Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-12


ana Means favorable to the bank, he Observer
thai the suppor,ers of the motion for select COM
mittee though they conceded maj 'rty. were
not even allowed minority. tie concluded by
saving. that, as it was. a matter vi importance,
he should call for the yeas aud meas.
Mr.. Jenifer addressed the House at some
I.nuth in IA, or Of the reference 1t the memorial
IN the Committee of " avs and Means.
Mr.. Huntington said, large part Of the debate,
might, in his opinion, well have been spared
He regretted that the gentleman from Georgia,
(Mr. Wayne) should have thought it necessary
to introduce topics of party; but he (Mr. H)
should not be induced to follow hat course. nor
ask on what authority the statements respecting
the recent movements at Baltimore was founded.
The honorable and h,gh-rninded gentleman at
the head of the Finance Commit G. (McDuf-
FEY had very frankly told the House that he was
the last man to be acquainted with the movements
i'm that CITY; and the honorable men who signed
the memorial were not only above the charge OF
having done so with political view, but even
the suspicion of it, tie would not stop to in
quire whether it was necessary to speak OF the
allusion made to the Presidential election. for
he had confidence in the members OF the House,
that whether the Bank was to be re-chartered or
not, when they cane to vote on the question:
they would vote independently, and without the
slightest consideration Of hether might lose
an office or gain one. He would proceed. then,
a, once to the question Of which committee the
memorial shall be referred to- The gentleman
from Virginia, (Mr. Johnson had objected 10
the Committee of Ways aud Means, and argued
that the censttutionality Ut charterins the bank
might form part of the question Well, said Mr.
Huntington. and is not the Finance Committee
competent to decide upon such question: The
head Of that committe Mr.. McDuffie) is gen.
tleman not altogether unknown
Mr.. Johnson, of Va. explained. He had said
that standing committees were equally compe-
tent with select commitfe; but that so hume
ruus and various were the enquiries connected
with the subject that the organization of the lat
ter was preferable, and because, also, the Bank
question vas thrown before them. as it were, on
the authority of the Presidents Message.
Mr.. Huntington pro, eeded. He had mi'un-
d-rstovd the Gentleman, but he understood HIM
right now, to mean that the question mere
isolated one Of the re-charterins oil the Bank;
but when the committee shall take up tina, qucs
ton, they would have to discuss and deliberate
upon the terms. limitations and conditions upon
which the charter, il granted at ali; is to be grant
ed. And was that committee incompetent To the
examination of all these various details? He was
mite Of WAYS and Means was unknown 10 the
House that thew had no confidence in him? Or
could the Speaker select one who deserved more
of their confidence than that gentlen.ans II, the
the committee was both willing and competent,
why not send the memorial To them: Another
gentleman, he observed, MIR. Howard. had
spoken of an issue of Treasury notes or drafts. or
something OF the kind, and the loca ion OF Il bank
1T the seat If Government for that purpose; bat
he, Mr.. Huntington. believed, that # We wait
till Congress determine on the pr"prIe,y OF char
ter,nu such bank, we shall wait ill ne find
the present generation sleeping in their graves
for half century. The House. he was sure,
would never give lis assent TO the establishment
of such national bank at Washington. nor place
under,s cuntrol tho wealth Of the uation.
Mr.. Howard here said, that one object Of
national Bank was to preserve the pubic wealth,
and another the transfer of ITS funds. His re-
mark had reference to the latter part, for an opi.
Mon existed that that object could be better &C
compli>hed BY another organization of the public
funds. instead Of mixing them up with private
accounts.
Mr.. Huntington. My remarks are predicat-
ed upon what the gentleman from Maryland SAYS.
He wishes this plan to issue treasury notes. &c.
to be examined in the committee. and his object
is to get some friend there to examine into and
report upon its details But the Speaker will
have to look out of this House for person CON-
petent TO such task as that.
Mr.. II. went on to say, that gentlemen had
been defining the duties which pertain to the
Committee Of Ways and Means; but 1t seeme,'
To be Forgotten, that they had already referred,
III substance. the very subject of the memorial to
that committee Whether originally better
reference would have been to select committee
he knew not; but at this time he was in favor of
sending il to the Finance Committee. The gen
tlemau from Massachusetts, MIR. Dearborn,
had very appropriately remarked, that the Presi-
sdent's message, as far as the bank question
went. and the report of the Secretary of the Trea
sury, had been referred to the Committee of
Ways and Means. The Secretary apeaks Of the
great fiscal operations of the Government, and
dwels on the great moral spectacle of the Ma
tionaI debt being Iiquidated on the 4th of March,
1883. by means, among other resources, of
sale of the $1,000, 600 which we hold of the bank
stock, for sum Of 100000 Mr.. Ii. went
on to comment on the loss which would accrue
from chan DINO the six Der cent stock for the three