Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-29

at LOUISVILLE the Huntsville Bank; the BasS
of Missouri, the Bank of Vincennes the Bank
of Edwardsville; and the Farmers and Media
MICS Bank of Cincinnati; and of the present
circumstances of those Banks; and, whether
there be reason to apprehend loss from any
other bank in which the public money is depo-
sted.
In answer to this request, the Secretary has
communicated statement of the Treasurer,
giving the information required, which accom-
panies this report, marked ID.
BY this it would appear, that the balance
now due the Government from these hanks. is
four hundred and forty thousand eight num-
bred and twenty dollars and syty-three cents.
The committee has no particular Information
of the measures which have been adopted to
enforce the collection of these balances. In
regard to some of them, as has already appear
ed, the Secretary expresses confident nope
of ultimate payment; great portion OF the
amount, however, may be considered as lost
The amount of money collected on account
of internal taxes, and from the sales of the
public lands, mostly the latter, since 1910, Is
stated by the Secretary at twenty-one mil
Lions of dollars. If of this sum, half million
should be lost by means of the failure of the
Banks which have stopped payment, the loss
the whole sum.
Considering the great and violent shock
which credit of all kinds has sustained within
this period, in the Western states, and CON-
pairing this amount of loss, if it should eventu-
ally happen, with that OF the Bank of the Unit
ed States. of other Banks, and Of individuals,
arising in the same part of the country, from
Similar causes, the committee is of opinion, that
the result does not shew in the Treasury De-
partment any want either of fidelity or pru-
dence in the management of the public funds.
The other division ot.the charge contained
in the address, relates to the alleged suppress
sion, or Withholding of papers called for by diff
ferent resolutions of the Houses of Congress.
One specification under this head is that
relating 10 the correspondence between the
Secretary and Mr., Stephenson, the President
of the Edwardsvile Bank. The opinion of
the committee on that subject has been al
ready given, and need not be repeated.
Another relates to the correspondence with
the several Western Banks, generally. The
charge is, that material parts of it were retain
cd, when all was called for by the House.
The first call was made on the 9Th OF Janu-
airy, 1922, and was, as the committee think, Ii
mi.ed in its proper construction to a requis-
ton for the correspondence relative to the
the Secretary says, he understood it but that
he did, nevertheless, transmit letters not di-
rectly embraced by the resolution, but which,
he thought were necessary to elucidate the
subject.
The next resolution was on the 18th of
March, in the same year, and the only cores
pon,lence it called for, was that with the Mis-
souri, Bank, and there is no reason to believe
that this was not Substantially complied with.
A third call was made in the same year, ON
the 9Th of May, requiring the correspondence
with all the banks that had not before been
communicated.
The committee have moi been able to disco
yer, in the very volupinons return to this last
resolution, any material letters not before
communicated, except a circular instruction
10 the Western banks, directing them to note,
on the back of each return of the rreasurers
account, description of the moneys credited
in such return, and the amount Of each, ac-
cording to a form OF return therein given.
This form is the same with that in which the j
return referred to in Mr.. Edwards address,
marked e. is made out THIS circumstance
would seem to give greater weight to the
evidence to be drawn from that paper, consi-
deri,s it as an official document intended for
The freassY, under the agreement.
Anotser cnsrge of suppression, incidentally
made, but which TIE committee deem it pro-
per to notice, relatese~ a report made by the
secretary, III obedience toa resolution of the
House OF the 3lst December, 1919, calling for
such Information as he possessed, in relation :
to the Introduction of slaves into the United
States On this point the committee address
ed an inquiry to the Secretary, and received
from him the answer annexedto this report.
marked E.
Although they are of opinion tina. there
were papers IN the Department containing in
formation called for by the resolution, and
Which ought to have been communicated, yet,
Judging from the statement made by the Sc
,retary, in his answer, connected with the fact
nat the papers in Question were communi-
'ated to the Attorney General, it is the opinion
It the committee that the omission was not
aused by design to screen the persons inn I
dictated from punishment or blame.
Asto the other cases in which the Secretary
S charged in the address, with having sup
pressed or withheld papers or information
'alled for BY the Houses of Congress, the COM
nittee is Of opinion, that, although papers
coming within the scope of the resolution or
call, we're not, in some instances, commu.
nicated. such omissions were either the re-
'ult Of accident, or Of belief the part of the
Secretary, or of the persons necessarily en-
ployed by him OH such occasions, that the pa
pers so omitted were not called for, or were
not material; and the committee have seen no
evidence that any documents or information
has been withheld from the House, from the
operation of any improper motive or design.
Referring to what has been said in the intro.
ducton to his report, and repeating that MIR.
Edwards has not had an opportunity of sup
porting his charges by his presence and testi-
mony, the result Of the facts which have APP !
peared to the committee, thus far, in this in. ,