The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-06-17

/ Vucatln9 the charter Of Inc late Uhlteu States
| Bank in 1915, 1t was ain error cotlmun to the
,ohols Democratic party Of that day,
/ But have those who bring this charge against
Mr.. Clay never changed Were they not in
favor of U. S. Bank in 1892! Did not Mr..
Dallas advocateits recharter at that time, and did
Houses Of Congress by very large majorties-
the present opponents Of national bank having
then very large majority in the House of Repre-
sentatives +! Did not the Legislature of Pennsyl
vania adopt resolutions, in 1882, recommending
the recharter of the Bank, and was it not noto-
rious that the then Jackson party in Pehnsy Iva
MIA were in favor of the recharter Of the Bank
Most assuredly. And further: was not the same
party, after having wheeled about On the question
of National Bank, in favor of the State, or "pet
bank" system! Every man who can remember
the transactions of 1884, IS, g, and Z, knows this
| to be the fact. Mr. Polk, himself, was among
the advocates of the "pet bank system" Have
they, then, not changed And if SO, why do they
make so much ado about Mr.. Clay's changing upon
one single question, and especially, too, when
the whole Democratic party changed with him!
Had Mr.. Clay like Mr.. Van Buren,, voted for
and against every prominent public measure that
has agitated the minds of people since his en-
trance into public life, they might well complain
of his fickeness, and want of principle but no
living statesman has been more uniform and con-
sistent in his course; more devoted to the well
fare OF his country; or more anxious to promote
the comfort, industry, and wealth of his country
men. The laborng man, mechanic, manufac-
turer, merchant, farmer, and planter, never had
truer friend, nor our country more sagacious
and self-devoting statesman.
| EXTRACT FROM MR. CLAWS ADDRESS TO
HIS CONSTITUENTS AT LEXIN GTON, KY,
| JUNE g. 1916, ON THE U. S. BANK CUES
| TON.
| A third consideration upon which he acted in
1911, was, that az the power to create corpora
ton, such as was proposed to be continued, was
not specifically granted in the Constitution, and
did not then appear to him to be necessary to
carry into effect any of the powers which were
specifically granted, Congress was not author
lied to continue the Bank. The Cons titution,
he said, contained powers delegated and prohib-
| tory, powers expressed and constructive. 1t
vests in Congress all powers necessary to give
effect to the enumerated powers-all that may be
| necessary to put into motion and activity the
chine of Government which it constructs. The
| powers that may be SO necessary are deduct
BILE by construction. They are not defined in
the Constitution. They are, from their nature,
indefinable. When the question is in relation to
one Of these powers, the point of inquiry should
be, is its exertion necessary to carry into effect
| any of the enumerated powers and objects IF the
General Government With regard to the de.
gree of necessity, various rules have been at diff
ferent times, laid down; but, perhaps, at last,
there is no other than sound and honest iudg-
ment exercised, under the checks and control
which belong to the Constitution and to the
people.
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, which necessity is to be
sought for and ascertained by sound aud honest
discretion, it is manifest that this necessity may
not be perceived, at one time, under one state OF
things, when it is perceived at another time, under
different state of things. The Constitution, it
is true, never changes; it is always the same !;
but the force OF circumstances and the lights of
experience may evolve to the fallibIe persons
charged with it's administration, the fitness and
| necessity of particular exercise of constructive
power to-day, which they did not see at a former
period.
| Mr.. Clay proceed to remark that when the ap-
|
| Bank of the United States, such an institution did
not appear to him to be SO necessary to the full
flment of any of the objects specifically enume-
rated in the Constitution, as to justify Congress
in assuming, by construction, power 10 establish
4 it. 1t was supported mainly upon the ground
that it was indispensable to the Treasury opera
tons. But the local institutions in the several
States were at that time in prosperous existence,
conided in by the community having confidence
in each other, and maintaining an intercourse aud
connexon the most intimate. Many of them
were actually employed by the Treasury to aid
that Department. in part of its fiscal arrange
ments and they appeared to him to be fully ca
pabe Of afording to it all the facility that it ought
to desire in all of them. They superseded, in
his Judgment the necessity of national nstitu-
ton. But how stood the case in 1916, when he
was called upon again to examine the power of
the General Government to incorporate Nation.
al Bank! total change of circumstances was
| nra ovo of ha 4