Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-25
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, }
Nav 9Th 1920

The Minority of the Bank Committee, having
in their Counter Report advcrtcd to resolution
acquitting the President of the Bank of certain
charges brought against him in relation to transac
tens with Thomas Biddle g. Co. we think it pro-
per to submit all the circumstances attending the
adoption OF that resolution.
Just before the Committee adjourned to make
their report to the House, and after it was agreed
to, Mr.. Watmongh introduced the following reso.
utons, to witt .
"Rosoved, That in the opinion of this Commit
tee, formed from the most searching and unrc-
strcted examination of the books and proceedings
of the Bank of the United States, there does not
exist the slightest ground of imputaton AGAINST
the integrity and honor of the President or Of the
other Directors of that institution.
"RcsoIved, That the grave and infamous charge
brought against the President by Reuben NJ. Whit
ney, touching the transactions of the Bank with
/ the House of Thomas Bddle g. Co. and Charles
Biddle, clearly and conclusyely disproved-
that there does not exist the slightest ground for
charging the President with having shown or
manifested disposition to show any partiality to
those individuals but on the contrary he appears TO
have been governed by strict honor and a delicate
and scruPulous sense of proprcty in all the trans
actions between them and the Bank"
For the foregoing resolutions, Mr.. Thomas mo
we'd the following substitute, to witt
"Resolved, That it is inexpedicnt for this Com
mittee to cypress any opinion of the motives of
those whose transactions with the Bank of tho
motives eff the officers Of that institutions because
it is esteemed most just to all parties concerned to
leave to the Congress Of the IT, States the decision
of all the matters respectfully submitted 1t is due
however, to the officers Of the Bank te add that
great facility rendered by them in explaining
the books and assisting the researches Of the Com
mitiec."
This last resolution was rejected, three members
of the Committee voting for, and four against il .
The first original resolution was Withdrawn, and
the other was then modified in the following man
ner and agreed to, TO wit:
"Resolved, That in the opinion Of this Commit
tee the charges brought against the President of
the Bank, Of lending money to Thomas Bddlc d.
Co. ,oifhout interest and Of discounting notes for
that House and for Charles Brdde, ,cithout The ay
horify NJ tie Directors, are without foundation.
that there does not exist any ground for charging
the President with having shown, or manifested a
disposition 10 show any Partially to those indlyidu
ais in their transactions with the Bank
This resolution was not opposed, because Of the
express understanding that it related only to tho
circumstances mentioned therein and to no other
for it would have Contradictcd the report iust
agreed to in this essential particular, viz "'rhe
Committee have already expressed the conviction
that these large accommodations to u few indivdu.
ais are injurious to trade generally, and they will
add that they ought always TO be made by either
the Board of Directors or the Committees empow
cred by them for that purpose. For an explanation
OF this subject papers numbered - and l4.p
Tbs resolution, with others, was TO be recorded on