The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-09-30
NATIONAL BANK IN OREGON

soon to be located in Portland, National
Banks have for their assets u, s. bonds.
and issue only a paper currency. The
Constitution of Oregon says, in Article
XI, Section LIST!
= "Nor shall any bank, com
pany or institution exist in the State. with
the privilege of making, issuing, or putting
in circulation. any bill, check, certificate,
promissory note, or other paper, or the paper
OF any bank, company, or person, to circu-
late as money"
This provision of II State Constitu-
ton is certainly strong and explicit
enough against the admission Of al insti-
tuition of the kind proposed in the State.
1t distinctly says no bank shall erist in
this State which issues popr, to circulate
as money. The proposed National Bank
will issue paper to circulate as money.
Therefore, if permitted to exist in Port
land or anywhere in Oregon, it will exist
in direct violation of the Constitution.
Yet the Statesman Ii gratifed at the
prospect of such a bank being established
in Portland. 1t follows that that paper
is gratiied to learn that the State Con-
stitution is to be disregarded and violated.
Yet it Processes to be a supporter of the
Constitution and laws. We have long
been made aware that the Abolition the.
DRY of obedience to the Constitution and
laws meant only SO much of either as they
themselves chose to obey, aud that while
any infraction of tho particular clauses OF
acts they subscribed to by any who OPP
posed them in political sentiment was
treason, they had a perfect right them
selves TO violate all clauses and statutes
which conficted with their Higher law,
their pockets, or their ideas; aud conse.
quently, we are not surprised at this JOY
ON the part of the Statesman in this in.
stance. SO thorough an Abolition organ
is in duty bound to rejoice ut any inffac.
ton of either the Federal or State Con
stitution which will rebound to the benefit
of It's party, or hasten the ruin of the
country and we bear willing testimony
to the fact that, for years past, the States
man has never failed in this duty, without
we refer to its very recent opposition t.
Negro Suffrage. With its party it advo.
Gated the notification of the Legal Ten.
der Act Of its own Congress, and defend,
ed the Specific Contract Act of its owl
State Legislature. With equal pleasure
and thorough consistency it % welcomes
an infraction of our State Constitution by
application of nm act of Congress. w
grant that it is a kind of retributive jus
tiec, and if two wrongs can make a right
the thing is eminently fair and proper
Thus: LIST, Oregon nullifes a law of Con,
grcss, and passes a Specific Contract3 aW
which actually declares legal tender notes
not a legal tender for the payment Of
debts. In the language of the day, lei
us say here, Bully for Oregon! I'd, BY
virtue of a law of Congress, parties estab.
lish a bank IN Portland, although the
Constitution of Oregon declares that nj
bank shall exist in the State. We have
applauded 0regOn's notification in behalf
of her Abolition rulers: Let Justice BE-
done," &c.-therefore, now we must add
Bully for Congress in behalf of the par.
ties who commit the infraction, and the
Statesman, which ~rejoices thereat. Her,
are two wrongs, that is certain but viii
any doubt these always constitute q RICH
agreeably to Abolition ethicsy We sup
pose, of course, the bank will be estab
lished, but we have no fear that it will b
permitted to exist" very long after tho
Democratic State Administration comes
into power next year. Democrats main
tain and obey all of the Constitution, ant
all laws made under it, not simply the par
%ticular clauses and statutes which tempo
rarily benefit their party.