Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-11

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question which has 81 much agiatcd the PUBIC
MIND When the lii! WAS returned ~ ''' J. r';'
den, IN i.ncd. slorln arose i'll the itnuS' III ".
pi,s, of which, the veto WAS attacked e'i'ei,
of passionate defamation, mixed win no sii'';i
share al personal abuse. To a meinicr rom
Ohio whose observations paItook o. the ldt'cr
character MIR Polk replied in an cncrSc,ic IN, :.
pruvisalon, vndcatin@ the patriotic ics1i".o, =,
The Chief Magistrate Tie iren's oil states
Rights. in the House, rallied mahllliy upon i'e
veto. The result was, that the bill was relcc'eu'
End countless log rolling projects. for The cxreh
d;uns Of many millions Of The public treasure,
which awaited the decision. persisted III e'hnfvo'
In December, 1892. he was transferred To me
Committee Of WAYS and Means, with which ms
connection has been 50 distinguished. ~ una,
session the Directors of the Bank OF The lnl'cd
States were summoned 10 Washington, ana end
mined uron oath, before the committee Jus'
named A division Of opinion resulted III nv
presentation of two reports That Of the majority
which admitted that the Bank had exceeded us
lawful powers bv interfering with ne pan OF 'iie
Government 10 pay of the three per GEM. 'loch
was tame and unaccompanicd ny Pci'iiich' 'n q.
or Calculating details. Mr.. Polk. on ehaii VI
the minority, made detailed rcfolt coii'liiuiii-
eating all the material circumstances, and pre-
ton which had been The subject ol inquiry. ms
arrayed against him the whole Bank power
which he was made 10 feel al a quarter where nc
had every thing al stake: for upon his return 10
his district he found the most formidable OPPOSE
ton mustered against him Tor his course upon
this question The friends of The Uhilcd STATES
Bank held meeting in Nashville to Gcnouhce
lis report. The most inscriptions misrepresen-
tatiolls were rcslred 10, Ill or!cr Ia prove lal nc
had DESTROYED the credit of The West. ny pro-
claiming that his countrymcn were unworthy Oh
mercantile confidence. The result, however, was,
that after violent contest, Mr. Polk was rc-clcct-
cd by a majority Of more than three thousand
Fortunately for the s,abit; OF our INSTITUTIONS.
the panics which brighten cities from their pro-
priely." do not sweep with the same desolatlnS
force over the scattered dwellings Of the country
In September. 1888. the President indignant NJ
The oren defiance of law by the Bank OF The U.
States. and the unbushing corruption which II
nracised determined upon the bG!d and Sau;aIy
measure of the removal OF the depo>cS which
was elected in The following month. The act
produced much excitement throughout the coun-
ry. and il was foIcSccn that great and doubtful
conflict was abont 10 cnsuc Al stch Crisis II
became important 10 have nj The head ol Inc COM
mi;tcc o. Ways and Means Il man If courage
10 meet. and llnnncss la sustain. the formidable
and he proved himself equal To the OCCASION
Congress met, and the conflict proved even fierccr
than had been anticipated. The cause OF The
Bank was supported in the House, by such men
as Mr. McDute Adams, and Binncy, not to
mention host of other names. Ii is Instructive
10 look back in cahncr times Ia the reign oil terror.
known as the Panic Session. The Bank, with The
whole commerce Of the country al lis feet alter
nately torurins and easing il> miserable pension
erS rs they increased OF relaxed their cries oinan
c;al agony; public meetings held in every city, with
scarcely the nermisSiCn OF 4 day. denouncinS The
president, rrant ana the enemy OF his country;
Populations docking from Ike toWns Ia cXiOr from
him 4 reluctant submission; Wing orators ira
versin" the country, and stimulating the passions
of excited mul;udcS without respect even to the
>anctv of the sabbath; inilammatov mcmori-
ais poured into Congress from every quarter; tie
Senate almost decreeing itself into state oi per-
manent instruction, and proclaimns that re-
vululon had already begun al The business oil
legislation in both wings of the Capitol po>!ro-
ncl 10 that OF agitation and panic; an exiraJudi-
cial aud branding sentence pronounced upon lie
Chief Magistrate of The nation. III violation 81
usage and OF the consiluiion-thcse features pre-
sen; but a faint piciur. of the alarm and coniu-
sion which prevailed. CONSERVATION had almost
seized upon the Republican ranks thnned by tie
scGtions and harrasscd hy dislraciing doubts and
tals. But the stern resolve oi him whose iron
arm guided the helm OF State, conducted the pc
lilo,ls conflict To a successful issue. Nor should
we forget the eminent services Of the Individual,
who presided o:cr the Committee of Ways and
Means. His GOODNESS. prompti,udc, and abun-
G;Int resources. were never at fault. his open
ing speech in vindication Of the Presidents inca
sure, contains all the material facts and reasons
on the Republican side OF the question, enforced
with much power. and illustrated by great search.
To this speech amos, every member Of the or-
position. who SPOKE upon the question, attempted
II replv hut the arguments which il author
brought forward to establish the power oil the Pre-
sident under the Constitution, as clucida,cd by
contcmporanecus or early exposition, 10 do The
act. which had been 80 boldly denounced a.
high-handcd aid yrannical usurpation, could nci-
ihcr he ;eiutcd nor weakened. Mr.. AcDuc.
the distinguished leader of the opposition in this
cventlu conflict bore testimony, in his concluc-
in. remarks 10 the '-bodncss and nanlineSs,
with which Mr.. Polk had assumed the only po-
sion which could h" judiciously taken. The IL
nancia portion Of his speech and that i'll which
he exposed the glarn" mistecds of The Bank, were
no less efficient When Mr. McDuific had con-
cluded the remarks 10 which we have alluded
member from Virginia, after few pertinent OBJ
scrvafionS demanded the previous question.
crcss than at This thrilling moment. The two par
ties looked at each other for space, in sullen
silence. like two armies on the eve al a deadly
conflict The motion of Mr.. Mason prevailed
the debate was arrested, and the division proved
a triumphant victory for the Republican cause.
The Bank then gave up the contest in despair.
The position of the Chairman Of the Commit
tee of WAYS and Means al all times most ar
duous and responsible ono, was douhly 50 al this
session, which will form an epoch in the political
annals of the country. Mr.. Polk occupied it for
the first time. From its organization and The ma
iure of lis duties this committee must he al all
times the chief organ of every administration in
! the House. AT this session il was for Obvious
reasons peculiarly so. To attack ii, then was 10
! strike al the Govcrnmcnl 10 cmbarrass lis action
was To hwart the course Of the administration
Extraordinary and indiScriminate opposition was
accordingly made 10 all the appropriation bills
! II was avowcd in debate thai it was within the
score OF legitimate opposition 10 withhold even
the ordinary supplies until the depoSiles were r.
stored to the Bank Of the United States; that THIS
restitution must he made, or revolution ensuc.-
The Bank must triumph. or the wheels OF Coy
crnmcn, lie arrested. The people should never
| forget the periS Of a contest in which they were
almost constrained TO succumb. The recollection
should warn them not 10 build up again power
in the State of such formidable faculties The
tactics which we have just described, threw great
additional labor upon the committee, and particu
larly upon its chairman Fully apprized of the
difficulties he had to encounter, he maintained his
post with sleeplcss vigilance and untirng aciiv-
| " He was always ready to give the House am
pie explanations upon every item, however mi
mute Of the various appropriations. He was
ever prompt 10 meet any objections which might
be started. and of qlick sagacity 10 detect the az
liiiccs 10 which facious dsingcnuousncsS is prone
to resort All the measures Of the committee, III
Guiding those Of paramount importance, relating
10 the Bank and the deposites were carried in
spite of the most immisabc opposition. The
,ruc-hearcd Republicans who conducted this cri-
tical conflict to a successful issue among whom
| Mr.. Polk occupies distinguished rank, deserve
the lasting gratitude of the country
Towards the close Of the memorable session of
1884, Mr.. Speaker Stevenson resigned the Chair,
/ as well as his seat in the House. The majority OF
n