About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 Remarks of the Hon. Benjamin W. Leigh: In Reply to Mr. Wright, of New York, March 23th, 1834 1834

handle is hein.trials/acfj0001 and id is 1 raw text is: REMARKS O F THE HON. BENJAMIN W. LEIGH, IN REPLY TO MR. WRIGHT, OF NEW YORK, MAc 23th, 1834. Mr. LEIGH rose 'and said: The gent leman from New York had entirely mistaken the import and the purpose of several of the remarks made by me the other day, which he has thought wor- thy of his notice. I am far more disposed to impute his misconceptions to my own want of clearness and precision, than to any defect of apprehension on his part; andl, as others may have fallen into similar mistakes, it is well, at once, to give such explanations of my meaning in some of the particulars alluded to, as will leave no room for misunderstanding. In the first place, when l said that the putting down of the existing bank might, very probably, (I adclnow,that I beleve it will certainly) be fol- low d by the incorporation of another National Bank,liable to all the constitulional objections which, in the judgment of the p ople of Virginia, condemn th,- charter of the present bank, with no other differences but such as will aggravate the ewql, I did not, as the gentleman from New York supposes, rest my objection to that project of a new National Bank, of which I spok , on the single circumstance that the mother bank would be located in N .w York. [hat was,in my mind, no otherwise an objection to the scheme, than as it might contribute to make it accepta- ble there, and thus to fasten it upon us. I said that the only differences be&weea the charter of the present bankand that of the Natio al Bank which is likely to succeed it, would probably consist in the location of the mother bank at New York; and in the vesting of an absolute control over te 'direction in the President of the United States. Of this last principle the gentleman from New York has taken no notice --yet it was this principle on which I chiefly dwelt-this principle which may serve to re- commend it to Executive approbation-this principle which will multiply the Executive influence, threefold-fivef ld-ten fold; it was this principle that was chiefly the object of my abhorrence and dread, and will excite the ap- prehensions and indignation of every man, who has been at all sensiile of the awful squinting of this Government towards monarchy, or who has not, of late, from use and habit, become enamoured of that deform:ty. Is it supposed that the people, particulArly the people of Virginia, have forgotten the pro- pe,.sion of this Government to monarchy, as well as consolidatton?-or that they have bu.. ome reconcde.1 to its monarchical tendencies, or astounded by the rapidh4y with which they are wo,kine?_:Id that they will lend a hand to accelerate the operation of them? If we wilful. ly shut our eyes to the progress of thingq; if we are so supine and neglectful as not to guard our iositutions against the approaches of poa er car- ried on in br -ad day; if tha frenzy of party spirit, so apt to dim men' vi.loa and deprave their civic character, is to be still cherished and vaunted as the chief merit of the citizen; if the support of Executive Drerogative, is to be the chief test of republicanism, then we shall await the experiment of that political bank, which I see more and more reagon every hourto apprehend; and then too, we may surely expect to pay the penalty we shall deserve, in the pri- vation, not of property, but of literty. My part rf the punishment I must bear, I will art incur any share of the euilt. The gentleman from New-York says, he thinks any national bank would be uicon titutional. He does not profess to think, he cannot think, that the Pre sident is of that opinion. I repeat, that the President, in his veto message, declared to the notion, that he would have frrrnigbed Congress a scheme of a national hark, if he had beeni asked to do so. What that scheme was, lie did not think proper to indicate . whatever it wa , the gentlemau from New-York, no more-than i, can thik his bank would have been constitu- tionali and lie may re!y upon it, there are no constitiutional objections that will iniice the President to veto a batk charter framed to his L~kinrg. The gentleman seems to suppose, that I ex- pressed a doubt of the patriotism of the Western States, while he relies on it as sufficient to make them bear every evil, however oppressive, 0ro- vided it is inflicted by their Government. 'he gentlemen cannot entertain a higher opinion of their loyalty to the Union than I do ; but let go- vernment beware not to put their loyalty to trials which no loyalty can indure. I am myself sin- cerely, most sincerely, attached to the Union; and it was for that very reason I thought it right to forewarn my countryman of the danger which is hangi g over it. Would to Heaven I could believe the danger imaginary! Taking the present state of things to exhibit the permanent system of 'the Government, and adverting to the state and course of business in the country, I intimated the opinion, that the system, if persisted in under such circamstances, would give New York such advantages, such a ,s comand over the whole commerce of the country, as must inake her mistress of the em- pire. Of the correctness of the general propo-

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most