A second bill was passed. That was also vetoed by
the President. Early in September all the members of the Cabinet
resigned except Mr. Webster. The outgoing members gave reasons to the
public, and Mr. Webster gave reasons for not going. Caleb Cushing,
Henry A. Wise, and a few other Whigs, called the Omnibus Party chose
their part with Webster and Tyler. The Whig Party was divided,
hopelessly.
Previous to the division, a bill had passed, which had been approved by
the President, for the repeal of the Independent Treasury System. The
ardor of its enemies was such that no substitute was provided. The
expectation was that a Fiscal Bank, or Fiscal Agent, would be created.
The failure of the bank bills left the Government without any lawful
system of finance. The pet bank system was restored, in fact. The
rupture in the Whig Party contributed to its defeat in Massachusetts
at the election in 1842, but the party was so compact in 1841 that its
triumph was assured. Mr. Webster defended his course, and with few
exceptions his conduct was either approved or tolerated in
Massachusetts.
[* It was then an unfinished building and stood where the Willow Dale
road connects with Hollis Street. The building had been erected by a
body of people who advocated the union of all the churches. They
called themselves Unionists.
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