Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-02-27

49, - 80 q II y r. -
charter Of the Bank Of Alexandra was Oh.
tanned. situation while there ensbleds
him 10 witness the difficulty that existed IN
obtaining the chatter for the Bank s. IL was
obtained BY the very grea exertiOns otone
For two members Of the legislature, added.
TO the personal exerti0ns oil the then cher
magistrate of The state.
When the charter was about TO expire
the Directors of that Bank applied 10 the
session of 1893 and 10000 have II re-
newed 1.-The assembly at that time rejected
the application. The application was re-,
newed at The session OF 1900 and 1901,
lFwhen the late judge Fitzhugh and our re-
spectacle fellow townsman, Thomas
tSwann, ESQ. were members OF the assem-
bIy. from The Coualy of Fairfax. Congress
was then about to take possession OF the
District and in consequence OF its pledge
to the old Bank Of the. United States i
| was known renewal of the charter could
not be obtained from Congress, the only
hope of the Bank was from its parent State
Virginia; but at that session upon fulI
discussion again of the subject the appll-
cation was rejected; one OF the members
from Fairfax, then moved Tor PERMISSION
| 10 bring in bill to permit the BANK to 90
business at West End, until il should be
able to wind up its affairs This leave was
granted aud bill was prepared which IN
| that shape passed the house OF Delegates.
and was sent 10 the Senate where il was On
motion of Judge Brooke, then member
oil the Senate, amended and clause add
ed 10 continue the charter until the 4th
of March 1911, it was immediately re-
turned to the House of Delegates thus
amended, which amendment was agreed
| TO by the House. by majority OF one and
the absence of many oil its adyersaries.
The writer recollects the great anxiety
which not only the Directors OF the Bank,
but the inhabitants OF the town felt con-
| corning the fate OF the Bank, and their ex-
preston OF feeling when they heard OF It's
failure on the first attempt, and their con-
duct when il was passed. He recollects
having seen letter dated some time in
the month of January 1901, to Thomas
Swami. Esq. from Wm. Herbert, Esq. the
then President of the Bank, expressing on
behalf of the Directors their zUarmest erat
ttude to him tor his eminent serUtces rem
dered to that Institution, in obtaining an
extention of the charter from the Legisla
ture.
In this feeling the people of the town
partook. They manifested it by giving a
| Public Dinner to Mr.. Fitzhugh and Mr.
Swami. lmentlon this circumstance, 10
shew that the Directors OF the Bank and
the people of the town then thought Il
difficult matter to obtain from the VT
ginia Legislature any boon tor Alexandra;
and they who succeeded in obtaining Il
were considered as worthy OF civic honors.
and that it was the result OF their great per
sonaI exerlions and not the effect of kind
and just feeling of the Legislature towards
US Need give other Instances OF snni-
lar conduct OF Virginia towards this town,
If it were necessary, can cite the case OF
the Bank OF Potomac. That Bank COM
menced its operations in the month OF
December, in the year 1904. AT this time
there was a law in force in Virginia, and
which was passed in 1885 and was also IN
force in the County OF Alexandria. pro
hibitiEg The circulation OF private Bank
notes payable 10 Bearer. The Bank OF
| Potomac made their notes payable to Or.
der, of course they did not come within
this law, and they thereby violated no ex.
isting law. Congress under whose goveru-
ment we then were. and .have been, not
OILY allowed this course OF the Bank by
not passing law against il, but as soon as
their pledge to the old Bank of the United
States ceased to exist, gave them charter.
Bot what was the conduct OF the Virg ma
Legislature towards this Bank, va, il gen.
erous, or was 1t kind! 1t was not. On The
9Th OF January 1905, they passed law
for the express purpose OF preventing the
circulation OF the notes of this Bank IN
Virginia. BY this law it any person offer
ed in payment in Virginia any note or
bill, payable 10 bearer, or 10 other persons.
which should be issued by any Banking
Company not having charter, he was
liable to pay ten times the value OF the
sum mentioned in the bill o. note, and to
be bound 10 bis good behaviour. -.
! Thus does il appear what were the feel-
ings and conduct of the'LegIsiature OF
Virginia towards Alexandra, while we
were under her government, and ever at
ter, whenever it was in their power to
make blow at the town; so far as the
Banking and commercial interest OF the
town were involved. 1t was acts Ike
these thai induced US in the year 1900 TO
solicit Congress to exercise their constitu
tional powers over the District by provId-
ing for the government fit. Are the all
vantages OF recession 10 that State no5D so
paIpable and self evident as 10 justify
lre-union.
| Looking then back to these events we
can have no reason TO expect that the
Banks of Alexandra would be permitted
10 DO their business upon terms more favor
able than the state banks are subject to