Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-06-15


sncered and gazel az by the idle & thought
less visitor; and. filthy, a zeal and sympa
thy extended for the discharge of thos,
who apparently 10 strangers) conduct them
selves orderly, without considering the OBJ
Iect OF confinement, aud the benefit intendc,
both To the convict and the community
thereby creating an undue influence on tho
mind, calculated to produce a restless dspo.
sitIon unprepared 10 receive the s;lutary i'm.
pressions EeedfUl 10 better their minds, and
teach them 10 believe nothing short of IA real
reformation can restore them to society Ii
frequently happens that the worst of men
are discharged by the influence and fastidi-
Gus zeal of the best of citizens, actuated from
the purest motives.
So long as convicts are crowded promis-
cuously i'll their lodging rooms, and the off.
GERS not clothed with the necessary power to
maintain, and made responsible for the good
government of the institutions, SO long they
will continue to fail in vain may favora-
Bile result IN their yearly operations be look
ed for, they will forever be an expense, and
crimes Increase in proportion to their failure
A spirit of emulation in the preparation of
crimes by felons long addicted to vice is as
common as 1t is amongst the virtuous in acts
ofusefuIness where the former are associ-
ated together, he that is the most expert in
viIlany exults before his comrades at the
many feats and cunning tricks played Off up
On the community before his apprehension !;
and he encourages those less skilled than
himself TO regard the temporary confine-
ment as nothing; when they are discharged
they will be more successful, having studied
together, and improved in the art. Here
then is a school of vice, that might be COM
pletely remedied, were they separated at
the hours of rest, and closely watched whilst
at work. BECCARIA.
FARMERS BANK OF VIRGINIA.
AS many rumours have been afioat in this
city, and will probably spread with conside-
rable exaggeration into the country, respect
ing certain alleged transactions, in the Far
mers' Bank ofthis city, we deelnit due to the
stockholders, to the state, s. to every citizen
who is concerned in the conduct of a public
institution, to state the facts as far as they
have enascertained. 1t appears, that within
few days past twas discoveredby the cash
Ter that the books of the Bank for the last
year were forced to balance, by the 1st Ac-
countant that it was found the books had
not balanced since the year 1913 ; that upon
stating the circumstance of forcing ba-
lance to the accountant, he admitted the
fact, and ascribed his concealment of it to his
apprehension of the resentment of the Cash
Ter he protested at the same time i'm the
most solemn terms that he had not impro-
perly touched one cent of the funds of the
bank, nor had he permitted one of his friends
to do it; that he had been unable to detect
the error on the book; for it was an error
only, not a design.-We understand also,
that it is not ascertained whether the bank
has or has not lost one cent by his means
hot al. Al
of fraud or mistake that a complete inves-
LEGATION is about to be made into the accounts
of the bank that it must take good deal of
time, as the accounts of each customer of
the bank will have to be ransacked from A
TO q but that, in any event, it is not be-
lieved the bank will incur any serious loss
At all events both the accountant and his Sc
curities are perfectly good for the amount of
his bond.-The former has given a Deed of
trust on his property for the benefit of the
Bank.
In addition to the above, it is stated, that
there was a deficiency in the department OF
the 1st Teller of the Farmers Bank, which
amounts to $4,000. This sum, he asserts,
was lost by deficiency of his cash which
he cannot account for but he has come for
ward promptly, and conveyed all his proper
ty to indemnify the bank which, together
with his security on his official bond, that is
ample, renders it certain that the bank can
sustain no loss on this account. 1t is due to
Justice also to state that the 1st Teller has
hitherto maintained a most irreproachable
character.
It's idle to moralize upon circumstances,
which are wrapt in so much uncertainty.
@ We understand, that James Brown,
Jr. of this city was yesterday appointed LIST
Accountant of the Farmers Bank of Virginia
in the room of Alexander Lithgow.