Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-12

'HShe Oh pouticoi oppression by parry. The
Board has, believe, invariably and exclusively
consisted of individuals opposed TO the Gene, N
Governments or the ten persons named in the pcti-
ton Tor Directors, Sir friends of the last and
Jo"r are friends OF the present Administration
Ihcy are, however, alike gentlemen OF rcspcc ab
ty, who have sinister objects to he promoted
understanding well the responsibilities and tho
wants OF business men. With such a direction |
do not doubt the branch at Portsmouth will be Sc
cure and prosperous and satisfy all. The adyau-
tagc OF having two reputable men i'm the Board
Zone of whom is State Treasurer out of Ports
mouth, must be obvious.
II hope the petitions will receive the friendly con
S'dcratiou of the Directors of the parent Bank
81 am, gentlemen, with much respect
''Iour friend, and most obcdicn'
"ISAAC HILL,
"Sccond Comptroller u. =. Treasury.
-. n. BARKER and JOHN PEMuERToN, Esqrs."
! We hope that by this time the reader will he
able to perceive rhy Nlr. Mason was sought to be
removed; rdy the influence of the Executive was
drought to bear upon him; and ,rhy the jackson
Members of the New Hampshire Legislature were
marSha!lcd to procure the removal of Mr.. Mason
| from the Presidency of the Portsmouth Branch
Bank, as they were, but too succo Ss(ully 10 pro-
cure the removal of Mr.. Law from the Colicctorship
| OF the port OF New London, in Connecticut If
any reader yet doubts, let him attend 10 what is
| yet to come.
The following is an extract from Letter which
| appears among the Documents, from j. Mason,
President of the Portsmouth Branch. TO thc Pros,
dent OF the Bank of the Waited states. dated
Mark these datcs!l July 81, 1899
IAN attempt is making 10 rcD'orc Tie persian
| agency trom This attire TO Concord, in this State
During the session of our Legislature, in June a
, memorial Tor that purpose "ottOR up IN Mr.
Isaac HILL, SscOnd COmptrolIcr Of the Treasurv Of
the tinted Sfates, amt signed by dircrs of his
'rorm PoiHic0t PGrtiSanS, and others specially in
tcrcsted In the matter, addressed the Secretary of
the treasury urging the central situation of Con
cord as reason for The removal. | do not under
stand that any fault alleged in the manner of
dong the business here. Mr. Hills object doubt
] less is to benefit small Bank at Concord of
which, till his removal TO Washington, he was Pres
! idcnt"
| Against this diversion of public ends, Mr.. NJ
seems to have had objections, which the parties
concerned no doubt thought very unreasonable
Mr. NJ. adds, i'll the letter
81 have been lately informed, that memorial and
numerous letters have been addressed to the Pa
rent Bank, complaining OF nv official conduct
and that two agents have been engaged to in
FORM them by personal application. Ii the memo
RAJ and letters contain all the absurd untruths,
! that were made use OF TO obtain Sirners to them
they must he extraordinary productions | am de-
srous ofknowing the facts stated, and by ,rho,n
to enable me to repcl them, which, fear not can
easily do"
Here follows Letter from the Secretary of War
TO Mr.. Mason, directing the transfer of books pa.
pcrs ~ funds the New Hampshire Pension Agcn-
cy to WV. PIcKERING, Esq. o. Concord, which or
der, being disputed because contrary to law, was
"it'i Soiie correspondence between the Bank q
the United States, the Portsmouth Branch, and the
war Department, eventually withdrawn
lhc whole ofths attempt TO poLiticisc the Bank
OF the United States corcludes with two very
long Letters, the from MIR. BIDDLE dated
September Is (attcr his return from Portsmouth,
the other from the Secretary of the Treasury in re-
ply, dated 9TH October. No abridgment can do
justice to these letters: they must hereafter be
published entire. The theme of the Letter of Mr.
Biddle besides the facts already disclosed is stat
ed by him follows:
our reply of the 23d of July treats exemption
from political bias Il moral in.ppssibility; and
IN a!luSon TO a suggestion that the Bank was dis.
inclined to the interference of the Government in
these matters, you declare that lit is not deemed
transcendng the just obligation of the department
TO which is assigned the direction of the relations
between the Government and the Bank, to sug-
@est It's views 10 their proper managcnent,-
on speak "t the action of the Government on the
Bank, and that OF the Bank on those within the
sphere OF its influences and, finally, you remove
Tic impression that these were only your private
sentiments, of which the friendly purpose nioIu
justify the communications by stating that your
hrst letter contained such an avowal of the views
OF thc administration, could not be fairly mis-
undcrstood'"
Before proceeding TO commeat on these views
MIR. H. thus states the Ncw-Uampshiro case:
"Om the eve ofan election for an officer of This
Bank IN New Hampshire, the Senate. from New
Hampshire, the Second Comptroller from New
hampshire, the Legislature of New Hampshirc
the merchants of all parties in New Ham pshirc,
were all alrayed to complain of his abuses, and
10 snow now loudly public opinion demanded his
removal, just at the moment when the administra.
ton had declared to the Bank that public opinion
was the only safe test Of such accusations
Happily, the Board of Directors are but little
sensible to influences of that description Instead
ot yielding TO these complaints they examined
thcin and, after calm and thorough inves,ipo
ton, they found that MI these accusaijoas ,scrc So
t"ciy gr0n"dtcS"; that tire most 9cqi9us of his en-
gIgG yyfy !. n
any occasion, been igRHenced Jy polfiroI fccJ;ogs
and that this public opinion, so imposing in the
must OF distance dcgcucrated into the personal hos
tity OF a very limited, and, for the most part very
prcludiccd circle. Mr. Mason was therefore i'm.
mcdatcly reelected"
Mr.. b, then prcfaccs his argument, as rolIovvs
"Nftera very deliberate, and we hope a very dis
passionate consideration of all these circurIsiar
ccS, the Board of Directors think it. evident that the
Secretary OF the Treasury believes
list. That the rotations between the Govern
mcnt and the Bank confer some supcrvorsion Of
The choice of the officers Of the Bank to the pro
per management of which his Interpretation is
authorzcd
I'D That there is some faction of the Govern.
mcut on the Bank not precisely explained but i'm
winch he is the proper agent; aud, finally,
I'D. That it is his right and his duty to suggcst
The views OF the administration rs 10 tho political
opinions and conduct Of the officers Of tic Bank
These positions Mr.. Il. meets and trumphanfIv
rciuics, concluding his letter as follows:
cit IS hope, almost superhuous 10 add that
while Tic Board Of Directors deem it their duty TO
express their dissent from your views in regard TO
the administration Of the Bank the difference i |
wholly unaccompanicd with any feeling Of IN |
lIcndilncss towards yourself or the administration
30 both, IN the sphere Of duty allotted to it, the
'''nk mas gwen the most cordial support 10 both |
u VIII hereafter, give cooperation equally zeal
Gus ~ all It's appropriate duties"
Mr.. lngham's reply is long, elaborate in part and
IN part iroulcal and sarcastic lie disclaims any