Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-03-31
To Tie Editors of me Enorj,ey

SSht'I oi we ZJin uit- read, some dayS
ago, letter slgued " A Y.rgluian." reia
I'VE 10 lhe bill now before Cnug'css-
concerning the Bank, IN the District"
That letter is evidently written by gen
tcman of practical knowledge, aud much
local information. It's, moreover, stan. pt
with Truth and honesty THIS is proved
nv ITS Invitation TO enquiry for" dis
honest aud designing men lrve precipi,a
Ton and hate scrutiny" II mni0lds 10
us uRsuspeciIn9 country stockholders a
tissue OF specializing devices and 1rntcgs
o. which we had no idea. W. had no
idea, TIL now, oil the Imposiiions which
nave been pracilSed upon us by The town
monopolists OF bank stock aud al bank
dIscean,s IN some of the sei!-Crea,ed
BANKS. have, therefore, been little
curious to ascertain as we'll as could, III
my re'Ted situation, which of the DIS
| trlcf banks were originally esia hiiSked hy
charters, Which were scFcreatcd. what
their real. what their fictitious capital IS.
and wha, rank all hold IN the public esil-
nation. The detail, though dry, will no,
b undressing 1t cannoi but be useful
TO my fellow citizens, and II may let In
some light upon the great Council of the
Amphy cro.s
Oiihe Gra description find there . ere
but tUo- nameiy-" The Bank of Aexar-
dria, properly SO called, aud The Bank
OF Columbia. All the rest were self:
created.
The Bark of Alexandra" was moi on
~ The FIRST bank established in the Dis
trici. and before il became "lhe District"
, hIt The FIRST that was ever chartered In
Virginia. lin the establishment OF This
bank, as member OF The Legislature al
the Time, psrs mInima fui," and, licre
tore, In speaking OF ~, speak from NV
| own knowledge lis charter was granted,
prc,Iou y 10 the adoption OF ihe Federal
Co"siI'u !ou, when tie affairs ofcon,me,ce
rere regulated s0'eiy by the state legislatures.
a that time the siaie OF MaryIand-
Weaseilike stole III and snck'd princely eggs
with Ike cunning of Il skiliul whist PLAYER
she contrlveti 10 lay terrace behind Nlr-
| gina, and 10 out trump her upon all oo-
| casions. Her Legislature never met till
the Legislature ot Virginia were about TO
ADJOURN. ihls gave her an opportunity
10 TAKE advantage OF every commercial
FAUX pSAs thai We committed, and she
| so reSuia'eu her tariff aud tonnage duties
as 10 Draw The com merce ana ships OF
ALEXANDRA 10 the opposite shore. The
complaints of This townan,l OF ourcjl,zens
through the whole OF the Northern Meek.
we're loud and incessanl. Gen. Washing
Ton himself was one of the complalnanis.
| md the treasury, al last, began 10 feel Sc
verely the effects Of This evil. IiUO RENE
dies we're proposed. The first was-a
COW. ntion Of delegates from Penasylva-
MA, Maryland and Virginia, TO sIeei at
Annapolis, with powers 10 negotiate some
| sorl OF recipro' al system, or commercial
| treaty. The second was-ihe incoroora
! ton oil bank al Alexandria i'm aid or the
FIRST. convention from those three
states met, accordingly, and adjourned.
"re iniecis." Another was proposed.
and three delegates" from Virginia were
chosen by the Legislature. But Mr.. Mad
ison's proposition for general conven-
lion OF all the states being agreed 10 by
| all, except Rhode Island, the states OF
pennsylvania and Maryland declined
second meeting at Annapolis, trusting 10
The result OF That General Convention
which afterwards formed orr presen, Fe-
deral Constitution. During the intervals
between the formaiiOH, the adoption, and
ihe organization OF our new government,
the commerce Of AIexamdrla, the pride
aud boast oiVTglnia in those days, as she
| Ought 10 Ot iH these, began 10 revive, and
! NE agriculture of the upper Northern
! Neck 10 be improved, both being dis
|
mer!tOrlous bank When the Federal
Government got into full operation, Il new
| spring was gwen 10 every thing. From
that time 10 the present the Bank OF Alex
andrla, IN point of integrity, l;beralItv.
economy, caution, credit aud character
| has beeB second to none IN The Union -
Perhaps none was ever more fortunate in
| It's Otticers-and, therefore, none conId
have been more correctly managed. n
has, tor this reason, constantly enioyed
The confidence OF The public, and of the
| Federal Government, thro' all lie changes
| OF It's various administrations. It's caplIal
| was paid IN gold aud silver Ii was sui.
| scribed chiefly by VIrglDians OF the first
responsibility and landed property. has
| rarely changed hands, and is, Al this day.
retained by Virglnlans residing in various
| parts OF lie state, from tie Potomac 10
The Roanoke, and IRON the mOuaiains To
| the chesapeake. Such was the patriot
| Zeol OF oHT citizens IN those DAYS. such
! thc general anxiety to counieract The cum
ming policy OF Mary land, that they sub.
scrIbrd 10 u from sheer motives of viz
! gtHiantsm, absiiacted from every couside.
ration Of profit hey ond the legal interest
on their money. Ii became a fashion In
! subscribe, and this fashion audable. vat
/ Tioilc and viriuous, not like the fashion of
modern times, caused The legislature TO
augment the capital To ispreseni amount
Of half million OF dollars. This aupmep
tailOu was subscribed in cash and chiefly
too by ViTginians. II ought not. howev.
er, 10 be disguised that this Grst grant ol
an exclusive privilege 10 trade in money
merchandise was lhen considered 10 BE
as unconstitutional as would have been
the grant of an exclusive privilege 10 trade
| TO the East Indies, or 10 The South Sea. ~
TO = company, like the Farmers General