Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1844-03-28

) Inc Loco editors are driven 10 hard straits /,
bolster up their sinking cause. and The Editor .
the Richmond Enquirer. Instead Of stakior
nap" g ne promisedi0 do in The I8srrison cam
Paign, is Sighting with the desperation Of Richa5
on the field Of Bosworlh.
Prom the .agspicaa Wig.
Mr.. " Da6is-ln the last Richmond Enon;rs
Is correspondence between Mr Thos. R,tchis
% .hs Enqairer, and NJ. 4 DutTie, Senator 3
Carolina, in wkied he former presents viii
Z VIZ talrspselns II The N Eycanhaut Il VI
Of composition. With sundry bows and sslap,
he approaches the Senator with sII the humiIi
~ of slave in b address to an eastern uabob
and tells him that the. wings are quoting his (Mr
M'D's) former yiews in favor of Ea,iona
Bank, and asks. (ihe, italics are his) ..MayI pre-
sumo 10 ask you, whether you siill retain III,
same views In regard TO the constilntionaliIs. a
well n regard TO the e9pedisneg of sneh an inst
tuition" Other gentlemen have changed thei
views OF this very problem. Mr.. Clay has beer
converted from 40 opponent 10 a champion Tand
/ 50 was Mr.. Msdisonl Mr.. Crawford changed
from bad to good, Gas humblY conceive. fho "
very modest!l Has MIR McDofie varied 10 his
views and will he be free enough 10 answer au
honest enquirer sf9r The truth r. ~ am al.
most tempted TO touTh another subject Of deep.
or Importance than the one 10 which dedcate
i this hasiy letter. It relates TO the success of
the Republican Party iu. the present perilous
struggle But even AR - has declined to ad-
dress YOU upon il, and il does not become me 10
'srush" where he fears 10 tread .
We wonder who this Mir is. that il too
timid TO approach and ssk simple cue. ton of
his highness, George McDufie
The reply Of MIR. McDufie is moi what might
have been expected Of MIN in regard 10 the
bank. II. knows that he defended the bank up
to lis latest hour of its National capacity, and
| If be had found aughi 10 bear him GU, ID bis pre-
sentdenuociations Of j he was failhless to his
trust in not exposing it;-but he knows that il
was not Until il had become State Institution,
and was shorn Of its powers, that il became in
VOWED in the difficulties by which it was even.
tually overthrow, Mr.. McDu1fle, it will be
seen, still msintains The constitutionolity Of the
bank, and lhiswas the great point al issue
The concluding senteace of his letter, we think
| wigbe found rather TOO strong dose for The
Northern lOcos but we are glad 10 find that the
l'Chitalry are benz upon making The dough faces
!" Toe The mark''- let them stick to that, and we
shalLfeel ourselves their humble servants !
The following is the reply Of Mr.. McDufie: 4
WASHINGTON, 2Gth Feb, ls44.,-
Dear Sir;-I cam have no hesitation in al.
swering your enquiries. As to HE constitution
atty ola Bank ol5lhe United S,ates--as that il
question not depending upon circumstance
have not changed my opinion, unless veIy
strong doubts Of the power Of Congress to exempt
Ibe Stockholders from individual responsibility.
constitute change. Such exemption, howevsr,
is not al all essentlailo corporation for bank
ing, or any other purposes. But should be To-
tally blind 70 The lessons of experience, if after
the Tremendous explosion of the late Bank oflhe
United States. could believe il expedient 10 es.
tablsh another. Il supported that Bank as a
national, and not as party measure. then
so regarded il But we are admonished by eve
ry thing around Us, that any Bank which NAV
now be established is destined 10 be a mere par
ty engine, and one of The great controlling pow
ers Of the State And will add, that unless
the nature Of man be entirely changed 1RwiIi be
powerful Such an institution, in the hands Of
bold and INSCRIPTIONS political leader Isus
tanned by well organized political party BY the
gtes. manufacturing interest, Secured in lis allie
glance by The bountes of protective Tariff, and
even by sovereign states, seduced by the msera-
bic delusion Of giving Them the proceeds of the
sales Of the public lands, and assuming their
debts-would be literally "more terrible than an
army with banners" lido not believe the pub.
lion.
With regard TO the other question TO which
you allude-;he union Of the great Republican
Party-there is but oGe motto under which they.
can successfully rallY-and that Is, FREE
TRADE AND UNC0MPRoMiSlNG WAR
AGAINST THE PROTECTIVE SYSTEM
AND IFS AFFILIATED MEASURES II
The Tatid should be satisfactorily reduced, as L
now hope u will, think The South and South.
west will move in solid column and with an un
talieting step. i am, very respectfully,
4 Your obedient servant.
GEO. McDUFFIE.
Now lei the reader again refer 10 what Mr.
McDufie said 10 1880 as chairman of the Com
miltee appointed 10 investigate the condition Or
the National Bank. What he says since, about
the explosion" Of the Bank, after il became
sia.s institution, is unworthy Of man claiming
title to chsalry" and fair dealing.
In his report in April 1890, he says -
NO persons can be more competent 10 give
just construction Of The constitution than those
who had principal agency inIramng il 1; and
no administration can claims more perfect ex-
emption from all those Influences which some.
times peIyert the judgment, even Of The most
wise and patriotic, than that Of the Father Of his
Country during tbe FIRST fern Of his service"
We add one other passage from Mr.. McDuf-.
6e's reportupon another Pofpt
Such were The circumstances under which
all the branches Of the National Legislature
solsmuly determined that the power Of creating
a NatOnal Bank was vested in Congress, The
Constitution. TAs Bank thus created continued
its operations for t@enty9 years-lhe period for
which tie charter was granted -durihg which
time public and private credit were raised from
PROSTATE to very elevated condition, aud the
finances Of the nation were placed on the most
solid Foundations
In addition to The foregoing We annex the fol.
lowing extract from Mr.. McDufie's speech in
1880, on The Bank
g 1t may be said without dispaFagement, thstl
an assembly OF higher TALENT and purer patriots
ISM has ne ger existed since the days Of the revo-
tuition. than HE Congress BY which The present
hank wsstincorporated- Ifever political par
" existed Of which it might be truly said !. that
all the ends shky aimed a. we're their counfry
it was the Republican party Of that day. They
had Just conducted the country through the Pc
ris Of q var vagsd in defence of herrighls and
honor, and evating their views far above the
narrow and miserable ends 81 party strife,
sought only 70 advance tlse permanent happiness
OF the people. Il was to this great end that
they establishedthe present Bank
And again, after speaking Of Nr. Madisohs
Recommendation Of The measure, be said.
seThe Bank being now recommended BY
Republican Administration, was carried through
both branches o. Congress a. a Republican msa-
sars. By an oEerwhelning msjorily Of Inc Re
publican party