Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-12-31


ment These regulations been, and will continue 10
be, uniformly complied with"
At meeting Of the citizens of Richmond held NJ IN.
Capitol, on Thursday the 26,h OF December 1885, Chap
nan Johnson ESQ; was called to the Chair, and Holden
Rhodes, appointed Secretary.
me ioiiowing resolutions offered by B. W. Leigh
E'q, and adopted wi'iou, dissenting voice:
hesooed a" e sense OF The citizens Of Richmond now
"sre assemoeu uat M the Bank OF the u States i'm the
large bonus which II paid Tor its charter AMI in H. ~
vices stipulated to Perform aud in fact pcriormed far
e government hai paid full, aud valuable
Tor all the privileges ndv sniages and benefit. corJ
OH II by the act OF incorporation among which v.. ~
aepoes In the Bank or its branches OF the moneys of
The United States, as the should be collected from
time to time, during the whole term for which /, was in
coPorated; and was not that the Bank was
or was likely 10 become, unsafe de po.orv of m. ,nh
lie treasure, that had tailed to perform anv of the co.,
vices which it hal stipulated TO perform for The
men; therefore, the recent act OF the President with
holding and Withdrawing the depos;es of the f
the w. States from the Bank paipabe breach of The
public faith, soleu'niy Pgh,ed the institution by its
charter. - ~
Resoired, In regard 10 the re- sons nv which =, h h.
attempted to justify this extraordinary measure 4, the
Congress and People of the u States so far as The same
consist in allegations of misconduct of the B.nkat !,
appears 10 this meeting, that those allegations of
duc lar from being subsaDated by proof have been dis
proved and That they all proved by ncontrover
ole evidence still no misconduct mitted by the Rank
could furnish an excuse Tor of Injustice Committed
oy me government towards it-especisly If such act of
gusnce involve breach Of the public faith, viola
non OF the Constitution and the laws OF the u States
and so far as the Withholding and withdrawal Of the de-
poses from the Bank has been vndcaed on the ground
oil the shorness Of the time which the charter has 70
endure and the expedency of compene il 70 begin ,bus
early 10 wind up its affairsconsderng that the nsi,u
uon was incorporated for the full term of twenty wears
shu 20 ENJOY ai The privileges advantages and benefits
conferred by its charter, for the whole term and that two
years alter the expiration Of the charter were allowed II
reason Tor the in question as amoun,;nn ;n';
cPe ana IN effect to the assertion Of a claim on the Mar,
istence of the Bank, by an exercise nj The Exa,;
power in defiance Of the Legislative will and of the con-
ac made with the institution, plainly expressed in the
Resoired That this meeting looking 10 the history q,
's arorary and dangerous asure ss il has been dis
20 .ne public by the President OF the United States
Is compelled to regard him the real author OF
au ms secretary OF the Treasury only the ins,ru.
"eRs "y winch he has exercised his will power
f'e'oueo, nat the provision Of the charter O, the
Bank ha' the deposites of the money OF the al STAT.
IN places where the said Bank and branches ,hersoi
Iuu DC es'aolshed should be made in the said Bank
anu thereof unless the Secretary of the Trea
sury should at any time otherwise order and direct in
Whch case the Secretary Of the Treasury should imme-
date'y lay before Congress- ii in session. il not immedi
ately after the commencement of the next session ,h
reasons OF such order direction was plainly intended
give the Secretary power to take away the deposies
nun 'he bank not at his own pleasure or caprice
nor 10 compliance with The opinion or in OBJ ence 10 the
the PRESIDENT but only for good cause; aud for
sUoo 70 De reported to- and judged Of by the Con-
fesofced That the Legislature having in the estab.
shen, oil the Treasury Department, taken care
Wat should not be Executive Department with the
obvious design retain to itself the absolute control
over me public purse by the il was
20 no. Tue Secretary OF the Treasury, in the exercise
any discretionary power conded him by law is i'm no.
wise bound to respect the wishes the orders of the Pre-
s"eht contrary TO his own judgment of what is right or
proper out Is bound TO respect the will of the
declared by law; and that the President in dsnissina
secretary oil the Treasury from his Office for refusing TO
exercise me discretionary powervested in him by law to
ake away the deposltes from the Bank, in compliance
WIN me WIZ oil the President, contrary TO his own udg-
nen' ana IN appointing known 10 concur in
the views of the President maniesy for the pnrnose Of
the Dan ,;,b
has perverted and abused his power of an
poh'ment and dismison Of officers and has assumed 10
prer0gatve.
RESOLVED, That considering that the President had sub
he question as to the propriey of taking away the
rom The Bank TO Congress- at its last session.
and that the House Of he peculiar
aan oil the Public reasue) had response to tina, Dues
toh expressed its opinion, in TO be msunder
stood, that there good for taking away IN.
dePostes from the Bank and considering TOO that the
nsnk was acknowledgedy safe depository OF the public
oneys;-thls meeting cannot but apprehend that The act
OF me executive taking the deposes from the Bank
e recess OF Congress- ard shortly before the ann
d. meeting oil mat body, dictated by design 10 pre-
vent the sense OF majority the two houses on the sh
Ject from prevailing, and the President by
exercise oil III, veto, the he had assumed over
me oeposi'es, unless majority Of two-thrds of both
houses should concur in redress or the
ev and this was the design it certainly may be the
effect oil adopting this in the of Congress
this meeting regards this Of the Executive in this
oil aso as gross, paPable and dangerous abuse and
Petversion OF the constitutional powers the President
has jealousy provided, that moneys shall be drawn
from the Treasury, but in qience OF
MADE ny law, and as the Of alton of the Rank
OF inc United States in effect constituted that Bank and
us branches The Treasury Of the United States BY making
them the place where all public moneys should be de.
posted and safely kept for the use of the government,
according 10 appropriations made by law; i'm the
opinion oil This meeting, the late
inc treasury transferring large Of money TO certain
state Banks selected future repositories OF the public
treasure, not for the OF the nor in conse
qnence OF any appropriation made by law but with the
OBVIOUS and indeed, avowed purpose partly to enable
those State Banks discharge the balances thew owed TO
the BANK oil the United States Of the public moneys go
transferred 10 ten aud partly TO sustain their credit and
10 enable 'hem TO enlarge their by an
or loan oil The public moneys-were, in principle and in
eject, Withdrawal OF moneys from the Treasury with.
OUT any appropriation made by law, violation of the
Constitution. " '>
HesoUed, That the Constitution of the w. States ICON.
forming, IN this particular with the constitutions of all
impeavely requires and provides that
e sole anu absolute control Of the public purse should be
vested and jealousy retained in the Legislature and es
Peciaiy that no control should permitted TO the
executive; and That the assumption by the President in
his instance, oil power TO take the deposes of The
public moneys from the Bank OF the United States TO
which they were destined by the Legislature and TO
place them In any Stale Banks he think proper 10
select upon such terms he may dee prude MT TO sp-
ate and TO take away such deposes from those State
Banks agaiO, and TO con6de them to new repositories of
his own selection, at his will and pleasure, without al.
hoty or regulation oil law, amounts assumption by
the President OF full and absolute power over the public
purse, and has direct tendency concentrate all the
powers oil government in his hands, and to convert our
Tree, happy, republican institutions into a simple mo-
Darcby.
Resolved That is the serious apprehension or rather
e hr convection OF this meeting, that the admission
power IN he PRESIDENT OF the United States, place