Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-05-25

place oil lmparlialIIy In all parry eTcftS.enf,
the members OF the Legislative assembly are placed i'm at
udes OF keen and ardent opposition each other We
have constant experience OF the personal animosites into
which all debates questions of deep public interest arc
continually running An individual member OF this House
who presents himself in The attitude of an accuser not
only calls for the Investment in himself an extraori-
nary power hut II lie prosecute himself the accusation
claims The exercise OF powers which in general system
Tor the administration OF equal justice be united
The spirit OF hcPrO>ecuor, is not The spirit the Judge
whoever voluntarily assumes the former capacity disq1a-
mes himself Tor Tie unimpcachaHe performance of the
latter
During the preen; session OF Congress two instances
have occurred OF inquiries instituted into the conduct Of
Executive Officers OF this GOvcrnnent-one bearing upoH
The second Auditor OF the Treasury and the other IDon
the Commissioner OF the General Land Office I'm each
oil those cases the member insiitune the inunrv moved
its reference Committee of which he was not bi1.elf
member. There was no law, any rule of the
House which imperatiyely required this but the mem
bers themselves ct Tie decacy their situations and of
their own accord dveSted themselves of that invlious
combination OF character which uncs the prosecutor and
the Judge lhe prosecution OF the Bank has been the on
" exception TO this Of proceeding. The Chairman
oil Inc committee commenced his career prosecutor
by exhibiting an Indictment calledby himself of twen.
y-two charges against The Bank. The bank is Coporas
ton consisting OF President Directors and company of
Stockholders. The Bill Of Indictment therefore, being
otenSiby against the bank seemed be diveste of per-
ond aniinosiy and this, perhaps have induced tho
Chairman to lose the OF inconerv in tho
exercise at once OF prosecuting and of judicial powers
These observations are deemed indisps ,sabv neceseo
Try to clucidate the spirit in which the examination
was conducted-paraking throughout of this UNUSUAL
union OF the prosecuting and of the judicial Character
sbly against any individual but against the Bank was
one Of substituting the Press by special favours and ac4
comnoddons to editors OF newspapers for spec
Gia hvour and accommodations 10 members of Congress
In all this the Chairman OF the Committee appears TO have
entertained The opinion That because tie charges were in
form against the Ba they an to be considered
as affecting the integrity OF the persons upon whom they
might chance TO fall. He frequently dsclarned all inen.
ton OF putting upon trial the character of the President OF
the Bank and he appears to have beea quite unaware upon
ChOW his dcnunciaion might eventually be found o d.
sccnd The subscriber believed that there was great
of i'm fl,g
committee M bis original motion, OF the crimes which he
denounced Take for example, the charge Of subsidiei
ne Press. If violation Of law be essential ingre.
dent IN the composition OF crime, there law which
prohibited the bank from substituting the Press-nor was
there any law which prohibited The President and Direo-
tors OF the Bank from agrding facilities and accomnoda.
tons to Editors Of newspapers.
On The other hand, there Is pcrhapq no class Of citizens
IN the community who by The nature of their profession
may more frequently need the aid Of bank facilities or to
whom they may be gndlly useiu and i'm popoe,io1
TO the extensvcness printing establishments will of
course, be the Of the accommodations which tey
may require why then should the hank be laid undo,
an incrlct for Substituting the Press? Why should the
President and Directors d the Bank be charecabe with
gross and papablc corruption because large accommoda
tons and facilities, ia the regular OF banking opera
lions, have been afforded TO editors OF newspapers? There
appears 10 the Subscriber to be included in The principle Of
ms charge very dangerous assault upon the freedom Of
TIE Press principle prospective iu iis nature, and the
application Of which, 1t assumed bv the authority of
the Legislature coud 10 successful only n reducing the
Press scrvc erviency 10 whatever party might COM
mand amomcnary majority IN hc two Houses OF Congress
Tie editors Of newspapers not responsible Congress
Tor the pocal principles which they may advocate or OPP
pose. Nor the legislature take cognzance ephcrof
their consistency orof hcT political purity They are re.
ponsibc ior their opinions thcir subscribers and To the
public opinion ofer country Toho1 them this rospon-
Nbtyyhcr rivals, and competitors and political adverse
rcs sufficiently wachfu and sufficiently armed The
opinions and interests Of maoiics In Congress will never
lack tor presses sustain themselves But If in addition
70 mat common interest Of The majority and Of their favour
lie presses 10 the competition for public favour they are In
assume ccn5or' power 70 punish or 70 sdgmaze The