Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-04-04

eminent men IN our own State, known to hav4
been on different sides in politics; consideringss
that where two such eminent authorities one q
Federalist and the other a Republican, both
living witnesses at the time of the events refer
red 10 by them, indeed active and prominent
agents in those events, concurred in their state
ments, such statements ought 10 be deemed con-
elusive to'the extent TO which they were made
and thus concurred. We quoted, therefore,
from the "Life Of Washington ~ Judge Mar.
shall, andAhe- "Memoir correspondence, &c Of
Thomas Jefferson" The Wing, admitting
that thes: authorities are "eminently entitled to
respect excerpts TO them; because what they
state are not '.foeis' but "opinions." The Wing
Editors must have strange potioas Of wha. con-
s,i,u,e facts and what opinions. Judge Marshall.
rr'ting history, sates, in substance, that the
Bank question contributed not inconsidera5ly
to the complete organization oil the Federal
and Republican parties; and this is the whole
subst nee Of the passage quoted by Us and
Mr.. Jefferson states, as %solemnly in substance.
that "a division had already taken place
in The honest part Of Congress between tho
parties styled Republican and Federal" and
that one Of the questions which diyidrd them
was the Bank of the United States" which
was conceived and supported by Hamilton and
the Federalists; and the Wing says these are
'opinions' Of Judge Marshall and Mr.. Jefer-
son, not statements of facts" though it subse-
%quently admits that Judge Marshall's statement
is no doubt true. 4. Ell quotes an assertion
Of Mr.. McDuiie's, who, referring TO the same
period of 1871, says as The Wing quotes him.
"iherc was al that time no organization of pc.
liticaI par,ies;'' and the Wing claims to offset"
this assertion against those Opinions" We
suppose BY "off,rlting," the Wing means to OPP
pose one Of these statements to The other, as
contradictory. But il it can find any contra
diction in them, it is more than we can do. Mr..
McDuiie, as quoted, only says parties were not
organised in 1871. Judge Marshall states (bJ
inierencc) that they were not then organized, ard
agree. Mr. McDufie does not say, nor do any
Of them say, that parties had no previous srtf.
enee; on the contrary, the very statement that
they were not then organized, admits their pre-.
existence. And this i, done by all three.
Where is the disagreement None on earth.
Then Judge rarsha!l and Er. J %fferson, uncon-
:radicted-(aye, not liable TO be conlradic,ed,)
concur in stating, as MATER Of T CT, that the re.
deral md R,pu5iican parties Wsrc divided on ms
Bank question. TIL 5, with oil men OF candor,
must settle the first proposition; and all must ad.
nit tina, tho Federal and Republican parties
were divided upon this measure.
How were they divided Which party pro-
poset and sustained tie Bank and which opposed
i, and denounced i'll Can there be any serious
doubt abou; this? We consider bOtt The high au-
thoriiies above quoted equally concurrent and
conclusive on This point. Bul as il is no. direct
y so stated BY Judge Marshall, and is only in
~t.reniial from what he does stale, aud as The Wing
doubts that OF Mr.. Jefferson, quoted fton his
"Anas," which il: say,sstouid hare been consigned
10 he Fumes ralb.r tiar The press" We will proceed
10 cite Others. We quo'e from Two histories of
The United States, winch have been taken up at
random. First from Frosl's "Uniied States" vol.
3, page 1876: Congress next proceeded TO con-
slider the proposition of Hamilton for The fofma-
ton OF a National Bank. This measure was
strenuously opposed BY Jefferson. The RepIh.
can party pronounced il 10 be aristocratteal and
unconstitutional. They ayercd that Congress
had no power TO authorize The Incorporation OF a
Bank" &c. Second from "McCar.ney's United
S.ales," page 264: "Thc second measure on
which the parties ritlRy disagreed, vas The es-
labishmen, OF a National Bank. This subject
was brought before Congress in 1871, ard com.
plet the dirision 81 parttss. The Fsdvaltas al.
uocated i On the one general idea JUST stated, &c.
"Tie Democrats oppoyedit, on The one general idea
of their party" We might multiply these autho.
rites as often, we doubt not, as there are btsto.
riss which treat o; the matter. Ii not satisfied
with those quoted, We ask The Wing and It's rea-
ders 10 pick up any that may happen 10 be with
in their reach, which refers 10 this Bank CUES.
ton and its connection with parties in the Uni
ted States. we care not what or whose il is. and
we venture 10 say, if entitled to the 81 gntest ere-
lit, thatit will confirm these If they
can find one which does not, we call upon them
to produce it. Failing TO d. this, las we think
they must, for if any such account exists, we
have never seen or heard Of ill., then it must
o. admitted that all Histo ieal accounts agree in
sustaining the statements Of Judge Marshall and
SIR. Jefferson. Ii this is so. we think even the
Editors of the Whig.-thc disintcrested and 10.
digoant Wind Gators 'of The truth of History
must admit that they have hitherto been at fault,
and acknow edge that the Federal and Repuoli.
can parties did divide on this Bank question
ave ~"vitally disagree" and radically differ
abo., it, and Thai the Federal Party proposed, adj
yocslet AMI s~u.tainet he Bank, and The Repub.
lican party opp,'ed, resisted and denounced it.
Nay, more: hat, in doing SO. each parry acted on
ii. peculiar principles which Distinguished it
the f'ederaiisls endeavorins to enlarge The powers
Of the General GuvefnmcE,, the Rcpublicansto
restrict them 1, what ,hey considered the limits OF
The Constitution. This settles The two frs. pro.
positions.
In the beginning, then, "a National Bank" was
a Federal measure. Did il Afterwards torn into
a Republican MEASURED We must reserve what
we have to say on he last proposition, together
viii SOM further comments on the remarks Of
The Whig, Tor another day.
The L. nchburg Republican confirms the ssFee'
able intelligence that Paulus Powell, Esq has
accented The nomination for the county OF Am.
hers,- and that Tbos. NJ. Isbell, Esq. OF Cnmoer.
i md has been nominated The Democratic candi-
dale for The Senate, BY a Democratic meeting ID
I.vnchbure. II is not known yet whether MIR. l.
will accept. The same meeting In Lvnehburg,
IN motion ri MI. Jas. Garland, appointed a COM
miuee OF thirteen 10 confer with The Democrats
OF Campbell as to The proprie,y of nominating
a Democratic candidate for the House.
The neg French Minister 10 This. country 10