Herald Of The Times

SENATOR LEIGH, of Virginia.—This distinguished statesman has addressed a letter to the editor of the Richmond Whig, on the subject of a National Bank, in which a candid avowal of his political sentiments are disclosed. We have room only for the following extract: —

"I am now deliberately of opinion, that the question will ultimately be, between (not perhaps, the present Bank of the U. States,) but a National Bank constituted as the present bank is, in all essential particulars—and a National bank varying in its constitution from the present, only in placing the direction under the absolute control of the Executive. The developments of the present year, so far forth, have been exactly answerable to my anticipations. Is there any one who has failed to remark the concurring uncontradicted statements in the public prints, that, in the Western elections, candidates for Congress, without exception of parties, the most devoted friends of the President, as well as his opponents, have been obliged to avow themselves friendly to a National bank? Has it escaped notice, that the President has selected for the high and confidential office of Secretary of State, a gentleman who had, not long before, declared on the floor of the Senate, that, in his opinion, a national bank was constitutional and necessary, and his readiness to vote for such an institution, with some peculiar modifications indeed, which, however, nowise affected the constitutional question. I forbear to mention other indications.
"Judging of the future, by the past and present state of things, I still apprehend, that all that will be ultimately left for Virginia, will be a choice between evils of the same kind, varying only in degree.—If it shall turn out otherwise, so much the better. I have only to add, for my own part, that, while I continue a representative of the sovereignty of this State, in the Senate of the U. S. I shall never, even under a sense of the most imperious necessity, give my vote for any national bank, contrary to instructions, nor indeed without any positive instructions, (or what is in my opinion tantamount) the declared sense of my constituents. Those who distrust me on this subject, must distrust the State herself.
"I must give my vote, according to my judgment, between different propositions on the same subject, that will be absolutely unavoidable. But I never will vote for any measure whatever, that will tend to increase the patronage, power and influence of the executive. This sentiment is the key which will open to those who are candid, the ruling, and indeed the only motives of all my conduct, since I have had a share in the national councils."