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 OF A 
 
 Meeting of the Mechanics, Manufacturers, and Labouring Men, 
 
 OF THE SECOND WARD OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, 
 
 ON TIIK SUBJECT OF THE 
 
 REMOVAL OF THE PUBLIC DEPOSITES FROM THE UNITED STATES BANK. 
 
 At a numerous meeting of Mechanics, Manufacturers, Labouring.men and others, held without distinction of parties, at 
 the Shakspeare Hotel, on Friday evening, the 31st of January, Edward Rockwell was called to the Chair, Edward T. Back- 
 house and Charles Colgate were appointed Secretaries. After the call of the meeting was read, on motion a Committee of 
 three was appointed to retire and report resolutions, and a Memorial to Congress. 
 
 The following resolutions and Memorial were reported, and after full discussion were unanimously adopted. 
 Resolved. That the present embarrassed condition of our business concerns in this City, is beyond all former precedent 
 within our experience; that from an exalted state of prosperity, in a few weeks, the wide wasting sacrifices have plunged many 
 of our old, experienced, and most estimable business men, into Bankruptcy, and distress. That every description of property 
 is rapidly depreciating ; that stocks in some instances have fallen 50 per cent ; that produce, goods, wares and merchandize, and 
 even our boasted steady priced houses and lots, have yielded to the pecuniary pressure. 
 
 Resolved. That the removal of the public deposites from the United States B ink is the cause. We would as soon disbe- 
 lieve our own senses as to deny it. A tremor in pecuniary confidence, followed the first hint of their reriiov'al. Tiie fatal blow 
 was felt through every department of industry, and from that time, until the present, there has followed a succession of pecuni- 
 ary-disappointments, Bankruptcy, and distress, which every day has grown more and more appalling ; and such is already our 
 condition, that with the growing distrust, we scarcely dare look to the future. TI13 sacrifices in this single city alone, will 
 soon, if not already, amount to more than the whole capital of the United States Bank ; and soon, if relief is withheld, Manu- 
 facturing, and Mechanic Industry, must be brougiit to a stand. More than ten thousand of our citizons, who subsist on their 
 labour, must, with their families, be reduced to beggary, b-jfore the season is passed, unless-a remedy is applied. 
 
 Resolved. That it is the deliberate sense of this meetings that there is no adequate and effectual remedy hut in restoring 
 the Public Deposites. That the State Banks have not such a hold on public confidence, as can enable them by any effort in their 
 power, to administer the remedy. That it can only be effected through the extended pecuniary org inization of the United 
 States Bank, and that every day's delay, is plunging us deeper, and deeper in distress. 
 
 Resolved. That in the opinion of this meeting, the public deposites ought to be promptly restored, not only because theii 
 removal was inexpedient, and their retention from the United States Bank is, and will continue to be, disastrous, but because 
 their removal was illegal. We find nothing in the charter of the United States Bank, nor in our laws, to authorize this vi' ' mt 
 act on the part of President Jackson ; nor any authority whatever to empower him to meddle with the Bank, except by means uf a 
 scire.facias. And no one pretends that he has resorted to this only mean which the law has provided him with. The Secretary 
 of the Treasury, the only officer of the Government who, under any circumstances, could make the removal, was turned out be- 
 cause he would not do it, to mate room for one whom the President knew would. We must voluntarily pormit ourselves to be 
 blinded, if we hear to other persuasions, than that it is the deliberate act of President Jackson. We should he unbelievers hi his 
 own declaration — " I take the responsibility." 
 
 Resolved. That we are opposed to the removal of the deposites from the United States Bank, from still more vital conside- 
 rations than because their removal has been accompanied with distress, howevor wide pervading and intense — or than because it 
 was in the widest and fullest extent inexpedient or illegal. We are opposed to the removal of the deposites, because it was Un- 
 constitutional. We say this deliberately, — first, because we find no such authority conferred by that instrument. We saj- it, 
 because the Constitution is a Rapublican Constitution, and we never will admit that any Constitution of any nation, is Republican 
 if one ham is by virtue of that Constitution commander-in-chief of the army and navy, and at the same time can control the mo. 
 nies belonging to the nation. We therefore unhesitatingly say that when President Jackson took upon himself the responsibility 
 of removing and controlling the public deposites, he also took upon himself the responsibility of violating the Constitution. 
 
 Resolved. That we believe that if any former President of the United States had as distinctly assu ned, and exercised the 
 same power, he would have been denounced as a usurper, and a tyrant ; and we believe the same assumption of power, which 
 would be assumption, and tyranny, in any former or future President, would be usurpation and tyranny in President Jackson. 
 
Resolved. That wc should prove recroant to the memory of all the patriots of the Revolution, whose blood and treasure pur. 
 ( ■used our freedom, if we shrank from defending from violonco the groat instrument they have tnnsmittcd to us, guaranteeing 
 <.ur liberties ; and wc should disgrace ourselves in the eyes of each other, and our posterity, if we should entail upon them a tyrant 
 under the name of a Republican President. We firmly believe that the powers claimed, and which have been exercised, by Presi- 
 dent Jackson, subject our liberties to ms will. From that Liberty which is subject to the will of one man both on our own, and 
 our children's behalf, we pray deliverance. To tho laws and Constitution only, we acknowledge subjection. 
 
 Resolved. That tho only remedy, to mend tho broken Laws, and heal the wounded Constitution, and insure the gradual 
 but certain return of prosperity, is by restoring the deposites to tho United States Bank. 
 
 Resolved. That we hail with tho most enthusiastic satisfaction the firm, able and patriotic efforts of the Soutli to rescue 
 our liberties, and their manly detestation of partisan vassalage. We exhort them to hold out to the last, against the daring 
 efforts of intrigue, bribery and power, and they will yet save the Constitution, and earn to themselves imperishable honours. 
 
 Resolved. That the expression of approval of President Jackson's conduct, by public meetings, memorials, &c, from 
 this State, in relation to this great constitutional question, (if question it can be called,) is the effect of unwearied perseveranco 
 and exertions of Office-holders, and Office-seekers, and those whom their discipline and deception control, and should never be 
 regarded as tho sense of the free people of this State. 
 
 Resolved. That we highly approve of the independence of our Representative in Congress, Dudley Selden, Esq. < 
 
 Resolved. That the other Wards of the City be earnestly requested to call similar meetings. 
 
 EDWARD ROCKWELL, Chair, 
 
 EDWARD T. BACKHOUSE, ) „ ' . 
 CHARLES COLGATE, ( Secretaries. 
 
 MEMOHIAL. 
 
 To the Honourable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: 
 The Memorial of the subscribers, Manufacturers and Mechanics, inhabitants of the Second Ward of the Cit}' of New.York, 
 
 RESPECTFULLY SHEWETII : 
 
 That from some sudden and widely pervading cause, an unprecedented pressure lias fallen on all the various brandies 
 of industry in which your Memorialists are engaged : That our banking facilities are in a groat measure cut off: That the notes 
 which we have received in payment for our labour, that on former occasions were readily discounted at the Banks, to enable us 
 to make our ordinary disbursements, arc thrown out, and those which we have lodged for collection, as they come to maturity, are 
 returned to us unpaid : That our sales- for cash are almost entirely suspended : That it is impossible to borrow from individuals 
 without the most extravagant usury ; from eighteen to fifty per cent, per annum, and for short periods more than at the 
 rate of one hundred per cent, has actually been paid on good security ; and your Memorialists can bear witness that every species 
 of property is fast declining in value : That forced sales for cash are attended with the most ruinous sacrifices : That in such a 
 state of things your Memoralists have found no other way but to discharge their workmen : That already lull two thousand labour, 
 ing Mechanics and Manufacturers in this city have been discharged who are now subsisting on the remnant of former earnings 
 or on the charity of the community: That in our own ward full thee hundred labouring Mechanics have been discharged since the 
 pressure commenced : That on a fair estimate, should there be no relief, more than ten thousand of our fellow citizens, willing to 
 labor for a small remuneration, will be thrown on the mercy of the city before the first day of March next. 
 
 Your Memorialists believe that this has been principally caused by the removal of the deposites from the United States Bank, 
 because the embarrassments and distress immediately succeeded that measure. A want of confidence was at once felt, andthi s 
 want of confidence has boen constantly increasing as the evidences of the effects of this unfortunate measure have been developed 
 Immense amounts are becoming due from individuals, and the resources of country and city are almost wholly cut oft". 
 
 In such a condition of things, your Memorialists can devise no other mode of relief but from your honourable bodies, and 
 they see no other through your instrumentality but by restoring the deposites, and your memorialists confidently believe that their 
 restoration would be attended with renewed confidence and a gradual return to our former prosperous and happy condition. 
 But should adverse counsels prevail, vast numbers of the most enterprising, deserving and flourishing among tho constituents of 
 the members of your honourable bodies who, when your present Session commenced, were in prosperity, on your return home 
 will be prostrated in tho humiliations and misery of Bankruptcy; and your memorialists believe the seaching influences of this ill 
 advised measure will ere that time have reached nearly every individual in city and country. 
 
 Resolved. That the foregoing Memorial be signed by the Chairman and Secretaries of this meeting, and with the resolu. 
 tions be published and forwarded to our Senators and Representatives in Congress, and that they be requested U lay them be- 
 fore Congress. 
 
 EDWARD ROCKWELL, Chairman 
 
 EDWARD T. BACKHOUSE, 
 CHARLES COLGATE, 
 
 Secretaries. 
 
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