Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-08-31

terms of the solyency and safety OF the bank,
at the time the letter was written.
1t is true, cannot consider it very prudent
management in MIR. Crawford, to have contNl-
ed 1t depository of public money, after Ne
had, as he said himself, "reason to dPbreheaa
q 1cant Of pnhctuakty, or good fiah on ats party
especially, without enforcing compliance
with its stipulation to make those returns,
which he considered necessary to ensure the
fidelity of all the banks that were made deposl-
tories of the public moneys. The former is
acknowledged in his communication to the
committee, page IS; the latter appears by
his letter to the President Of the Bank OF Ed
wardsviIlc, of the 10th November 1921; i'll
which he states, that "no statement OF the ac-
counts between the Bank OF Edwardsville, and
the Treasurer of the United States, has been
rendered to this Department, since that OF the
3lst January last" See document lao, part ,,
page 4S9.
But, whatever may be my opinion of his
subsequent careless management IN regard to
this as well as other Western banks, | certain
ly never intended to refer to the letter in ques-
ton for the PURPOSE Of ahOaci,g that there exist
ed, Ut that time, any such state OF things, as
rendered 1t necessary 10 withdraw the depo-
sites from that bank. But, as my having been
to receive the public money, might have had
its influence with Mr.. Crawford IN selecting il
for that purpose, l deemed it important to
give him timely notice OF my intention to re-
sign, AMI to afford him far Opportunity OF
adopting such course as he might tain,i OK
pedient undcr the circumstances OF the case.
'fhe Receiver, who was also President Of the
Bank, AID who was more afraid OF opardlzing
the former, than ANXIOUS TO retain the latter CT
flee, for which ne was not then allowed Il cent
OF compensation fearing thai The credit OF the
Bank might be Impaired and that other i'll
consequences might result from my withdraw
ing from it, and being, also, bound by the Sc.
crctary's instructions "to communicate any
circumstance affecting the character OF the
Bank" Was very easily prevailed on to write
the letter in question, to enclose my pubilca
ton, and TO withhold the depostes, for the
purpose of lcSsening the additional weight o.
responsibility which he thouslt-aud tru.
thought the circumstances mentioned in hi.
letter had dcvoHed upon him.
Ny objects iii referring TO my publication
AID to this letter, were tWot3M.
l. To shew The course Of conduct had pur
sued in relation to my withdrawal from III,
Bank
}. To shew that Mr.. Crawford was well in
formed and duly notified thereof Both wegt
rendered necessary by the ungenerous ant
disingrnlous attempts 70 subject me TO unius
Gems are, which are adtelted 10 in nay cores
pondence with him, in February, 1872.
1t is remarkable tAat, with a peftaacity the
most extraordinary, he sui perseveres in BIZ
eilugts to imptcaie me iH The transactions o
that Bank Well knowing tiat nis connection
Win II has long sipce ceased And hcace b,
his labored eitor,, "a his late communication tt
the Committee. to prove that continued L
be i9nector Thereof, after tie fall ot 1879. Ia
doing tlns he mast hasc attempted 10 IMPOSE
upon others what he himself could not have
believed. With all the Information which he
must have ha,lat Inc time of writing his late com
nnnicaiion, what could be less ustGable than
The implications to which he las thds re.
Gently endeavored 20 subject ne 7 Whatever
else he may think CT me, YOU cannot believe
that he thinks ne SO great fool, as 10 have
so repeatedly and pu5licly asserted, and final
" sworn to, the fact of my having Withdrawn
from tic Dircctorship of that Bank, il it had
not been true sncc in that case, it woulo
have been so easy TO have convicted me q
ialscaood and perjury. u nat, then can bt
iteugbt OF lis caltlor, 10 insisting, even at thu
late period, lhal continued to be Director
OF the Bank, after the fail Of 1919?
lie, us, however, see how he cndeavJrs to
establish this fact.
Referring TO that part of my oath before
The Committee, III February, 1923, in which
lad sWorn that though nsd once been elect
ed q Director, since the fall Of 1879, | had re
fused 10 accept the appointment, and had hat
nothing TO do with the management of The
Bank, since that time, "Yet," says he, " il
the following winter, Mr.. Edwards is founc
presenting himself to the Secretary, not ohly
III the character ola director of the Bank, bu
Of a Director specially ds'egated and auttori-ee
b. the Bank to conclude an important arrange
ment with the Secretary, in respect 10 thu
terms on which the i;anll was to continue
depository Of public money. By the printes
papers accompanying the Secretary's report
to the House, of the 9th April, 1922, il ap
pears that, on the 10th February, 1920, Mr
Edwards, then in Washington, transmitted It
the Secretary letter from the Bank to thi
Secretary, signed by this very Receiver, a
President of the Bank, co mining list of Dl
rectors for the year 1890, IN which Mr.. Ed
wards name is included that, at the SAINT
time letter from the Bank, addressed Il
himself, signed also by Mr., Stephenson, stating
to him, at large, the changes desired by thu
Bank, and the reasons therefor"
Contrasting all this parade Of circumstances
with all that did, in regard to the authority
thus conferred upon me "to suggest certain
notifications Of the contract;' and to my "spe
cial delegation to conclude the important ar
rangement," it would seem that Mr.. Crawfore
could not have desired stronger confirmation
of the truth of the very statement winch he
now affects to question. That da do No
thing more than write to him short note, ii
the following words. viz 81 lave the honor
herewith, to transmit to you certain communi
cations, which | have recently received from
the Bank of Edwarlsville, the object of which
is fully explained by the communications
themselves" Is it presumable that any mem
Der ofthe Senate, mot excepting my colleague