Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-05-31


Webb and Of Nlordecai M. Noah, with
the Bank Of the United States, formed,
in the opinion Of the subscriber, no pro-
per subject of examination by the Com
mittee, or Of investigation to the House,
farther than to ascertain, whether, inI
those transactions, there had been any
violation Of the law Of the land.s With
in the pale of the law, il this be govern
ment oflaws, and moi of men, Webb, and
H Noah were not amenabfe for their con-
duct, or their opinions, to the House of
Representatives of thc United States, or
to any committee by them appointed.
The Constitution Of the United States
denies TO Congress itself the power of
passing any bill of attainder, cxpost fac
to law, or law abridg,bg the freedom Of
the Press. But here is new fongkd
offence created expost facto, under the
denomination Of ss,bsidizing the Press to
ope. te as q bill Of attainder upon the
bank, and as a disirarsehisement Of eve
ry editor Of public Journal who may
happen to be obnoxious to political par
ty in power. The fact constituting this
raost extraordinary crime, is the mere
existence Of loan, or discount Of the
prescribed editor at the bank; transac-
ton entirely warranted by law, but in the
/ censummation of which committee of
one branch of the Legislature first as
sumes the right Of scrutiniZing and then
! of passing sentence of condemnation up
on the motives Of both parties to the con-
4 tract. As there is no law constituting
the offence, the degree OF its maiie nifty
has no rule Of proportion but that Of the
! temper by which il rs prosecuted IL will
be aggravated by every stimuIant Of pri-
vate pique, of cashing Interest, of politi-
cal prejudice or of morbid suspicion,
! which can be enlisted in the prosecution.
f A Committee man, being large stock
= holder in State Bank, to- be deeply
: benefited by the exiting OF the
Y Bank of the United States; another, link
= cd in connexion with newspaper estab-
= -illishlHent in competition with the editor to
O be attaintcd; profound political econo,
n mist, welded to a system OF coin, cur
c rcncy, and credit, propitious to one bank
It ing interest, and unlav vorable to another
I, I n mere partizan hanging upon the skirts
v of a political candidate, and following
a the camp to share in the spoifs Of victo
: ry, might all club their inventive facul'
Il ties to swell this imaginary trespass IN
II to a fclony;-and seldom would there
l. lack as an ingredient in the composition
v the corrosive sublimate Of a malicious
h temper, with instructive hatred of all hon
e or and integrity, prone always to iHte
8, actual fraud and villainy frcm the mer'
1t possibility Of its existence, and even 4
|, insinuate corruption, without daring open
T. ly to affirm It. These are consequence
s. which must and would follow from th'
e sanction by Congress, or either OF tn
e Houses of the principle that the account
J. of Editors of newspapers, as separate
At class of men, with the Bank are to b.
t. scrutinized by u Committee Of Congress
Of as test of the political opinions or doc
,r trines of their editorial columns-or Indi
20 cations of the candidate for the Presi
ID dency to whose banners they adhere-o
" to defeat the rc-chartering of the Ban
t. by deducing from the same naked fact q
Ie existing loans, large or small, the dis
S. honorable conclusion, that the moiires G
Of the President and Directors Of the Bank
IS for granting these loans, were to pur
J. chase the support of the borrowers, b
ID bribery and corruption.
lc Admit that, in a country where In
IN freedom Of the Press is among the fir
,e elements of the liberty Of the People,
as Committee of one House of Congre'
A. has right to constitute ex post fucto,
a crime under the name of substituting th
s. Press, of that, which in the eye of tn
j. law of the land, is, and always has becl
DC innocent. Admit that they have pOwt
Of to search into the hearts ofthe PrcsdcI
ne and Directors Of the Bank, fW dishor
to est motives to lawful actions-Admit thi
Ir- they have right to Interrogate them Il
"a reasons which no Director Of any Ban
i'd is ever bound to give--Admit, that att
,of the President and Directors have sui
he mitted to these insulting interrogatorie
re and assigned the reasons by which the
he were actuated, the committee should st
,e, feel themselves justified in cropping d.
DR. after day for circumstantial evidence
#. falsify the frank and explicit declaratio
.es of men without slur upon their fam
III. That piles Of folio volumes, Of bank a
ad counts, should be rummaged over, nigl
Ir- and days, for a variety in the color
BIB ink, in entries made by different clerl
INT with different nk-stands, for errors in 4
sc spelling Of name, for intcrline alto
ire and ensures in a waste-book or Tic
& Ter, and all to substitute triies light
III dir Of suspicion, in the place of fact, a
nj to imp,ie fraud, forgery, and PERU
tc- where they cannot be proved-Adr
be- that the unsullied characters OF me
as long known among their fellow-cit'zc'
The for lives without fear and without