The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-01
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC ,. HAsKIN. Director.
washington, D. G.
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.
4. The Van Bure H. Harrison Race
of 1896

OF 1886.
Washington, D. c., sept. 27.-Mar-
tin Van Buren, was practically APP
pointed by Andrew Jackson to succeed
him in the White House, but the APP
pointment did not take effect until
after it had been ratified by the people
at an election which marked the close
of one of the most bitterly contested
campaigns of our history. The re-elec-
ton of Jackson in 1892 upon the issue
of his veto of the bill to recharter the
Bank of the United States had prac-
tically destroyed the National Repub-
fican party. So in 1894 the elements
OF opposition to Jackson organized
under the name of WING" which, to
some extent, had been the popular APP
pellation OF the National Republicans.
Henry Clay was the heart and soul
OF the new party, but 1t could not
unite even in opposition to Van Buren,.
In all the northern states but Mas
sachusetts the Wings supported VIII
liam Henry Harrison. In Massachu-
sets Daniel Webster was the candi-
date. In the South, except South Car
DINA, Sen. Hugh Lawson White of
son battles. South Caroline was look
ing out for itself, the legislature ready
to instruct electors to vote for anybody
to defeat Jacksen's man, Van Buren,.
If the anti-Van BEren leaders had
managed to get a majority of the elee-
their candidates to combine upon Clay
or some other leader, but that scheme
was never put into effect. Van Buren,
had a clear mapority of both popular
and electoral votes and Andrew Jack
sons administration was once more
| endorsed.
The second Jackson administration
| had been even more stormy than the
| first. After Jackson was reelected
the attitude of the opposition was re-
tr.6 RrNFa
Courier, which said: yet there is
one comfort left. Mood has promised
that the days of the wicked shall be
short; the wicked is old and feeble
and he may die before he can be in
aueurated. 1t is the duty of every
good Christian to pray to our Maker
to have pity on u.s.
The Fight on the Bank.
South Carolina found out for certain
that Jackson was reelected by the
middle of November, 1882, and on
November % the famous Ordinance Of
! Notification was passed The Tariff
| of denominations was largely the work
of Henry Clay and had not much sup
port from Jackson. But Calhoun and
the nullifiers, in fighting the tariff,
declaring 1t Unconstitutional and null
and void, were in the same political
bed with Clay so far as opposition to
Jackson was concerned
The burning words of Jackson's
proclamation of December 10 was the
| first great and broad denial of the
right of a state to oppose it's single
will against the power of the federal
government, and Jacksons stand on
that question saved the Union. But
tthe notification question was one
which affected only a small portion
OF the people. The bank question was
a nationwide issue.
! The bill to reeharter the bank had
! been vetoed during the campaign of
1882 and the voters had ratified the
veto The bank had exerted every
possible effort to elect Clay. 1t did
not take Jackson long to decide to use
all his power to end the bank, without
waiting fer its charter to expire in
1886. His secretary of the treasury,
William ]. Duane, would not order the
| removal Of the government deposits In
the bank without authority from con-
gress. He also refused to resign his
position. Whereupon he was removed
and his portfolio given to Roger B.
| fancy of Maryland, who had been at
torney general. fancy removed the
deposits and, in later years, was re
warded by appointment to be chief
justice of the supreme court
Strictly speaking, the deposits were
not removed from the bank. Ineom-
ing funds were deposited in certain
state banks, and the balance in this
United States bank was gradually ex-
hausted by drafts for current ex-
penses. The selection of certain state
banks as repositories gave rise t6
charges of fatoritism and in the cam;
paign of 1898 much was made OF
"Jackson's Pets" as SUCH banks were
| known. But in spite of all these radi-
cal things and the entire destruction
of the financial syste III upon which
the country had been conducted. er-
erybody prospered. The people were
more prosperous than ever before, tbs
government was in better financial
condition that at any time, before OF
since, in its History. By January, 1895
the national debt was all paid off an6
the country had to fat > the question
of what to do with the surplus reve-
nIes.
They Divided the Money.
1t was finally decided to distribute
it among the states in proportion to
their representation in congress. The
! states gave receipts for the money
over $2S, 600, eco in the aggregate, a:
if they were deposits. but everybod,
understood the money was not to bt
paid back. The distribution was to bt
made in four installments. Three Wert
paid, but the panic which fellowef
Van Buren's election prevented th'
fourth payment. Some states bull
Maine divided it among the people
per capita. Other states made it tn.
basis of a school fund, as which 1t still
exists. AS late as 1883 the state Q
Virginia attempted to collect tn
fourth installment, but was unsuccess
Il full The treasury of the United
States still carries that s2s.D0e. 060--oI
its cash books as an unavailable fund
Whatever may have coifie of all thesi
things in after years, to the people il
1886 it looked good.
To their eyes Jackson was still /
hero and he was a statesman. Jack
son said Van Buren, was the man t.
: succeed him, and the voters took Jack
sons word for it. jackson had over
thrown the old arestocratie clique. H
had punished the bank, which the PEG
pie called the British Bank, becaus
D much of the stock was owned abroad
He had paid off the national debt. AM
: he had RENTED a large amount Q
money. collected as indirect ia;