Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-09

favored classes carefully concealed also the
dency if not the ultimate design Of the stem build up
arstOcacy of wealth. control the Of society, and
munopolze the political power Of the country.
The several branches Of this system intimately
blended together that in their operation each sustained and
strengthened the others Their join, operation add
burdens Of taxation and encourage largely increased
and waseul expenditure Of public money. II the in
teres of the bank that the collected and the dsbuse
made by the Government should be large because be-
ing the depository the public money the larger the amount
the greater would De the bank profits BY 1t the
interest of the favored classes who enriched by the pro-
,ecye tariff to have the rates Of that protection high
possbe for the higher those the greater would be their
advantage WIS the interest of the people OF all those
tons and localities who expected be benefited by expend
lures for internal improvements that the amount collected
should be large possible the end that the dsburs
ed might also be the larger The States being the beneficial
rles in the distribution of the lind money! had interest in
having the rates Of tax imposed by the protective tariff large
enough 10 yield sufficient from that meet
the wants OF the Government, without disturbing taking
from them tho land fund.- that each of the branches cons
tutng the system had common interest in swelling the pub
lie expenditures They had direct interest in maintaining
the public debt unpaid and increasing its amount because
this would produce annual increased drain upon the Trea
sury TO the amount OF the interest and render augmented
taxes necessary The operation and necessary effect of the
whole system Sere to encourage large and extavagn
pendtues, am thereby increase the public patronage and
mantan rich and splendid Government the expense of
taxed and impoverished people.
II is manies that this scheme of enlarged taxation and
penditues, had continued to prevail have
vcrted the Government of the Union, intended by its trainers
to be plain, cheap, and simple Confederation of States uni
ted together for protection and charged with few
specific duties, relating chiefly 10 foreign affairs, into
consolidated EMPIRE depvng the States of their reserved
rights, and the people of their just power and control in the
administration Of their Government In this the whole
form and character OF the Government would be changed
by amendment of the constitution, but by resorng
understandable and unauthorized construction OF that nsru
meIt.
rkpi n1r rnoIa &c III b,,
ports prevents the OF the people from readily percevng
the they pay and has enabled few who are thus
enriched and who seek WELD the political power OF the
country to deceive and deude them Were the col
ected by direct levy upon the people, the in the
States, this could not occur
The whole system resisted from its inception by many
OF our abies statesmen of wom doubted its cnntu
onay and its expedienly, while others believed was,
all its branches fragrant and dangerous nrcton of the
constitution. . Il.
That national bank, protective tariff levied
the revenue needed, but for protection merely internal i'm
proyenens and tue distribution of the proceeds Of the sale of
the public lands are without the of the
su,ion, would, upon the maures considerations be
clear II is remarkable that of these measures,
vovng such momenlous consequences is authorized by any
express grant Of power i'll the constitution No of them
nclden to- being necessary and proper for the
ton Of the specific powers granted BY the constitution The
authority under which has been attempted to Justify each of
them derived from differences and constructions of
sttuon which lis letter and It's whole object and design do
would have been left by The Trainers of the constitution to
nfeences and doubtful construcons Had been intended
TO confer them the Federal Government is but reason
able to conclude that would have BEN done by plain and
unequvocal grants This dine bot the whole
structure of which the Anericaa system consisted was
reared other better foundation than forced mpca
tons and nerences power which its authors assumed might
be dsduced by construction from the constitution.
But has been urged tina, tho national bank which consi
tuted essential banch Of this combined system of
sures, was not measure, ard that its consituonay
had been previously sanctioned because bank had been
chartered in 1871, aud had received the official signature of
President Washington. few facts will show the just weight
To which this precedent should be entitled bearing upon the
question OF constitutionhly. w..
Great division Of opinion upon the subject existed in Con-
gess. 1t is well known that President Washington
tanned serious doubts both the consutionaity and
expediency the measure and while the bill before him
for his oicii approval disappova great these
doubts, that he required the opinion in writing of the
members OF Is cabinet to aid him in arriving decision
His cabinet gave their opinion, and divided upon the
subjec-GCnera Hamilton being favor of and Mr. Jeer-
aud Mr. Randolph being opposed TO- the constaonaty
and expectancy Of the bank II is well known, also, that
President Washington retained the bill from Monday, the
fourteenth when it presented to him, until Friday the
twenty fh OF Febuay-being the last moment permitted
him by the constitution to deliberate when he finally yielded
10 his reluctant assent, and gave it his signature II iscer
tain that late the twenty third Of Februay-bsine the
ninth day 'e the bill was presented to himhe bad arrived
at no Satisfactory conclusion for on that day he addressed
note TO General Hamilton, which he Informs him that " this
bill presented TO by the jont committee OF Congress
at IL oclck Monday, the fourteenth instant !; and he
requested his opinion to what precise period by legal inter
probation Il the constitution the President retain in his
possession before becomes law by the lapse Of days
Ii the proper construction was that the day which the bill
pested 10 the President and the day which his
ton lad upon IL both be counted inclusive, then
the time allowed him. within which would be competent for
him to il TO the House in which it originated with his
objections would expire ThuTsday the twentyfourth Of
February.
Gen. Himi ton on the same day returned an answer in
which he al give my opinion that you have
days exclusive Of that which the bill delivered you,
and SunGs hence in the present case if is returned
Friday il vii be in time" Dy this construction, which the
President adopted he gained another day for dheraon, and
no until the 25th Of February that be signed the bill
thus song conclusive proof that he bad last obtained
his sign without great and almost insu
perable difficulty. Additional light has been recently shed
upon the serious doubts which he had the subject amount
ing al one time conviction tina; il his duty TO with
hold his approval from the bill This is found among the
manuscript papers Mr. Madison, authorized to be purchased
for the Of the Government by act Of the last session Of
Congress and nov for the first time accessible TO the public
From these payers appears that President Washington
while be We, held the bank bill in his hands, actually request
ed Mr. Madison that time member of the House OF Rep
resene prepare the daught Of veto for him.
Mr. % bis request, did prepare the draught of such
message and To him the 2lst Of February, 1891.
copy o this original draugh, in Mr.. Madsons hand
writing, carefully preserved by him, and is among the
papers lately purchased by Congress preceded by nor
written the sheet, which also In Mr. Madisons
handwriting, and is follows
"Februsry 2ls, 1891. Copy Of paper made out and
IN The Preden, his REQUEST to lie ready in his
judgment should finally decide against the bill for incorporating
II ~ l-E.