Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-06-13

cef,oeen hfmse Jand the President. always thought
II "nf"ir TO hold one party in personal consro-
versy and allow the other to keep striking at, and
nefchance to scratch him. therefore let 90 MIR.
'yiefs hands aud desire you TO publish the ac-
companying letter.
Yours, respectfully,
June 3.
WASHINGTON, February 9th, 1874.
MY Dear Sir.-Mr. Stuart's address, filling
'our columns OF the Stanton Spectator, which
you Were good enough to send me. has been
ceived, and l confess nv surprise at it's whole
TENOR and character. lie was reported to have
said IN speech to those who were once his con-
sutuents, but are so no longer. that my course Oh
tue Bank Question at the extra session of Con-
g'es was inconsistent, and that 1 stood committed
To him an my o,On hand oriiing To The last Ba nk
o,H' and that he had The proyJ IF ii in his posses
SION: ihis charge obtained extensive circulation
IN virginia, and IN some quarters was made the
SUBJECT OF the bieTest inveclives and most libel
ious attacks upon me. The Aladisonian, some
Twelve months ago, published a fat contradiction
OF inc whole story, and challenged the produce
uoh oil the paper. 1t was not produced. The
report sun circulated to my prejudice, until
prompted by the suggestions Of IA long standing
friendship, you were led to ask of me a state
ment oi the facts. did not hesitate to give
them. IL was due to a friendship originating he
l
10 yourself as a citizen Of my native State, and
IN an especial manner due TO Inys, If, that such
explanation should have been given; and that is
what MIR. Stuart calls an attack NJ the President
! ~ me u. Sfafes on himself, and il is for this he
seeks 10 enlist in his behalf the sympathies of
his late constituents. Well let him have their
! sympathies. have nothing TO do with that. In
oIuer 10 excite them he may appeal TO the mSer-
able and disgracetul faniaronade of retiring Sc
ere'ar'es. he may claim fellowship with the un-
happy man who found at the Head Of the 1'rea-
sury Dept.ifhe pleas.s. | have no right or dis
position to interfere with MIR. S,uart's choice OF
MS companions, none whatever; but | have
right 10 say 10 MIR. Stuart, that when he accuses
me OF moral or political offence upon proof, in his
oion possession, and in my oton hand wriiing, he
piays out poor part when he abandons his ,orii-
&c" PToY and invokes assistance from other quar-
ters. The charge which Mr.. Stuart makes is an
isolated one. Ii Is That he has me committed in
o5dth ana rhife to the last Bank bill which We
!oeu' deny roundly and fully this charge. An
Issue is thus formed between us. He exhibits
INC paper and II contains distinct denial of the
principle involved in the returned Bill. That
Dili proposed to establish Bank and to claim
Tor u authority 10 establish agencies in the differ
ent Hiales to sell and purchase bills of exchange
oy Inc mere force Of the act self-ihus asserting
LOT congress plenary power the whole sub
Jec'' Inc amendment proposed by me denies TO
Congress plenaryy and uncontrolled power, but
renders all Its action subordinate to that of the
STATES. IL Gays, in substance, Congress NAV act
as local legislature for the District Of Colum-
oia' II may act in that character but its powers
are no greater than those of any other LEGISLATURE
The Supreme Court decided that Bank of Penn.
sylvania could establish an agency to deal i'm the
exchanges at Mobile in the State of Alabama
} .'unless prohibited by the State of Alabama
! congress may take the same power over The
suoJect as pennsylvania Lui not one iot or title
more" Such was the character of mn commit
ment an writing TO Mr.. Stuart. The language
which employed is in substance the language
OF The Supreme Court. Mr.. Stuart carried this
amendmen, to the Wings Why did they not a.
aopf Al! IT Mr.. Stuart be right in saying it was
ine same an principle with the last bill passed.
let MIN explain why it was not adopted! Does
any man believe that the Wings did not see the
difference! Does Mr. Stuart believe il himself I!
lie cannot
The most extraordinary part of Mr.. Stuart's
p'Gooc"on is the following. lquole his words ::
In the second place The President charges that
DID not correctly understand the paper which
= he and agreed upon, or that if did l have
" mIsrePresenled it, Ii misunderstood il or
Z" mlss'ated its legitimate meaning, my dpIusion
was shared ny Mr.. Sergeant and Judge Berrien,
i a" two of the most distinguished men of both
Houses of Congress, for an, sure lhey wouId
not nave done SO vain thing as pass Bill for
" Inc purpose of having it vetoed" Now this is
most strange. Was the paper, agreed upon be-
tween Mr.. Stuart and myself, passed by Con-
S'eSS '''"si WIN or without the agency Of MeSsrs.
Sergeant and Berrenl Mr. Stuart has said so.
| He tells the country that the second bill was
passed just as l had drawn il. have no lam
guage I" express my establishment at a decIara-
ZION so nniounded IN point of fact, and come 10
the conclusion either that Mr.. Stuart has but
vague knowledge of what bill did pass, or that
ne iaDots under an Iniatuation of the most singu-
lar character The Bill that did pass was with
Out limitation, restriction or qualification. 1t
Grained LOT Congress the power TO establish a
/ BANK ior The whole union, Limited it is true to
dealing In the Exchanges, but claiming imperial
sway over the whole subject. 1t set State autho-
rity at defiance by virtue Of an overriding and
controlling claim to constitutional power. By
my amendment this high claim was denied. Il
eaid 10 congress, you may act for the District of
Columbia, but not for The Cnion-such power as
State may exercise, such nay you also, but not
one Jot or title more. Ii Mr.. Stuart could have
got Congress to pass the Bill as amended by me,
he should have had my thanks, and he would
nave been entitled to the thanks Of every Repub-
lican in the land. The Bark question would
have been settled and settled forever. The can
non might have resonnded the glad dings through.
out the land, that tie Bank Of the u. States was
dead and destined 10 no resurrection.
[ would tell MIR. Stuart now, that If he could
have accomplished The passage of the Bill to
Uhich tDds committed IN my 0,Cn hand ,oriLnc,
that as Republican should have rejoced with
exceeding great Joy; but he failed, and the veto
was the only alternative.
mere are other most singular discrepancies in
Mr.. Stuarts address, but have not leisure or pa
'isnee 10 comment upon them. Mr. Stuart has
do"e me great iWusiice.-Lei it pass. The delu-
sions most ariiolly created at the extra session,
lot Polltirai purposes solely, are passing away,
ana rear mol Tie Judgment Of posteriiy. have
struggled under load of caumny TO maintain
the cardinal principles Of the Republican party,