Charles J. Ingersoll to Biddle

Washington Feb? 2. 1832 Dear Sir,

I saw the President for the first time yesterday— introduced by M¹' Livingston who kindly volunteered his carriage and personal attendance for the purpose. Thus aus-picated my reception was extremely gracious and flattering. There was a great deal of free and general conversation of which the topics were the French treaty, the Mexican treaty, the tariff, M¹" Van Buren's rejection and his pending negocla-tion, M¹" Clay, and Governor Hamilton of South Carolina. I feel satisfied that from the beginning by gradual and proper advances I may eventually and a propos bring about a tete-a-tete communication on the bank, to which end my future intercourse in that quarter shall be directed. I understand from Dickins with whom I had some confidential chat and shall repeat it frequently that General Jackson's antipathy is not to the Bank of the United States in particular, but to all Banks whatever. He considers all the State Banks unconstitutional and impolitic and thinks that there should be no Currency but coin, that the Constitution [was not] designed to compel paper altogether as any part of our monetary system. This view of his doctrine conforms to a report which you shewed me not long ago made by him—to the Legislature of Tennessee; it coincides with some similar notions that I have long indulged myself, and at any rate to be apprised of the theory of his sentiments will be useful to me as it supplies a platform on which to approach him. If his prejudices are honest they may fairly be dealt with. Louis Williams ² of North Carolina says that all his opposition to the Bank of the United States was fomented if not created by Van Buren who calculated that he could render his ascendancy in New York subservient to the prejudices of Virginia, and that Pennsylvania would acquiesce, which three States thus united would give him a broad basis for the future Presidency. .. .