The Delaware gazette — Wilmington [Del.], 1810-04-04 00:00:00, page 2

** present
PETER pence.
FOR THF. DEI.A\
HE GAZETTE.
Mr. fanes —
! H A V F longed for
some time to figure in
a ncw.-papci, tut w ih the
exercise of all
my
ing-nuity, c uld not, until the re
ceipt of this
dVs " IVtfehm
» find a just cause foj
* com
menctng—f„r 1 am one of those animal,, which
THE GAZETTE.
.»wwwrwww»*»*
FOR THE GAZETTE.
Mr. Editor,
Iu looking over the last " Watch
man" my attention was arrested, and
4
my indignation excited, at an invidi
ous article purporting to be an extract
of a letter from Dover, dated March
20; but which contains self-evident
proofs of its local origin. I shall give
myself no trouble, however, in trac
ing this illegitimate bantling to the
door of its malevolent father—I have
wish to deprive him of any conso
no
lation the ricketty brat can uflord him.
I shall content myself with proving
that the article alluded to was not
for the very good
written in Dover
that it contains information
reason
which could not possibly have reach
ed that place at the lime it was writ
ten. The form of the articles of as
sociation of the Bank of Wilmington
and Brandywine was not reported by
the committee appointed for that pur
pose until the evening of the 17th of
March—even an imperfect idea of
their contents could not, therefore,
have reached Dover before the even
ing of the 19th, and a printed copy of
their proceedings could not have been
received before the evening of the
23d. The bill lor the establishment
of a National Bunk was not reported
in Congress until the 22d of March,
did not reach Wilmington until the
27th, and consequently, from the ar
rangement of the mail, could not have
arrived at Dover before the evening
of the 23th of March.
Having proved thus much, it would
be stip r rfinous to expose the views of
the writer—they must be sufficiently
obvious to every p rron of common
ed
discernment. Itisequally foreign From
titis
my intentions to discuss the merits of
the new institution—the avidity with
which the stock was subscribed for
is a convincing proof that a large por
tion of the citizens of Delaware feel
a lively interest in its prosperity. But
I cannot refrain from quoting a fetv
passages from this letter. The wi it
as
er advances as a reason why he will
not encourage a new Bank that " there
" is no person concerned in the pro
•' jeer, whose name will attach that
" credit as President, which so justly
" was attached to the first officer of
to
" the Bank of Delaware."
What
does the writer mean? Would he
convey the idea that the character of
the President of the Bank ol Delà
ware
is as much exalted above that of his
fellow-citizens (the directors of said
Bank excepted) as Lot's was above
the inhabitants' of Sodom and Go.
•norrah ? Jt is far from
mv intention
to subtract from the merits of that
gentleman, i respect him highly.
1
But I vexily believe that a President
and Directors might be selected bv
and from the Stockholders of the
Bank of \v ilmington and Brandywine
w ho would fill their stations with ere
(lit to themselves and benefit to the
institution; and I do further beli
teve
that thev feel
more disposed to make
the experiment, than to so Jar insult
the " GUARD! ANS" of the Bank of
Delaware as to invite them to
resign
their trusts in that institution,
and
" sap the fabric their constituents re
" 0,1 'hem to support," lbr the
purpose of profiting by their talent
.
und respectability in establishing
the
Bank of W ilmington and Brandy wine
as " these gentlemen well know tb
t
neiv institution cannot flourish un
*' t css it is built upon the ruins of the
** present J
vegetate near your marshes, the slupifying ef
fluvia of which possesses me with the blue de
vils all the morning, and in the after part of the
day, I am physically eat up with ennui. There
is, however, one note in my gamut, which
touched either with rndencss or skill, dissipates
all my nervous affections, calls all my dormant
energies into action ; and with an effect like
that of the tarar.tata * dispels the moi bid gloom
iness of my mind, and communicates to my
system all the energies of a giant refreshed
with new wine.
article |
Euch a twinge did 1 receive from an
in Mr. Wilson's paper, which bore " the form 1
and pressure" of a letter fiom Dover, ar.d
touching my interest, made me determine to
reply to it.
It may sir, have been written from Dover, I
perhaps as great a distance from it as IVÄket
street in this borough. Its form is squaliid,
its language incorrect, its assertions illiberal, j
hule Contour uncandid, ungenerous and |
and its
F'rom tliis picture, sir, du not indulge
selfish.
the belief that 1 wish to insinuate that the
Watchman printer, was its legitimate father ! I
No, sir, Mr. VV. is too great a friend to our
new project to introduce any disfigured bant
ling with a view of frightening us out of our
intentions; and abstracted from his characteristic
modesty and pure disinterestedness of principle, I
he possesses a considerable freehold and his
own interest is consequently intimately connec- 1
But
ted with the prosperity of Wilmington.
whatever may be the greatness and indepen
dence of that gentleman's mind, the conclusion !
is more foicibly drawn, that, as the bank ousi
ness does not involve a political question, he
was actuated alone by his governing principles
of impaitiality, in inserting the "letter in ques
tion. it is, indisputably, spurious, but the
stronger the sense of honor and integrity hv
which any individual may be actuated, the easier
may that individual be imposed upon. This
axiom has grown hoary with age.
The writer of the letter in question, first be
gins with a declaration that he is " unacquaini
ed with banking systems," indeed sir, 1 think
titis declaration is fully deserving of the utmost
credence. For what man, possessing the
slightest knowledge of the very handsome di
vidends made by the present bunk of Delaware,
will pretend to reason, that the contemplated
institution should not go into operation, because
wheat is not so dear now, as it was sonic years j
since, and because our merchants and millers
as lie asserts, have generally capitals of their I
own. Does lie know any tiling of what is
termed an extension of business? Does lie
knuw, that with a double artificial capital, the
honest miller or merchant can double his busi- I
ness; and that he who, now, only gives bread I
to 20 mouths, can, by the obtainment of an I
addition of double his present capital feed for- |
ty? Arc his views so narrow, so contracted, as
not to allow him to know that although grain
has fallen in the hands of the farmer, and flour
consequently reduced in those of the miller
and merchant, still an extension of business
may take pit ce by an extension of capital ? The
farmer, by the assistance of bank loans, render
ed independent of the monopoly of the monied
capital of the miller, and he, in his turn,
capa
ble of stemming the torrent of the monied in
fluence of the merchant, and fixing the cash
price of the great staple of this and our adja
cent sister state of Maryland.
AVhatever has a tendency to encrease the
circulating medium, and render it easily attain
able by any honest man must yield an ultimate
benefit to society. And the
more money that
can be obtained by individuals to be invested in
his
commercial,manufacturing or agricultural pur
suits, the better for society. If a miller
■U
merchant or manufacturer at present obtains
• upon his capital of 830,000,
ten per cent
which capital may affect the utmost limits of
all his credits at the
present banking establish
ments with which he now does business, anti
our contemplated institution can afford to allow
him discounts, (directly
or indirectly) to the I P
j
* Many w riters of considerable celebrity, have I a
asserted that in the south of Italy a species of I
spider exists called the tarantula , thebiteof which
immediately communicates a stupor to the whole I
system which ultimately excites morbific action, I
unt fatally terminates, unless a musician can be I
procures, ,v 10 i an play a tune called the tarantatu . J
djnccs'and cape'll about"« WT èvei'y vrirTanerv
in
and pore of his whole system was smeha ued
my
with Dr. VV's nitrous oxyde and alter vm
this
lent exertions, falls asleep, anil awakes perfectly
restored—-the reader must excuse me—-this note
I barely inserted to shew my reading ! |
amount 0 r one half of his trading capital, and
that confidence is never betrayed, shall v
e not
; but
benefit societv ? For my part. 1 tlunlc so
borough contains a great many wise-acres,
to
our
« reckon without
of whom generally
many
their host."
Anovher objection to tins establishment is
pi limply assetted by this sapient letter w titer to
consist in its being "ill-timed. ' Now let me
on
state his reasons— (risunt teneatis umici P) For
ing
sooth, because the legislature of the U. States
arc about establishing a national bank, in which
| this Mate, as well as individuals have a right to
he
And that reason, is to dictate to us
1 subscribe. '
selves have
in what manner we, our sovereign
a right to dispose of our capitals.
Mr. Jouer, if that writer had known a B from
aboi t the federal constitution, he
I a bureau,
would have plainly discerned that the plan of a
National Bjnk, as presented by our towns
man,
j Mr. Bayard, as chairman to a committee of the
unconstitutional, anti
| senate of the U. States, is
cannot he adopted by congress unless by a vio
lation of tire sacred oalh which every member
I has taken to suppôt t that instiument on which
alone depends our only hopes of preserving our
of
independence. Sir, this language is plain, and
I pledge myself to you, that when Mr. B. re
turns, if he has presumption enough to deny my
I P° 5 » io "> a, K r «* a man 1,9 '" e re:,1| y is ' 1 am not
fcarful °f a capability to support the arsertio D .
1 I am however digressing, for, as 1 did not,
from the first perusal of the letter in question
entertain any opinion of the writci's capacity
! cither to reason or think , and as be voluntarily
acknowledges that in speculation he has noopin
I' on °f bis own, but depends on that of hi* friend,
who, very gratuitously gives Ills "opinion with
out a fee," (i. e. knowing his applicant to be
what 1 call a flat, he advises him not to inter
fere in the puichase of the new bank shares, in
order, that, like a true ktiuuina one he may have
a more extensive field for hi« own speculations,)
I must believe that I waste time, and " time i»
money," as your great type Franklin said.
There is however Mr. Jones, one assertion of
this writer, which, as an o]#l citizc
f Wilming
ton, I cannot allow to pass by tvi'.h impunity._
Puerile, mean and contemptible as I hold all his
other observations, too much so to deserve
even
the sarcastic notice which I have given them,
what can the unprincipled writer intend by the
following base anti illiberal assertion, an assertion
j tv ' nccs him to be an object beneath chas
tisement, or something in the clothes of a man
I ^' at court that discipline, in order to ob
infamous popularity—speaking of the
tain an
projected new bank, he has the audacity to asscit,
that " there is no person concerned in the project
I w, ' ose mme v 'dl attach that credit as president
I V1 ^ tc ^ so i u,< tty teas attached to that of the first
I n JP cer °f the bank of Delaware." Let the public
| * 00 * £ at l * le * lst names which form that of the
commissioners, can Wilmington present a set of
men more respectable for the ; r number. The
writer knows it to be a fact.
I'hc shafts of his
malice arc directed against gentlemen so far su
perior to himself, in every point of vie
,that a
consciousness of his own comparative insignifi
cance will prevent him from mingling envy with
his cholcr.
Without overlooking the merits of
the other commissioners, what objection, let
me
ask, could be advanced against the gentleman
in
who has the honor of having his name placed at
the head of the list ? Will it be assorted that he
wants talents, integrity or respectability to qua
lify him for the presidency of a bank ?
It can
the
not. He is well known to his fellow-citizens, &
that man's mind must be hardened
to every prin
ciple of virtue and common honesty who would
thus insidiously attempt to throw a shade
upon
in
his well-earned character.
HiT'EM.
Congrelfionaï î&egtfter.
In Senate.
March 30.
's he Senate resumed the consideration
of the hill to extend the time for
making
I P a ymer»t For the publie lstnds of the U. 8.
j as reported by Mr. Megs—which was read
I a ,ime > aml P^sed.
I The bill supplementary to the act to re.
S'date trade and intercourse with the Indian
I lr ffies, and to preserve peace on the Iron
I tiers, was read a second time, and referred
I to Messrs. Clay, Anderson and Mcius
. J On motion of Mr. Anderson
A T '? atCOm,nUte ' a PP<"nt
e , d C ° e . nt * Ulre ' vhïlher an X. a "d if any what
alteraUons are necessary to be made in the
a< r* estaljl ishing trading houses with the In
dlan tribes > ar 'd the several acts supplemen
| ,ar >' thereto ; and that the committee have
leave to report by bill or otherwise.
The further consideration of the bill au
thorising tlie sale and grant uf a certain
quantity of land to the proprietors of die
Middlesex Canal Company was postponed,
to Monday next.
On motion, the bill authorising the dis
charge ot John Kerr from bis imprison
recommitted.
meut wus
Mr. Crawford , from the committee to
whom was committed Mr. Reed's resoluti.
for amending the constitution (resp
on
ecu
ing titles of nobilityjreported the saute with
amendments.
Mr. German gave notice that on Mond
av
he should ask leave to bring in a bill to ap.
propriate a certain n act of land for opening
and improving the water communicatiou
between the ude waters of Hudson river
and Lakes Ontario and Erie.
The bill for the relief of 1'ristram Hus
sey, was passed to a third reading. The
Senate adjourned to Monday.
'•O' 1
House of Representatives.
[wEDNESDAV's PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED.]
INVALID CORPS.
The bill making provision for the relief
of the infirm, disabled at.d superannuated
officers and soldiers ofthe late revolution
ary army and of the present army of the U.
S.was read a 3d time, and on motion of Mr.
Nelson, recommitted for the purpose of a
mending the details of the bill.
MACON'* BILL.
The house resumed the consideration ot
the unfinished business, being the bill
con
cernmg commercial intercourse. The ques
tion recurring on the motion to adhere —
the house continued in debate until five o*
clock, and then adjourned.
* Thursday, March 29.
MILITIA.
Mr. Chuj, from the committee on that
part of the message ofthe President U. S.
respecting the organization of the militia
of the U. S. reported that the committee
were of opinion that it would be improper
at this time to innovate on the present mil
ita • y system ofthe U. S.
A motion of M r. Pitkin,W commit the re
port to a committee of the whole, obtained.
A report was rebeîvtd from the Post
master general, in compliance with the re
solution of the house, on the subject of the
Orleans mail.
BANK U. S.
On motion of Mr. Taylor, the commit
tee of the whole were discharged from a
further consideration of the memorial of
the stock holders of the Bank U. S. and
it wars referred to a select committee with a
view to report by bill.
Considerable debate ensued on the mo
tion for referrerice ; but it was ultimately
carried.
EMBARGO PENALTY.
On motion of Mr. Dawson, the house
resolved itself into a com. ot the vvhole.Mr.
Desha in the chair, on the report of the
committee of commerce and manufactures,
on the petition of Anthony Buck.
The case ofthe petitioner is nearly this :
He resides in or near Fredericksburg, Vir.
arid sold a cargo of flour to a person com
ing from an Eauter.i state with permission
to import flour for consumption. When
this person was about to dear out with his
cargo, it became necessary that he should
give bond and security to land it in the U.
States. Knowing no other person in that
country, Air. Buck became his security.
He evaded the embargo law, with the car
and left Mr. Buck to pay the
go ot
lyiapers (permission, See.) were
pe
Kd to have been fraudulent.
the
Hflk to be released from the
MrTl
are the strongest testimo
penalty
and the Sec. of the Trea
nies in
sury reports his belief in his innocence of
any design to aid or connive at the violati
on of the law. The question is, shall his
penally under these circumstances be re
mitted ? The committee of commerce and
manufactures repon the following resolu
tion : Resolved, that the prayer of the pe
titioner is reasonable and ought to be grant
ed."
The report was agreed to in committee,
reporitd to the house and concurred in.
On motion of Mr. Randolph, the resolu
tion was referred to a committee to bring
in a bill.
Friday, March 30.
ADJOURNMENT of CO NO It ESS.
Mr. IV. Alston moved die following re
30 l ul 'on, which he wished to lie on the ta
Monday :
Resolved by the Senate and House of Re*
P resc . n '"V vcs of <*>' U, 'j' rd Sûtes of Ame
r î ca - Ir ' <f° n 6 rc c ss assembled, 1 hat the Pre
* ld " ,he Senate and Speaker of the
Huuse of Representatives be, and they
arc hereby authorised to adjourn their res
P ertlvc Hous-s On Monday the 23d of A*
'.pril next.