Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-12-22
VOL. XXI. NO. CO.

"'u' a., haNIls Oeen Unclaimed Tor three wears or
more have afterwards been paid to any one appear
ing to represent the Stockholders or his representa-
tive as attorney in facts together with the nan and
residence OF such attorney
Mr.. Livingston, on Introducing the above re-
solution, observed that he had done so i'm conse-
quence OF report made by the Secretary of the
treasury IN answer to call by this House, which
directed him TO state the gross amount only of the
dividends referred to in the resolution The report
| OF that officer in strict accordance with the
terms oil the call. |, gave The gross amount only.
ana, IRON that report il appeared that the Trea-
surer oil the United States had in his handle
S2Z5,Si3 SO OF moneys belonging to individuals
but which remained unclaimed by those to whose
credit II stood upon the books; and the simnIe
question was, whether the Government will yive
to these individuals the knowledge of this fact in
order that they may ask for that which is their due
Nhen, at the last session of Congress- he had
presented this subject for consideration he had
done so in the un>uspecting assurance that il would
meet with no opposition from any quarter He
mad not conceived tina, opposition was possible
fie had presumed that the frs; rules OF probtv.
which govern nations as they govern indy i,luais
would, az a matter of course, induce he limited
states TO tell the persons in whose me these
sums stood, that their money ready for them.
10 his niiine surprise he had since heard such
OBJECTIONS as he never could have anticipated II
was most clear that the persons referred 10 must he
was evident from the faci that large sums had bee,
suffered TO lie useless and UNEMPLOYED, some Of
them Tor very many years. And il appeared IN
him quite as clear hat they ought TO be apprzed of
their rights. Ths the object of the resolution
his desire was, that this report shall be
received, it shall Immediately be made public. for
! The hensht oil all concerned, that every man NAV
apply for and receive, his due. Let il be reme,n.
oered by the House, that the amounts thus TO be
| published were not amounts OF doubtful or unotj
dated claims, but the amount OF acknowledo ed a,d
ascerialned rights, and that the only effect IN the
Government would be, that it would causeit to
restore property which il could not, with nrobtv
| retain Yet, strange as it might appear, some GEN
tlemen had urged objections TO a measure thus naI
pably equitable. What they Ii had in the
hrst place, been urged that, these sums were
unknown 10 the owners, there was no necessitv IF
publishing them; that they were unknown to The
owners, is undoubtedly true. They must have
been unknown, or the would have been demand
! ed. But, ii was said, if we publish 10 the world
these names and sums, Others besides the true owner
will get the intelligence, powers of Attorney will
! Immediately be forged, the moneys will be drawn
| by those who have right to them, and a generaI
scene OF fraud and speculation Will nfallibIy
This, perhaps, to a certain extent, might happen:
but, which was worse-that the CIovor,r,en,
should keep money which does not belong 10 i, arr
that it should give the rghtful owner al least a
! chance OF receiving what heir own F,audI
! T a... as
ARE not demanding them-and, in the present
stare oi things, viii never obtain hem? Such ner
sons, surely, be defrauded; Tor thew cannot
be more injured than gbey are, by keenins their
money forever an the Treasury. They do MOI get
1t as 1t is, and they could bu, lose il n an cage
No, sir the fra is that we should be obli,e ed In
pay money which is ours and which we wish
TO keep, Thai Is the fraud. But this d ,nger OF
fraud, OF which gentemen peak, if il exist Fl all
| has been greatly YDngnjfei nj
prevented, is greatly ia ored and increased b; lie
present state OF thing. The existence OF s,,rt an
amount OF unclaimed dlyideads caGnOt be an entire
secret--that Is impossible IN the nature oh binqs
The knowledge OF 1t will exist soruey here; .,,ne-
body VIII know ~ hat these amounts are ma TO-
whose credI they stand. B,tynee j. .hjs kro,,-
! ledge now! Ia The Br>nch Bank oil this CITY. HE
President and Cashier oil that bank know h.: alb
Their clerks know II; AMI though the lnd.sctetion
or csreiessness OF these clerks, q .ew OF iI,ei,.
friends probably know 1t. Now SIR, II frn. ike
lY to be prevented by keeping hat a secret among
some Ten or twenty persons, which ought to be
known to all the world? I ANY pof ers OF a tor
ney are likely to be iorged are they not most
likely TO be so when he secret ieInains in lew
hands? Aud is there, can there be any bet
Ter mode OF pre- en;ing such frs uds than bv
laying he whole open TO the kno., Jedcc of
the Whole community! .Whp j. more Interested
In preventing frauds, or more abe or more likely
10 prevent liltil, tildil ttle persons The
owners Oi these diVldenls WHO asked MIR l.,
are the persons who will receive the benefit bonld
lhls resolution be adopted They are, almost
without exception, the INDECENT and the unfortnra g
For, how has II happened, that these blla.cesTe-
NAMED unclaimed! Some sudden accident ias
.. happened to The owner, occasioning his sud en-
death, or he iia~ died at distance from his home
'nd his friends do not know that he owi ell the
, stock In other cases, may die insoveut /:
he hold 4 LARGE of sfo ici l..
e known 10 his creditors. and, which, for want Of
beng knovn has not been claimed and, OF course
4 las never been divided among them. But II is said
that, II persons do not know that any such sum is
due them, they are not injured by not obtaining il
p It isirue, that Shakespeare says
ileiru & ,o'trn, go, vazne what l. soIe,
i'e' aim not kno'o IL. aud ne, not tohbcd At suh
Ana TINS may do very well when applied 10 that
species OF property OF which the Poet is speaking
but 1t will not do when applied to matters of mo
ney' Ihe injury here - real as ii it were ever
u 20 well known. ] know. therefore, of no hiec-
ton to the measure proposed which ought Tor a
moment to- weigh with a body like this unless. in
deed, here Is one rule Of honesty for a nation and
another for individuals. What would YOU say.
Mr. Speaker, should man die with bond OF
. mime 10 his po ket and |, being very honest man,
' sho5id leave his iamil, IN ignorance ot he fact
> aadkeep my money, because that family, tho gh
suffering, do not come 10 me aud demand
1t But the object ri the resolution Is rot
only to enable those who are entitled ih So
balances to come forward and obtain tom ,ut
also 10 detect frauds which may already "a iser
u from the knoWied.s of The balances being con a
= to few, Here balances which have sto d
D, some Of them, Tor twenty years, or th. books of
2" ihs Bank. May It not have occurred 40 some ON,
Is 70 say himself, " the owner. have nor demanded
rs these balances for six, for eight for ten years and
luore--proDsbiy they are dead; cannot force !
power Of attorney and draw the money!" But. sal,
AIr 1. 10 10 90