Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-05-14

i,s. He had been the Cashier Of the Bank for nearly
ten yesrs. he Is known 10 be an open hearted, kind
and generous man-libersl TO q fault we admit. IL
times Of peeuniary pressures, he frequently allOwcdhis
friends and the customers Of the Bank, TO overdraw, uu-
der promi O. OF speedy Reimbursement. II was in this
way that money was drawn from the Bank; and, un.
fortunately for him, il has but too often happened, that
persons thus accommodated, have fai.cj 10 return these
looms - aud hence the IcialcationS. But, when he al.
lowed these overdraws to be made, he did not commit
his entries to a AZ private book" but ents red them at
large on the public books Of the Bank. AT other times,
he would advance funds TO his friends, and take their
checks on the Branch Bank OF the UHited States, at
this place, with an understanding that the money would
be returned, and the check restored; and i'm relation to
the tran, actions Of this latter description, there would
be no entries made ON any book, because the checks
counted as so much cash. These books-the books OF
the Bank-dH Of he,n-are now In tho hands Of the
new officers of the Bank, and will shew that there.i.
not one word Of truth in the insinuation contained in this
interogatory; and the checks above alluded 10, which
remained in Col. Psrrish's hands, az the time Of his
withdrawal from the Bank, have been, by him, placed
in the hands Of a high and responsible officer Of the
State, Governor Carroll,) for collection, for the benefit
Of the Bank, and he can vouch how wholly groundless
Is the imputaion assumed IN this interrogatory. But
90 happen TO have at hand testimony Of a character,
which will PROSTATE and lay low this dirty libeler, at a
single blow. The reader will bear in mind, that il is
charged that these defalcations have arisen, because il
10 alleged, that the funds Of the B'nk have been used
by Gen. Jackson and his friends, for political purposes.
In the adjustment Of his Bank concerns, 1t has become
necessary for Col. Parrish to employ an Attorney and
Councillor at Law. Now. 1t 90 happens. that the At
eotbcy hp'oyCu " SOs dEEIsn, 10 W. s1uuUVS UtuV.-
In the discharge OF his duty to his client, it has become
alec necessary, that this Attorney should make himself
thoroughly acquainted with the causes which have led
to these deftlcations. We have called upon this gentle.
man, and he has authorized us to say, Ina amongst
those who are overdra,oe,s at Bank, and amongst those
to whom Col. Parrish granted loans, as before stated. on
checks, there are many Of the political friends OF Mr..
Adams; and we happen TO know Of our own knowledge,
that amongst those to whom Col. Parrish made loans,
and who are still debtors on that account, there are
some Of the bitterest personal and political enemies
that GeneTa jackson has ever had And Wa r. ssnr
ed, too, that some of these loans, thus made to the
friends OF Mr.. Adams. were made. too, at a time, when
Political strife, growing out OF the Presidential Election,
waxed warmer in this place, than al any other period
during that angry contest; and at the very time too,
when Col. Parrish was indulging himself in the exer-
else OF a very heated and active part. We think IN. Sc
explanations will shsw, that the funds of The Bank were
in no wise lent to the pro notion of political ends. In.
deed, whenever Col. Parrish has been called upon to
bestow a favor, although himself a devoted friend OF
Gen. Jackson, he nexer paused to enquire, whether the
applicant belonged TO the coalition or the combination,
to the whi'e rose or the rel; and he has ALWAYS number
ed amongst his warmest friends, MANY of the avoweJ
advocates Of Mr.. Adams administration; and il never
was his practice TO allow party contests 10 interfere with
his personal attachments.
III We will next submit the 81 interrogato-y.
~. Why, when this delalc alton was discover ed, did
he refuse to exhibit his private book"
We have already stated, that he kept no ouch &c pri-
vate book" and we now add, that no such demand ever
was made Of him; and il follows Of course, that there
could have been no such refusal.
ILL., The Sd interrogatory is eouched in the following
'3. Why did he Legislature of Tennessee permit
such bold contumacy TO 20 unpunished!"
The legislature OF Tennessee permitted TO contu-
macy TO 20 unpunished;" but, on the contrary, that ho-
dy acted with the most marked and positive promptness
and decision. That body had been in session nearly
months, a month longer than il had ever sat be-
iore-and 1t was only a few days be fore the time it had
hxed for its final adjournment that il was discovered
that there were any difficulties in the accounts of the
late Cashier. What then were the steps which were
taken? A joint and numerous committee
nj hntbh NNsoa w d. I;ra.fa o.sh-.l- a. l.. "a -:
gid enquiry into the aft irs Of that Bank; and they
entered upon The duties assigned. They pro-
eeeded to the Bank, but the books had been removed by
the Cashirr-the possession OF them was retained by
him; he then refused to surrender them, and, of course,
withou, them the committee could do nothing. In this
state OF things, did the Legislature stand still and 'per.
NIT such contumacy TO 60 unpunished:" Mo-; the CASH
Ter was Immediately dismissed from ofice-the Ser.
geant at arms was ordered to arres, him, and did forth.
with arrest him. He was retained in lhe custody Of
that officer a considerable time, and was for nearly half
a day in close confne ient in one of The rooms of the
capitol. Col. Parrish offered no "con,umacy'' to the
General Assembly. He offered no resistance to the or
ders or the officers of the Heu,e; but Ike a peaceable
citizen submitted 10 an examination, before the Com
miltee OF the two Houses, and yi.lded quietly to all the
measures taken in relation to him. Finally, the books
oil the Bank were surrendered TO the Speaker OF the
House ef Representatives, and to 4 member OF the Sem
ate, and the Cashier was discharged. Where then il
the contumacy to which it i, alleged the General AS
sembly of Tennessee submitted Thai, body duly sought
The possession OF the books, and that possession was
yielded. Nor was that all. The two gentIe men, to whom
the books were surrendered, were directed by the lie.
gisiature to enter into a minute eyamina alton of the
hooks, and TO report, without delay, the result of their
observations. They did 20; and re por'ed, in substance,
that the books had not been posted up for the last eieh.
teen months, and that therefore il was impossible that
any thing like a true state Of the condition of the bank
could be then ascertained-anh that IL was supposed the
books could not he adjusted in a shorter period than
three months. If the Legislature had felt inclined TO
stifie all enquiry, and 10 submit TO "contumacy," il
would then have gone no farther, hut would have left
the concerns of that bank and the adjustment of the ac-
counts oil d~efauiters and over-drawers TO the ordinary
courts ofjusice. But no. 1t Immediately enacted
law in relation to these defaulters dis,in guished for 10
scrutini-ing tendency, and Characteristic of the most
summary procedure. In short, it constituted a Special
Court for the adjustment of these defalcations-giving
to 1t that Jurisdiction only, AMI appointed as its Judges
one OF the Judges Of the Supreme Court-one OF the
ChaHcellors OF the State. and one Of the Judges Of the
Circuit Court. And go extraordinary were the powers
conferred on these Judges that they held, as il were,
Gin the hollow Of their hands" The liberties, the proper.
ty and the character of these deaulters. Even the "a.
cred privilege OF trial by jury Is withheld from defen
dants in this court, and can only be had, in the discre.
ton OF the court. Appeals to the Supreme Court Of
Errors and Appeals are denied, and the behests ef this
tribunal are declared final and conclusive, no,wiihstand-
ing IN all other cases-even in a case, for the most ti-
fling sum, before a justice OF the peace, appeals, by our
statute, are allowed, as a matter OF right, even 10 the
Supreme Judicial tribunal Of the land. Ii is admitted
that Col. Parrish was unwilling a. first TO surrender the
books; but that unwilingness did not arise from "poiiii.
cal reasons" He conceived that the exposure Of the
accounts Of the over-drswers would ruin their credit;
that the destruction Of that credit might oce aston the
total loss OF MANY OF these claims-which loss he feared
would fall upon his suretes. He believed that could he
be enabled 10 screen these over.drawers from exposure,
no shock would be given TO their credit-thst they could