham Baldwin. Geo, Daniel
Carol, Md, James Madison, Virginia,
Hugh Williamson, y c.
The four frs. voted for the Bank, and
the tour last against It,
Itthus appears that Of the l6 members of
the Convention, who were in the two
Houses of Congress. TEN voted for the Bank
ntiS $40 dEtttfiSs w.
We also know, officially. that George
Washington and Alexander Hamilton were
IN favor oft; and as we shall presently see
that James Madison reIinqaished his obiec-
tons to it, we find upon proper classifca-
ton that the members of the Convention
stand 3 for TO ) against it, or nearly in the
ratio OF the three to one.
This TACT being established. may we not
be permitted. with all due Difference to the
superior wisdom of our brethren it is not
asking rather too much OF US to require that
we shall adopt their Interpretation of the
meaning the Constitution, in opposition TO
the solemnly recorded opinions OF those
who made IL
Ia confirmation OF our own view we a.
gain invoke the authority of Mr. NDuffie.
Ia bis report in April lS30-he says
No person can be more competent 20 give
a just construction OF the Constitution than
had principal agency in framing
II; and no ad .ninistratIon can claim more
perfect exemption from all those influences
which sometimes pervert the Judgment ey.
en- ofthe most wise and patriotic, than that
OF the Father of his Country during the first
term Of his servsce =
We will heFeadd one other passage from
Mr.. Nc DUTIES report upon another point.
Such were the circumstances under
which all the branches of the National Leg
iSlature solennIv determined that the DO W.