The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-08 00:00:00

THE COUNTRY BANKERS.

The General Meeting of the Country Bankers
took place on yesterday at the London Tavern, but
strangers, as before, were carefully excluded, under
the absurd notion that -publicity would be injurious
to their cause, by giving 'the Bank an intimation of
what was going forward—as if any secrets could be
kept in which more than an hundred persons are
concerned. The injury to the cause, on the other
hand, from not interesting the public in the argu-
ments by which it is to be supported, by thus im-
peding their circulation, is manifest. A deputation
of seven country bankers was appointed at the meet-
ing of yesterday, who are to have an early inter-
view with Lord Goderieh on the subject of their
complaints against the branch banks, and to present
him with a copy of the resolutions which have been
entered into. Their object is understood to be, in
the first instance, to interest Ministers in the case,
by representing the inconveniences they themselves
sustain from the introduction of branch banks; to-
gether with the danger to the country of the Bank
acquiring, by means of them, a controul over the
entire circulation of the country, and a power too
great even for Ministers themselves to check. They
aim, therefore, ultimately, either at procuring the
abandonment of the branch banks already formed,
or at depriving the Bank of its exclusive privilege
,as regards the formation of other banks, composed
of more than six partners, in London or within 65
miles of it. They conceive if this privilege were
withdrawn, that by the aid of a combination with
the London bankers, of whose co-operation they
,al,teady possess distinct assurances, they could suc-
ceed in establishing such a rivalry with the Bank of
England as would divide the confidence of the
country. They profess no other hostility against
the Bank than that .which arises out of the forma-
tion of branch banks ; on the contrary, they express
entire approbation of the principles on which it was
previously conducted.—Times.

(ANOTHER. ACCOUNT.)

The Committee of Country Bankers, appointed
at the Meeting on 'Wednesday, to arrange the plan
by which it is proposed to meet the Branch Esta-
blishments of the Bank of England, had their first
meeting yesterday at the London Tavern. The same
secrecy which distinguished their proceedings on that
day was continued yesterday. The entire of the
Committee was present, and they remained closetted
upwards of three hours. They are most active in
their preparations for the campaign against the great
lady in Threadneedle-street.
Among the plans proposed was the establishment
of one vast bank, with branches at some convenient
place within fifty miles of the metropolis; another
was, the establishment of district banks, each isolated
for the different parts of the country. The discus-
sion of these projects must of course not be looked
for, as no individuals but those personally interested
were allowed to he present. It was, however, tin-
derstood in the City, in the course of the afternoon,
that it was intended to call a second meeting of the
deputies before Christmas, to whom the intended
plan should be submitted.